Friday 22 October 1993 - Eastern Counties Omnibus Company TH919 (C919 BEX), a Ford Transit with Robin Hood van conversion bodywork new in February 1986, seen at King Street, Mildenhall working the 1112 service to Barton Mills.

ECOC had re-introduced a Friday only network of local services in and around Mildenhall using a mini-bus. The service pattern began with an 0930 service M6 to Beck Row (which arrived back at 0956), an 0957 town circular service M7 arriving back at 1011 followed by a 1012 service M8 to West Row arriving back at 1028. This pattern ran each hour all day, with the exception of the 1112 service M8, until completing the 1530 service M6.

On this particular day I observed that two different mini-buses were used over the day.

The first vehicle (TH919) worked from 0930 to 1111 and then (as seen here) worked the 1112 service to Barton Mills arriving back at 1128. It then worked the 1131 service 154 to Chippenham (arriving 1159) returning as the 1203 service 154 via Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds.

The second vehicle (TH908) began working the full service pattern starting with the 1130 service M6 to Beck Row until completing the 1530 service M6 at 1556 whereupon it then worked the 1600 service 155 back to Bury St. Edmunds.

The older mini-buses carried the destination on boards in the windscreen and showed ‘Special Service’ on the destination blinds. The driver held up the ‘Barton Mills’ board for me.