Before they built the bus station in Mildenhall

Bank Holiday Monday 2 May 1988 (approx. 0655) – At the time of this photograph National Express controlled around 950 coaches operating its daily network. Originally the vehicles were provided by National Bus Company subsidiaries then later by outside sub-contractors. Prior to 1986 National Express Limited never owned any coaches itself nor did it have its own operator’s licence. In order to comply with the requirements at the time the company obtained an operator’s licence and owned a nominal fleet of just four vehicles which was administered and maintained by Midland Red at Digbeth, Birmingham. Midland Red operated the Birmingham-Norwich National Express service which, upon arrival at Norwich then worked a Norwich-Newmarket evening trip on service 747. The following day it worked back to Birmingham firstly by operating the 0635 Newmarket-Norwich service 747 and then the Norwich-Birmingham service. National Express number 1 (C182 RVV), one of a pair of Caetano bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZs acquired in May 1986, was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0635 service 747 from Newmarket to Norwich.

Thursday 1 July 1993 – North Devon Limited 2225 (C923 HYA), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger new in May 1986 to the related Southern National Limited - both companies were formed when the Western National Omnibus Company was split into four smaller companies. Now, even though a North Devon coach appeared in Mildenhall on alternate mornings, this was not a North Devon working at all. (Even though North Devon did once work through Mildenhall on the 747 service some years previously but hadn’t done so for some time). On Sunday 23 May 1993 National Express introduced their Summer schedules which drastically reduced what had been service 747 east of Cambridge which was renumbered 347. Premier Travel Services was responsible for what trips remained other than the Saturday Cambridge-Lowestoft extras worked by Richard W Chenery in the height of the summer. One of the Premier trips was the 0620 service from Thetford to Cambridge which on alternate mornings was worked by a North Devon coach from Ilfracombe depot but driven by a Premier Travel driver. This arrangement came about as a result of the 346 Cambridge-Ilfracombe service being shared between Premier Travel and North Devon. Each company provided one coach which ended up in the care of the other partner on alternate days. After working into Cambridge from Thetford the coach then departed at 0840 for the West Country driven by a Premier Travel driver as far as Bath who then brought the westbound coach back to Cambridge. A North Devon driver would drive from Ilfracombe to Bristol and return with the westbound service. The Bristol-Bath-Bristol segment was covered by local drivers out of Bristol. The shop with the yellow signage was Ritz Video Rental later Blockbuster then Costa Coffee.

Friday 25 June 1993 – North Devon Limited 2225 (C923 HYA), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger new in May 1986 to the related Southern National Limited - both companies were formed when the Western National Omnibus Company was split into four smaller companies. Now, even though a North Devon coach appeared in Mildenhall on alternate mornings, this was not a North Devon working at all. (Even though North Devon did once work through Mildenhall on the 747 service some years previously but hadn’t done so for some time). On Sunday 23 May 1993 National Express introduced their Summer schedules which drastically reduced what had been service 747 east of Cambridge which was renumbered 347. Premier Travel Services was responsible for what trips remained other than the Saturday Cambridge-Lowestoft extras worked by Richard W Chenery in the height of the summer. One of the Premier trips was the 0620 service from Thetford to Cambridge which on alternate mornings was worked by a North Devon coach from Ilfracombe depot but driven by a Premier Travel driver. This arrangement came about as a result of the 346 Cambridge-Ilfracombe service being shared between Premier Travel and North Devon. Each company provided one coach which ended up in the care of the other partner on alternate days. After working into Cambridge from Thetford the coach then departed at 0840 for the West Country driven by a Premier Travel driver as far as Bath who then brought the westbound coach back to Cambridge. A North Devon driver would drive from Ilfracombe to Bristol and return with the westbound service. The Bristol-Bath-Bristol segment was covered by local drivers out of Bristol. The shop with the yellow signage was Ritz Video Rental later Blockbuster then Costa Coffee.

Saturday 31 October 1987 (0905) - The cross country National Express 747 service saw variations to the terminal points at different times. Whilst most services worked between Norwich and Bristol some worked to/from Cromer, Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft at the eastern end and some terminated at Taunton, Paignton, Plymouth or Barnstaple at the western end. Was this white coach pretending to be a Red Bus?! Actually, Red Bus was the trading name of North Devon Limited, one of the four companies formed when the Western National Omnibus Company was split up prior to deregulation. Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger 2508 (A508HVT) was seen at King Street, Mildenhall working the Norwich to Barnstaple National Express service 347. The photograph was taken from under the canopy of Corals Betting Shop. The building in the background was the Mildenhall Social Club that occupied the site where Sainsbury’s now is. The car park behind the coach became the site of Mildenhall bus station which opened in January 2006.

Sunday 29 October 1989 (0850) – The first National Express service 305 working through Mildenhall at the start of the Winter 1989/1990 timetables gave the town a link with Birmingham with a trip forming part of the 747 timetable east of Cambridge. Premier Travel Services Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M 360 (E360 NEG) was seen on a damp and gloomy Sunday morning at King Street lay-by when working the 0715 service from Norwich to Birmingham.

Saturday 27 November 1993 (1055) – For a while Premier Travel Services worked the National Express Great Yarmouth to Taunton service 347 with a matching pair of Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tigers that when new were operated by Paul Burton Coaches of Bury St. Edmunds on a U.S. Air Force contract (F107/8 NRT). Now as Premier Travel Services 389, F107 NRT was seen at King Street layby in Mildenhall when working the 0835 service from Great Yarmouth to Taunton. I have included this photograph as it shows the panelled up bus shelter that had suffered damage by, I understand, a badly driven car. Perhaps a customer of the Mildenhall Social Club? The building stood behind where I took the photograph.

