National Express Coaches Discussion

[Butts]

The overnight service to Liverpool that has gone too, all that's left is the 421 via Manchester which departs Victoria at 02.00, & Liverpool at 01.45, the old 423 departed Liverpool between 23.30 & midnight & Victoria between 23.00 & 23.30 which was far more reasonable hour (trains ecc running at either end) for those who needed to connect to it.

National Express does have a being run down feel to it.

Seems an eternity since they had the Adverts " Tired of drifting searching shifting from town to town " featuring David Soul actually driving the Coach and banging out his Silver Lady song.

 

[derbybusdepot]

Always surprised me that there are not better links from Nottingham to Birmingham/Birmingham airport. Can easily compete with the train on travel time and price, and a guaranteed seat. Surely shifting people on more short haul journeys like this is more profitable, if the demand is there, rather than over saturating the everywhere to London via Leicester market. Maybe coach is discounted because there are too few travel times available?

 

[Parebunks]

I’ve heard that the last day Stagecoach in Chesterfield will operate NX services has been moved forward to the 10th August, can anyone confirm this?

Looks likely from timetables, 465/466/560 seem to be gone from then. 1 564 per day remaining, and an overnight 467 combining bits of 465/466. 426 also seems to be down to 2/day and 436 axed, with Sunderland and Middlesborough moved onto 598 in place of Darlington and Durham.

 

[riceuten]

It begs the question, why cut routes (and generate uncertainty for forward custom) if you are going to end up still making a loss. Would it be better to try to expand your network so that overheads etc are spread over more customers, and economies of scale may be achieved? Cutting back tends to lead to only one conclusion. Flixbus are expanding, Ember are expanding, why not Nat Exp?

Because that's how many, many transport companies operate.

 

[dmncf]

The overnight service to Liverpool that has gone too, all that's left is the 421 via Manchester which departs Victoria at 02.00, & Liverpool at 01.45, the old 423 departed Liverpool between 23.30 & midnight & Victoria between 23.00 & 23.30 which was far more reasonable hour (trains ecc running at either end) for those who needed to connect to it.

What's the advantage of departing the origin at 02.00/01.45? Is it maybe that the arrival time at the final destination is then better timed for the coach to immediately depart on a daytime journey back the other way?

 

[markymark2000]

I stopped considering coaches entirely when I read about them cutting stops/toilet breaks - from the already tiny number that existed AIUI?

Flixbus has a growing number with service station stops. They aren't advertised but they do exist on some services. You'd have to ask in that thread to get the list.

 

[Wilko82]

I'm currently sat on a delayed 035 service from Bournemouth to Heathrow/Victoria. Despite the service only originating down the road in Poole it left Bournemouth 25 minutes late. It appears that the service left Poole late due to the previous incoming service arriving late. For a coach to only have a 25 minute turnaround between scheduled services offers very little time for late running services.

For what its worth the coach is full (perhaps there maybe 1 or 2 empty seats) but it appears that the previous London bound service an hour earlier was cancelled. Therefore due to the delay to this service any passengers who were supposed to be on the earlier service will be about 2 hours late into Victoria.

 

[MotCO]

It d

Because that's how many, many transport companies operate.

It doesn't make it right though. Flixbus seem to be expanding - why roll over and let them wipe you out? And Nat Exp and its previous incarnations have operated for a very long time.

 

[James H]

I'm currently sat on a delayed 035 service from Bournemouth to Heathrow/Victoria. Despite the service only originating down the road in Poole it left Bournemouth 25 minutes late. It appears that the service left Poole late due to the previous incoming service arriving late. For a coach to only have a 25 minute turnaround between scheduled services offers very little time for late running services.

For what its worth the coach is full (perhaps there maybe 1 or 2 empty seats) but it appears that the previous London bound service an hour earlier was cancelled. Therefore due to the delay to this service any passengers who were supposed to be on the earlier service will be about 2 hours late into Victoria.

I was on a London-bound 035 on Wednesday that made an unscheduled stop at Rownhams services because the aircon wasn't working. It was getting quite unpleasantly hot on board. Fortunately the driver (Gareth) managed to reset the system and get the aircon working again. He got a well deserved round of applause from the passengers.

My 035 back to Bournemouth last night was also delayed leaving Victoria due to delays on the previous journey

I've used the 035 a fair bit over the past year and this week has been the first time I've had anything other than a very smooth journey

 

[Wilko82]

I was on a London-bound 035 on Wednesday that made an unscheduled stop at Rownhams services because the aircon wasn't working. It was getting quite unpleasantly hot on board. Fortunately the driver (Gareth) managed to reset the system and get the aircon working again. He got a well deserved round of applause from the passengers.

