National Express Coaches Discussion

[Deerfold]

Currently, National Express are running the following routes

National Express Timetables Route List

timetables.nationalexpress.com

Er, yes. And?

 

[JRT]

Er, yes. And?

Will be useful in knowing what the previous comment about amendments to the network refer to, that is only referring to the service number only, rather than the actual route and places served.

 

[ADB125]

In the end it went from Mereoak Park and Ride (just by Junction 11), having switched from Calcot (just by Junction 12). I'm not aware of the coaches ever having gone into the town centre, except potentially for events like Reading Festival. It never seemed hugely busy at either stop.

I'm not sure what route Reading was on - I think you're right that at least some of them were going to/from Heathrow.

National Express definitely used Mereoak for a while. I'm not sure when it stopped - I generally prefer to use the train and National Express never seemed to be that much cheaper, if at all, so I usually just paid a little bit extra for the train instead. The cost of the train has finally got to the point where I'm willing to try and find alternative ways to travel, and its only now that I've found National Express barely stop there anymore.

My first experience of using Flixbus at the weekend was a good one and it only cost about £8 for the Bristol to Reading leg. I don't recall National Express matching that kind of price very often even if they were still using Reading. Unfortunately by second experience of using Flixbus was much worse - see other thread!

It is surprising how few services call there now, especially given how busy the M4 corridor is - you'd think a few 040's could stop at Mereoak without affecting things too much. I agree about the trains - I recently travelled to Carlisle from Manchester and used NX as the train would have been much more expensive and Transpennine are not exactly known for their reliability...

Will be useful in knowing what the previous comment about amendments to the network refer to??

Not sure if you are referring to my post or not, but everything I put there was from the journey planner on the NX website. The timetables page does not update immediately once routes become live on the journey planner, there is usually a delay.

 

[londonbridge]

Noting the moderator comment in the opening post, is there an equivalent thread for discussing the disruptive behaviour of passengers?

 

[route101]

Noting the moderator comment in the opening post, is there an equivalent thread for discussing the disruptive behaviour of passengers?

Was this on a National Express coach?

 

[londonbridge]

Yes. I haven’t read this thread in full so I don’t want to go off topic by posting here if its primarily for discussing operational issues. (Unless operational issues includes the driver ignoring/doing nothing about said behaviour).

 

[Sealink]

National Express have reduced their midweek services to/from Weymouth to one a day.
And megabus have cut their services too on certain days.

 

[Mugby]

It would be interesting to know what arrangements National Express have made for Manchester to London passengers travelling down for the FA Cup Final, in view of the ASLEF strike.
Presumably most departures will be duplicated as much as possible but I suppose there's a limit to what can be done.
Does anyone know if or what other companies will be hired in to fill the need?

 

[paul1609]

National Express (Lucketts) arrange the away travel for my team Portsmouth. The FACup 3rd round was another rail strike day and we were away at Spurs. They arranged 55 coaches from Portsmouth; it was quite impressive overtaking them on the A3.

 

[Eyersey468]

It would be interesting to know what arrangements National Express have made for Manchester to London passengers travelling down for the FA Cup Final, in view of the ASLEF strike.
Presumably most departures will be duplicated as much as possible but I suppose there's a limit to what can be done.
Does anyone know if or what other companies will be hired in to fill the need?

I would imagine they will have duplicated departures, they usually get local operators to cover them, for example Acklams run a lot of NX dupes from Leeds or Nottingham.

 

[Mwanesh]

They will probably run Wembley direct. They do that for special events

 

[Smethwickian]

They will probably run Wembley direct. They do that for special events

Direct Wembley event service for MC fans from Aytoun Street, Manchester to Pink Car Park, Wembley Stadium (20 coaches) operated by
Acklams Coaches
Assist VIP
Bagnalls
Garnett's
Greyscroft (sic - think that should be Grayscroft)
Hansons
Kingsferry/NX Transport Solutions
Roberts
Skills
Sleafordian

Direct Wembley event service for MU fans from AJ Bell Stadium to Green Car Park, Wembley Stadium (20 coaches) operated by
Kingsferry/NX Transport Solutions
J and B Travel
Jim Hughes
Longmynd
Marshalls of Sutton
Owens Coaches
Stantons of Stoke

Dupes on London/Manchester service 540 today from:
Acklams
Imperial Coaches
Grayscroft
Amans Travel

Regular 540 operators today:
Selwyns Manchester,
Edwards (Bristol)
Llew Jones Coaches
E Stott & Sons
Chalfont (Northampton)

 

[dutchflyer]

Question, out of curiosity from a Dutchman, as I have happy memories of long ago when National Express served as EuroLines on International routes to London. I see only a Dublin/IE route remaining as going over borders in the route list linked on top of this page. When did Nat Exp stop running international (in the sense of ging to the continent? Was that when EuroLines also ceased to exist quite suddenly?

 

[Man of Kent]

Question, out of curiosity from a Dutchman, as I have happy memories of long ago when National Express served as EuroLines on International routes to London. I see only a Dublin/IE route remaining as going over borders in the route list linked on top of this page. When did Nat Exp stop running international (in the sense of ging to the continent? Was that when EuroLines also ceased to exist quite suddenly?

