1980s/1990s A11 Barton Mills/Red Lodge

Saturday 15 May 1993 - Harry Shaw of Coventry G943 EHP, a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10MT, seen taking a refreshment break at AJ’s Restaurant, Barton Mills. For a time AJ’s was a regular stop by coaches from the West Midlands heading to Norfolk. The property later became the Pancake and Waffle Shack. Cars for sale at Millford's garage, a Ford dealership, can be seen on the right. The site is now the workshop of the East Anglian Ambulance Service..

Saturday 15 May 1993 - Harry Shaw of Coventry G943 EHP, a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10MT, seen taking a refreshment break at AJ’s Restaurant, Barton Mills. For a time AJ’s was a regular stop by coaches from the West Midlands heading to Norfolk. The property later became the Pancake and Waffle Shack.

Saturday 15 May 1993 - Harry Shaw of Coventry G943 EHP, a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10MT, seen taking a refreshment break at AJ’s Restaurant, Barton Mills. For a time AJ’s was a regular stop by coaches from the West Midlands heading to Norfolk. The property later became the Pancake and Waffle Shack.

Saturday 9 June 1996 – Harry Shaw of Bedworth Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M taking a refreshment break at AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills, Suffolk.

Saturday 23 January 1993 – Millers D519 WNV, a Caetano Algarve bodied Bedford YNV new in April 1987, seen parked at the Barton Mills Picnic Area (A1065).

Saturday 23 January 1993 – Millers D519 WNV, a Caetano Algarve bodied Bedford YNV new in April 1987, seen parked at the Barton Mills Picnic Area (A1065).

Saturday 19 September 1992 – Tigerways of Harlow IIL 1640 seen at the Barton Mills Picnic Area (A1065). It is a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger (with low driving position) which I believe may have been new to Smiths-Shearings Holidays in April 1987 registered D585 MVR.

Saturday 2 July 1994 - A Plaxton Paramount 3200 operated by Sanders Coaches of Holt is seen travelling eastbound along the A11 between two fields of blue flowered linseed.

Saturday 18 September 1995 (approx. 1200) – The Barton Mills picnic site on the A1065 has been a popular refreshment and toilet stop for coaches for many years. Coastal bound coaches from the London area and the East Midlands call there as do Norfolk based operators taking their passengers in the London direction. Representing one of the latter is this Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied DAF MB230 operated by Sander’s Coaches from North Norfolk which had just left the picnic area. OGR 647 was new as E160 TVR to Bullock’s Coaches of Cheadle, Cheshire in August 1987.

Saturday 6 August 1994 – Rebuilding of the weak bridge just east of Fiveways Roundabout on the A11 at Barton Mills had now been completed having started on Monday 10 January 1994. The coach in this photograph was crossing the new bridge which had been opened just a few days earlier. During the re-building work a temporary pontoon bridge had been placed alongside out of shot to the right the road path leading to the bridge is just discernible to the right of the pile of earth near the yellow road sign. In December 2014 the new dual carriageway between Barton Mills and Thetford was finally opened and this scene changed yet again. The coach, which was heading westbound towards Fiveways, was H Semmence and Company Limited of Wymondham D616 YCX, a Duple 340 bodied DAF SB230 that had been new to Pan Atlas of London in April 1987. (The coach was re-registered to YAH 434 in later years).

Sunday 21 November 1993 (approx. 1215) - H Semmence and Company Limited of Wymondham A266 BTY, a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Bedford YNT new in April 1984 to Curtis of Dudley although acquired from Rochester and Marshall of Hexham in 1992. It was seen travelling eastbound on the A11 just east of Fiveways, Barton Mills on the A11. My notes state that this was the first snowfall of the winter although little now remained other than in the wooded areas alongside the road.

