David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Preserved AJN 825 is an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol K5G that was new to Westcliff-on-Sea Motor Services in 1939 Preserved former H C Chambers and Son of Bures, Suffolk G864 XDX, an Alexander bodied Leyland Olympian new to Chambers in November 1989 Preserved R364 LGH, a Northern Counties bodied Volvo Olympian that had been new to London General in December 1997 as their NV164. In London Country Bus Services livery Seen from the upper deck of Konectbus/Hedingham/Chambers Go Ahead 502 (LF52 ZNE), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL that was new to London General (WVL93) in August 2013 as a normal covered top bus. Now a convertible open topper which was working the Park & Ride shuttle for the event.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Don’s Coaches of Dunmow F602 MSL, an Alexander R bodied Leyland Olympian new to Hampshire Bus in August 1988 Preserved R364 LGH, a Northern Counties bodied Volvo Olympian that had been new to London General in December 1997 as their NV164. In London Country Bus Services livery. Preserved former Eastern National Omnibus Company 2384 (WNO 479), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol KSW5G. It was new in October 1953 to Westcliff-on-Sea Motor Services with a covered top lowbridge body. Rebuilt to open top in March 1966.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Go Ahead owned Konectbus/Hedingham/Chambers 502 (LF52 ZNE), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new to London General (WVL93) as a normal covered top bus new August 2013. Now a convertible partial open topper. It carries graphics for the Clacton Breeze seafront service but today was working the Park & Ride shuttle service at the East Dereham rally.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Go Ahead owned Konectbus/Hedingham/Chambers 502 (LF52 ZNE), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new to London General (WVL93) as a normal covered top bus new August 2013. Now a convertible partial open topper. It carries graphics for the Clacton Breeze seafront service but today was working the Park & Ride shuttle service at the East Dereham rally.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Go Ahead owned Konectbus/Hedingham/Chambers 502 (LF52 ZNE), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new to London General (WVL93) as a normal covered top bus new August 2013. Now a convertible partial open topper. It carries graphics for the Clacton Breeze seafront service but today was working the Park & Ride shuttle service at the East Dereham rally.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Go Ahead owned Konectbus/Hedingham/Chambers 502 (LF52 ZNE), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new to London General (WVL93) as a normal covered top bus new August 2013. Now a convertible partial open topper. It carries graphics for the Clacton Breeze seafront service but today was working the Park & Ride shuttle service at the East Dereham rally.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – As part of the Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day in East Dereham the Park & Ride shuttle was worked by Go-Ahead owned Konectbus/Hedingham/Chambers 502 (LF52 ZNE), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new to London General (WVL93) as a normal covered top bus new August 2013. It carries graphics for the Clacton Breeze seafront service but today was working the Park & Ride shuttle service at the East Dereham rally. In this view the bus was passing beneath the East Dereham town sign. It features the legend of Saint Withburga (or Wihtburh) an East Anglian princess and abbess who died in 743. The story goes that the Virgin Mary sent a pair of female deer to provide milk for her workers during the construction of a monastery founded by Withburga.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Go Ahead owned Konectbus/Hedingham/Chambers leaflet for the 2024 summer season of the Clacton Breeze open top bus service.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Royal Blue was a coach operator jointly owned by the Western National Omnibus Company and the Southern National Omnibus Company. Preserved Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH LDV 467F was new in March 1968 to Southern National (with fleet number 2375) and was later transferred to Western National. Preserved in the livery style adopted by the coach operators of the south-western area of the National Bus Company circa 1970 prior to the formation of National Travel. I had a return trip on this coach from East Dereham railway station to County School railway station about 6.5 miles journey. It was a great ride offering the sights and sounds of travel on a 56 year old coach.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham I had a trip on board Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH LDV 467F which was new in March 1968 to the Southern National Omnibus Company with fleet number 2375. Preserved in the Royal Blue livery of the style adopted by the coach operators of the south-western area of the National Bus Company circa 1970 prior to the formation of National Travel. Royal Blue was a coach operator jointly owned by the Western National Omnibus Company and the Southern National Omnibus Company. The latter was later subsumed into Western National. In this forward view of the cab area the driver was approaching to take the coach to the former County School railway station about 6.5 miles north of East Dereham near North Elmham. County School station opened in the 1880s to serve a school established about ten years earlier that provided education for the sons of farmers, tradesmen and such in the rural area. It was a great ride offering the sights and sounds of travel on a 56 year old coach. The USB plug point is a later addition!

