Oldest Active Locomotive Arrives for Middy Steam Festival

The Mid Suffolk Light Railway was visited by Britain's oldest working steam locomotive  as one of its biggest events took on a new twist.

The "Middy at War" weekend has always been one of its most popular events - commemorating the wartime years when it was at its busiest supplying USAAF bases on its route.

This year the theme was subtly changed to become The Middy in the Forties with more of an emphasis on its civilian role during the decade - including carrying children to school in Stowmarket.

There were displays of lovingly-restored military vehicles and a mock-up of a German mountain camp at the Dovebrook end of the line.

 The guest engine for the event was a 1879-built Beyer Peacock tank engine which is believed to be the oldest working steam locomotive in Britain at present.

There are older engines that have operated and are currently being overhauled but this locomotive that is usually based at the Foxfield Railway in Staffordshire is the oldest in current use - and the oldest to ever operate on the Middy.

The event ran on Saturday and Sunday 28th and 29th May and included music from the era on both days.

On Saturday afternoon there was a flypast by a Hawker Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway is Suffolk’s only standard gauge heritage railway, offering steam open days and events to the general public. Services are normally steam operated on both standard open days and special event days.


The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, affectionately known as the ‘Middy’, was a classic case of a railway built too late for the great railway age. It never paid its way and was effectively broke before it opened. Operating in receivership from the start the line was never fully completed, the rails petering out in the middle of a field. However it still managed to struggle on against all the odds for 50 years.

In 1991 after almost all traces of the line had disappeared a group of enthusiasts decided this country railway, once so important to the area, should not be forgotten. The ‘Middy’, a fine example of rural English history, is now resurrected as Suffolk’s only standard gauge railway museum and ironically is busier now than it ever was.

A section of the railway at Brockford has been recreated with original station buildings which capture the atmosphere of this quirky line. In 2012 the MSLR was awarded the Heritage Railway Association’s Interpretation Award. In October 2014 the ‘Middy’ was voted Suffolk Museum of the Year in competition with 40 other Suffolk museums.

Today’s ‘Middy’ is not only a museum but runs regular steam trains and has a programme of carriage and wagon restoration complementing its efforts to recreate this slice of Edwardian England.

Website here

Arriva Platinum Jubilee Buses

Arriva is marking the 70-year reign by the Queen by displaying a specially designed Jubilee bus livery to several of buses serving towns and cities across the UK.

The Arriva website says "People will spot the Royal fleet out & about on Arriva routes throughout Merseyside, Kent, County Durham, Northumberland, Hertfordshire and Yorkshire. We’re proud to support our communities in their celebrations and special occasions every year, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend is truly unique for the country"

Alistair Hands, Commercial & Marketing Director at Arriva, UK BUS:

“The Platinum Jubilee is a landmark celebration across the UK, therefore Arriva is proud to have introduced a specially designed Jubilee Livery to a number of our buses, which will be serving customers on key routes and services across our towns and cities. We’re looking forward to seeing our Jubilee Fleet out on the road, and to be a part of this once in a lifetime weekend of celebrations & activities up and down the country!”

1,000TH BYD ADL Electric Bus Joins The Stagecoach Fleet In Aberdeen

 Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and BYD UK have announced that their electric vehicle partnership, the UK’s leading electric bus producer, has delivered its 1000th zero-emission bus. 

The BYD ADL Enviro400EV double decker was part-funded by the Scottish Government and handed over to Stagecoach Bluebird in Aberdeen in the presence of the Scottish Government’s Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work.

Sales of the market-leading, British-built BYD ADL Enviro200EV single decker and BYD ADL Enviro400EV double decker have accelerated rapidly as the transition to zero-emission mobility gathers pace in the United Kingdom. 

While it took five years to reach the 500th BYD ADL electric bus, the partnership has now delivered its 1000th vehicle just one year later.

This bus is the last of a fleet of 22 BYD ADL Enviro400EV double deckers which Stagecoach bought for services in Aberdeen with financial support from the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme. 

Stagecoach has since confirmed an order for an additional 13 electric buses of the same type for Aberdeen following the award of funding through the Scottish Government’s follow-on scheme, the Zero-Emission Bus Challenge Fund.

