The 2018 Bus review some of the Buses which were highlights of 2018

It's hard trying to pick out some of the highlights of 2018 as the year draws to a close and we move into 2019. A story of different angle of photos, the Wave 99 MMCs first year in service, new operators I haven't photographed before, loan Tridents over the summer, the return of the StreetDeck demonstrator to Brighton&Hove, a new type of Bus photographed and the Santa Bus which ran a week before Christmas. 

January saw the entry into service of Scania N250UD Enviro400 MMCs on the Wave 99 between Eastbourne and Hastings here is 15333 photographed sometime this month.

January saw the entry into service of new E400 MMC Scanias on the 99 the recent shot of 15333 is an example.

 I went to East Anglia on 2 holidays this year to see family up there and my next highlight is of an independent operator in the county. What struck me was Border Bus with their neat livery as shown by 107 BB12 BUS.

A 146 Border Bus off route what caught my eye on holiday was Border Bus as shown by 107 BB12 BUS on the 580.

 The Summer of 2018 saw 2 Trident ALX400s come to Eastbourne on loan this one was here practically the whole summer the first time Eastbourne have operated the type in 2 years 17590 LV52 HFZ was on the when this photo was taken. 

Summer 2018 saw Trident ALX400s loaned from the East Kent area as shown by 17590 LV52 HFZ on the 1.

 I also tried a new angle for my photos the first time I had used it in Eastbourne and what better Bus to choose than Scania MMC 15329 YN67 YLA on the 1.

2018 saw me try a different style of photo which I hadn't used in Eastbourne before as shown by Scania MMC 15328 YN67 YLA on the 1.

 Another holiday came in August 2018 this was when I took my very first photo of a E200 MMC a new type for me as shown by 37441 SN16 ORZ in Devon.

A highlight of 2018 was my very first E200 MMC photo which I took on holiday in Devon in the Summer as shown by 37441 SN16 ORZ

 2018 saw StreetDeck demonstrator SN64 CTU return to Brighton&Hove this time numbered 703 it has seen high use on the Coaster between Eastbourne and Brighton. 

The return of StreetDeck SN64 CTU to Brighton&Hove for the third time happened in 2018 here it is on the 12A.

 Finally, the very popular Santa Bus returned a week before Christmas. This saw E300 27574 GX58 GKE decorated with Christmas decorations as well as a driver dressed as Santa. It ran between the 18th and 24th December all for charity. 

The Santa Bus made a comeback the week before Christmas all decorated to raise money for charity the 2018 Santa Bus was 27574 GX58 GKE a ADL E300 which was new in 2008/9.

Santa Buses since 2016

The annual Santa Bus has returned and the current one is the best one ever compared to previous Buses that have taken the title. This post shows every Bus which has been selected since 2016 all the way through to the current 2018 Bus. The chosen Bus is decorated with a wide range of decorations ranging from lights to toys hanging from the roof with the driver being dressed as Santa himself all in aid to raise money for charity. 

The Santa Bus back in 2016 was Scania E300 28609 GN61 EVP it had a special blind, tinsel inside, stickers and a few added extras. 

Back in 2016, the chosen Bus was Scania E300 28609 GN61 EVP

 The Santa Bus in 2017 was E200 36902 GN13 HHT this to had everything 28609 had as well as hanging toys, a giant teddy and Santa Bus on the front of it. 

The chosen Bus in 2017 was E200 36902 GN13 HHT.

 Now onto this years chosen Santa Bus this time it was E300 27574 GX58 GKE which was chosen to be decorated. This was by far the best Santa Bus to date with the same decorations as what 36902 did in 2017 as well as extras. The only thing it didn't have was the special Santa Bus blind it has been showing normal blinds. 

The current Santa Bus is E300 27574 GX58 GKE here it is working the 1X service.

I have been on every single Santa Bus since 2016 and they just get better and better.

Buses on the hill main location now for photos

I am getting better at my photos of Buses moving so a hill in Eastbourne has been the main focus. The Bus has to be in the right place before pressing the button which allows you to take photos to avoid cutting parts of the Bus off. However, it's not always clear on the hill so I have to wait until it's clear and if a Bus is going down, then I could take the photo. Here are my hill photos from the past few weeks. 

Scania 15773 is seen going down the hill last week these are really good Buses

E300 27574 is seen working the 1A as it goes down the hill

Time for an odd working going down the hill as shown by E300 27580 working the 56 instead of the normal Scania E300 for that working

E300 27575 is seen going down the hill at the start of the week

Loop E400 19650 is also seen going down the hill

A rarity something that doesn't happen often is Double-Deckers on the 1X Scania 15771 is seen working the route this week

Scania 15503 is seen going down the hill this is one of my favourite Scanias

ADL E300 27582 is seen going down the hill this is my 3rd photo of it without the white moustache

A week later, 27574 is going down the hill again

Here is to many more hill photos.

The challenge now facing me

I have now lost another photography spot this time thanks to wire fences making it more of a challenge to take photos. The only for me now to take photos from there is standing in the road but that is very dangerous I don't know how to take photos with it there. I will have to find an alternative spot again which there hardly is in the town centre. 

The buses in these photos were all taken before the wired fencing was put on the other side which back then was easier for photos. 

