Stephensons of Essex (mainly in Suffolk)

Friday 3 November 2017 (1225) – A busy time at the War Memorial in Mildenhall, lunchtime and of course market day plus there was a set of temporary traffic lights in the High Street. Stephensons of Essex 416 (SN56 AYH) was working the 1150 service 16 from Bury St. Edmunds to Newmarket. It is an Alexander Dennis Pointer bodied Dart new to Countryliner in October 2006.

Friday 3 November 2017 (1221) – A busy time at the War Memorial in Mildenhall. Mulleys Motorways MUI 7924 was working service 355 to Bury St. Edmunds. It is an Alexander bodied Volvo B7TL new as Dublin Bus AV204 (01D 10204) in January 2002. It became LW51 ZDY when imported to England. Mulleys re-registered it to MUI 7924 in May 2016. Stephensons of Essex 416 (SN56 AYH) was working the 1150 service 16 from Bury St. Edmunds to Newmarket. It is an Alexander Dennis Pointer bodied Dart new to Countryliner in October 2006.

Saturday 23 December 2017 (1159) – Stephensons of Essex achieved some success in the UK Bus Awards in 2017 and Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 461 (EU60 CBF) accordingly carries a message on the front. It was seen at Mildenhall when working the 1110 service 16 from Newmarket (Railway Station) to Bury St. Edmunds. (New in September 2010).

Thursday 26 October 2017 (1320) – Stephensons of Essex 461 (EU60 CBF) seen arriving in Mildenhall when working the 1250 service 16 from Bury St. Edmunds to Newmarket. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new in September 2010 that carries branding for the service.

Monday 15 March 2021 (0747) – Stephensons of Essex 461 (EU60 CBF) seen leaving about to work the 0750 service 16 to Bury St. Edmunds via Mildenhall. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new in September 2010. Centre is Stagecoach East (Cambus) 15465 (AE09 GYP) working the 0646 service 12 from Ely to Cambridge (due to depart at 0751). It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UD new in March 2009. Right is Mulleys Motorways YY63 WCO, a Plaxton Elite bodied B13RT, about to work the 0750 service 311X to Bury St. Edmunds. This coach had been new to Park’s of Hamilton in January 2014 for National Express service work and whilst with Park’s it carried registration LSK 819. In the background is Stephensons of Essex 637 (YN55 NJE), an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94D that had been new to London Sovereign (SLE27) in October 2005. It was working the 0740 service 310 from Exning to Bury St. Edmunds (due to depart at 0750).

Monday 15 March 2021 (0750) – Stephensons of Essex 461 (EU60 CBF) seen leaving Newmarket bus station when working the 0750 service 16 to Bury St. Edmunds via Mildenhall. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new in September 2010.

Thursday 26 October 2017 (1255) – Stephensons of Essex 462 (YX11 CTO) seen departing Mildenhall for Bury St. Edmunds when working the 1210 service 16 from Newmarket. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new in June 2011.

Monday 15 March 2021 (0746) – Newmarket bus station and two Bury St. Edmunds bound services. Left is Stephensons of Essex 461 (EU60 CBF) about to work the 0750 service 16 via Mildenhall. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new in September 2010. Right is Mulleys Motorways YY63 WCO, a 15 metre long Plaxton Elite bodied B13RT, about to work the more direct 0750 service 311X. This coach had been new to Park’s of Hamilton in January 2014 for National Express service work and whilst with Park’s it carried registration LSK 819. There are a number of the main secondary schools located in Bury St. Edmunds and, along with the West Suffolk College, they collectively generate quite a significant amount of daily traffic from the Newmarket area. The services are also available to the general public. Until January 2021 services 310/311 had mainly been worked by Suffolk Norse and Suffolk County Council before that. In 2013 the County Council entered a working partnership with Norse, a facilities company owned by Norfolk County Council, to create Suffolk Norse owned 20% by SCC and 80% by Norse. In September 2021 the partnership will be dissolved. Towards the end of 2020 Suffolk Norse relinquished the contracts for the 310/311 services. Replacement service licences were obtained by Mulleys Motorways and Stephensons of Essex effective from 4 January 2021. Newmarket bus station is a rather small affair, the main part comprising just two nose in loading bays. A third vehicle can also load in what is the exit road – thus when a vehicle is loading there it prevents other vehicles moving out. Regular drivers employ tactics to avoid getting hemmed in (I speak from experience!). There is also a kerbside loading bay ahead of the latter parallel to the exit road itself – but that sees little use. In the short period before 0800 the bus station gets quite busy with the Stephensons service 16 departure at 0750 and a Stagecoach (Cambus) service 12 Cambridge departure at 0751 in addition to these five school related services bound for Bury St. Edmunds: 0750 Mulleys 311 (Originating at Exning travelling via the residential areas in the north of the town then onward via Moulton) 0750 Mulleys 311X (Direct from the Bus Station then via Kentford and the A14) 0750 Stephensons 310 (Via Kentford) 0755 Stephensons 311 ((Originating at Exning travelling via the residential areas in the north of the town then onward direct via the A14) 0800 Stephensons 311A