At an event during the inaugural Scottish Bus Week, Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, Richard Lochhead MSP, joined ADL’s National Account Manager Marie Connell in handing over the anniversary bus to Stagecoach Bluebird Managing Director, Peter Knight, before touring the newly installed EV charging hub at Stagecoach’s Aberdeen Tullos Depot.

Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, Richard Lochhead said: “I’m really pleased to witness the 1000th electric bus manufactured by ADL – a great example of successful collaboration between Scottish operators and manufacturers, supported by Scottish Government funding.

left to right: Peter Knight (Managing Director, Stagecoach Bluebird), Richard Lochhead (Scottish Government Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work) and Marie Connell (National Account Manager, Alexander Dennis Limited)

“Through the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Scheme we’ve supported the introduction of 22 new electric buses here in Aberdeen for Stagecoach Bluebird.

“Alongside free travel for under-22s and over half a billion pounds in long term funding for bus priority infrastructure, we’re putting buses at the heart of Scotland’s just transition to net-zero by helping people choose to travel more sustainably. We can only achieve that transition by working together.”

Marie Connell, National Account Manager at ADL, said: “This milestone demonstrates the incredible pace at which the transition to zero-emission mobility is now happening thanks to bus companies’ drive for innovation and Government support.

“With 1000 electric buses now on the road, our customers benefit from the BYD ADL partnership’s unrivalled experience. Stagecoach’s new order for another 13 of these electric double deckers will further extend the benefits as passengers will enjoy a smooth and quiet ride and the people of Aberdeen will breathe cleaner air.”

Peter Knight, Managing Director for Stagecoach Bluebird, said: “We are all really excited to be sharing BYD ADL's celebration of delivering its 1000th fully electric bus. Introducing these new vehicles reflects the investment both we and Scottish Government are making thanks to the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme and the funding made available to support the delivery of the new buses.

“There has never been a more important time to take action to address the climate emergency and play a part in helping Scotland deliver on its net zero ambitions whilst improving local air quality in Aberdeen.

“The introduction of these 22 new fully electric buses on our bus routes in Aberdeen reflect our commitment to creating a greener, smarter, safer and healthier country and at the same time will deliver major benefits for the region and our customers.”

Frank Thorpe, Managing Director, BYD UK, said: “BYD is delighted to be part of this successful partnership, which continues to go from strength to strength as the desire for zero-emission electric buses gains real momentum throughout the UK. This momentous handover to Stagecoach Aberdeen underlines how BYD ADL electric buses are becoming ‘the eBus brand of choice’ for many operators, as a result of our combined specialist expertise and world-leading technology.”

First Group Offer of £1.2Billion From Squared Capital Advisors (UK) LLP

The following announcement has appeared on the FirstGroup website 

Statement re. unsolicited approach

The Board of FirstGroup plc ("FirstGroup" or the "Company") notes the recent share price movement. The Company has received a series of unsolicited, conditional proposals from I Squared Capital Advisors (UK) LLP ("I Squared") in relation to a possible offer to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of the Company.

The Board together with its advisers, is currently evaluating the latest approach, received yesterday evening, which provides for a cash component of 118 pence per share and a contingent right to up to a further 45.6 pence per share based on the outcome of the First Transit earnout and the net proceeds realised from the Greyhound legacy assets and liabilities. The previous approaches were all unanimously rejected by the Board.

FirstGroup, Britain’s biggest train operator, is evaluating the £1.2bn takeover offer from the US private equity firm, the latest UK transport group to become a takeover target.

The Aberdeen-based bus and rail operator said it had received a series of unsolicited proposals from I Squared Capital, and rejected them unanimously, apart from the latest approach, received on Wednesday evening, which it is evaluating.


The private equity firm is offering to pay 118p per share in cash and “a contingent right to up to a further 45.6p per share” based on the outcome of payouts to the company after the sale of its US transit business and net proceeds from the Greyhound sale last year. FirstGroup decided to pull out of the North American market and focus on the UK.

