Before they built the bus station in Mildenhall

Saturday 7 January 1989 (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.

Thursday 7 September 1989 - S.U.T. Limited of Sheffield operated National Express services through Mildenhall for a time. SPY 372X was a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard PSU5C/4R that had been new to Martindale Coaches of Ferryhill in March 1982. After sale by Martindales this coach was operated by different ATL Holdings group companies including Yelloway Motor Services of Rochdale. It had carried National Express livery but by now was painted in a light cream or off white colour. Liverpool bound on National Express service 350.

Thursday 7 September 1989 - S.U.T. of Sheffield operated National Express services through Mildenhall for a time. SPY 372X was a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard PSU5C/4R that had been new to Martindale Coaches of Ferryhill in March 1982. After sale by Martindales this coach was operated by different ATL Holdings group companies including Yelloway Motor Services of Rochdale. It had carried National Express livery but by now was painted in a light cream or off white colour. Liverpool bound on National Express service 350.

Thursday 1 June 1989 - During late May/early June 1989 the King Street lay-by in Mildenhall was temporarily closed for repaving. During the period of the closure buses and coaches stopped outside the Budgens store in St. Andrew’s Street. The lay-by and shelter is visible in the background. The coach is S.U.T. of Sheffield A341 YDT, a Jonckheere Jubilee bodied Volvo B10M new to National Travel (East) in May 1984, that was operating the 0715 Norwich to Blackpool National Express service 352. There was a National Express inspector carrying out a spot check this morning. This was one of ten such coaches (A332-341 YDT) received by National Travel (East) in the Spring of 1984 delivered in a contract livery for tour operator Intasun.

Saturday 11 February 1989 (1317) – S.U.T. of Sheffield operated the National Express service 351 through Mildenhall for a time. A339 YDT was running about 25 minutes late when seen at King Street, Mildenhall operating the 1010 service from Lowestoft to Manchester. Between Lowestoft and Cambridge this departure slotted into the two hourly frequency schedule mainly covered by service 747. This particular timing was always popular with riders bound for Newmarket and Cambridge for the afternoon and there had been quite a crowd of waiting passengers including Jane (Sparrow) and John (surname?) at the kerbside. The initials S.U.T. were derived from the well respected name of Sheffield United Tours, a company which was absorbed into National Travel (East). The post privatisation owners used names like N.T.E and S.U.T. The coach is a Jonckheere Jubilee bodied Volvo B10M registered in May 1984, one of ten such coaches (A332-341 YDT) new to National Travel (East) in the Spring of that year delivered in a contract livery for tour operator Intasun.

Sunday 21 February 1988 (approx. 1120) - S.U.T. of Sheffield operated the National Express service 351 through Mildenhall for a time. A309 XHE seen King Street, Mildenhall when operating the 0900 Great Yarmouth to Blackpool service. Between Great Yarmouth and Cambridge this departure slotted into the schedule mainly covered by service 747. The initials S.U.T. were derived from the well respected name of Sheffield United Tours, a company which was absorbed into National Travel (East). The post privatisation owners used names like N.T.E and S.U.T. This coach was one of ten such vehicles (A305-314 XHE) received by National Travel (East) in late 1983 to operate a Club 18-30 Holiday contract and wore the Club 18-30 livery and fitted out with 7 reclining seats and 42 convertible sleeper type seats. New November 1983. The white hoarding in the background surrounds the site that would later occupy Willow House, Ritz Video (later Blockbuster then Costa), Computer Scene (later En Thai Sing). The roof of the Budgens store (now Wilko) is on the right.

Sunday 21 February 1988 (approx. 1120) - S.U.T. of Sheffield operated the National Express service 351 through Mildenhall for a time. A309 XHE was seen King Street, Mildenhall when operating the 0900 Great Yarmouth to Blackpool service. Between Great Yarmouth and Cambridge this departure slotted into the schedule mainly covered by service 747. The initials S.U.T. were derived from the well respected name of Sheffield United Tours, a company which was absorbed into National Travel (East). The post privatisation owners used names like N.T.E and S.U.T. This coach was one of ten such vehicles (A305-314 XHE) received by National Travel (East) in late 1983 to operate a Club 18-30 Holiday contract and wore the Club 18-30 livery and fitted out with 7 reclining seats and 42 convertible sleeper type seats. New November 1983.

Saturday 19 August 2000 – Trathens Travel Services Limited, a company owned by Park’s of Hamilton, LSK 499 is a Van Hool Alizeé bodied Volvo B10M that was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0720 Great Yarmouth to Paignton National Express service 347. Note the transponder box to the right of the registration number plate which was used to activate the rising bollards in Cambridge city centre.

Saturday 17 March 2001 (approx. 0910) – KSK 984, a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B10M, seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0705 Great Yarmouth to Paignton National Express service 347. It was either operated by Trathens Travel Services Limited (the appointed contractor) or maybe by Trathens parent company Park’s of Hamilton.

