Megabus - VERY odd working!

[causton]

This was a long time ago (a couple of weeks) but I just remembered a really odd working in London - a Megabus service to Leeds ran by an Enviro 400 in Stagecoach livery! The passengers had the luggage beside them and I can't think it was very comfortable!

(I thought Arriva putting that R-reg Wright bus on the 797 Stevenage - Hatfield - Hendon - Oxford St - Victoria was bad enough :roll: )

 

[mbonwick]

Not as rare as you might think!

Usually happens once or twice a month somewhere on the Megabus network, with a plain Stagecoach vehicle deputising for a Megabus coach.

Obviously the ordinary bus is swapped off ASAP

 

[317 forever]

Did this Enviro 400 have highback seating at least? I rode a normal Stagecoach Alexander Olympian on a Megabus route last year but it did have highback seating.

 

[causton]

Did this Enviro 400 have highback seating at least? I rode a normal Stagecoach Alexander Olympian on a Megabus route last year but it did have highback seating.

Not AFAIK... I did look inside as I went past and I'm sure I would have remembered it! Was just plain stagecoach branding, no route branding applied either.

 

[monkey]

^^haha... this is funny - I actually did this journey, from newcastle to leeds - ****ing awful. like a nodding donkey on the motorway (cos of the retarder we were told by the driver), and really uncomfortable. and no there wasn't any high back seats. I felt sorry for those people going all the way to manchester... but really it was ridiculous. I did only pay £1 plus booking fee for the ticket though... so thats something...

 

[Class20]

Stagecoach East Midlands sometimes use Enviro400s for the Megabus Plus services linking West Yorkshire to East Midlands Parkway station. The services are suppose to be worked by coaches but when there’s non available they use one of two tacho fitted Enviro400s on the service.

The oddest Megabus allocation I’ve seen was a few years ago when Stagecoach North West Frenchwood (Preston) depot had a few coaches based there for the Preston-London Megabus services. They must have had a shortage of coaches one morning as the first London service of the day was worked by a Volvo Olympian. I had travelled to London on National Express that morning and noted the Olympian near to Victoria coach station when we arrived, I didn’t note down the number unfortunately. Cant have been a comfortable journey for the passengers.

David.c

 

[route101]

Megabus seem to use Scottish Citylink coaches too and not always on Scottish routes . I spotted one on a London to Leeds service . I cannot imagine going on a e400 with all the luggage.

 

[monkey]

^I think there used to be service that went via leeds to scotland, but I maybe wrong. I think they've basically merged their operations though, cos when I phoned about problem with online booking, it went to scottish citylink office who sorted (or rather didn't which is another story) it for me.

I never seem to get the nice coaches either, I've seen working of vanhool astromegas and decent coaches and I usually end up with ones with chewing gum stuck to the seat, without working wipers (yes seriously, at driver change the new driver refused to drive it) or smelly toilet that stinks the whole coach out... lol... oh well least its cheap...

 

[route101]

^I think there used to be service that went via leeds to scotland, but I maybe wrong. I think they've basically merged their operations though, cos when I phoned about problem with online booking, it went to scottish citylink office who sorted (or rather didn't which is another story) it for me.

I never seem to get the nice coaches either, I've seen working of vanhool astromegas and decent coaches and I usually end up with ones with chewing gum stuck to the seat, without working wipers (yes seriously, at driver change the new driver refused to drive it) or smelly toilet that stinks the whole coach out... lol... oh well least its cheap...

Yeah megabus operate some services within scotland for citylink and so does parks of hamilton . a bit confusing .

Ive been on the vanhool on the London to Glasgow overnight service but they have dupe coach which is a citylink or stagecoach that goes non stop to Glasgow

 

[WestCoast]

A few years ago I was on a Megabus working that was substituted by a Stagecoach in Manchester Volvo Olympian with 'bus bench' seating. It wasn't one of the normal ex-Hong Kong Olympians that they normally used at the time.

