THE M & D AND EAST KENT BUS CLUB

Essex and Suffolk Wanderer 17th July 1999

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Tour report by David Burrin (first published in Club news sheet 565 August '99)

Photographs by Ken Lansdowne.

I joined the tour at Chatham, with a large number of people on board for this rural ramble around Essex and Suffolk. Our vehicle was Volvo/Van Hool TIB 5904 of the New Enterprise fleet (2831); our driver Gary did all we asked of him very well, manouvered in tight corners, and negotiated main roads and country lanes in a versatile and skilful way.

We arrived at the Castlepoint Transport Museum on Canvey Island, where very helpful staff gave us access to and descriptions of the large number of preserved vehicles, including two ex-M&D coaches, 28 TKR and 381 BKM, the latter under heavy restoration. Although the anticipated open-top Daimler FOP 429 was not available, we had the choice of ex-PMT NEH 453 and ex-Eastern National JVW 430 available to transport us to the Arriva Southend depot.

Vehicles in the depot ranged from seven unregistered Dennis Darts diverted from Arriva Yorkshire, visiting Olympians from Arriva The Shires, withdrawn Fleetlines in the yard and several vehicles from "London & Country", some still in that livery.

Moving on to Arriva Colchester's depot, we spent a long time in the area, photographing the changing scene there, including acquired Olympians from Yorkshire Rider, new Wright-bodied Volvos, Arriva liveried Metrobuses from London, and various independent operations, including Cedric's and Chambers. Our next stop was Wivenhoe, at Cedric's depot, where an effort was made to move an ex-M&D VRT, but the arrival of a coach prevented this, so photography was aborted.

Moving into Suffolk, we arrived in the picturesque town of Bures. In Chamber's depot we found two new S-registered Van Hools, and a Bedford OB (CCF 669?) under tarpaulin. Then on to the Sudbury compound of Hedingham, where staff moved Bristol LH UVX 6S and Lynx F150 LTW for photography. Beeston's yard at Long Melford mainly contained unserviceable vehicles, including Leyland Nationals and ex-Colchester Atlanteans.

Back to Sudbury town, we found in the bus station Arriva The Shires VRT ONH 928V, still wearing an Arriva transfer, but owned by Beeston's Constable's operation! Our final official stop was in Sible Hedingham, where the vehicles included two preserved vehicles, and several VRTs. We made a slight diversion to Blackmore End, to Brandon's depot, finding three DMS-type vehicles, an ex-Tayside VRT and the coach fleet.

This tour more than lived up to expectations, and continued David Cobb's ability to plan good trips and provide good weather.

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