First Bus Roundtree Way Bus Depot

Today i saw a picture at Roundtree Way so i went there to find  First Bus Volvo Olympian 34515 and no one knows why its there hopefully Norwich will keep it will keep you all informed

First Bus

Today while on First bus 36180 number 11 I saw a First bus Purple Line branded working The Pink Line 11 33003

Sanders Coaches 45 bus

After college today i was waiting with a mate from college and see no sign of the 45 it comes at 16:15 but dint turn up at all so in the end i had to get Anglian Bus 588

First Bus The Green Line Brokendown

While on First Bus 66337 green line with my dad we saw another green line on the other side broken down that is typical First Bus 

First Bus Breakdown

This evening me and my dad  saw a First Bus Trident being towed from Tescos Blue Boar Lane while i was in a First Bus green line sorry not in service.

Major changes to road layouts in Norwich city centre given the go-ahead

An ambitious scheme which will transform the way traffic uses Norwich city centre, banning motorists from St Stephens Street, has been given the go-ahead.

The ‘Transport for Norwich’ scheme has been trumpeted by council bosses as a way to ease congestion in the centre of Norwich.

It includes making Chapel Field North two-way and preventing general traffic from using St Stephens Street and part of Surrey Street.

Officers say that will improve journey times, reliability and punctuality for buses, while making life easier for pedestrians in places such as Rampant Horse Street.

But the proposals were vigorously opposed by campaigners who were not happy with the changes to Chapel Field North.

They raised concerns over pollution, safety, an increase in HGV and bus numbers and the impact on Chapelfield Gardens.

At a meeting last month, where the scheme was due to be approved, councillors agreed to defer their decision so alternative plans put forward by campaigners could be considered and officers could respond to claims that the figures used to justify the changes were inaccurate.

However, at today’s meeting of the Norwich Highways Agency Committee, councillors decided to push ahead with the original proposals, after hearing from officers that, in their view, the alternative plans did not stack up.

Chairman Tony Adams said he was against the Chapel Field North proposals and in favour of the St Stephens scheme and wanted to split the vote.

But officers advised him against that approach, and the vote was taken on the whole scheme.

The committee has four voting members and the scheme was agreed by three votes to one.

Last year, highways bosses successfully bid for £2.6m from the government after submitting a Better Bus Area bid. That money was to pay for a package of measures to speed up buses and one of the key things council bosses said was needed to do that was to stop the estimated 3,000 cars a day which use St Stephens Street.

Buses, taxis, coaches, bicycles and emergency vehicles will still be able to head down the street, but cars wanting to get across the city centre will instead have to head down Queens Road to All Saints Green and then travel down Westlegate to rejoin Red Lion Street.

Traffic heading down Westlegate will no longer be able to cross into Rampant Horse Street, in front of Marks and Spencer and Debenhams, but instead forced to turn right.

Buses will also be able to travel two ways down Chapel Field North, with cars heading into the city from that direction only able to get as far as the car park next to The Assembly House.

Park & Ride Fire

Fire and rescue crews from Sprowston and Earlham were called to the Norwich Airport Park and Ride on Cromer Road shortly before 9.30am.

About six passengers were safely evacuated after black smoke was seen billowing from a vent above the driver’s seat.

A spokesman for the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service said there were no injuries, and that the crews had extinguished the fire within about 10 minutes.

The fire is believed to have been started by an electrical fault.

One of the passengers, Tess Ward, said: “I saw thick smoke above his (the driver’s) head and said loudly: ‘What’s that smoke?’ “Everyone looked and the driver then asked all passenger to evacuate the bus.

“The smell was really strong and the smoke was getting darker. Some of us has to moved farther not to inhale that terrible smell. “The driver was on his mobile and not long afterwards the fire brigade arrived, one after the other, pretty quickly.”

A fire service spokesman said: “It was a very small fire, mostly smoke. We believe it to be an electrical fault and obviously that bus is now being repaired.”

