Before they built the bus station in Mildenhall

Monday 18 May 1992 (0705) – There was an early morning National Express commuter type run operated Mondays to Saturdays from Thetford into Cambridge that had latterly been covered as a short 098 service but from 26 April 1992 when the Summer timetables began it was grafted on to the Cambridge to Bournemouth service 746. This therefore became the only 746 trip through Mildenhall, the 0620 from Thetford. There was no corresponding evening return trip as that terminated at Newmarket. It was quite a surprise to see Premier Travel Services 278 (WEB 408T) working this run as the Plaxton Supreme bodied AEC Reliance 6U3ZR was just over 13 years old having been new in March 1979! It probably didn't venture beyond Cambridge though. The destination blinds show ‘Premier Coaches’ in red in what was normally a service number display; the words ‘Premier Travel’ in the first of two destination displays and, in the second of the two destination displays, it correctly shows ‘Bournemouth’. The origins of that town being included on the blind stem from Premier Travel having their Haverhill-Cambridge-Bournemouth summer Saturday holiday service 72 that began in the late 1950s. PTS had been acquired by Cambus Holdings in 1990 although this coach still retained the silver and blue PTS livery. The young man in front of the coach is looking for his mate who seems to be ‘on the drag’ as they say in Suffolk – meaning running late.

Sunday 3 March 1985 – Premier Travel Services of Cambridge and Percivals Coaches of Oxford were two independent coach operators that had worked a joint service between those two university cities for a number of years. National Express (and its predecessor Associated Motorways) had operated services between East Anglia and Cheltenham/Bristol which also travelled via Cambridge and Oxford. The three operators then entered into a joint working arrangement which gave a more improved frequency of service on what became a cross country link between Bristol to Lowestoft numbered 747. This arrangement resulted in the vehicles of Premier Travel and Percivals operating west of Oxford and east of Cambridge. Premier Travel Services 289 (CJE 453V), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard new in May 1980, was seen here at King Street, Mildenhall operating service 747.

Saturday 24 February 1990 - Premier Travel Services 335 (JNM 742Y) was one of a pair (the other being JNM 743Y) of Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger coaches bought from the London based sightseeing company ‘The Londoners’ in 1986. It was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0805 Lowestoft to Bristol service 747. Once upon a time this was a joint service operated by Premier Travel, Percivals Coaches of Oxford and National Express. By now Percivals had ceased to be and Premier Travel was a National Express contractor rather than a joint operator hence the window label ‘On hire to National Express’. Ambassador Travel PJI 5715 was duplicating as far as Cambridge.

Thursday 1 May 1986 - Premier Travel Services 339 (A137 RMJ) was a Duple Caribbean bodied Leyland Tiger that had been new to Cavalier of Hounslow in May 1984. It was seen at King Street, Mildenhall bound for Lowestoft on service 747 which was worked jointly by Premier Travel, Percivals Coaches of Oxford and National Express.

Sunday x June 1991 (1544) – This was the second summer of the Suffolk County Council sponsored Sundaybus network and Premier Travel Services was a contracted operator for the Mildenhall-Ipswich service 649. 336 (JNM 743Y) was one of a pair (the other being JNM 742Y) of Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger coaches bought by Premier before the company was acquired by Cambus Holdings in 1990. The livery style is that which Cambus Holdings introduced.

Saturday 2 May 1998 - Cambridge Coach Services 350 (D350 KVE) doing a good trade at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0905 Norwich to Cambridge service 74. A Van Hool Alizeé bodied Volvo B10M that had been new to Premier Travel Services in April 1987. It was equipped with a wheelchair lift towards the rear of the nearside and it was this attribute that saw it last longer in the CCS fleet after other similar coaches were sold on. CCS was formed after the Blazefield Group sold Premier to the Cambus Holding Group but retaining the coach services under the CCS name.

August 1996 - Cambridge Coach Services 360 (E360 NEG) seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working a Lowestoft to Cambridge trip on service 74. A Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M that had been new to Premier Travel Services in March 1988. CCS was formed after the Blazefield Group sold Premier to the Cambus Holding Group but retaining the coach services under the CCS name.

