Burtons Coaches

Sunday 30 April 2006 - Sunday work came into being on my rota when, every third Sunday, I would drive on the Cambridgeshire County Council supported service 19 from Cambridge to Wisbech. I loved driving this route over the flat Fenland landscape. Burtons Coaches X196 FOR, a Caetano Nimbus bodied Dennis Dart, is seen in Sutton (Sutton in the Isle) close to the city of Ely. The Isle of Ely is one of the higher spots in these parts being around 60 feet above sea level compared with about 3 feet elsewhere. The tower of St. Andrew's Church can be seen for miles around. It rises in four stages with clasp buttresses at the base then octagonal buttresses at the second stage and diagonally set cross buttresses on the third. The bell stage is topped with two octagonal lanterns one on top of the other. The lower one contains the clock face. The whole thing is topped with a little spire.

Sunday 30 April 2006 (approx 1030) - Sunday work came into being on my rota when, every third Sunday, I would drive on the Cambridgeshire County Council supported service 19 from Cambridge to Wisbech. I loved driving this route over the flat Fenland landscape. Burtons Coaches X196 FOR, a Caetano Nimbus bodied Dennis Dart, is seen at Wisbech bus station in the company of First Eastern Counties 20120 (P330 RVG), a Plaxton Premiere bodied Volvo B10M, working the 0840 Great Yarmouth to Peterborough service X1.

Tuesday 28 March 2006 (1510) - Burtons Coaches X196 FOR seen at Ferndale in Teversham after arriving as the 1440 service 16 from Cambridge city centre. The bus then ran empty to Bottisham Village College to work a school contract.

Wednesday 20 April 2005 (approx 1020) - Construction of Milldenhall's controversial bus station began in January 2005 and it took one year and one week before the new bus station came into use on Monday 17 January 2006. During that time buses and coaches picked up outside Bussens and Parkin's store in King Street. Burtons Coaches Caetano Nimbus bodied Dennis Dart is seen heading for Bury St. Edmunds on the 0958 service 358 from RAF Lakenheath.

Tuesday 22 March 2005 - My second day working for Burtons Coaches and I drove X198 FOR initially with someone teaching me the routes but then doing my first solo trip, the 1450 Bury St Edmunds to Lakenheath service 352. Chambers of Bures F243 RRT can be seen in the background. After I moved to Mulleys in August 2008 I was to drive that bus which by then had been been acquired from Chambers by Mulleys.

Saturday 2 April 2005 (approx 0755) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart S50 BCL seen outside St. Giles Church in Risby. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX51 LRJ.

Tuesday 24 May 2005 (approx 1410) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart S50 BCL seen in Cottenham when working the 1323 service 106 from Ely to Rampton. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX51 LRJ. The unusual tower of the church of All Saints is capped by corner turrets ending in distinctive ogee domes, balls and pinnacles. It was restored in 1928, one contributor being Calvin Coolidge the 30th President of the United States (1923–1929) whose ancestor John Coolidge emigrated from Cottenham to Massachusetts around 1630.

Tuesday 24 May 2005 (approx 1410) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart S50 BCL seen in Cottenham when working the 1323 service 106 from Ely to Rampton. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX51 LRJ. The unusual tower of the church of All Saints is capped by corner turrets ending in distinctive ogee domes, balls and pinnacles. It was restored in 1928, one contributor being Calvin Coolidge the 30th President of the United States (1923–1929) whose ancestor John Coolidge emigrated from Cottenham to Massachusetts around 1630.

Tuesday 24 May 2005 (approx 1347) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart S50 BCL paused at Aldreth windmill when when working the 1323 service 106 from Ely to Cottenham and Rampton. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX51 LRJ. Aldreth is an isolated village hemmed in by the River Great Ouse which prevents access from the south. The main road into and out of the village is that from Haddenham used by the two Monday to Saturday buses, the 1013 from Rampton to Ely calling at 1035 and the 1323 from Ely to Rampton calling at 1357.

Saturday 15 September 2001 (1527) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart SLF HX51 LRK seen outside St. Mary's Church in Mildenhall working the 1502 service 200 from Newmarket to Thetford. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 and was later re-registered to become R60 BCL.

Saturday 23 April 2005 (approx 0736) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart SLF R60 BCL seen in Barnham when working the 0730 service 332 from Thetford to Bury St. Edmunds. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX 51 LRK.

Saturday 15 September 2001 (1053) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart SLF HX51 LRL seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0952 service 200 from Thetford to Newmarket. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 and was later re-registered to become R60 BCL.

Friday 22 April 2005 (approx 0720) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart SLF R60 BCL seen above Cavenham on the road from Lackford when working the 0700 service 358 from Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX 51 LRL.

Friday 22 April 2005 (approx 0720) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart SLF R60 BCL seen above Cavenham on the road from Lackford when working the 0700 service 358 from Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX 51 LRL.

Saturday 23 November 2002 (approx 1030) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart SLF HX51 LRN seen at Woodlands, Lakenheath having arrived as the 0950 service 352 from Bury St. Edmunds which returned to Bury at 1032. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 and was later re-registered to become R80 BCL.

Wednesday 20 April 2005 (approx 1055) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart R80 BCL seen in Market Street, Ely. It had worked the 0955 service 292 from Lakenheath (which I took over at Mildenhall) and was now about to return on to Lakenheath on the 1054 service. It was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX51 LRN.

Wednesday 23 March 2005 (approx 1040) - Construction of Milldenhall's controversial bus station began in January 2005 and it took one year and one week before the new bus station came into use on Monday 17 January 2006. During that time buses and coaches picked up outside Bussens and Parkin's store in King Street. Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart R90 BCL was new to Burtons in September 2001 as HX51 LRO.

Wednesday 20 April 2005 (approx 1347) - Burtons Coaches Caetano Compass bodied Dennis Dart Y40 TGM seen at Aldreth when when working the 1323 service 106 from Ely to Cottenham and Rampton. It was new to Tellings-Golden Miller in August 2001. Aldreth is an isolated village hemmed in by the River Great Ouse which prevents access from the south. The main road into and out of the village is that from Haddenham and the two Monday to Saturday buses that serve the village (the 1013 from Rampton to Ely calling at 1035 and the 1323 from Ely to Rampton calling at 1357) make a 'double run' from Haddenham to Aldreth and back before continuing to their end destination.