Some are in megabus livery and some in yellow stagecoach long distance livery. It still cracks me up that Megabus rwitter insist Stagecoach have nothing to do with Falcon, despite all being run by stagdciavh and walk up tickets still being available and sold on Stagecoacb ticket machines.
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Megabus Discussion
- Thread starter markymark2000
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318266
Member
It's a much more attractive livery than the very bland blue that megabus is known for. At this point, I'd argue that Megabus is probably a brand that ought to be reserved for the remaining operations in the United States of America.
The Falcon can return to being a simple Stagecoach express coach service - there's a million and one of them in Scotland, why must it not be the same in England? Given that both Megabus and the present Stagecoach livery are noted for being entirely dark blue, the minor shade difference would probably go unnoticed by most. The "we've got you" decals can just be added in place of the megabus logo.
markymark2000
On Moderation
If Comfort Del Gro want to keep Falcon for whatever reason, they could even call it the South West Citylink given Plymouth, Exeter and Bristol are all cities. Make Citylink a bigger brand in the UK and that always helps if there is competition and you want to win over customers.
Citylink is just Scotland, where as National Express is mainly England and Wales. Maybe scrap Megabus and replace, even expand in to England or Wales
Temple Meads
Established Member
Small point of order - the Falcon uses different ticket machines now, specified by Citylink. The tickets look more like shop receipts than traditional bus tickets!
TransMach machines by any chance?
Can't buy tickets through stagecoach's mobile app though, which would be useful.
Temple Meads
Established Member
I've had a look at them on Google and they are the TM500 I think.
TwinTurbostar
Member
Not surprising at all. I used to update the posters there when I worked the Birmingham stop until last year, I doubt anyone will be making the trip down from Scotland to do the same. Nothing was sent down to replace them before I finished.
I wouldn't be surprised if they moved the few remaining services to that stop on Navigation Street at some point, it avoids the problem of illegally parked cars on Hill Street causing departing coaches to get stuck.
I always feel childish and stupid to say that Megabus still has some potential if given another chance.Personally I think it’s also pretty much done as not a lot of people I have spoken to can remember anything about them.It is always Citylink btu personally I think Citylink should be kept to Scotland exclusively.I would love to see a second attempt but do not see it coming.( One thing I do see is myself getting criticism for this post however lol )
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The easiest thing to do I would say is do a booking in a national express partner route then change it when you get there to where you actually want to go.Works for me!
londonteacher
Member
The issue with Megabus (or any other operator trying to take part in the UK coach market) is that National Express and Flixbus together do a pretty good job, not perfect. But, is there a place for a third operator? Unless any operator can offer something different from what is currently being offered, then I am sure the business case is not there for it.
Were the cross country services viable?
(Newcastle-Cardiff/Portsmouth ) [Stuff alike]
-Colly405-
Member
I see that the Bristol, University of the West of England East gate stop, previously used by Megabus, has now been nabbed by Flixbus who have in turn vacated their previous stop there, on Coldharbour Lane (northbound)
Megabus was created before Flixbus (Flixbus in 2011 (Europe),
Citylink has operated into England before. This MCW Metroliner was working the Aberdeen to Plymouth service when it was photographed in Exeter in 1984.
That would explain why the Falcon coaches no longer track on bustimes.org.
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markymark2000
On Moderation
Legally, it should still track as it's a registered service. Not sure why Stagecoach aren't trying hard to sort this given it's their operators licence that is goes against.
It does track on the Megabus website but that doesn't give the vehicle detail that bustimes.org does. If we are to believe the Stagecoach SW fleetlist on Bustimes.org, none of the Elite i coaches has moved for several weeks apart from one that went to Plymouth on the Gold (or maybe it was just its ticket machine).
I would very much like to see the Falcon brought back under Stagecoach SW control even if Megabus's booking engine is still used. Also, the coaches should be identified as Falcon. I know route branding is frowned upon these days but surely there is space on such big, slab-sided coaches for simple but bold 'advertisements' showing where the coaches go and how often. Oxford Tube still stands as a separate brand. Why not the Falcon?
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There was one that was plain blue but with normal bus size white Stagecoach fleetname on the black panel above the driver's side window. I thought that could be the basis for some simple route branding.
londonteacher
Member
So?
My point is there are two main operators in England for coach travel. It was National Express and Megabus, but now it’s National Express and FlixBus.
The megabus owners obviously didn’t find it financially sustainable being part of the market where there are three main operators competing so decided to leave. Even routes without competition were abandoned.
Citylink is also in Ireland with 9 routes. As a brand it is not Scottish exclusive and could be used in other places wherever ComfortDelGro see fit. Changing the names of the remaining Megabus services to Citylink makes sense and allows for greater vehicle flexibility.
Personally I don’t see Megabus or whatever name it uses expanding again/for a while - they have just removed a route!
I miss understood what you said, that 3 companies not financially viable.
Thought in Scotland now you have Ember
Do we have PDF files of the timetables…. HECK any old megabus timetables in pdf form? Will also accept photographs. Creating an archive!
TwinTurbostar
Member
It's not much, but I do have the departure posters from Birmingham from March 2022 until September 2024, hopefully these help.
The Citylink Website had the M17 and perhaps the M19 in PDF format. I checked and I don't have the PDFs saved. Perhaps a way to go back in tie with website?
Flying Snail
Established Member
- Joined
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web.archive.org
Mitchell Hurd
On Moderation
- Joined
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If it was up to me, I'd be reinstating the M17 as it was a great example of what an express Megabus service should be! Handy for passengers going from Southampton to Manchester Airport in particular!
I think bring back the cross country services,London-Wales and a few routes running through every single city in Yorkshire. ( The latter I think could work if tried! ) Megabus was ran into the ground it it was very unfortunate, also a good shout would be advertising something like London-Skye which would be bookable. As for the M17 it’s only purpose in life was to be a cruise shuttle service but I can understand what you mean!
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Thank you for the files! I had most of these excluding the 2022 one. I have a lot of old timetables if you would like!
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On a further note I think the Oxford tube should be part integrated into Megabus and the X5 extended back to Cambridge in place of the 905 aswell as making it so you can book the X5 again!
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Anyone know which date,done searching can’t seem to findWayback Machine
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markymark2000
On Moderation
It's worth remembering that Megabus isn't fully part of Stagecoach anymore (while granted Stagecoach own part of Citylink and Citylink own Megabus, Stagecoach involvement with Megabus is far less than it once was) and as such I can't see such initiatives coming about.
In my opinion, Megabus is now dead. Falcon should be sold back to Stagecoach South West and then rebrand the M11/M20 to be Scottish Citylink. Stagecoach for a number of years have slowly given up on the Megabus network in England, and then Comfort Del Gro just gave up and tarnished it further. There is no way now for Megabus to return in my opinion and the M11/M20 operating under Megabus will end up keep being cut because the name is mud.
True
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Also here are some old timetables ^^
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I personally think the Megabus brand should be kept
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I wouldn't say the name was mud, but Flixbus has made mincemeat of it at the budget end of the market (while NatEx seems to have managed to escape upmarket a bit by aiming more at young professionals sick of expensive train fares and Boomer pensioners who want the guaranteed seat and luggage handling).
Sadly Megabus just gave up, lots of potential wasted, National was always going to survive however I understand your points. National serves a lot of places Flix or Megabus would not dare to serve.
( Also who wants a list of partner journeys that are bookable on the site? )