The global infrastructure firm I Squared Capital, which has offices in London, Hong Kong, Miami, Singapore and Delhi, focuses on energy, utilities, telecom and transport in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

FirstGroup shares jumped as much as 15% to 138p, hitting levels not seen since 2019 and later traded 8.3% higher at 129p.

Along with other transport companies, FirstGroup was hit by the slump in bus and rail passenger numbers during the Covid pandemic, when non-essential travel was banned during lockdowns. Demand has been slow to recover.

FirstGroup employs 17,500 people and runs four of the UK’s rail networks under franchises awarded by the government: Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and Avanti West Coast. It also runs Hull Trains and Lumo on the east coast between London and Edinburgh, two “open access” operations that run trains on a commercial basis without franchises.

The company is also the second-biggest bus operator in the UK, running services in cities such as Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds.

StageCoach, the UK’s biggest bus and coach operator, has backed a £595m offer from a pan-European infrastructure fund managed by Germany’s DWS Infrastructure. It trumped a £1.9bn merger previously agreed with its rival National Express.

DWS Infrastructure has now announced that the offer has become unconditional. This occurs once the bidder has received sufficient acceptances from the shareholders of the target company, essentially meaning that the shareholders of the target company have agreed to sell to the bidder.

Fenland BusFest 2022

Fenland BusFest is one of the area’s largest Vintage Vehicle Gatherings, popular with Families and Enthusiasts alike. It took place in the Market town of Whittlesey near Peterborough. A network of free bus services consisting of five routes was operated travelling to Ramsey, Peterborough, March, Turves, Yaxley & Thorney.

Free buses up to every:
10mins to RAMSEY (Classic Car Show)
30mins to PETERBOROUGH
30mins to THORNEY
30mins to TURVES
30mins to YAXLEY (Yaxley Festival)
60mins to MARCH

Ken Jones was there to cover the event for Focus Transport.

Many thanks to Ken for the photos. If you visit a transport event, please feel free to send photos to focustransport2011@gmail.com

Madrid's Green Investment - 60 Electric Solaris Buses

EMT, the public bus operator in the City of Madrid, has commissioned 60 Solaris electric buses with a value is over 30 million EUR.

Madrid has specified High Energy batteries and pantograph charging, which will ensure high operability in all kinds of conditions. The silent and emission-free Urbino 12 electric buses are flagship vehicles of the manufacturer. 

Turning 25% of the fleet electric by 2025 and no more diesel engine bus operating in the streets of Madrid from 2023 are the ambitious transport goals that the operator EMT Madrid has set for itself and which it is gradually implementing. 

In 2021 Solaris secured an order for 250 natural gas-powered buses after winning the tender.

 “I am exceedingly proud that such a prestigious order has been entrusted to Solaris. I am grateful for this incredible trust placed in us. Our company has been promoting sustainable public transport for many years, focusing in particular on zero-emission solutions. 

We believe that electromobility is the future and a guarantee of clean, citizen-friendly, safe cities. I am extremely happy that the direction taken by Madrid is consistent with our vision.

The Urbino 12 electrics are reliable, tried and tested, but above all fully emission-free vehicles. It is not without reason that this model has been the most successful of all our electric vehicles" noted Javier Calleja, CEO of Solaris.

The electric Solaris vehicles the Madrid operator has opted for will derive energy from state-of-the-art batteries of over 400 kWh, which will ensure an adequate range and operability of the buses for the metropolis. 

Batteries can be recharged by means of an inverted pantograph, or conventionally via a standard plug-in connector. The drive unit of the vehicles will be a 180 kW central motor.

The 12 m Solaris buses will accommodate over 80 passengers including 25 seated ones. Comfort for travellers includes an efficient air-conditioning system, USB ports and the top-notch passenger information system. 

EMT has also put first the safety and comfort of drivers. The driver’s cabin will be closed-off, with tall glass screens.

Meanwhile enhanced visibility will be ensured by MirrorEye cameras replacing side mirrors, transmitting images on screens inside the vehicle. 

Among many other advantages, the innovative design of MirrorEye will allow the width of the vehicle to be reduced, something which is of importance in the busy urban space of Madrid.