Sunday 27 June 1993 - H Semmence and Company Limited of Wymondham A583 MEH seen in the evening sunshine travelling eastbound down Chalk Hill on the A11 towards Fiveways, Barton Mills. It would soon be pulling in at the Dog and Partridge for a refreshment break on what was a homeward journey to Wymondham. The coach is a Bova Futura that was new as A866 XOP to Arnold’s Coaches of Tamworth in May 1984, a company later acquired by the Bowen Group. After service with Bowen it passed to Stoddard’s of Cheadle, Staffordshire where it carried registration A20 MPS.

Sunday 22 July 1984 – A United Counties Alexander T type bodied Leyland Leopard seen passing the Bull Inn at Barton Mills heading eastbound on the A11. It is one of the vehicles numbered in the 224-228 (MRP 224-228P) batch dating from May 1976. The road from Tuddenham is directly in front of the camera.

Sunday 28 April 1985 – Overall the National Express service 747 was a cross country service linking Bristol with Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft on the east coast of East Anglia. Broadly speaking a frequency of approximately every two hours was offered but with a total end to end journey time of around 9 hours it was only the journeys departing before 1300 that could reach the most distant terminus by late evening. Departures thereafter terminated at one of the main towns in between. Coaches started out from and ended up at principal points along the line of route at the start of or end of the day. United Counties covered one trip on the eastern section of the service after it was enhanced effective 28 October 1984. Initially this was the 0920 departure from Bedford via Great Yarmouth (1335) which terminated at Lowestoft (1405). The return trip departed Lowestoft at 1510 travelling via Great Yarmouth (1540) terminating at Bedford (1955). However, this was on the first day of a new timetable which saw their trip extended back to start from Northampton at 0835 travelling via Bedford (0920) but terminating at Great Yarmouth (1335). The return journey left Great Yarmouth at 1540 reaching Bedford at 1955 and Northampton at 2040. Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Leopard 180 (EBD 180X) dating from July 1982, was seen from the entrance to Grange Farm, at Barton Mills as it headed to the coast. This was prior to the building of the A11 dual carriageway between Chalk Hill and Fiveways and all traffic travelled along the original single carriageway road. Traffic could always be slow moving here but today even more so as road surfacing was taking place. A timetable for the service applicable from October 1984 may be seen by following this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/36880144/in/album/729781 The timetable effective Sunday 28 April 1985 may be seen by following this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/49709232/in/album/729781

Sunday 19 August 1984 – United Counties 179 (EBD 179X), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Leopard new in July 1982, seen passing the Bull Inn at Barton Mills working a National Express journey. Some aspects of the old road layout can still be recognised today. The utility building in the left background still stands. The roadway from there where the coach has travelled is now a local road which now bends to the left to pass in front of the Bull Inn turning roughly where the caravan is (note the ‘30’ mph sign). The road markings in the centre of the road show the turnings for Barton Mills (between the coach and the caravan) and for Tuddenham (at the side of the car). The eastbound lane of the dual carriageway was constructed roughly where the photograph was taken. Access to the Bull Inn car park is visible beyond the trees. At this time the car park was much bigger and is now occupied by house of Chestnut Close .

Sunday 31 March 1985 – United Counties 167 (VNH 167W), a Duple Dominant IV bodied Leyland Leopard new in May 1981, seen on the eastern side of Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0920 Bedford to Lowestoft National Express service 747. Overall the National Express service 747 was a cross country service linking Bristol with Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft on the east coast of East Anglia. Broadly speaking a frequency of approximately every two hours was offered but with a total end to end journey time of around 9 hours it was only the journeys departing before 1300 that could reach the most distant terminus by late evening. Departures thereafter terminated at one of the main towns in between. Coaches started out from and ended up at principal points along the line of route at the start of or end of the day. United Counties covered one trip on the eastern section of the service after it was enhanced effective 28 October 1984. Initially this was the 0920 departure from Bedford via Great Yarmouth (1335) which terminated at Lowestoft (1405). The return trip departed Lowestoft at 1510 travelling via Great Yarmouth (1540) terminating at Bedford (1955). However, with the introduction of the summer timetable on Sunday 28 April 1985 saw their trip extended back to start from Northampton at 0835 travelling via Bedford (0920) but terminating at Great Yarmouth (1335). The return journey left Great Yarmouth at 1540 reaching Bedford at 1955 and Northampton at 2040. A timetable for the service applicable from October 1984 may be seen by following this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/36880144/in/album/729781 The timetable effective Sunday 28 April 1985 may be seen by following this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/49709232/in/album/729781

