Sanders Coaches

Saturday 14 October 2023 – Coaches parked at the Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket having brought spectators to the Dubai Future Champions Festival. Dons Coaches (Dunmow) Limited DN08 DON, a Van Hool T911 Alicron that had been new to City Circle Coaches, Bonnyrigg, Scotland in May 2008 registered YJ08 DXD Sunbeam Luxury Coaches Limited, Hevingham, Norfolk JCZ 5174, a Jonckheere Mistral (probably Volvo B10M chassis) Sanders Coaches Limited 919 (BT14 DLX), a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B13RT new in May 2014 to Lochs & Glens Holidays Sanders Coaches Limited 920 (BT14 DLZ), a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B13RT new in June 2014 to Lochs & Glens Holidays M&M Staffing Limited MM68 BUS, a Neoplan N2216 new in December 2018 Ausden Clark YC16 WCY, a Yutong ZK6938HQ that had been new to Collier, Earith in August 2016 Catteralls Coaches, Southam UUI 4916 that had been new to Webberbus, Bridgwater in March 2016 registered BU16 UYG Empress of London Limited YX16 NWP, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B8R that had been new to Crosville, Weston-super-Mare in July 2016 Birmingham International YK15 OKE, a VDL FHD2 Futura 2 new in May 2015 Cross Country CR06 SCO, a Setra S415HD that had been new to Britannia Coaches, Otley in October 2006 registered BX56 VUE Angie’s Tours (P J Overy) of Lowestoft BN17 JUV, a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo that had been new to Shearings Holidays (926) in May 2017. H Semmence and Company Limited of Wymondham AU02 VXY, Jonckheere Modulo bodywork on a rear engine chassis (Volvo B7R??).

Saturday 14 October 2023 – Coaches parked at the Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket having brought spectators to the Dubai Future Champions Festival. Sanders Coaches Limited 919 (BT14 DLX), a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B13RT new in May 2014 to Lochs & Glens Holidays Sanders Coaches Limited 920 (BT14 DLZ), a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B13RT new in June 2014 to Lochs & Glens Holidays (M&M Staffing Limited MM68 BUS, a Neoplan N2216 new in December 2018)

Friday 26 July 2024 (1316) – Sanders Coaches 131 (VR24 VAR) seen in Norwich bus station leaving on service X40 for Cromer and Sheringham. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D MMC new in June 2024 named Valerie Ann Ridley. The letters of her name are included on the registration plate. .

Friday 26 July 2024 (1028) – Norwich bus station seen from the upper deck of Sanders Coaches 128 (PC23 SAN), an MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B8L new in June 2023, about to work the 1030 service X41 to Cromer and Sheringham. Immediately in front is another Sanders MCV bodied Volvo - 523 (BV23 NUW), an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in July 2023, about to work the 1030 service X55 to North Walsham. Other vehicles in the photograph include two (orange) Sanders vehicles and the white double decker which is Coach Services Limited CS22 BUS. All the other vehicles appear to be Konectbus vehicles.

Friday 26 July 2024 (1108) – Sanders Coaches 118 (YN06 JWF) named Aramis setting down passengers in Magdalen Street, Norwich beneath the St. Crispin’s Road overbridge working the 1000 service X40 from Sheringham. It is an East Lancs bodied Scania N94UD that was new to Reading Buses (822) in April 2006. In the background is Konectbus (Go-Ahead Group) 600 (SN10 CFD), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Trident new in March 2020, working service 11B from (rather than to) Sprowston. Carries an advertising livery (sides and rear) but the front is the Norwich Park & Ride livery.