28606 is seen working the 1

27576 also looks good in the sun!

15328 working the 1 which is what appears to be its main route as it's always on there.

This was taken on the day when the wired fences were being delivered 15490 is seen at a stop the Bus has had a fresh repaint and now has its second tree guard.

28607 is seen in the town centre this was on the 1 and the blinds refused to come out.

Wish me luck in finding another spot.

More Bus stop moves

April saw one side of Buses kicked out of Terminus and September saw the rest kicked out of Terminus. My story is a new challenge for photos of Buses in the town centre I've been unable to photograph the Doubles due to the trees and I have only been able to photograph the Singles in the new location. I wouldn't recommend the area for any photographs sadly, I'm stuck here because my parents won't let me out of the town when I want to leave the town to see Buses.

The best time to take the photos is when it's cloudy as the trees are an issue when it's sunny I have to hand pick the best time in which the trees wouldn't be an issue. Anyway, here is some of the photos of the Buses in the new location and a bit further down.

E200 36901 is seen working the 1X from the new stop.

The Buses sometimes go straight down to the next stop after the new stop E300 27574 shows how it's done.

The works have meant that the Buses have to stop further back in the next stop Scania E300 28606 does the honours.

Even the Wave isn't stopping properly this is because there was another Bus in the stop. 

One of the other allocation of 1X E200s is seen in the new location. 

A shadow from the trees prevented me from getting a photo in the new spot of the camera shy 27575 here it is a bit further down.

E300 27573 is also seen in the new location for Bus stops.

Hopefully the challenge won't be difficult.

Buses in Devon part 2 Buses in the city

Part one featured photos of the Hop 22 Bus route focusing on some of the Double-Deckers of Devon. In part 2, I went to the city of Exeter to focus on some of the Single-Deckers of Devon. The trip to the city led to me photographing 2 types of Bus I had never photographed before and that was the E200 MMC and MAN E300. I have many photos of the E400 MMC so wanted to add a few of the E200 ones to my MMC collection. 

Ages ago, some E200 MMCs transferred to the South West divison from somewhere up North in exchange for other Buses.

One of the E200 MMCs is seen in the big city

Meanwhile there were some MAN E300s about they're different to the ADL and Scania E300s operated down here

My main aim was to photograph the Cancer Research Bus here it is

As well as the MMCs, they operate many older E200s as demonstrated by this example

As well as the older ones they also operate the E20D classic E200s here is one of them

Another E200 is also photographed this is an older one

One of the other E200 MMCs is seen in the city 

Also to add, the City routes there are letters instead of numbers which is rather odd.

Buses in Devon part 1 Hop 22 Buses

I have just got back home from this years family holiday last year, it was Dorset I went to however, this time around, I went to Devon. This is how route branding is done not only does it have vinyl's, the standard Stagecoach colours have been changed to different shades of green which does look nice. 

The allocation on this route is Scania N230UD/Enviro400s carrying that green branding. When I last visited the area 3 years ago, the route was the Hop 11 and it had Tridents on it the 11 was withdrawn ages ago and was replaced by an hourly extension of the 22 this post is also my Double-Decker post.

The first Scania I photographed there was this one seen on the route on the Tuesday.

Seen on the Wednesday is my second Scania photo from this week.

This shows that Scanias aren't always on it Trident 18367 is seen on the route on the Thursday.

The one after was a Scania though as seen by this example. 

The final Scania is photographed on it on the Friday.

My final instalment will see my trip to a city when it was the Single-Deckers turn to be photographed.

The return to East Anglia part 3 Lowestoft featuring some Buses in Barbie colours

This one was a bit of a challenge for me trying to narrow photos down the best I can as well as photographing Border Bus and Konect Bus is Great Yarmouth and Norwich as well as First group, I also photographed Buses in Lowestoft which was my main base for the trip. 

This post features some odd workings and Buses still in Barbie which feature alongside the Buses in the current Olympia colours and a E200 with a black front. 

The order for this post will be Buses from the Tuesday first and the last morning before coming home second. 

Gemini 37568 (AU58 ECJ) departing the Bus station. 

Swinging around the bend on a Single-Decker working of route X22 is E200 44531 (SN62 AZW).

The E200 I didn't photograph on my previous visit 44532 (SN62 DBO) also swings around the bend on the 103.

Still going in Barbie is Gemini 32629 (KP54 KAX).

Gemini 37563 (AU58 ECA) departs the Bus station on the X2.

Still the same with its black front is E200 44517 (YX09 ACY).

It always seems to be difficult to get a photo of Gemini 37579 (AU58 EDK) but I succeeded this time here it departs the Bus station. 

One of the Great Yarmouth Geminis departs on the 1. 

What was my Bus back on the day I went to Norwich, Gemini 37571 (AU58 ECV) departs the Bus station on the X2.

Another Gemini swings around the bend I believe it had not in service on the blinds I gather it was either on the X2 or X22.

It would be so bad to leave posh Buses out here is Excel E400 33821 (YX63 LKL) departing on the X1.

Another Excel E400 this time 33820 (YX63 LKK) arrives on the X1.

Also still in Barbie, is Gemini 37141 (SN57 HDA) here it swings around the bend. 

One of the ALX400s departs the Bus station on the 99. 

It was a really good week for photos last week.