Solaris has been present in Spain for over 10 years now. Nearly 450 buses made by Solaris currently ply routes in Spanish cities. Importantly, three quarters of these are vehicles featuring a zero-emission or a low-emission drive. Solaris is a European leader in the sale and manufacture of environmentally friendly buses and currently leads in Europe in terms of the production of electric and hydrogen buses.

Aberdeen Wrightbus Streetdeck Hydroliner's Clock up One Million Miles

A staggering one million miles have been clocked up by Wrightbus zero-emission hydrogen double deckers  after they first entered passenger service last year in Aberdeen.

The impressive milestone - the equivalent of driving around the world 40 times - means the fleet of world-first hydrogen-powered buses has prevented 1,700 tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions entering the atmosphere compared to journeys made by an equivalent diesel bus.

The reduction in emissions has the same impact as taking almost 400 cars off the roads for a whole year.

“Hitting one million miles is an incredible landmark for our buses,” said Wrightbus Executive Chairman Jo Bamford. “To be talking about such figures and the impact on emissions they have made is incredibly powerful and seeing these numbers spelled out really puts our efforts into context.

“At Wrightbus we have been relentless in our commitment to zero emissions transport thanks to our constant innovations - but although these figures are impressive, we cannot let up.

“We will continue to press the case for more support for zero emissions transport, both in the UK and around the globe, to ensure vital net zero targets are not missed.”

When Mr Bamford took over Wrightbus in October 2019, just 56 staff remained in the business. Largely thanks to its new zero emission products, which include battery-electric and hydrogen double and single deck buses, it now employs more than 900 people.

Demand for its zero emission buses has been so great that output from its Ballymena factory this year will be double that achieved last year. And an impressive 70 per cent of all vehicles leaving the factory will be zero emission models in 2022 - up from just 30 per cent in 2021.

The Wrightbus Streetdeck Hydroliner was launched in Aberdeen in 2020, with the fleet entering passenger service in January 2021. The Hydroliner bus emits only water vapour from its tailpipe, with no harmful emissions.

In addition to the Aberdeen fleet, the company’s zero emission hydrogen buses are currently in operation in London, Birmingham, Dublin and Belfast, with several other local authorities looking to introduce them to their town and city streets to improve local air quality.

King Street depot had to undergo significant alterations to accommodate the city’s hydrogen buses. Electrical points at each of the hydrogen parking bays were installed. When the hydrogen buses aren’t out in service, they need to be plugged in at their docking point so that their temperature can be monitored.

The bi-product of hydrogen fuel is water, so it’s essential that the buses are kept above 5°C to ensure that the pipes their pipes do not freeze and rupture. To make this happen, a fully trained team of engineers needed to dig up a large section of the depot floor and lay electric cabling underground so that each parking bay could be fitted with its own power supply.

Elizabeth Line Opens Today

 At 06:30 BST on Tuesday 24 May, the first Elizabeth Line train will leave Abbey Wood, destined for Paddington.

The Elizabeth line is a 73-mile (118km) railway line running from Essex in the east to Berkshire in the west, cutting underground through central London.

There are two western branches, which terminate at Reading and Heathrow Airport, and two eastern branches, ending at Shenfield in Essex and Abbey Wood in south-east London.

Ten new stations have been built for the central London section, which connects Paddington, Bond Street, Liverpool St and Canary Wharf.

The line is expected to increase London's train capacity by 10%. The new railway built by Crossrail Ltd will stop at 41 accessible stations - 10 of them new - and is expected to serve around 200 million people each year.

The line was first conceived of in the 1980s, cancelled in the 1990s and approved in the 2000s. Work started in 2009 and 10,000 workers have been employed on the 13-year project.

Each train can carry up to 1,500 passengers - significantly more than existing London Underground trains.

The line travels across the overground rail network, while the central section runs through tunnels and connects with Tube and other rail services. 

Large numbers of transport enthusiasts are expected to be on the first departures.

A full service will not be immediately available.

Initially, trains will run six days a week, every five minutes from 06:30 to 23:00 with no Sunday service. 

Although a special service will operate on Sunday 5 June for the Platinum Jubilee weekend. Services will run from approximately 08:00 - 22:00

At first the line will operate in three parts - from Abbey Wood to Paddington, from Heathrow and Reading to Paddington, and Shenfield to Liverpool Street.