Friday 26 July 2024 (1021) – On board Coach Services Limited of Thetford CS22 BUS, an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 MMC new in May 2022, as it arrived at Norwich bus station with the 0925 service 90 to Norwich. In January 2024 Coach Services commenced their ‘Breckland Beeline’ service 90 operating Monday to Saturday between Thetford and Norwich. Initially there were five trips each way but in mid-April the service was increased to seven trips. The orange bus in the background is Sanders Coaches of Holt 128 (PC23 SAN), an MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B8L new in June 2023, about to work the 1030 service X41 to Cromer and Sheringham. This was my next ride as I travelled on this bus to Aylsham Road/Boundary. This was one of the ten buses (and then a coach) which I travelled on today during a bus riding trip to Norwich. The buses were: Bus 1: Mulleys SJ02 AAW - Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds 355 Bus 2: Coach Services CS63 BUS - Bury St. Edmunds to Thetford 84 Bus 3: Coach Services CS22 BUS - Thetford to Norwich (Bus Stn) 90 Bus 4: Sanders 128 (PC23 SAN) - Bus Stn to Aylsham Road/Boundary X41 Bus 5: Sanders 129 (EC23 SHA) - Aylsham Rd/Boundary to Anglia Sq X44 Bus 6: First 36551 (BK73 AGY) - Anglia Square to Sprowston (Tesco) 11 Bus 7: First 36531 (BK73 AEV) - Sprowston (Tesco) to Castle Meadow 12 Bus 8: First 63635 (BK24 AAE) - Castle Meadow to Thorpe St. Andrew 15 Bus 9: First 36530 (BK23 LUP) - Thorpe St. Andrew to Castle Meadow 14 Bus 10: First 63636 (BK24 AAF) - Castle Meadow to St. Stephens Street 15 and finally Ambassador Travel 219 (BV19 XOY) from Norwich (Bus Station) to Mildenhall : National Express 728

Thursday 23 May 2019 (1549) – Four coaches in the coach park at Bressingham Gardens. Left to right: Roman Coaches of Colchester V22 ROM (a VDL Bova MHD 122-340 Magiq new to Flights-Hallmark in August 2008) registered YJ08 VPC) Sanders Coaches of Holt BT14 DLZ (a Jonckheere JHV bodied Volvo B13RT new in June 2014 to Lochs and Glens) Ulsterbus 1791 (GXI 421) (a Volvo B11RT with Volvo 9700 bodywork new in November 2018) on a seven day ‘Norfolk and Suffolk’ tour from Northern Ireland. D & H Harrod of Downham Market N12 DHH (a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo (B12B originally FC06 MLC??).

Friday 2 December 2022 (1010) – Red Lion Street, Norwich. Left: First Eastern Counties Buses 36168 (BD11 CFN) is a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new in June 2011 which is branded for the Blue Line services into the city centre from the University of East Anglia (service 25), the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital (service 26) or Bowthorpe (service 26A). Right: Sanders Coaches YN06 JWP, an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UD that had been new to Reading Buses (824) in April 2006, arriving as the 0840 service X44 from Sheringham and Cromer. In the background is Konectbus 613 (SN62 AVY), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in October 2012, working the 0945 service 11B from Sprowston. Renovation works are in progress at the castle which started in August 2020 with a planned completion in 2023. The £13.5million project aims to transform and reinstate the medieval floors and rooms to their formal glory. Over the years the castle has been a prison and the city museum.

Friday 2 December 2022 (1017) – Sanders Coaches 522 (SF07 CFX), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE new to Lothian Buses in May 2007, seen in Castle Meadow, Norwich arriving from North Walsham on the 0915 service 210. Parked at the kerb is First Eastern Counties 63321 (SK65 PXB), a Wright StreetLite DF new in November 2015. It wears branding for the Green Line group of services which include 14/14A/15/15A. Note the First Eastern Counties Buses engineers van on the left attending broken down 47473 (SN14 EAG).

