National Express Coaches Discussion

[embers25]

The West Country stuff would run a lot better if Parks didn’t run it..

West Country services are not evenly spaced and each with random calling patterns. They are s complete mess. The random addition of Bristol Airport to the early Plymouth to Birmingham service is good tho.

 

[JonathanH]

West Country services are not evenly spaced and each with random calling patterns. They are s complete mess.

Given the low margins involved, presumably the timetables are resource led to try and minimise the cost of operation?

Does even spacing even work with commercially operated coach services?

 

[henryb]

West Country services are not evenly spaced and each with random calling patterns. They are s complete mess. The random addition of Bristol Airport to the early Plymouth to Birmingham service is good tho.

I feel like they need to bring an additional operator in… - FlixBus expanding massively on the 045/N45 and upcoming 049 with brand new buses… -Go Ahead now has Dartline + depots across Cornwall.. - maybe a new partner?

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

I get there's coaches from Oxford to Birmingham and the X5 (plus some 737's) to Milton Keynes too, where connections can be made) but Oxford now doesn't have a service to Manchester, the North East of England and Scotland.

Of course the train is quicker - but the coaches are easier to book!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I get there's coaches from Oxford to Birmingham and the X5 (plus some 737's) to Milton Keynes too, where connections can be made) but Oxford now doesn't have a service to Manchester, the North East of England and Scotland.

Of course the train is quicker - but the coaches are easier to book!

Are coaches really easier to book?

To be honest, what you said (i.e. travel to Birmingham and change) is probably the most sensible option anyway.

 

[nick291]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cedlxqg7ex5o In regards to recent posts regarding Bristol-Oxford, this suggests that there is demand. Coach companies are missing out and would be able to charge cheaper fares than the train.

 

[Martin1988]

I think it is a real shame that NX don't operate anything from Bristol to Oxford or the South Coast anymore. I reckon there would be demand for a Bristol to Oxford service maybe via Bath and Swindon and if they timetabled it so it had good connections in Bristol with other services (to and from South Wales and South West) then in my opinion it would stand a good chance of being a viable service.

 

[daodao]

I think it is a real shame that NX don't operate anything from Bristol to Oxford or the South Coast anymore.

The closure of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway line (otherwise known as the "slow and dirty" line) from Bath to Bournemouth left a public transport gap on this route which was filled by coach services for many years. Their loss means that the only practicable way to travel now from Bath/Bristol to Bournemouth by public transport is by rail, changing at Southampton, but despite the "dog leg", the rail journey time (station to station) is well under 3 hours. The lack of dual carriageway roads or motorways between Bristol/Bath and the south coast means that road journeys are very slow, and thus unattractive to coach operators, who are very keen to use fast roads wherever possible.

 

[YorkRailFan]

National Express is bolstering their services between Birmingham and London Airports from 17 April:

From Thursday 17 April, the operator is introducing faster journeys and an increase in services in time for Easter. National Express is increasing the frequency of daily services between Birmingham and Heathrow from 22 to 27 services a day. At the same time 18 of its fastest services will become even quicker than rail services, meaning customers can reach the airport in as little as two hours and 15 minutes.

Services to London Gatwick will also increase, arriving at the airport within three-hours and 25 minutes, shaving nearly 30 minutes off the current journey times from Birmingham.

National Express boosting Birmingham, Heathrow and London Gatwick services - Bus & Coach Buyer

National Express is to boost its coach services between Birmingham, Heathrow and London Gatwick. From Thursday 17 April, the operator is introducing faster journeys and an increase in services in time for Easter. National Express is increasing the frequency of daily services between Birmingham...

www.busandcoachbuyer.com

Some fantastic news, these will be popular with budget leisure travelers looking for an Easter getaway!

 

[markymark2000]

National Express is bolstering their services between Birmingham and London Airports from 17 April:

National Express boosting Birmingham, Heathrow and London Gatwick services - Bus & Coach Buyer

National Express is to boost its coach services between Birmingham, Heathrow and London Gatwick. From Thursday 17 April, the operator is introducing faster journeys and an increase in services in time for Easter. National Express is increasing the frequency of daily services between Birmingham...

www.busandcoachbuyer.com

Some fantastic news, these will be popular with budget leisure travelers looking for an Easter getaway!

As was being discussed from this post onwards https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/national-express-coaches-discussion.206382/page-46#post-7195739

 

[Titfield]

The closure of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway line (otherwise known as the "slow and dirty" line) from Bath to Bournemouth left a public transport gap on this route which was filled by coach services for many years. Their loss means that the only practicable way to travel now from Bath/Bristol to Bournemouth by public transport is by rail, changing at Southampton, but despite the "dog leg", the rail journey time (station to station) is well under 3 hours. The lack of dual carriageway roads or motorways between Bristol/Bath and the south coast means that road journeys are very slow, and thus unattractive to coach operators, who are very keen to use fast roads wherever possible.

There is no motorway in Dorset and a dearth of dual carriageway. The A350 from Poole through Blandford, Shaftesbury to Warminster has virtually no dual carriageway. It is painful to drive in a private car let alone a coach. Poole is a major ferry port but that beggars belief given the road network to get to it.