Sunday 30 October 1994 – Cambridge Coach Services began operation of their Cambridge to Lowestoft service 74 on this day which gave four journeys each way each day. Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Volvo B10M 325 (F425 DUG) performed the first westbound trip - the 0800 from Lowestoft and it was seen here leaving King Street, Mildenhall as it continued to Cambridge. I had taken a ride up to Thetford on an identical coach 321 (F421 DUG) returning on this one. Both had been new to Wallace Arnold Tours in March 1989. Both had the lower driving position resulting in the two windscreen format customarily fitted to the higher Paramount 3500 model. CCS paid great attention to detail and they had fitted a coach stop sign to the lamp post on the extreme right of this photograph.

Friday 19 June 1998 (0710) – The success of the Cambridge to Lowestoft service 74 of Cambridge Coach Services resulted in the purchase of two Northern Counties bodied Volvo Olympians dedicated to the service. 91 (R91 GTM) was just a few days old when seen at King Street, Mildenhall, when working the 0630 Cambridge to Norwich service.

Friday 19 June 1998 (0710) – In June 1998 Cambridge Coach Services added two Northern Counties bodied Volvo Olympians to their fleet branded to their successful Cambridge to Lowestoft service 74. Seen when just a few days old at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0630 Cambridge to Norwich service. The shop with the blue signage was Blockbuster Video Rental (originally Ritz and after Blockbuster it became Costa Coffee). To the right was Computer Scene (later En-Thai-Sing Restaurant).

Sunday 6 June 1999 - Cambridge Coach Services 92 (R92 GTM), seen at King Street, Mildenhall, is standing where the entrance to the shoppers car park was prior to the re-modelling of the bus lay-by. Despite the entrance having been closed off the signage relating to the car park remained for quite some time. When this was the entrance the ‘Buses and coaches prohibited’ sign faced in the other direction but it had for some reason become ended up facing inwards to the car park which made it look rather odd. CCS made quite a success of their service 74 which operated between Cambridge and Lowestoft initially using single deck Plaxton coaches. In June 1998 two Volvo Olympians with high backed seating in their Northern Counties bodywork were dedicated to the service. They were numbered 91/92 (R91/92 GTM).

Sunday 6 June 1999 - Cambridge Coach Services 92 (R92 GTM), seen at King Street, Mildenhall, is standing where the entrance to the shoppers car park was prior to the re-modelling of the bus lay-by. CCS always paid great attention to detail and made quite a success of their service 74 which operated between Cambridge and Lowestoft initially using single deck Plaxton coaches. In June 1998 two Volvo Olympians with high backed seating in their Northern Counties bodywork were dedicated to the service. They were numbered 91/92 (R91/92 GTM). The adjacent lamp post sports a CCS Coach Stop flag and a timetable case.

A Sunday in April 2001 – The acquisition of Cambridge Coach Services by the National Express owned Airlinks (The Airport Coach Company Limited) resulted in CCS receiving different vehicles transferred from other group companies. S9 (K99 SAS) was seen at King Street, Mildenhall. It is a Van Hool Alizeé bodied Scania K113CRB that when new to Speedlink Airport Services in March 1993 was a 35 seater with tables for the upmarket Heathrow-Gatwick service.

Sunday 30 October 1994 – Cambridge Coach Services began operation of their Cambridge to Lowestoft service 74 on this day which gave four journeys each way each day. CCS paid great attention to detail and they had fitted a coach stop sign and timetable case to the lamp post in King Street, Mildenhall in advance of the launch. (That was my Austin-Rover Montego in the background)

Friday 12 May 1995 – The bus stop pole outside St. Mary’s Church in High Street, Mildenhall has an old sign which advises people that express services now pick-up in King Street. Eastbound express services previously picked-up near this point and westbound services somewhere on the opposite side of the street all before the time I moved into the area in April 1979.

Sunday 20 February 2005 – During the construction of the new bus station in Mildenhall, buses and coaches picked up in what had been car parking bays outside Bussens and Parkin’s store in King Street. Within a short time the proprietors erected a fence around their forecourt as they found the congregating bus passengers an annoyance.

Thursday 11 April 1996 – Neal’s Travel of Isleham operated quite a number of local stage services at one time that included market day only runs. Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz 814D N375 EAK, new in March 1996, was seen in the High Street in Mildenhall before working service 135 to Ely. Thursday is market day in Ely.

Saturday 30 August 1997 – Two Neal’s Travel mini-buses seen at King Street, Mildenhall. J832 RNK, a Plaxton/Reeve Burgess body new in April 1992, was working the Saturday only 1000 hrs West Row to Newmarket service 200. Behind that is M373 VER, with Marshall SPV bodywork new October 1994, working on the local service.