Tuesday 9 November 1993 (approx. 1820) - A rather wet and gloomy evening at King Street, Mildenhall as the 0805 National Express Taunton to Great Yarmouth service 347 was passing through. It was due in Great Yarmouth at 2030. For a while Premier Travel Services worked the National Express Great Yarmouth to Taunton service 347 with a matching pair of Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tigers that when new were operated by Paul Burton Coaches of Bury St. Edmunds on a U.S. Air Force contract (F107/8 NRT). The coach in this photograph is 390 (F108 NRT).

Saturday 17 March 1990 (approx. 1050) – In February/March 1990 Premier Travel Services added 14 Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10Ms to its fleet numbered 369-382 (with corresponding G-REG registration numbers numbers) for National Express work. 377 (G377 REG) is seen here passing the 15th century Market Cross in Mildenhall when working the 0805 Lowestoft to Bristol National Express service 747 (due Bristol at 1850). On the right is the ‘original’ TSB (Trustee Savings Bank) housed in rather period half-timbered building. The little shop behind the Market Cross (with the dormer window in the roof) was John McGhee’s ‘Homecare Centre’ where I bought whatever I needed for those Do-it-Yourself jobs around the house!

Sunday 25 October 1998 - Stagecoach owned Cambus/Premier Travel 454 (R454 FCE), a 1997 Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M, seen at King Street, Mildenhall. On the previous Monday (19 October) National Express introduced their Winter timetables and service 347 was extended through the Plymouth having previously terminated at Taunton. This was the 0755 Great Yarmouth to Plymouth service. Whilst Taunton was included on the destination blind, Plymouth was not and so a window bill displayed the final destination. The other window label shows a number of main towns served along the way.

Friday 19 March 1993 – Premier Travel Services 377 (G377 REG), a Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M, seen in the King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working National Express service 746 to Stansted Airport.

Saturday 22 May 1993 – Premier Travel Services 371 (G371 REG) had just departed from the King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 1020 Lowestoft-Bristol National Express service 747. Eastern Counties Omnibus Company VR307 (PRC 853X), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol VR that had been new to Trent in October 1981, is standing in the lay-by. On the right are two shops, the one with the yellow signage was Ritz Video Rental (later Blockbuster then Costa Coffee). The shop nearest the camera was Computer Scene (later En-Thai-Sing Restaurant).

Saturday 8 May 1993 (1605) – Premier Travel Services 371 (G371 REG) seen in the King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 1445 Norwich-Oxford National Express service 747.

Friday 19 March 1993 (1305) - Premier Travel Services 329 (G329 PEW) picks up at King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 1020 Lowestoft-Bristol National Express service 747. This coach had been new to Stagecoach owned Cambus. The coach was transferred to Premier Travel Services after Stagecoach acquired Premier and made it their coaching subsidiary.

A Sunday in March 1988 – Premier Travel Services Limited 334 (FWH 37Y) was a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R that had been new to Yelloway Motor Services Limited of Rochdale. It had just left the King Street layby, Mildenhall (on the left) bound for Great Yarmouth on National Express contracted service 747. The driver wasn't aware that the usuual route was down St. Andrew's Street where the car is heading. Premier had previously been a joint operator on the service. This was a time of change for both Yelloway and Premier Travel, two famous independents that had had a working relationship on their joint services from the North West to East Anglia. Yelloway had been purchased by a new owner that had disposed of most of the more modern coaches in the fleet in an asset stripping exercise. The destination blind was one of the traditional small PTS blinds. It was normal practice to have two such blinds mounted side by side that were capable of showing up to four town names. In the style shown here the single blind looks a little lost.

Saturday 8 May 1993 (1615) – Premier Travel Services 405 (E905 UNW), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M, seen in the King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 0830 Bristol-Lowestoft National Express service 747. It had been new to Wallace Arnold Tours in February 1988. The lady nearest the camera sat on the bench is Jane Sparrow, a resident of Beck Row and a regular bus and coach passenger. In her later years she moved into St. Mary’s Court so became less reliant on public transport.

Saturday 1 May 1993 (1305) – Premier Travel Services 405 (E905 UNW), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M, seen in the King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 1020 Lowestoft-Bristol National Express service 747. It had been new to Wallace Arnold Tours in February 1988. The lady paying her fare to the driver is Jane Sparrow, a resident of Beck Row and a regular bus and coach passenger. On Saturdays at this time she was a regular traveller on this lunchtime departure usually spending a couple of hours in the Conservative Club in Newmarket before returning on the 1550 service. The tree in the photograph was now losing its blossom. There were two trees between the lay-by and the road one of which was removed early one due to disease I seem to recall. The second was removed when the bus station construction began.

Monday 7 June 1993 (1305) - Premier Travel Services 452? (C452 OFL) picks up at King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 0830 Great Yarmouth-Paignton National Express service 747. It did however not work to Paignton as I saw the same coach the next day working the 1530 Cambridge to Thetford trip therefore must have been changed over at Cambridge. It had been new to Stagecoach owned Cambus and was later transferred to Premier Travel Services after Stagecoach acquired Premier and made it their coaching subsidiary.

Tuesday 13 September 1988 (1255) - S.U.T. Limited of Sheffield operated the National Express service 351 through Mildenhall for a time. XWK 7X was a Plaxton Viewmaster bodied Volvo B10M that had been new to Harry Shaw of Bedworth in June 1982. It was operating the 1010 National Express service 351 from Lowestoft to Manchester which, between Lowestoft and Cambridge, slotted into the schedule mainly covered by service 747.