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Two Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RE vehicles seen at County School railway station having brought visitors on a 6.5 miles ride from East Dereham station of the preserved Mid Norfolk Railway where the rally was centred. The trip took us to the isolated former County School railway station which features a museum and tea room. County School station opened in the 1880s to serve a school established about ten years earlier that provided education for the sons of farmers, tradesmen and such in the rural area. Left is FWC 439H, a service bus model RELL (Rear Engine Long Low frame) new to the Eastern National Omnibus Company in December 1969 as their 1516. Right is LDV 467F, a coach model RELH (Rear Engine Long High frame) new to the Southern National Omnibus Company in March 1968 as their 2375. Preserved in the Royal Blue livery of the style adopted by the coach operators of the south-western area of the National Bus Company circa 1970 prior to the formation of National Travel. I rode both ways on LDV 467F which gave a great ride offering the sights and sounds of travel on a 56 year old coach.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Two Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RE vehicles seen at County School railway station having brought visitors on a 6.5 miles ride from East Dereham station of the preserved Mid Norfolk Railway where the rally was centred. The trip took us to the isolated former County School railway station which features a museum and tea room. County School station opened in 1884 to serve a school established about ten years earlier that provided education for the sons of farmers, tradesmen and such in the rural area. Right is FWC 439H, a service bus model RELL (Rear Engine Long Low frame) new to the Eastern National Omnibus Company in December 1969 as their 1516. Left is LDV 467F, a coach model RELH (Rear Engine Long High frame) new to the Southern National Omnibus Company in March 1968 as their 2375. Preserved in the Royal Blue livery of the style adopted by the coach operators of the south-western area of the National Bus Company circa 1970 prior to the formation of National Travel. I rode both ways on LDV 467F which gave a great ride offering the sights and sounds of travel on a 56 year old coach.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham I had a trip on board Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH LDV 467F which was new in March 1968 to the Southern National Omnibus Company with fleet number 2375. The trip was to the former County School railway station about 6.5 miles north of East Dereham near North Elmham. County School station opened in the 1880s to serve a school established about ten years earlier that provided education for the sons of farmers, tradesmen and such in the rural area. It was a great ride offering the sights and sounds of travel on a 56 year old coach. Note the features such as what were dubbed ‘jet vents’ back then. In the early 1960s sliding opening windows were considered old hat and ‘forced air ventilation’ became en vogue with air blowers mounted in the (open aspect) luggage racks. Often these suffered damage or were broken by ham-fisted passengers. The cramming of a tissue in the vent would close it off when cold air became an annoyance! The reading lights above the windows were the forerunners of individual passenger reading lights also mounted in the luggage racks. One feature which has thankfully become redundant on coaches nowadays are the ash trays mounted in the rear of each seat. Part of an example is just about visible on the bottom edge of the photograph. Obnoxious things they were! Not only did copious amounts of dust and ash float around during the emptying process but they were also used by passengers to dispose of the remains of the soft fruit conveyed by them on their journeys. A ‘tee key’ or ‘budget key’ was a useful device to rake out the fag ends and debris from the ash trays when cleaning a coach.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham The seating on board preserved Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH LDV 467F which was new in March 1968 to the Southern National Omnibus Company with fleet number 2375. I had a return trip on this coach from East Dereham railway station to County School railway station about 6.5 miles journey. It was a great ride offering the sights and sounds of travel on a 56 year old coach. One feature which has thankfully become redundant on coaches nowadays are the ash trays mounted in the rear of each seat. Part of an example is just about visible on the bottom edge of the photograph. Obnoxious things they were! Not only did copious amounts of dust and ash float around during the emptying process but they were also used by passengers to dispose of the remains of the soft fruit conveyed by them on their journeys. A ‘tee key’ or ‘budget key’ was a useful device to rake out the fag ends and debris from the ash trays when cleaning a coach.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham On board preserved Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH LDV 467F which was new in March 1968 to the Southern National Omnibus Company with fleet number 2375. Note the features such as what were dubbed ‘jet vents’ back then. In the early 1960s sliding opening windows were considered old hat and ‘forced air ventilation’ became en vogue with air blowers mounted in the (open aspect) luggage racks. Often these suffered damage or were broken by ham-fisted passengers. The cramming of a tissue in the vent would close it off when cold air became an annoyance! The reading lights above the windows were the forerunners of individual passenger reading lights also mounted in the luggage racks. I had a return trip on this coach from East Dereham railway station to County School railway station about 6.5 miles journey. It was a great ride offering the sights and sounds of travel on a 56 year old coach.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Royal Blue was a coach operator jointly owned by the Western National Omnibus Company and the Southern National Omnibus Company. Preserved Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH LDV 467F was new in March 1968 to Southern National (with fleet number 2375) and was later transferred to Western National. Preserved in the livery style adopted by the coach operators of the south-western area of the National Bus Company circa 1970 prior to the formation of National Travel. I had a return trip on this coach from East Dereham railway station to County School railway station about 6.5 miles journey. It was a great ride offering the sights and sounds of travel on a 56 year old coach.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham Royal Blue was a coach operator jointly owned by the Western National Omnibus Company and the Southern National Omnibus Company. Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH LDV 467F was new in March 1968 to Southern National (with fleet number 2375) and was later transferred to Western National. Preserved in the livery style adopted by the coach operators of the south-western area of the National Bus Company circa 1970 prior to the formation of National Travel. Sanders Coaches of Holt SNT 925H, a Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bedford VAL70 new in June 1970 to Foxhall of Bridgnorth.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham The Mid Norfolk Railway East Dereham Station seen from the upper deck of Konectbus/Hedingham/Chambers Go Ahead 502 (LF52 ZNE). It is a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL that was new to London General (WVL93) in August 2013 as a normal covered top bus. Now a convertible open topper which was working the Park & Ride shuttle for the event. The vehicles in the view are: Konectbus 248 (LX13 CZA), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D new to East London Bus (36558) in August 2013 Konectbus driver training bus 9645 (LX57 CJJ), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Trident new to London General in November 2007 Dan’s Coach Travel (Dan Trent) T125 OAH, a Wright Renown bodied Volvo B10BLE that was new to Ambassador Travel in March 1999 Preserved former Eastern National Omnibus Company 1516 (FWC 439H), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELL new in December 1969 Preserved AJN 825, an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol K5G that was new to Westcliff-on-Sea Motor Services in 1939