tbtc
Veteran Member
As the National Express thread seems popular (https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ional-express-coaches-no-longer-serve.242062/ ) I thought there might be merit in a Citylink one
One difference between the operators is that most “former National Express routes” are gone without any real replacement, whereas a number of Citylink services were either replaced by National Express when Citylink stopped doing most cross-border routes (other than London) or were taken over/ replaced by local operators (predominantly Stagecoach in Ayrshire/ Fife/ Highlands but also McGills in Inverclyde, possibly others too?)
For example, when I was younger the coaches from Edinburgh (500/501) were half hourly, alternating to Ayr via Kilmarnock or to Greenock via Glasgow Airport - whilst the frequency east of Glasgow is higher nowadays, Citylink services terminate at Buchanan Street and you’d need a Stagecoach X76/X77 or McGills 901/906 for points west
In those days there were daily services from towns like Leven , Falkirk and Ayr to London, rather than pretty much everything being just from Edinburgh/ Glasgow to London
So, three categories:
1. Cross border routes lost in the rationalisation with National Express
2. Routes that still (broadly) exist today but are run by other operators
3. Routes that have been lost with no real replacement
One difference between the operators is that most “former National Express routes” are gone without any real replacement, whereas a number of Citylink services were either replaced by National Express when Citylink stopped doing most cross-border routes (other than London) or were taken over/ replaced by local operators (predominantly Stagecoach in Ayrshire/ Fife/ Highlands but also McGills in Inverclyde, possibly others too?)
For example, when I was younger the coaches from Edinburgh (500/501) were half hourly, alternating to Ayr via Kilmarnock or to Greenock via Glasgow Airport - whilst the frequency east of Glasgow is higher nowadays, Citylink services terminate at Buchanan Street and you’d need a Stagecoach X76/X77 or McGills 901/906 for points west
In those days there were daily services from towns like Leven , Falkirk and Ayr to London, rather than pretty much everything being just from Edinburgh/ Glasgow to London
So, three categories:
1. Cross border routes lost in the rationalisation with National Express
2. Routes that still (broadly) exist today but are run by other operators
3. Routes that have been lost with no real replacement