Rare Spots: April 2016

Happy Star Wars Day! Anyway now that's over and done with, it's time to present April's addition of the original Rare Spots series. It's been quite a month with many unusual workings and odd sightings, but we'll start with Anglianbus. For the last two weeks, they have been operating a shuttle service between Norwich Bus Station and Stoke Holy Cross, due to the closure of Long Lane which has effectively sliced the 87 in two. Work was meant to be completed by last Friday, however it's overun and is now due to finish on the 13th, which gives us a few extra days to get our cameras out and snap a pic or two! The service has been numbered 87D (presumably standing for Diversion) and was operated by 901 VX51RJZ during the first week, but has since been operated by 960 AU58AKK, as seen above.

At First, we're all about coaches this month, as they have appeared in general service a couple of times in Great Yarmouth. 20500 AO02RBY is photographed to the left approaching the town centre having just operated on the 7 to Belton back on the 13th of the month, but was also used as recently as today, as reported on ENBB. Meanwhile, on the 29th of April, Omar Attialah spotted and photographed Norwich's 20514 WV02EUP, which is currently on loan to Great Yarmouth working an X1 to the coast. The coach is unique in the sense it is the only vehicle in the Eastern Counties fleet to wear the revised coach hire livery.

Now we move onto Sanders where we stick with the theme of coaches. Although it has been known quite recently to see a coach in general service, I'd still classify it as a 'Rare Spot' and so we have a photo and a sighting below. In the photo, we see 1107 YN62AAE, an Mercedes-Benz Vario O816D Plaxton Cheetah 2 operating the X11 on the 28th of the month, picking up passengers on Castle Meadow. The photo was taken by Dan High, so my thanks to him. Dennis Javelin Plaxton Premiere Coach 1010 YO02PCT was also sighted on the 45 service which operates between Norwich, Briston and Holt.