Sunday 20 January 1985 – A rather murky morning at Fiveways, Barton Mills. United Counties 166 (VNH 166W), a Duple Dominant IV bodied Leyland Leopard new in 1981, was working the 0920 Bedford to Lowestoft National Express service 747. Overall the National Express service 747 was a cross country service linking Bristol with Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft on the east coast of East Anglia. Broadly speaking a frequency of approximately every two hours was offered but with a total end to end journey time of around 9 hours it was only the journeys departing before 1300 that could reach the most distant terminus by late evening. Departures thereafter terminated at one of the main towns in between. Coaches started out from and ended up at principal points along the line of route at the start of or end of the day. United Counties covered one trip on the eastern section of the service after it was enhanced effective 28 October 1984. Initially this was the 0920 departure from Bedford via Great Yarmouth (1335) which terminated at Lowestoft (1405). The return trip departed Lowestoft at 1510 travelling via Great Yarmouth (1540) terminating at Bedford (1955). However, with the introduction of the summer timetable on Sunday 28 April 1985 saw their trip extended back to start from Northampton at 0835 travelling via Bedford (0920) but terminating at Great Yarmouth (1335). The return journey left Great Yarmouth at 1540 reaching Bedford at 1955 and Northampton at 2040. A timetable for the service applicable from October 1984 may be seen by following this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/36880144/in/album/729781 The timetable effective Sunday 28 April 1985 may be seen by following this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/49709232/in/album/729781 Local historians will note ‘Fiveways Garage’ which occupied the site between the A1101 road to Mildenhall and the A1065 to Brandon in later years developed to become a Shell fuel station with a MacDonalds ‘restaurant’ plus a tyre garage and car wash. There are a couple of residential houses in the photograph which were also demolished for the development. I remember around this time there being a scrap yard behind the garage. To get the owner’s attention there was a button to press by the gate which sounded a car horn by the cabin some distance within. The site was guarded by a very big dog that came bounding down the track making such a barking and growling commotion.when it saw or heard a presence. Once the owner called to the dog it went totally quiet and you were beckoned somewhat nervously.

Sunday 17 March 1985 – Bristol based Wessex National 381 (BGY 581T) seen on the A11 east of Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0710 Lowestoft to Bristol National Express service 747. It is a Plaxton Supreme bodied AEC Reliance that was new to National Travel (London) in January 1979. The cross country service 747 linked East Anglia with Bristol via Norwich, Cambridge, Northampton and Oxford plus numerous other intermediate points. Schedules were integrated with certain other National Express services to, broadly speaking, offer a frequency of approximately every two hours. Whilst this was the first departure of the day from Lowestoft, England’s most easterly town, there were early morning departures from the likes of Oxford, Northampton, Cambridge and Norwich to get the service up and running. In a similar way the departures later in the day would terminate at an appropriate intermediate town. Having departed Lowestoft at 0710, this particular trip called at Norwich (0830), Cambridge (1030-1100), Northampton (1240), Oxford (1350-1425) arriving Bristol at 1615. The 1110 service also ran to Bristol arriving at 2015. The 1310 service terminated at Oxford, the 1510 terminated at Bedford (although was later extended to Northampton). The last two trips of the day commenced at Great Yarmouth and terminated at Cambridge. The 0910 departure from Lowestoft was a service 905 which upon reaching Northampton continued to Birmingham. A timetable for the service applicable from October 1984 may be seen by following this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/36880146/in/album/729781