National Express Coaches Discussion

[route101]

They already are doing this.


I think that is one element, but people also want to make these journeys quickly. If a journey time is too long, even a free bus becomes very unattractive. The recently ceased Chester to London proved that. 7 hour journey because of the nonsense routing. Same is happening now with the Liverpool to London and Liverpool to Birmingham corridors, forcing people to go via Manchester was one of the biggest reasons why Megabus kept failing in Liverpool. Now NatEx is doing the same.


What previous premium options were there in the past? Megabus Gold and Sleeper I can remember. Gold meant some people sitting backwards which I don't think is very popular on coaches, and the sleeper was an experience rather than normal coach (with lots more expense too because of the conversion from day>night and any costs associated with the linen and stuff).
I think something would work if you had something similar to Regiojets coaches which run London to Prague. 1+2 seating upstairs, decent leg room and recline for the longer journeys, onboard coffee machine for passengers to use and vending machine etc. High spec with lots of luxuries, but still largely a normal coach.

I noticed that on the 590 route, it now goes via Manchester because the day 182 service (Edinburgh to Birmingham) ceased. They also combine the Edinburgh and Glasgow night services.

Yeah, the Megabus Gold day seating was awkward.

In the not too distant future, the coach network will just be along the main motorway corridors.

 

[Eyersey468]

Yes, but Flixbus don't tend to use Digbeth, they use Jennens Road which isn't manned?

Aah sorry I thought you meant National Express

 

[route101]

Took the overnight 181 from Manchester Airport to Scotland and the seat reservations were causing issues. Most of the seats weren't marked as reserved and this was causing a mix up. The driver ended up shouting ' just sit doon, everyone has a seat'

 

[Martin1988]

Its been noticeable recently that there has been an increase number of NX workings which are being operated with Non-NX vehicles.

Aston Manor and Tyres are two examples plus Stotts seem to run an own liveried coach on the Huddersfield/ Leeds to Birmingham route every day. Rewind 11-12 years when Stotts only did extras on that corridor on Friday/Sunday and it was almost always an NX vehicle in full livery.

Are some of these contacts temporary rather than longer term with the operators being exempt from using vehicles in full livery?

 

[JJM22]

Its been noticeable recently that there has been an increase number of NX workings which are being operated with Non-NX vehicles.

Aston Manor and Tyres are two examples plus Stotts seem to run an own liveried coach on the Huddersfield/ Leeds to Birmingham route every day. Rewind 11-12 years when Stotts only did extras on that corridor on Friday/Sunday and it was almost always an NX vehicle in full livery.

Are some of these contacts temporary rather than longer term with the operators being exempt from using vehicles in full livery?

Skills are also operating Fri/Sat/Sun extras with their own vehicles, to continue for the foreseeable. With no further NX branded vehicles expected either, so I’d assume there’s an exception for Skills and other operators

 

[Mikw]

I use both Nat ex and Flixbus from Leicester to London. They usually massively undercut the train. I'm tall so prefer Nat Ex's legroom. Also don't like the Flix seat reservations as someone is often in my seat when i get on pretending to be asleep.
Also, my last two Flix coaches have been disasters, a cancellation and another one said it was going to be 3 hours late, so i didn't bother.
Pricewise quite similar though, Nat Ex slightly cheaper due to no booking fee. I'd miss Nat Ex if it went, the legroom and reliability would be very much missed.
I don't think a monopoly helps any passengers.

 

[route101]

I use both Nat ex and Flixbus from Leicester to London. They usually massively undercut the train. I'm tall so prefer Nat Ex's legroom. Also don't like the Flix seat reservations as someone is often in my seat when i get on pretending to be asleep.
Also, my last two Flix coaches have been disasters, a cancellation and another one said it was going to be 3 hours late, so i didn't bother.
Pricewise quite similar though, Nat Ex slightly cheaper due to no booking fee. I'd miss Nat Ex if it went, the legroom and reliability would be very much missed.
I don't think a monopoly helps any passengers.

Last time I was on National Express this person was taking up two seats and did the whole pretending to sleep thing. When someone asked to sit in the window seat she was hogging as she sat on the outside, she flat out refused. Other passengers were putting pieces of clothing on seats. The driver wasn't happy about it.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Its been noticeable recently that there has been an increase number of NX workings which are being operated with Non-NX vehicles.

Aston Manor and Tyres are two examples plus Stotts seem to run an own liveried coach on the Huddersfield/ Leeds to Birmingham route every day. Rewind 11-12 years when Stotts only did extras on that corridor on Friday/Sunday and it was almost always an NX vehicle in full livery.

Are some of these contacts temporary rather than longer term with the operators being exempt from using vehicles in full livery?

Seemingly the number of Airport Bus Express vehicles on NX work has increased from 2 to 5 in the last few days.

BV22 WTX
BV72 XZA
BV72 XZB

Have all made their debuts on either the 717 or 777 in the last few days.

It appears the journeys ABE are operating on the 777 were the ones that were previously operated by the NX Stansted in house base.

Makes you wonder if NX are looking to wind down the directly operated journeys on the network and contract them out as well.

 

[swinny1990]

Skills are also operating Fri/Sat/Sun extras with their own vehicles, to continue for the foreseeable. With no further NX branded vehicles expected either, so I’d assume there’s an exception for Skills and other operators

Do you know what runs skills are doing with there own vehicles?