Visit Up North... well, to North Norfolk!

Yesterday saw the return of Konectbus summer route 22, using their open top Volvo Olympian Northern Counties Palatine 50 R739XRV. Branded 'The Norfolk Coaster', it does what it says on the tin - operating along the North Norfolk Coast between Cromer Bus Station, West Runton and Sheringham, with some services operating as far as the Muckleborough collection.

Myself and Zak went to sample the service, and thankfully the weather had brightened up once we arrived!

We had a short walk from Morrison's bus stop down to the bus station, after Zak purchased his lunch and right on cue the Olympian rolled up waiting to start the journey.

After a brief chat with Steve Royal, the driver, we headed upstairs to breathe in the fresh air and soak up the ever increasing sunshine. This was the first time I'd sampled the service whilst Zak was retaking all the photographs he'd lost after his laptop crashed after the summer last year!

50 posing next to a tank at the Muckleburgh collection

and again, this time at the entrance to the museum

This isn't the only service to be introduced as part of the current service revision. Konect have also introduced:

• Service 71 (Yarmouth to Wroxham via Caister & Hemsby), from Mondays to Fridays, twice a day in each direction. This replaces Anglian's 63;
• The 37B to Mulbarton, which is a direct takeover from Anglian's service;
• Route 72 (Great Yarmouth to Blofield) for the 52 service into Norwich & Eaton. The 52 operates Monday to Saturday, with the 72 only Monday to Friday;
• Along with numerous other timetable changes over the entirety of the ever-expanding network.

On my way home (after alighting from a Konect Tempo on the 2 to Norwich) I noticed two StagecoachYorkshire Paragons (branded for StageCoach services between Leeds & Hull) and two Smith's Coaches (Blofield) on standby for rail replacement work at the train station.

I then headed home on an Anglian Eco-City gas bus before boarding B7 Gemini 32629 KP54KAX from the FirstGreat Yarmouth fleet. Both were pleasant journeys with friendly drivers which helped round off a very positive and enjoyable day.

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Whilst Harry took the buses back, Steve invited me back to Konect's depot in Dereham which I gratefully accepted and took the opportunity to ride open top from Sheringham via Thornage and North Elmham. This gave me a few opportunities to take some photographs of 50 in places that she isn't usually seen, although I was informed this is the usual route she takes back to the depot after completing her daily service.

next to Thornage's village sign, displaying service 2, for Norwich fast

and a bit further down the road by North Elmham church

A big thanks to Steve Royal at Konectbus for helping us out with photos all day and inviting me back to the depot afterwards. For more photographs from the day, see my flickr.