Long Coach Routes in the UK

[pitdiver]

I have been talking to an ex colleague of mine regarding former NX or its predecessors routes. Can anybody remember an Inverness-Penzance service and possibly a Thurso-Penzance extension. If anybody remembers have they got any details.

 

[Busaholic]

I have been talking to an ex colleague of mine regarding former NX or its predecessors routes. Can anybody remember an Inverness-Penzance service and possibly a Thurso-Penzance extension. If anybody remembers have they got any details.

Sorry, I cannot at this stage directly answer your question.
The 336 used to operate Penzance to Edinburgh until March 2010, and was at that stage Britain's longest coach route. It had been operated by First's Camborne depot but I think they lost the contract a few months before it got curtailed at Plymouth. I'm trying to remember if I ever saw a coach blinded for Inverness: been living in Penzance since 1988.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Sorry, I cannot at this stage directly answer your question.
The 336 used to operate Penzance to Edinburgh until March 2010, and was at that stage Britain's longest coach route. It had been operated by First's Camborne depot but I think they lost the contract a few months before it got curtailed at Plymouth. I'm trying to remember if I ever saw a coach blinded for Inverness: been living in Penzance since 1988.

336 was operated by First Western National in the mid 1990s and interworked with the 383 Edinburgh to Wrexham. It later passed to Express Travel and then to Selwyns.

 

[carlberry]

The Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust and First organised a road run in 2009 to celebrate the Penzance-Aberdeen National Express route (from the 1980s) which was supposed to be the longest that had existed at that point.

 

[KendalKing]

I have been talking to an ex colleague of mine regarding former NX or its predecessors routes. Can anybody remember an Inverness-Penzance service and possibly a Thurso-Penzance extension. If anybody remembers have they got any details.

If I remember correctly back in the 1980's, the Inverness-Penzance service used to call-into Lancaster for a driver change only, and was not shown in the timetable as calling into Lancaster. The drivers use to stay at the Castle Hotel (now called The Pub) in China Street.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Are we referring to distance or duration?

National Express route 528, which currently runs between Haverfordwest and Rochdale, takes just over twelve hours.

However, in terms of distance, I would agree with the 336 which is almost fifteen hours.

 

[jamesontheroad]

These are indeed the longest domestic routes; now I'm wondering what might be the longest continental scheduled route from the UK? Perhaps one of the runs from Victoria to Poland or the Baltic states?

 

[the101]

These are indeed the longest domestic routes; now I'm wondering what might be the longest continental scheduled route from the UK? Perhaps one of the runs from Victoria to Poland or the Baltic states?

No doubt it's long since passed into history but there was at one time a London to Athens route, operated with Leopards to give an idea of how long ago it was.

There are many scheduled services from EU countries in eastern Europe to various points in the UK as a result of migrant workers' needs, although they are operated by carriers from those countries. I wouldn't be surprised if some carry on to Ireland.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Are we referring to distance or duration?

National Express route 528, which currently runs between Haverfordwest and Rochdale, takes just over twelve hours.

However, in terms of distance, I would agree with the 336 which is almost fifteen hours.

Surely the 336 wins on both?

As I posted earlier, when it was operated by First Western National c.1996, it was a 4 day circuit

Day 1 - left mid pm from Penzance
Day 2 - arrive Edinburgh 0630? then to 383 to Wrexham (via Newcastle and Leeds) arrive 1900?
Day 3 - leave Wrexham 0700 on 383 to Edinburgh arrive 1930? then 336 south about 2100
Day 4 - arrive Penzance c.1500

 

[Robertj21a]

These are indeed the longest domestic routes; now I'm wondering what might be the longest continental scheduled route from the UK? Perhaps one of the runs from Victoria to Poland or the Baltic states?

Doesn't Megabus run through to Barcelona nowadays ?

The Polish and Slovakian operators don't just run in to Victoria, many trips work through to at least Bradford.

 

[higthomas]

Th furthest I could find out of Victoria was Bucharest. At least 1500 miles and 30 minutes under three days. Doesn't sound fun to me.

 

[radamfi]

There is a coach from Sofia to London and I've even seen it board at the bus station in Sofia.

https://online.union-ivkoni.com/intl/razpisanie.jsp#1;459;0;0

(use Google Translate to convert to English)

Runs 4 days a week leaving Sofia at 0900 arriving London at 0200 two days later. It leaves London at 2200 4 days a week arriving Sofia at 1900 two days later.

I've used this company from Thessaloniki to Sofia and it was the most comfortable coach I've ever been on with 2+1 seating with huge seats and massive legroom.

 

[pitdiver]

I have been in contact with my colleague again who advises me that NX used to operate a service between Aberdeen and Gatwick.