National Express Coaches Discussion

[route101]

Yes, my contention is that using roads which are twisty and have roundabouts are not as conducive to sleeping as steady progress on a motorway.

Nine roundabouts between Junction 6 of the M3 and the start of the A3290 via Reading Station Northern approach.

Unless they go up the A34 and along the M4.

Any word on new services coming to the National Express network?

 

[pitdiver]

I reckon it will go via the M3 and A33 to Reading.


I am sure Megabus used to serve Weymouth from London.

National Express dont do any marketing for the routes but who does? Megabus dont either.

I remember for 1 summer only I think Grey-Green operated a service between North East London and Weymouth. I think it only ran on a Saturday. I did a return journey in it in about 73 or 74.

 

[Eyersey468]

Unless they go up the A34 and along the M4.

Any word on new services coming to the National Express network?

There is another uplift in service happening between late March and late May.

 

[ScotGG]

Surprised they haven't increased services between the east (Norwich and coastal towns) and London. Many are often sold out days in advance and fares are thus very high.

I've just had a look at fares this month and almost all very high. Demand seems very strong.

Far higher than on similar trips to the West or north for example from London for equivalent journeys by mile.

Lack of drivers?

 

[route101]

Surprised they haven't increased services between the east (Norwich and coastal towns) and London. Many are often sold out days in advance and fares are thus very high.

I've just had a look at fares this month and almost all very high. Demand seems very strong.

Far higher than on similar trips to the West or north for example from London for equivalent journeys by mile.

Lack of drivers?

I always thought it was odd there is not a Birmingham to Norwich service. I think the rail strikes may have something to do with fares, not just on rail strike days.

 

[Simon75]

I always thought it was odd there is not a Birmingham to Norwich service. I think the rail strikes may have something to do with fares, not just on rail strike days.

National Express seem to lack a few east- west links

 

[route101]

National Express seem to lack a few east- west links

Yes, the main one are the routes from Leeds via Manchester to Liverpool.

 

[Sealink]

Megabus did offer Weymouth to London, via Dorchester. It stopped around 2021 iirc The new service - which seems to be 4 a day from 27 March now - doesn't serve Dorchester.

With regards to marketing, I have asked to be a Megabus agent as I work in a tourist information centre. Have heard nothing since "we're thinking about it" a month ago.

That's interesting a night service. Do you know what time does 23:15 from Weymouth arrives in London?


The 075 wasn't very attractive timings. From Bury St Edmunds, the only service departed at 06:45 arriving Stratford at 09:40 and London Victoria at 10:50, the return was 19:30 from Victoria, 20:17 at Stratford and arriving Bury St Edmunds at 23:10

It arrives at 0435. Via Bournemouth, Reading and Heathrow.

 

[ADB125]

There seems to be some changes to Anglo-Scottish services after the end of this month

New services:
184 Liverpool to Edinburgh via Manchester, Carlisle and Glasgow (daily)
586 London to Glasgow via Golders Green, Milton Keynes and Hamilton (daily) overnight service
587 London to Edinburgh via Golders Green and Milton Keynes (daily) overnight service

Looks like the 586 and 587 overnight services are replacing the 596 which doesn't appear to be listed on the site after the end of the month. The 590 is also gone, is this correct? Seems a bit odd as its the main daytime service between London/Birmingham and Glasgow. Can't see anyone using the 591 to do London to Glasgow as it takes significantly longer, and from Birmingham the 182 is also much less direct going via Manchester.

 

[[email protected].]

Any info if National Express will reinstate services between Liverpool-Manchester-Sheffield-Nottingham

Used to catch this service between Manchester or Sheffield through to Mansfield which was handy.
Mansfield is a poor relation now with only 1 service each way to London.

 

[pitdiver]

I know Mansfield is a poor relation. I live near there.

 

[[email protected].]

I know Mansfield is a poor relation. I live near there.

It did well at one time, departures to Liverpool,Manchester, London and a service to Glasgow.
But it appears to have lost most.

 

[route101]

There seems to be some changes to Anglo-Scottish services after the end of this month

New services:
184 Liverpool to Edinburgh via Manchester, Carlisle and Glasgow (daily)
586 London to Glasgow via Golders Green, Milton Keynes and Hamilton (daily) overnight service
587 London to Edinburgh via Golders Green and Milton Keynes (daily) overnight service

Looks like the 586 and 587 overnight services are replacing the 596 which doesn't appear to be listed on the site after the end of the month. The 590 is also gone, is this correct? Seems a bit odd as its the main daytime service between London/Birmingham and Glasgow. Can't see anyone using the 591 to do London to Glasgow as it takes significantly longer, and from Birmingham the 182 is also much less direct going via Manchester.

Perhaps the 596 had high loadings with serving Glasgow and Edinburgh. The 591 used to be the Edinburgh to London service day and overnight.

 

[ADB125]

Perhaps the 596 had high loadings with serving Glasgow and Edinburgh. The 591 used to be the Edinburgh to London service day and overnight.

Must have done, the overnight services seem popular. 590 is actually increasing to 2 services per day but is not showing on the timetables page yet (that's what confused me in my previous post). Existing service remaining pretty much the same and then an additional 'fast' service only stopping at Carlisle and Milton Keynes. Be interesting to see if that lasts, I remember years ago they added an extra service (544 via Manchester I think?) but it wasn't well used.