Bond Street station in central London will not open until later this year due to problems during construction.

In the autumn, trains from Heathrow will no longer terminate at Paddington and continue on through the central section of the line.

However, it will not be until May 2023 that passengers will be able to travel directly from one end of the line to the other.

Journey times
The new line will slash journey times for many travellers.

Abbey Wood to Paddington will be cut by almost half to 28 minutes
Liverpool Street to Woolwich will be halved to 15 minutes
Farringdon to Canary Wharf will drop from 24 minutes to 10 minutes
Liverpool St to Paddington - cut from 18 to 10 minutes

How much will fares cost?

Elizabeth line fares will be identical to those on London Underground. Services currently operating as TfL rail will remain unchanged although there will be a £7.20 premium on journeys to and from Heathrow.

Peak single journeys to Heathrow airport from central London (weekdays between 06:30-09:30 and 16:00-19:00) will cost £12.70 and be £2 cheaper at other times (peak and off-peak Tube fares currently cost £5.50 and £3.50 respectively, while the Heathrow Express costs £25).
 
Contactless pay-as-you-go payments are accepted across the line while daily and weekly capping will also apply.

Freedom passes allowing free travel, including to Heathrow and Reading, will be accepted after 09:00 on weekdays and at weekends.

Railcards attached to Oyster cards will also receive one-third off fares.

As with London Overground, folding bicycles are allowed at all times. Non-folding bikes are only allowed off-peak.

More information here

'Try A Train’ Event at Clacton Aims to Increase Confidence to Travel

People in and around Clacton are invited to board a brand-new Greater Anglia train on Monday 23rd May to have a look round it and see the new layout and features during a special event to help people travel with confidence.

The event has been organised by the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership and Greater Anglia as part of a national ‘Community Rail Week’ with the theme ‘Give the train a try.’

One of Greater Anglia’s new 5 Car Bombardier electric commuter trains will stand in platform 4 today from 10.15am until 2pm.

Local schoolchildren will visit until 11am, after which, the public is invited to come along and experience the train and its improved features – such as more seats, dedicated cycle areas and spacious wheelchair spaces which are clearly signposted on the outside of the train as well as accessible toilets and an accessible seating area with room for friends and family.

The trains are better for the environment too with an energy-efficient, aerodynamic design and regenerative braking which delivers energy back into the electrical supply network rather than waste the energy, through heat, as conventional brake systems do.

Greater Anglia and Community Rail Partnership staff will be on hand to answer questions and receive feedback.

Community Rail Week, organised by the Community Rail Network and sponsored by Rail Delivery Group, runs from 23-29 May.

Driver Jim Smith with a 5 Car Bombardier class 720 train  

The ‘Give the train a try’ theme is aimed at encouraging people to try train travel, to increase travel confidence and support a shift to greener journeys that don’t add to traffic and pollution, as the country begins to recover from the pandemic.

Jayne Sumner, Rail Engagement Manager for the Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, said, “We’re delighted to work with Greater Anglia to have one of their brand-new trains standing at Clacton for people to come and see the transformation in terms of comfort and accessibility.

“We hope that people who have not used the train before, have not yet seen one of the new trains, or people with accessibility needs will come along and have a look round the train to see how its improved features might help them to use rail safely and confidently.”

Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “Community rail partnerships and station volunteer groups across Britain – including the many in the Anglian region – have long played a vital role engaging local groups, young people and families to boost rail travel awareness and confidence, increase access to opportunity, and break down barriers. It’s increasingly important for environmental reasons too, to reduce local traffic and pollution and help tackle the climate emergency.

“Community Rail Week aims to shine a light on our growing grassroots movement working tirelessly alongside our railway partners, and get the message out to more people about the benefits of rail travel. More than 70 activities are taking place nationwide, and it’s fantastic to see this important initiative coming to Clacton’s sunny shores – raising awareness and exploring how we can enable and empower more people to feel confident and able to travel by train.”

East Yorkshire Bus Company Introduce Five New App Zones

East Yorkshire Bus Company are set to bring in new tickets and fares.