When there is talk of the North - South divide the issue of the poor infrastructure of Dorset is never mentioned. One has to question why the various Dorset MPs are so ineffective.

 

[Dai Corner]

There is no motorway in Dorset and a dearth of dual carriageway. The A350 from Poole through Blandford, Shaftesbury to Warminster has virtually no dual carriageway. It is painful to drive in a private car let alone a coach. Poole is a major ferry port but that beggars belief given the road network to get to it.

When there is talk of the North - South divide the issue of the poor infrastructure of Dorset is never mentioned. One has to question why the various Dorset MPs are so ineffective.

My mother lives in rural Dorset and the general feeling there seems to be that they don't want improved roads which would only bring more tourists. I know many residents make a living from them.

We're getting off-topic for this part of the forum though.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Megabus' website will now sell NatEx tickets:

UK coach operator Megabus has announced a new ticketing partnership with National Express, allowing customers to book journeys on National Express services across England and Wales directly via the Megabus website.

The collaboration expands the range of destinations available to Megabus customers, who can now access tickets for over 350 National Express-operated routes.

Megabus Announces New Ticketing Partnership with National Express

Megabus has announced a new ticketing partnership with National Express, allowing customers to book journeys on National Express services.

bus-news.com

Looks like Megabus is going for the "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality, teaming up with NatEx to take on Flixbus.

 

[ADB125]

Is the 182 being withdrawn? It doesn't show up in the timetables page or journey planner after the middle of this month, but there is an extra 183 showing.

 

[Parebunks]

Is the 182 being withdrawn? It doesn't show up in the timetables page or journey planner after the middle of this month, but there is an extra 183 showing.

Certainly looks like it. Extra 183 looks to be part of a wider change to everything on the broad Birmingham-Leeds corridor, current mix of 131, 132, 133, 134 being replaced with almost entirely 131s via Sheffield to Yorkshire destinations and 133s direct from Birmingham to Leeds then Newcastle, with 132 via Nottingham and 134 via Derby down to 1/day very slightly bolstered by the extra 183.

Leaves very big gaps north from Nottingham in particular, nothing at all to Sheffield or Leeds from 13:50 to 18:40. I guess NX have decided that the direct Birmingham-Leeds traffic is more important given the overall service level looks roughly the same. Nothing to compensate for the lost Birmingham-Nottingham trips also, though the 150/152 stays at 4/day there.

 

[ADB125]

Certainly looks like it. Extra 183 looks to be part of a wider change to everything on the broad Birmingham-Leeds corridor, current mix of 131, 132, 133, 134 being replaced with almost entirely 131s via Sheffield to Yorkshire destinations and 133s direct from Birmingham to Leeds then Newcastle, with 132 via Nottingham and 134 via Derby down to 1/day very slightly bolstered by the extra 183.

Leaves very big gaps north from Nottingham in particular, nothing at all to Sheffield or Leeds from 13:50 to 18:40. I guess NX have decided that the direct Birmingham-Leeds traffic is more important given the overall service level looks roughly the same. Nothing to compensate for the lost Birmingham-Nottingham trips also, though the 150/152 stays at 4/day there.

Not sure how this is better for any routes except perhaps as you say there is now a couple of faster direct services between Birmingham and Leeds. Going southbound from Leeds to Nottingham is even worse there is a gap from 08:50 to 15:55. I notice that one of the 133 services is dropped so probably requires 1 less vehicle to operate now. Edinburgh loses it's only direct service to Manchester and the only daytime service up the M6 to Scotland is the 590 which stops everywhere. Yet Leeds to Edinburgh / Glasgow now has 4 services with 3 leaving pretty close together. Seems odd.

Pretty bad for Scotland to Manchester especially with Flixbus recently withdrawing their 080 service too.

The 182 seemed fairly busy the times I've used it.

 

[nick291]

Not sure how this is better for any routes except perhaps as you say there is now a couple of faster direct services between Birmingham and Leeds. Going southbound from Leeds to Nottingham is even worse there is a gap from 08:50 to 15:55. I notice that one of the 133 services is dropped so probably requires 1 less vehicle to operate now. Edinburgh loses it's only direct service to Manchester and the only daytime service up the M6 to Scotland is the 590 which stops everywhere. Yet Leeds to Edinburgh / Glasgow now has 4 services with 3 leaving pretty close together. Seems odd.

Pretty bad for Scotland to Manchester especially with Flixbus recently withdrawing their 080 service too.

The 182 seemed fairly busy the times I've used it.

I seem to think the odd patterns could be down to NX trialling AI generated timetables? Firstgroup have tried the same with mixed results.

 

[Parebunks]

Not sure how this is better for any routes except perhaps as you say there is now a couple of faster direct services between Birmingham and Leeds. Going southbound from Leeds to Nottingham is even worse there is a gap from 08:50 to 15:55. I notice that one of the 133 services is dropped so probably requires 1 less vehicle to operate now. Edinburgh loses it's only direct service to Manchester and the only daytime service up the M6 to Scotland is the 590 which stops everywhere. Yet Leeds to Edinburgh / Glasgow now has 4 services with 3 leaving pretty close together. Seems odd.