Sunday 1 April 2001 (approx. 0910) – The day after this photograph was taken National Express introduced their Summer time tables and service 347 from East Anglia to the West Country was then discontinued. Just departing King Street, Mildenhall (after picking up on the roadway) was Trathens Travel Services Limited T871 RGE working the last westbound service – the 0705 Great Yarmouth to Paignton service. It picked up on the roadway because Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 193 (M35 KAX) was occupying the lay-by and not due out until 0915. It was working the 0655 Cromer to London service 495. Both are Plaxton bodied Volvo B10Ms.

Saturday 22 May 1993 (1830) - Wessex of Bristol participated on the cross country National Express 747 service from Bristol to East Anglia for a number of years. Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ 133 (NAT 860A but originally C136 CFB), new in June 1986, was seen leaving King Street, Mildenhall when working the 1030 Bristol to Cromer service 747. This was to be the last such run for the service because the next day when the Summer schedules began the 747 service east of Cambridge was drastically reduced and re-numbered 347. I had a quick word with the driver and he told me he had to return empty from Cromer to Bristol the next day! Buses and coaches used to travel down St. Andrew’s Street after leaving the King Street lay-by although sometimes this could be tight when they turned right into the High Street particularly if a car was wrongly parked close to the junction at end of the street or if Martins Furniture Store had a delivery van outside.

Saturday 8 May 1993 (1830) - Wessex of Bristol Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ 133 (NAT 860A but originally C136 CFB), new in June 1986, seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 1030 Bristol to Cromer service 747. Wessex participated on the cross country National Express 747 service from Bristol to East Anglia for a number of years.

October 1990 - There were a number of different National Express contractors serving Mildenhall over the years. Wessex of Bristol participated on the cross country 747 service from Bristol to the East Coast. 133 (NAT 860A but originally C136 CFB) was seen heading up High Street, Mildenhall when working the 0935 National Express service 747 from Cromer to Bristol. It is a Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ new in June 1986. Just on the right hand edge of the photograph is Julie Bentley riding her bicycle who, like myself, worked at Kirby Pharmaceuticals (later to become Kirby-Warrick and then Schering-Plough). The man in the blue dairy overalls was called Norman and I believe he also worked at K-W/S-P at some time. The building on the left was the Trustee Savings Bank. After merging with Lloyds Bank (the Mildenhall branch of which is directly behind the coach) the TSB branch closed. In later years the TSB name was resurrected but what we see here is the original.

April 1991 - Wessex of Bristol Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ 135 (C135 CFB), new in June 1986, seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working towards home on the National Express 747. Wessex participated on the cross country from Bristol to East Anglia for a number of years.

July 1991 (1305) - Wessex of Bristol 131 (C131 CFB) was a MCW Metroliner single deck coach seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the Cromer to Bristol National Express service 747. The driver very kindly held back for me to take the photograph.

Saturday 30 December 1989 – Wessex of Bristol 203 (B224 WEU) was a Duple Laser 2 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RH that was new in December 1984. It was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0935 Cromer to Bristol National Express service 747. (Whilst I can’t recall the source, I have a note that this coach was intended to be for the Bristol Omnibus Company as their 2224 but was exchanged with Wessex for ADD 50Y, the prototype Leyland Olympian coach).

Tuesday 15 June 1993 (1255) – On Sunday 23 May 1993 National Express introduced a new timetable drastically cutting the number of trips on the cross-country Great Yarmouth-Paignton service which had previously provided regular frequency local facilities over the Great Yarmouth-Norwich-Cambridge sector. In order to replace the loss of the local facilities over the Newmarket-Thetford route, Suffolk County Council supported a new service numbered 200 commencing the following day (Monday 24 May) which travelled via Red Lodge, Barton Mills, Mildenhall, (some trips also serving RAF Mildenhall), Lakenheath, Brandon (with some trips also serving Santon Downham). The service was initially advertised as operating for a three month trial period but it actually continued for a much longer period in varied formats. The original contractor on the service was Cambus Limited and their subsidiary Millerbus although these operators only worked the service for the three month trial period and from Monday 6 September the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company took over operation. Cambus/Millerbus employed Leyland National 2s on the service and here 305 (PEX 621W) is seen leaving departing King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0953 service from Thetford to Newmarket. This bus had been new to Eastern Counties Omnibus Company in April 1981 as their LN621 and passed to Cambus when ECOC was split up.

Saturday 10 March 1990 - Cambus 743 (VEX 300X) seen at King Street, Mildenhall working the once weekly Suffolk County Council supported service 163 departing at 1000 from West Row to Newmarket. (The return trip departed Newmarket at 1315). Allocated to Newmarket garage. It is an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol VR that had been new to Eastern Counties Omnibus Company as VR300 in August 1981. It was apparently intended to be United Counties 973 (VVV 973X) but was diverted to ECOC before entering service with United Counties.