The passengers and drivers got onto the next scheduled bus at 9.30am

Norfolk Bus Blog believe the vehicle was either PN03ULT or PN03UME. If you can confirm or deny this please email us at norfolkbusblog@gmail.com

PN03ULT was already fire damaged so maybe it was back in service, but very unlucky to suffer a second fire. A few weeks ago PN03UMD/G/E were operating alongside a Norse branded bus. If anyone was on the bus or saw the bus please let us know any details you have.


norfolkbusblog@gmail.com

Green Line Eclipse seen on Reepham Road in Taverham

Just saw a Green Line Eclipse on Reepham Road in Taverham. It was heading away from the city, but not sure where. Any info, post a comment :)

Norfolk Green Fleet

Optare Solo YJ07EGF (302) (Coasthopper) has received a rear advert, this one is for Norfolk Hideways holiday homes.
Dennis Trident/East Lancs Myllenium Lolyne PX55AHF (13) and PX55AHJ (14), have both arrived at Norfolk Green's depot but haven't yet entered service, 13 has not yet been repainted and 14 has been repainted but not entered service yet.
And finally, Optare Solos Y57 HBT (603) and MX55WCU (613) have now been repainted into the new Norfolk Green livery. Their 'names' are Lilian Ream and Charlotte Pearson Boyd.

New First Route - 29S

First have confirmed the route of a new route due to run on weekdays from 15th April. The 29S is a school service for Taverham High School, Norwich and will depart from Maple Drive at 1523 – we (First) cannot pick up outside the school unfortunately until the yellow markings have been changed. 29S then goes via Fakenham Road, Kingswood Avenue, Pendlesham Rise, then Felsham Way, Long Dale, Reepham Road, Drewray Drive, Pendlesham Rise, Kingswood Avenue, Windsor Chase and then to Drayton and Norwich.

Norfolk Green Cost Hopper

While on a First Bus 23A I saw a Norfolk Green Cost Hopper going down riverside possibly to work the Tesco Free Bus

Nokia Bus Update - 200 XJJ

Thanks to Zak, from Norwich Bus Page, we have been able to identify the 'Nokia bus' that Dan saw in Norwich the other day.

200XJJ is a special Nokia Lumia display bus. It boasts – on the first floor – an area where visitors can see the Nokia Lumia range of smartphones and experience wireless charging; whilst upstairs is a coffee area and boardroom.

On the bus, visitors will get a live demo of the Lumia range from Nokia staff who will demonstrate the features of the phone including City Lens, NFC and 4G.

New Email

Since we downsized to the Norfolk Bus Blog, we changed our email address to norfolkbusblog@gmail.com
Use this email for contributions, complaints, compliments etc.

First X1 Enviro 400's

This may not be breaking news, but I thought I might as well let you know that First have ordered 22 new Enviro 400's (with WIFI) for the X1.

More info to follow.

Trident with Nokia advert

On 18th March 2013 I saw a Dennis Trident with an all-over Nokia advert. But I'm not sure what company was operating it. Was it just a display? What company is it? If you have any more info or photos please email us at norfolkbusblog@gmail.com


Thanks, Dan

More Lowestoft ALX400's are Re-Painted

Seen in Norwich today was W741 DWX, in the new First Lowestoft livery. more ALX400's are being re-painted right now so if you see one, let us know by emailing norfolkbusblog@gmail.com

AU13FBL - No. 613 in Anglian's Fleet

The last of Anglian's MAN EcoCity gas buses was seen in Lowestoft Bus Station on Saturday.

Fleet Number 613, registered AU13FBL, is pictured leaving Lowestoft on the 12:00 146 to Norwich around lunchtime.


She was being employed on the 12:00 146 service to Norwich.

Norwich Bus Spotting - 17th March 2013

I was out spotting (kind of) today. I saw three President's and one Eclipse out on the roads of Norwich. I also visited PeopleMover's depot (sort of) and passed First's Vulcan Road depot. These photo's can be seen on my personal Flickr Photostream: www.flickr.com/photos/samlarke

This B7TL/President was seen on the Pink Line at Tesco Blue Boar Line

Trident/President sighted on the Yellow Line 28 in Drayton this afternoon

 B7L/Eclipse seen at traffic lights at the Boundary in Hellesdon

Finally, Norfolk Green had a CoastHopper Optare Solo out on the X29  in Drayton today.

All photos Copyright (C) 2013 Sam Larke

Welcome to the all-new Norfolk Bus Blog

On behalf of myself and Dan, I wish you a Warm Welcome to the Norfolk Bus Blog.
This blog aims to provide news on re-paints, brake downs, new buses, old buses etc.

We will soon set up an email address for you to send in pictures and news etc. But for now, that's it.

We hope you find this blog exciting and informative, whilst providing up-to-the-minute details on new buses etc.