Friday 2 December 2022 (1101) – Castle Meadow, Norwich. The four identifiable buses in this busy scene are First Eastern Counties Buses 36163 (BN12 JYT) (left) and 36189 (BN12 JYO), both are Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TLs new in June 2012 to First Games Transport - the division of the First Group that provided transport at the 2012 London Olympics and both carry branding for the Red Line group of services 23/23A/24/24A. In between them working cross city service 502 which links the Sprowston Park & Ride site with the Harford Park & Ride site is Konectbus 632 (SN65 OAO), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new September 2015. It was being followed by Sanders Coaches 113 (YN54 AFU), an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UD that had been new to Reading Buses (815) in October 2004, arriving as the 0932 service X44 from Sheringham and Cromer. The clock tower beyond is part of Norwich City Hall.

Friday 2 December 2022 (1017) – Sanders Coaches 522 (SF07 CFX), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE new to Lothian Buses in May 2007, seen in Castle Meadow, Norwich arriving from North Walsham on the 0915 service 210. Parked at the kerb is First Eastern Counties 63321 (SK65 PXB), a Wright StreetLite DF new in November 2015. It wears branding for the Green Line group of services which include 14/14A/15/15A. Note the First Eastern Counties Buses engineers van on the left attending broken down 47473 (SN14 EAG).

Sunday 13 August 2023 – ‘The Big Bus Show’ Rally held at Stonham Barns. Sanders Coaches of Holt 128 (PC23 SAN), an MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B8L new in June 2023.

Sunday 13 August 2023 – ‘The Big Bus Show’ Rally held at Stonham Barns. Sanders Coaches of Holt 128 (PC23 SAN), an MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B8L new in June 2023. Children were given access to the driver’s seat of quite a number of the vehicles. Unfortunately, it was nigh impossible to get photos without a parent standing by the entrance doors whilst their child played with the controls. I gave up in the end took this and moved on.

Saturday 14 October 2023 – Coaches parked at the Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket having brought spectators to the Dubai Future Champions Festival. Dons Coaches (Dunmow) Limited DN08 DON, a Van Hool T911 Alicron that had been new to City Circle Coaches, Bonnyrigg, Scotland in May 2008 registered YJ08 DXD Sunbeam Luxury Coaches Limited, Hevingham, Norfolk JCZ 5174, a Jonckheere Mistral (probably Volvo B10M chassis) (Sanders Coaches Limited 919 (BT14 DLX), a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B13RT new in May 2014 to Lochs & Glens Holidays)

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.

Friday 26 July 2024 (1108) – Magdalen Street, Norwich beneath the St. Crispin’s Road overbridge. First Eastern Counties Buses 36584 (BK73 AKZ), a Wrightbus Streetdeck Electroliner delivered in February 2024, heading for the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on Orange Line service 21 from Old Catton. Sanders Coaches 118 (YN06 JWF) named Aramis, an East Lancs bodied Scania N94UD that was new to Reading Buses (822) in April 2006, working the 1000 service X40 from Sheringham. In the background are two Konectbus vehicles working in Park & Ride livery.

Friday 26 July 2024 (1348) – Norwich Bus Station. The final vehicle I rode as part of my bus ride trip today was Ambassador Travel 219 (BV19 XOY) working National Express service 728. Ithad started from UEA (University of East Anglia) at 1330 and was bound for Heathrow Airport (due 1905) although my trip was the 65 minute run to Mildenhall. It is a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360EB4 new in March 2019 to National Express owned West Midlands Travel. In front of that is Prospect Coaches of Lye 151 (PR19 STU), an Irizar i6 integral new in June 2019, working the 1405 Megabus service M87 to Liverpool. On 9 February 2024 I rode on this coach from Cambridge to Norwich and back. On the left is Sanders Coaches of Holt 128 (PC23 SAN), an MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B8L new in June 2023, which would be working the 1350 service X41 to Cromer and Sheringham. I rode on this bus earlier in the day from the bus station to Aylsham Road (Boundary). On the right is Sanders 318 (YN06 NXR), a Wright Solar bodied Scania L94UB new in May 2006 to Reading Buses (1023), which would work the 1400 service 43 to Reepham. Three double deckers of Go-Ahead owned Konectbus complete the scene.