Thursday 8 March 2018 (1201) - Stephensons of Essex 463 (YX11 CTU), an Alexander Dennis Enviro200 new in June 2011, seen arriving in Mildenhall when working the 1110 service 16 from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds.

Wednesday 11 April 2018 (1127) – A road closure on the Worlington Road out of Mildenhall for three days this week for the laying of a new pedestrian crossing resulted in the diversion of the Stephensons of Essex service 16 through the village of Barton Mills. Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 463 (YX11 CTU) is seen by the former Vicarage as it worked the 1050 service from Bury St. Edmunds to Newmarket (1122 from Mildenhall). It carries 'Suffolk Rider' branding for the service 16. Driven by my former colleague Grahame Cornwell whom I hadn’t seen for a long while.

Wednesday 11 April 2018 (1126) – A road closure on the Worlington Road out of Mildenhall for three days this week for the laying of a new pedestrian crossing resulted in the diversion of the Stephensons of Essex service 16 through the village of Barton Mills. Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 463 (YX11 CTU) is seen by Lamb Cottage and the former Vicarage as it worked the 1050 service from Bury St. Edmunds to Newmarket (1122 from Mildenhall). It carries 'Suffolk Rider' branding for the service 16. Driven by my former colleague Grahame Cornwell whom I hadn’t seen for a long while.

Wednesday 6 June 2018 (1050) – Stephensons of Essex 432 (EU10 NVR), an Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 new in August 2010, seen in the grounds of West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St. Edmunds.

Wednesday 6 June 2018 (1008) – Stephensons of Essex 431 (EU10 NVP), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new in August 2010, seen in the grounds of West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St. Edmunds.

Wednesday 8 August 2018 (1312) – For some time the section of St. Andrew’s Street North close to the main shops in Bury St. Edmunds has been closed resulting in buses being diverted along Parkway and Risbygate Street. Stephensons of Essex 643 (YN55 NKE), an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UD that had been new to London Sovereign as their SLE36 in October 2005, turns from Parkway to Risbygate Street as it arrived from Haverhill on service 15. On the far left of the photograph, in the centre of the roundabout, is a statue of St. Edmund at his martyrdom made from steel wire with steel arrows penetrating his heart and body.

Saturday 18 August 2018 (1003) – Stephensons of Essex 417 (EU07 FRN), an Alexander Dennis SLF Dart (Plaxton Pointer style bodied Dennis Dart) new in March 2007 to Excel, Stansted Airport. It was seen negotiating Fiveways roundabout at Barton Mills when operating the 0910 service 16 from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds via Mildenhall where it was scheduled to leave at 0952.

Saturday 18 August 2018 (1003) – Stephensons of Essex 417 (EU07 FRN), an Alexander Dennis SLF Dart (Plaxton Pointer style bodied Dennis Dart) new in March 2007 to Excel, Stansted Airport. It was seen negotiating Fiveways roundabout at Barton Mills when operating the 0910 service 16 from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds via Mildenhall where it was scheduled to leave at 0952.

Friday 10 August 2016 (1104) – East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UDs passing in Risbygate Street, Bury St. Edmunds. Left is H C Chambers and Son 800 (YN53 RYP) new to fellow Go Ahead owned Metrobus (480) in January 2004. Right is Stephensons of Essex 643 (YN55 NKE), was new to London Sovereign (SLE36) in October 2005.

Friday 10 August 2016 (1102) – For some time the section of St. Andrew’s Street North close to the main shops in Bury St. Edmunds has been closed resulting in buses being diverted along Parkway and Risbygate Street. The camera has failed to capture the destination display on Stephensons of Essex 431 (EU10 NVP) which was seen in Risbygate Street when working ‘Breeze’ town service 1. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new in August 2010.