NatEx swapped partners at the beginning of 2018, as this thread explains:

National Express withdraws from Eurolines

I got this email today. National Express are partnering with Ouibus instead. To give our customers greater benefits and convenience, we have decided to withdraw from the Eurolines organisation. Rest assured, you will still be able to enjoy the same amazingly affordable fares to all major...

www.railforums.co.uk

They ran vehicles in SNCF's IDbus livery for a short while, but I'm not sure if it was the pandemic or the steam rollering of virtually every other network operation by Flixbus that brought about an end to NatEx's role in international travel.

 

[Mwanesh]

Question, out of curiosity from a Dutchman, as I have happy memories of long ago when National Express served as EuroLines on International routes to London. I see only a Dublin/IE route remaining as going over borders in the route list linked on top of this page. When did Nat Exp stop running international (in the sense of ging to the continent? Was that when EuroLines also ceased to exist quite suddenly?

I think 2020 that's when they stopped European and Irish Cork /Dublin services.

 

[F Great Eastern]

National Express are due to start Dublin to Belfast route later this year under the Dublin Express route. They will be taking on First on that corridor who they will almost certainly beat.

 

[dutchflyer]

Thanks for enlightening me! In fact I now remember that long ago it was Grey-Green who started the coach route to Amsterdam, when this was allowed finally by EU. I lived very close by the bus station used then (by NZH) so could even walk to there. Was also before EuroTunnel opened. IN the end National Express did not make it, or at least on this route, till the end as Polish coaches took over the last 1 - 2 years. The end of EuroLines was quite sudden, but here and there in some forgotten spot or on an agency one can still admire their logo.

 

[paul1609]

Thanks for enlightening me! In fact I now remember that long ago it was Grey-Green who started the coach route to Amsterdam, when this was allowed finally by EU. I lived very close by the bus station used then (by NZH) so could even walk to there. Was also before EuroTunnel opened. IN the end National Express did not make it, or at least on this route, till the end as Polish coaches took over the last 1 - 2 years. The end of EuroLines was quite sudden, but here and there in some forgotten spot or on an agency one can still admire their logo.

I have it in my mind that Eurolines still exist in Germany?

 

[317 forever]

I was fortunate to ride a double-deck coach from Bristol to London on Wednesday. I had seen that route mainly using single-deck coaches earlier in the week. The clerk at the help desk explained this was because the air con in the double-deck coaches did not work effectively in the heat.

It certainly paid off paying the £5 supplement for on-the-day flexibility, as I was allowed on the (earlier) double-deck coach!

 

[route101]

I was fortunate to ride a double-deck coach from Bristol to London on Wednesday. I had seen that route mainly using single-deck coaches earlier in the week. The clerk at the help desk explained this was because the air con in the double-deck coaches did not work effectively in the heat.

It certainly paid off paying the £5 supplement for on-the-day flexibility, as I was allowed on the (earlier) double-deck coach!

It's on my list to ride one of those double deck coaches on the 040.

 

[Skytower]

I was fortunate to ride a double-deck coach from Bristol to London on Wednesday. I had seen that route mainly using single-deck coaches earlier in the week. The clerk at the help desk explained this was because the air con in the double-deck coaches did not work effectively in the heat.

It certainly paid off paying the £5 supplement for on-the-day flexibility, as I was allowed on the (earlier) double-deck coach!

Yes, was on a decker from London to Bristol last year that got half an hour out of London and had to turn around, as it was oppressively hot and the aircon was doing nothing.

 

[JonathanH]

It's on my list to ride one of those double deck coaches on the 040.

Most of them are 66 registration so imagine they aren't long to go now.

 

[Mwanesh]

Quick question to those in the know. When did Reading Buses start operating the 507 route. They are looking for National Express drivers. Always thought it was Edwards who did the 507.

 

[dan5324]

Edwards still operates the route. National Express, however, wants a base closer to London as it makes operational sense on a fairly long route to have bases at either end. The operator was originally meant to be an owned ops Victoria depot, however they don’t have enough drivers to cover the 507 plus the Stansted “A” services. Hope this helps.

 

[James H]

The A7 to Stansted via Waterloo resumes on 3 July

 

[route101]

The A7 to Stansted via Waterloo resumes on 3 July

Is that Victoria to Stansted via Waterloo?

 

[James H]

yes it is. Hasn't run since covid suspension in March 2020

 

[dan5324]

It will flop like a jelly on a wet mattress. What they were gonna do but changed their mind was run the route along Victoria embankment and put a couple of stops along there. Sending the service south of the river is unnecessary and can add more than 20 minutes running time for two stops that were never very popular.

But hey. Planning knows best. (They don’t).

 

[Sealink]

National Express will be facing new competition at Weymouth

Currently they offer two buses a day to London.

Megabus return on 27th March with three buses a day to London, via Heathrow; increasing to four a day from 3rd April. Operated by Heathrow based Air-Sym.

One of the four buses is overnight, leaving Weymouth at 2315 and from London at 2359.

National Express seem to do no marketing of Route 035 down here. Perhaps Megabus will wake them up.

Well that didn't last long, last services run on Sunday, 25th June 2023.
National Express may re-instate their second service Tue-Thu, will wait and see.

 

[route101]

Well that didn't last long, last services run on Sunday, 25th June 2023.
National Express may re-instate their second service Tue-Thu, will wait and see.

Megabus services appear quieter to Bournemouth etc compared to National Express.