It was London - Manchester (4 hours +), hideously uncomfortable seating and rough ride, hot with no toilet or luggage space! The bus really struggled to reach a decent speed as well.

Thankfully, there was a really nice family offering chocolate and sweets behind me, which cheered me up a little...

Put me of megabus for a while:roll:

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

The Megabus I had from Middlesbrough - London was alright, but on the return the luggage compartment below's door was broken, it kept opening and shutting down the motorway - he eventually refused to drive from Wakefield!

 

[monkey]

^^thing I noticed is the only difference between nx and megabus is that with nx you get more polished service (i.e nicer coach stations, and cleaner coaches, although I hate those plastic seated caetano's). and with megabus when its the proper service, there is really little difference and somtimes slightly better service (such as in newcastle where it stops at the train station whihc is more handy than the actual nx coach station), but the problem is when its not the proper service it is just easily subsititued for something that is really poor - which on a long journey can be real issue, but I guess you get what you pay for, and I'd say more than often they're services are on a par for much lower price...

 

[Jordy]

Please use the quote facility instead of ^^, if you are referring to the post above you do not need to use any syntax.

^^ Does not indicate which post you are referring to.

 

[ivanhoe]

Biggest difference is that Megabus is point to point , usually all going to London. NX does a good job and I'm surprised in how popular they are. Train companies could learn a hell of a lot from the likes of NX on how to sell cheap fares without the need to be an enthusiast! Web site is easy to use and text tickets are the way forward.

 

[MCR247]

Train companies could learn a hell of a lot from the likes of NX on how to sell cheap fares without the need to be an enthusiast! Web site is easy to use and text tickets are the way forward.

 

[90019]

Train companies could learn a hell of a lot from the likes of NX on how to sell cheap fares without the need to be an enthusiast!

That'd be NX who operate 2 current franchises and 9 former ones by my count?

 

[ivanhoe]

That'd be NX who operate 2 current franchises and 9 former ones by my count?

Saw that one coming as soon as I pressed the submit button and therefore deserved!

 

[anthony263]

I had the case where a Stagecoach cymru , Volvo B10m (Alexander PS) which normally works in the Rhondda valley including the 172 Aberdare - Porthcawl service hass been used on a cardiff - london service

 

[tripleseis]

Oxford to London services share with the Oxford Tube route so everybody gets a comfortable coach seat! Back in the day though it used to be old Olympians (ex-HK) I think.

 

[wjps]

It is not just in recent years that buses have substituted for coaches after breakdowns. I have a vivid memory of travelling from Lancashire to London in 1965 or 1966, when the Standerwick Gay Hostess coach was substituted at Walsall for a standard BMMO bus - from the luxury of Chapman seats to a normal black country urban bus.

 

[sonic2009]

Megabus that operate from cheltenham to london sometimes use the scania double deck buses the stagecoach gold route 94 on trips to london, alright no toilet luggage space, but comfortable seating

 

[daveymilo]

I have driven a Enviro 400 based at Barnsley on the Leed - London service and it was a good drive and a solid vehicle, if only it had an onboard toilet and some DP seats, but saying that my passengers where quite comfortable for the journey and i gave them a toilet break.

 

[route101]

I have driven a Enviro 400 based at Barnsley on the Leed - London service and it was a good drive and a solid vehicle, if only it had an onboard toilet and some DP seats, but saying that my passengers where quite comfortable for the journey and i gave them a toilet break.

Where does the luggage go? On the London to Glasgow Overnighter megabus dosent always provide a toilet stop / service stn stop. They did he last time on the Glasgow Dupe.

 

[monkey]

I have driven a Enviro 400 based at Barnsley on the Leed - London service and it was a good drive and a solid vehicle, if only it had an onboard toilet and some DP seats, but saying that my passengers where quite comfortable for the journey and i gave them a toilet break.

...I find that very hard to believe, it was uncomfortable enough just from newcastle to leeds, although well done with the toilet breaks...