Radio One's Big Weekend ~ Part Two

Continuing on from Part One, which focused on buses operating during the day, we now move on to Part Two which will focus the evening routes. I was unable to witness first hand the large scale operations but fortunately contributor Dan High was out and about with his camera well into the night.

Frequent shuttle services, including extra buses on Blue Line services 25 and 26 operated from Earlham Park direct to the bus station until 1am, where passengers could make use of a number of extra late night services on the X1 and X2 towards the coast or as far as King's Lynn on the west side of the route. 

an X1 Enviro400 working a late night 26 back to the City Centre
© DanHigh

First also laid on two extra services, numbered E1 and W1 which operated around greater Norwich throughout the evening. Service E1 operated around the East side, whilst W1 worked the West.

E1 operated from Earlham Park to Vulacn Road bus depot via Yarmouth Road, St Williams Way, Heartsease Lane, Mousehold Lane, Wroxham Road, Sprowston Church Lane, Barkers Lane, White Woman Lane, Lodge Lane, St Faiths Road and Mile Cross Lane and were expected to depart every fifteen minutes from 0015 until 0115.

Norwich's 36172 BD11CFV at Norwich Bus Station working the E1
© DanHigh

W1 had the same timetable but operated to Vulcan Road via Dereheam Road, Bowthorpe Road, Earlham Green Lane, Clover Hill, Wendene, Sweet Briar Road, Drayton High Road, Windsor Chase, Kingswood Avenue, Pendlesham Rise, Felsham Way, Long Dale, Reepham Road, Hellesdon, The Boundary and Mile Cross Lane.

Blue Line branded 36167 BD11CFM also at Norwich Bus Station, working the W1
© DanHigh

Witnesses there exclaimed that buses were leaving Earlham Park, rammed full of passengers approximately ever thirty seconds. This high demand warranted even more buses being hired in, so First opted to use ten of Norse's Plaxton Presidents, usually used on Park & Ride duties, to assist them.

a Norse president sits between two of her sisters outside Earlham Park awaiting duty
© DanHigh

Many thanks to Dan for the photos, and remember Konectbus will take over the sites operated by Norse in September, and it is expected that Norse will be selling all of their service buses following the expiry of their contract. So photograph them whilst you can! Of course there's no official news about where they will be going yet, so they could end up somewhere nearby...

In part three, I'll be bringing you photos from Yarmouth as the vehicle movements caused a few rare workings at the seaside town, one of which you've already seen as part of our Summer Service 3 post.