X61

[Houghton]

I drove the X61 from mid '83 to mid '86. It never went to Oxford during my time with United Counties. We shared the service with Midland Red. It ran approximately every 2 hours.
It went from Northampton (then Greyfriars bus station) to Nottingham via Market Harborough, Leicester and Loughborough and was my favourite run.

 

[Mollman]

Welcome to the Forum.
What was your favourite type of vehicle to drive when at United Counties?

 

[WiltsBus]

Welcome Houghton, great to hear your memories, much different to what it is now

 

[Houghton]

Welcome to the Forum.
What was your favourite type of vehicle to drive when at United Counties?

Leyland Leopards and Leyland Tigers were the best coaches on the X services but for general bus work the Bristol VR was unbeatable. It knocked spots of Leyland Nationals and Olympians. When I later transferred to Westwood depot in the Isle of Thanet, they had some Atlanteans which were appalling vehicles to drive.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Apr 2026 ==

Welcome Houghton, great to hear your memories, much different to what it is now

Thanks. I left the bus industry in '87 so am well out of touch with modern buses.

 

[Mugby]

I've still got a timetable leaflet for X60/X61. I've dug it out and I'm looking at it as I type this.

It's dated as from 6 April 1997 and it did actually go to Oxford by that date, so obviously long after you left the industry.
There were three journeys Mon-Fri. from Nottingham departing at 1030 (Oxford 1435) 1227 (Ox 1635) and 1427 (Ox 1835)
Only the 1030 ran on Saturdays. On Sundays the only journey from Nottingham was at 1455.
Most of the other journeys were Leicester to Northampton (1hr 25 mins) or Northampton to Oxford (1hr 30mins)

A few sample fares were given: Nottingham - Northampton £5.20 Single / £5.65 Day Return / £10.05 Period Return.
Leicester - Oxford: £8.90 Single / £10.65 Day Return / £11.10 Period Return.

Although the service had X numbers, it appeared to operate as a local bus service throughout much of it's distance.
The leaflet markets the service as 'Coachlinks' there is no mention of Stagecoach at all, would 1997 be before their time?
It was obviously a viable route for many years, what would be the reason for it's demise?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I've still got a timetable leaflet for X60/X61. I've dug it out and I'm looking at it as I type this.

It's dated as from 6 April 1997 and it did actually go to Oxford by that date, so obviously long after you left the industry.
There were three journeys Mon-Fri. from Nottingham departing at 1030 (Oxford 1435) 1227 (Ox 1635) and 1427 (Ox 1835)
Only the 1030 ran on Saturdays. On Sundays the only journey from Nottingham was at 1455.
Most of the other journeys were Leicester to Northampton (1hr 25 mins) or Northampton to Oxford (1hr 30mins)

A few sample fares were given: Nottingham - Northampton £5.20 Single / £5.65 Day Return / £10.05 Period Return.
Leicester - Oxford: £8.90 Single / £10.65 Day Return / £11.10 Period Return.

Although the service had X numbers, it appeared to operate as a local bus service throughout much of it's distance.
The leaflet markets the service as 'Coachlinks' there is no mention of Stagecoach at all, would 1997 be before their time?
It was obviously a viable route for many years, what would be the reason for it's demise?

Stagecoach bought United Counties in 1987 and applied the livery from 1988 IIRC. However, Coachlinks was retained as an identity for the inter-urban and express services for a long time after that though by that time, I'd have expected Stagecoach corporate image to have extended onto the leaflets.

Coachlinks (as with many X branded services) only really had elements that operated as express with many did operate as the de facto local bus services. Part of the X61 is now the X7 between Northampton and Leicester which was always the main part of the route. The Northampton to Oxford part has had many iterations over the years being the X88/X89, the 8 from Northampton to Bicester, and others.