Pretty bad for Scotland to Manchester especially with Flixbus recently withdrawing their 080 service too.

The 182 seemed fairly busy the times I've used it.

Yes, it does leave some significant gaps. The M1 corridor does seem to be somewhat neglected by NX, it feels like the relatively high number of big cities near each other should be ideal for their current trend of concentrating on a few routes. Haven't done the calculations on how much each city adds to journey time, but running Leeds-Sheffield-Nottingham-Leicester on a predictable hourly timetable mixed in with faster options to Birmingham would seem potentially able to mimic successful NX corridors like London-Bristol and Birmingham-Manchester.

I wonder if Glasgow-Manchester could be Ember's first English expansion?

I seem to think the odd patterns could be down to NX trialling AI generated timetables? Firstgroup have tried the same with mixed results.

NX has always been like this though, aside from a few of the busiest corridors they don't seem to design timetables holistically and just schedule individual journeys in without trying to establish even headways. This certainly is no less predictable than the previous times for these routes.

 

[markymark2000]

I wonder if Glasgow-Manchester could be Ember's first English expansion?

You'd think this would have great potential with the amount of rail disruption. And plus playing the long game here with the shed loads of upcoming engineering works on the WCML, Surely there would be some decent demand here.

 

[Parebunks]

You'd think this would have great potential with the amount of rail disruption. And plus playing the long game here with the shed loads of upcoming engineering works on the WCML, Surely there would be some decent demand here.

Yes - although forgot to mention in my first message that Megabus are still moderately strong on that corridor, their 5ish per day goes some way towards countering NX's deficiencies.
But Ember's model would seem well-suited, could put in request stops at Hamilton, Carlisle, Penrith, Kendal, Lancaster and Preston without enormous impact on end to end times.

 

[route101]

Strange that the Edinburgh to Manchester and down M6 has been given up now by NX and Flixbus.

With the extra 183 service going via Middlesborough they are following the Flixbus service.

NX seem to be rationalising the Scottish services, making extra calls in Manchester and Birmingham on 590 services, 598 calling in at Newcastle and they have reduced the night service to London.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Anyone know which motorway services the 594 goes into northbound?

 

[Teflon988]

Anyone know which motorway services the 594 goes into northbound?

Knutsford Services

 

[route101]

Knutsford Services

Timetable says Knutsford but usually stop at Charnock Richard or Sandbach. Southbound it was Killington and Sandbach. I think it depends on driver and if its double manned. Also stopped at Norton Canes and Sandbach heading Northbound.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Cheers guys

 

[omnicity4659]

Whichever service station the driver has the most loyalty points with … still need to spend my vouchers I built up from my NX days

 

[Wembleybound]

Hello all
I'm taken to over night 23.35 Sunderland to 6.50 to london victoria coach station to see my beloved Sunderland go to Wembley

Daft question but could anyone tell me how comfy the seats are and what are the chances of getting any sleep on them also if it's leather or just fabric sests

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2025 ==

Also seat the same/where's best to sit and what stop off will there be

 

[Parebunks]

Hello all
I'm taken to over night 23.35 Sunderland to 6.50 to london victoria coach station to see my beloved Sunderland go to Wembley

Daft question but could anyone tell me how comfy the seats are and what are the chances of getting any sleep on them also if it's leather or just fabric sests

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2025 ==

Also seat the same/where's best to sit and what stop off will there be

That'll be a 436, stopping off at Hartlepool, Billingham, Middlesbrough, York, Doncaster and Milton Keynes. Operated by Go North East.
All NX coaches have standard leather seats, not enormously comfy imo and took me a while to get the knack to sleeping on them. My recommendation would be to bring a scarf or cushion, get a window seat somewhere in the middle away from the door and the toilet, then shut the curtain, stuff the scarf/cushion between your shoulder and the window and try and sleep on that. You'll still wake up at every stop at least, but I've found this to be semi-effective in between.
If doing it again I'd go for Flixbus from Sunderland - only one stop before London so you'd get a much better sleep, tho coach might be a bit busier when you get on.

 

[Wembleybound]

That'll be a 436, stopping off at Hartlepool, Billingham, Middlesbrough, York, Doncaster and Milton Keynes. Operated by Go North East.
All NX coaches have standard leather seats, not enormously comfy imo and took me a while to get the knack to sleeping on them. My recommendation would be to bring a scarf or cushion, get a window seat somewhere in the middle away from the door and the toilet, then shut the curtain, stuff the scarf/cushion between your shoulder and the window and try and sleep on that. You'll still wake up at every stop at least, but I've found this to be semi-effective in between.
If doing it again I'd go for Flixbus from Sunderland - only one stop before London so you'd get a much better sleep, tho coach might be a bit busier when you get on.

Is Sunderland the first stop ?

 

[Teflon988]

Is Sunderland the first stop ?

Yes it is,leaves Sunderland Interchange Park Lane at 2335