My 035 back to Bournemouth last night was also delayed leaving Victoria due to delays on the previous journey

I've used the 035 a fair bit over the past year and this week has been the first time I've had anything other than a very smooth journey

I wouldn't say that I am a regular or frequent user of the service, but when I have always found it (and the previous separate Heathrow 210 service) to very good. The only time apart from today that there had been an issue was was a couple of years back when apparently the incoming coach into London suffered a breakdown near to Earl's Court, which the tracker did seem to confirm this. However a replacement coach (a non branded Levante 2) was procured and we left Victoria about 40-45 minutes late, which I thought was very good considering. We were advised on boarding in Victoria that on arrival into Bournemouth that any onward passengers to Dorchester and Weymouth would have to transfer on to a different coach and sure it was there waiting and due to making up time it arrived into Weymouth only about 15 minutes late.

Overall the journey time to Victoria on the 035 is generally very good and competitive with the train, especially if you choose the services that don't go via Heathrow. I would also say that the driver today (Matt) was also very good and the delays were not down to him at all, and considering the traffic near both Ringwood on the A31 and near Basingstoke on the M3 he did well to keep the delay down. The issue is I believe all down to the lack of turnaround time at Poole.

 

[Martin1988]

Looks likely from timetables, 465/466/560 seem to be gone from then. 1 564 per day remaining, and an overnight 467 combining bits of 465/466. 426 also seems to be down to 2/day and 436 axed, with Sunderland and Middlesborough moved onto 598 in place of Darlington and Durham.

So rather than get another operator to run the services, all of the Stagecoach Yorkshire routes are just going to be dropped?

What a mess!

 

[F Great Eastern]

I wonder if we will see Airport Bus Express pick up any more routes as a subcontractor?

Certainly a downgrade on the Ipswich to Stansted route since they took over. It's often the case that at least one of their two allocated vehicles are off service so instead you end up with a vehicle without WiFi or coach tracking as well as the fact that they're already very basic spec vehicles compared to the Levantes.

 

[j_walker1804]

Looks likely from timetables, 465/466/560 seem to be gone from then. 1 564 per day remaining, and an overnight 467 combining bits of 465/466. 426 also seems to be down to 2/day and 436 axed, with Sunderland and Middlesborough moved onto 598 in place of Darlington and Durham.

Pretty much what was put on the table has happened then. Embarrassing.

 

[Wilko82]

While we are talking about cuts to services I have always found it strange that the 502 North Devon route has always been able to maintain the service level it does. It currently seems to be at 3 services a day, plus at present there is also a (summer seasonal???) service to Birmingham. When you consider just how much the network has been decimated in recent years, particularly the last year or so, then this does seem an anomaly.

I also remember reading an article in the Dorset Echo that there were rumours that the 035 once a day extension to Weymouth was going to be axed. These rumours were seemingly refuted by NX but given that the Swanage extension has been axed and that there is a quite a bit of dead mileage at the start and end of the route (as the coach is based in Bournemouth) then I wouldn't be surprised to see it go, no matter how busy it is.

 

[Parebunks]

Pretty much what was put on the table has happened then. Embarrassing.

Looking further there does seem to be an extra 564 and one 560 both running Fri-Sun only (so actually a slight improvement for Huddersfield). Slightly reminded of Megabus in their last few months, where there was a similarly stark difference between weekend and weekday service levels.

While we are talking about cuts to services I have always found it strange that the 502 North Devon route has always been able to maintain the service level it does. It currently seems to be at 3 services a day, plus at present there is also a (summer seasonal???) service to Birmingham. When you consider just how much the network has been decimated in recent years, particularly the last year or so, then this does seem an anomaly.

I also remember reading an article in the Dorset Echo that there were rumours that the 035 once a day extension to Weymouth was going to be axed. These rumours were seemingly refuted by NX but given that the Swanage extension has been axed and that there is a quite a bit of dead mileage at the start and end of the route (as the coach is based in Bournemouth) then I wouldn't be surprised to see it go, no matter how busy it is.

502 seems to be down to 2/day from September. Likewise wouldn't be surprised to see Weymouth go, although some similar extremities seem to be hanging on alright.

 

[Forty29]

I'm currently sat on a delayed 035 service from Bournemouth to Heathrow/Victoria. Despite the service only originating down the road in Poole it left Bournemouth 25 minutes late. It appears that the service left Poole late due to the previous incoming service arriving late. For a coach to only have a 25 minute turnaround between scheduled services offers very little time for late running services.

For what its worth the coach is full (perhaps there maybe 1 or 2 empty seats) but it appears that the previous London bound service an hour earlier was cancelled. Therefore due to the delay to this service any passengers who were supposed to be on the earlier service will be about 2 hours late into Victoria.

I believe delays are being caused by long traffic tailbacks at Junction 9 of the M3 which is closed all weekend and other incidents, busiest weekend of holiday traffic.

 

[riceuten]

It d

It doesn't make it right though. Flixbus seem to be expanding - why roll over and let them wipe you out? And Nat Exp and its previous incarnations have operated for a very long time.

No, it's not right. But that's modern business logic for you.