In their first review of fares and tickets since September 2019, East Yorkshire Bus Company has said that the changes, which are due to come into effect on Sunday, May 22, will make travelling across the region simpler for customers.

The changes will introduce five new app only zones: Beverley, York City, Driffield, York Country and Bridlington Country as well as changes to the existing York Zone.

East Yorkshire’s Area Director, Ben Gilligan, has said: “We’re introducing new ticket zones to help our customers enjoy a simpler journey. We’ve improved our range of tickets available online and via our app to give customers more choice and flexibility and reduce the need to pay on the bus.

“We recognise that costs for many people are going up at the moment and we are not insulated from this, so we’re keen to help our customers get the tickets that are most suitable for them. Bus travel is still excellent value with costs from as little as £2 per day which is far cheaper than owning and running a car.”


These zones will replace point-to-point weekly tickets, which will no longer be available to buy on the bus.

Additionally, those who travel within the City of Hull can take advantage of the new and improved Hull Zone which combines the previous Hull & Hull Plus zone areas. This builds on the introduction of our Flexi5 and Flexi20 tickets in 2020 which provides additional flexibility for customers who no longer need to travel every day.

Tickets for the new zones will be available on the East Yorkshire Buses app only, and customers can purchase them in advance to allow for a quicker, more convenient commute. Those who frequently travel around Hull can also take advantage of cheaper weekly tickets on app rather than in person.

The firm says that customers who already have tickets in their app wallets will still be able to use them as normal until their expiry date, at which point they’ll be able to choose from a new, simplified range.

Another change is that dogs now travel for free on any East Yorkshire bus, although customers are encouraged to seat their pets on the floor and not on the seats.


The company operates as a stand-alone company within Go North East and has a long history of serving the area. The roots of East Yorkshire go back to December 1919, when Ernest John Lee purchased a 14-seat Ford Model T bus for a service between Elloughton and Hull. In 1922 a Mr Beaulah was taken into partnership with Mr Lee and formed Lee & Beaulah.

A couple of years later Hull & District Motor Services was set up by H. A. Harvey to run a service between Kirk Ella and Hull. Finally, on 5 October 1926 the British Automobile Traction Company registered the name East Yorkshire Motor Services Ltd. to take over Lee & Beaulah and Hull & District Motor Services.

After nationalisation, the company was privatised again in February 1987, becoming a subsidiary of EYMS Group Limited which had been formed by its management team. It went from strength to strength, acquiring many small bus businesses in and around Hull.

Up until 2018, the company was owned by Peter Shipp, who had been with the business since 1980. In June 2018, Peter Shipp handed over the company to the Go-Ahead Group, a leading UK public transport operator.

Go-Ahead is an international business with operations in the UK, Ireland, Singapore, Germany and more, with people taking over one billion journeys on the group's buses and rail services each year. East Yorkshire and Go-Ahead share the values of excellent customer service and strong employee engagement, being well established in the local communities they serve.

Now known as East Yorkshire, rather than EYMS, the company operates as a stand-alone company within Go North East, overseen by the Go North East executive director team but with a Hull-based senior management team.

The Head Office and main depot are located on Anlaby Road in Hull, where we have been based since 1929. There are also depots in Bridlington, Elloughton, Pocklington, Scarborough and Withernsea. All these depots have an active role to play in the continued success of East Yorkshire.

East Yorkshire say that they are strongly committed to providing passengers with quality transport and is determined to invest in new and refurbished buses, continually improving standards. The fleet is now made up of over 270 vehicles, including double decks, single decks, minibuses, coaches, open top buses and two vintage vehicles.

East Yorkshire recognises that it has a major effect on the community it serves, and has a policy of involvement in that community. It has close links with universities, colleges, attractions and local authorities in the region, and runs an annual Big Bus Day event in Hull in partnership with the Streetlife Museum of Transport and Hull City Council. The company also works with local businesses in order to help reduce traffic and parking problems in the region.

Bluebell Railway - Ken Jones

 Ken Jones visited the Bluebell Railway and has sent the photos below.

Bluebell Railway website here

Thanks as usual to Ken. If you visit a transport event please send your photos to focustransport2011@gmail.com