Viscount Bus and Coach B60 (VAH 280X) at the Cambus garage in Ely – 29 Dec 1990 (134-30)

Saturday 29 December 1990 (0840) – Viscount Bus and Coach Company B60 (VAH 280X), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol VR new to the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company in October 1981 as their VR280.

ECOC became a subsidiary of the National Bus Company and in preparation for privatisation was split up in September 1984 with the western area operations becoming Cambus Limited. Privatised in December 1986 the company was bought by its management (Cambus Holdings Limited). Viscount was created in September 1989 to serve the Peterborough and Fenland area whilst Cambus Limited served the Cambridge, Haverhill and Newmarket area.

As a result of all those changes VAH 280X had worked for all three companies. Now allocated to March garage the vehicle is taking a break at the Cambus garage in Cambridge Road, Ely prior to working the 0906 short trip of service 355 to Mepal then after returning to Ely would work back to March. The Ely garage stood close to where the houses on Mariott Drive now are was established in 1928 by the Ortona Motor Company, a constituent of the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company Limited.

Alongside is Cambus 516 (F516 NJE), a Northern Counties bodied Leyland Olympian new in March 1989.