 

[Ballyheigue]

I don't know where to start with today. Birmingham coach station toilets took my money but the barrier wouldn't go through, same happened with someone next to me using the other barrier. A large queue formed whilst we tried to get help, nobody on the desk and no security nearby so everyone including myself went under the luggage barrier lol! Now, when I got into the toilet, I've seen cleaner sewage works! Flies everywhere, toilet door broken, graffiti and so on.

The coach down from Leeds wasn't all that comfortable either (Aston Manor Scania), seats became too hard the further we got towards Birmingham so glad it got in early. However, the coach back to Leeds was a nightmare, I detest Flixbus partly because they use those Yutong thingys with shockingly poor seats that are crammed into the teeny tiny toy town bus. Guess what, National Express contractor Star Travel had one of those dam things for tonight's journey back to Leeds! Not happy one bit, I'm hoping the later journey at 8.30pm is operated by someone else with a better coach for next time otherwise I'm using the train at great expense. I don't care one bit how cheap the fare is, I'm not sitting in torture for 3 hours!

 

[EYFanatic]

Looks likely from timetables, 465/466/560 seem to be gone from then. 1 564 per day remaining, and an overnight 467 combining bits of 465/466. 426 also seems to be down to 2/day and 436 axed, with Sunderland and Middlesborough moved onto 598 in place of Darlington and Durham.

Thats a shame as the 465 was always very useful indeed for an overnight run down from Leeds - although it often missed or skipped the booked services stop on the southbound leg at Leicester Forest East which was annoying even if it was offset by an early arrival into London Victoria

 

[route101]

I seem to getting plenty of adverts for National Express on Youtube. As for service breaks the Scottish services will give you at least one if not two service breaks. Tebay is on the timetable for the Birmingham to Glasgow overnight but Southwaite Services seems to be preferred last few times.

The National Express fares on the Scottish routes are often high and in line with Flixbus. Capacity was never really added after Megabus left. Services like the 598 are an extension of an existing service.

 

[James H]

I get quite a few National Express ads on Facebook. Strangely the prices quoted as the lowest price in the ads (for eg Bournemouth to London) are always much higher than the actual lowest prices available to book. The deals available are much better than the ad would have you believe!

 

[WelshBluebird]

I get quite a few National Express ads on Facebook. Strangely the prices quoted as the lowest price in the ads (for eg Bournemouth to London) are always much higher than the actual lowest prices available to book. The deals available are much better than the ad would have you believe!

Probably because of past issues with the lowest possible fares being incredibly limited and using them as advertising was seen as misleading. Granted that was mainly Megabus but same principle.

 

[Simon75]

Wonder if things would have been different if the Stagecoach takeover happened ?

 

[riceuten]

Wonder if things would have been different if the Stagecoach takeover happened ?

They probably would have charged £1 fares until they ran Flixbus off the road

 

[MotCO]

They probably would have charged £1 fares until they ran Flixbus off the road

But Stagecoach owned Megabus, and they were run off the road by Flixbus.

 

[EYFanatic]

I know that if they are running late, drivers will pass the booked service station stops but I was wondering if they can go past even if they are on time - the overnights from Leeds to London often do it which, whilst getting into London early, is annoying for those unable to use the onboard toilet such as wheelchair users

 

[gingerheid]

They probably would have charged £1 fares until they ran Flixbus off the road

The old transport company owned stagecoach would have done that, but I doubt the new asset management company owned Stagecoach would. If anything they might be on the same trajectory as National Express but an earlier stage?

 

[YorkRailFan]

But Stagecoach owned Megabus, and they were run off the road by Flixbus.

Well in 2022 Megabus was sold to Scottish Citylink. Citylink is a 63/37 joint venture with ComfortDelGro being the majority stakeholder and Stagecoach being the minority.

However, as part of the deal to merge with NatEx originally, Stagecoach would've sold Megabus, Falcon Coaches and their stake in Citylink to ComfortDelGro. When the deal fell through, Megabus and Falcon Coaches were sold to Citylink and Stagecoach increased their stake in Citylink.

 

[GusB]

Now that Flix is deemed to be the main competitor, I wonder if it might be better for Mobico to flog the National Express coaching operation to ComfortDelgro/Stagecoach for a nominal sum (considering the debts), along with the National Express brand, and bring NX and Citylink under the same umbrella once again. Keep the Citylink brand for internal Scottish services and National Express for the rest.

 

[Fragezeichnen]

They probably would have charged £1 fares until they ran Flixbus off the roadth

FlixBus is not the kind of company that tolerates the existence of direct competition.

Before they were totally dominant in Germany, another bus company tried a super low fares promotion - Flix just had their employees buy and throw away every discounted ticket so no genuine customers could get them.

An interesting part of their history is that they grew organically in Germany to be the #2 provider, before merging with the #1 to form an unstoppable force, but after the "merger" the brand name and management team of the #1 was nowhere to be seen. So I would think they have substantial financial backing behind them, beyond whatever they can earn from operations.