 

[route101]

Must have done, the overnight services seem popular. 590 is actually increasing to 2 services per day but is not showing on the timetables page yet (that's what confused me in my previous post). Existing service remaining pretty much the same and then an additional 'fast' service only stopping at Carlisle and Milton Keynes. Be interesting to see if that lasts, I remember years ago they added an extra service (544 via Manchester I think?) but it wasn't well used.

Yes I remember the 544, left around 9am from Glasgow. The 590 only stopping at Carlisle and Milton Keynes is almost like a dupe.

 

[Eyersey468]

Two new services through Lincolnshire start soon, the 151 from Grimsby to Birmingham via Cleethorpes, Louth, Wragby, Lincoln, Newark and Leicester and the 452 from Grimsby to London via Cleethorpes, New Waltham, Louth, Wragby, Lincoln and Nottingham

 

[ADB125]

Yes I remember the 544, left around 9am from Glasgow. The 590 only stopping at Carlisle and Milton Keynes is almost like a dupe.

Yeah I got it from Carlisle to London once and it was only about 1/4 full in both directions. Possibly the current 590 has become overloaded because its basically covering both the old 590 and 539 between Glasgow and Birmingham.

Two new services through Lincolnshire start soon, the 151 from Grimsby to Birmingham via Cleethorpes, Louth, Wragby, Lincoln, Newark and Leicester and the 452 from Grimsby to London via Cleethorpes, New Waltham, Louth, Wragby, Lincoln and Nottingham

After the 151 starts, looks like the 152 will be re-routed to serve Scunthorpe and Doncaster instead of Lincoln. Interesting that the London service is via Nottingham, I'd assumed it would follow the old 448 route and bring Peterborough back into the network.

 

[Eyersey468]

Yeah I got it from Carlisle to London once and it was only about 1/4 full in both directions. Possibly the current 590 has become overloaded because its basically covering both the old 590 and 539 between Glasgow and Birmingham.


After the 151 starts, looks like the 152 will be re-routed to serve Scunthorpe and Doncaster instead of Lincoln. Interesting that the London service is via Nottingham, I'd assumed it would follow the old 448 route and bring Peterborough back into the network.

Yes it will,we were surprised that the 452 wasn't being sent via Peterborough as Peterborough was a busy stop pre Covid

 

[route101]

Yes it will,we were surprised that the 452 wasn't being sent via Peterborough as Peterborough was a busy stop pre Covid

Peterborough is often asked by passengers if its coming back. Perhaps the service will get more passengers from a Nottingham stop or is it longer to go down the A1?

 

[Eyersey468]

Peterborough is often asked by passengers if its coming back. Perhaps the service will get more passengers from a Nottingham stop or is it longer to go down the A1?

I don't think there is much in it regarding M1 v A1, it feels like the A1 is quicker but I haven't timed it so can't be certain. Given there are plenty of coaches going from Nottingham to London I would have thought Peterborough would have been the better stop to call at, though that is my opinion not necessarily NXs view

 

[Blindtraveler]

Has the 594 survived the Scottish changes? It's a useful service

 

[ADB125]

Has the 594 survived the Scottish changes? It's a useful service

596 is being split out into separate Edinburgh and Glasgow services (586 and 587). 594 and 595 are staying but with some changes to timings.

 

[317 forever]

I have looked up coaches from Manchester to London (both Victoria and Golders Green) for late October. I hope the times and fares are just a work in progress without all journeys with contractors finalised yet. Otherwise it means considerable reductions from the current timetables.

 

[Eyersey468]

I suspect its just a work in progress, as far as I know they are wanting to add services not reduce them

 

[route101]

Has the 594 survived the Scottish changes? It's a useful service

I used the 594 to London few months back. The service quite often goes via Biggar.

596 is being split out into separate Edinburgh and Glasgow services (586 and 587). 594 and 595 are staying but with some changes to timings.

I wonder if thats how it used to be before Covid. I recall a night service from Glasgow via Golders Green that did not start from Edinburgh.

 

[ADB125]

I used the 594 to London few months back. The service quite often goes via Biggar.


I wonder if thats how it used to be before Covid. I recall a night service from Glasgow via Golders Green that did not start from Edinburgh.

From what I remember the overnight services from Glasgow were the 588 and the 592 which started from Inverness and Aberdeen. The 592 went via Heathrow Airport and Carlisle (basically the same as the current 595) and the 588 via Milton Keynes and Golders Green so could have been that? I think the Inverness and Aberdeen extensions were cut before covid though.

Once the changes happen at the end of March there will possibly be more Anglo-Scottish services than there were immediately before covid? I seem to recall a lot of the old cross country routes had already been removed (533, 534, 536, 542, summer only 538 extras) and the 532 was re-routed to Blackpool instead of Edinburgh in around 2017.

 

[SeanM1997]

Does anybody know when Crewe stopped being a destination point for National Express (think it used to be served by a Chester-Norwich route a few years ago)?

Also, I note the no. 551 route (Liverpool-London) stops at Nantwich but does not stop at Crewe, despite Crewe being over four times larger. Does anybody know the reason (I assume its because the temporary bus station cannot accommodate coaches) and if this is the case, is there any discussion or information if National Express plan to return to Crewe once the new bus station opens in December 2023 (which will feature one coach stand)?

 

[markymark2000]

Does anybody know when Crewe stopped being a destination point for National Express (think it used to be served by a Chester-Norwich route a few years ago)?

It stopped when Chester lost the cross country route I think. I'm sure it went to Great Yarmouth That may be a time stamp that others may remember. I want to say around 2015 though.

Also, I note the no. 551 route (Liverpool-London) stops at Nantwich but does not stop at Crewe, despite Crewe being over four times larger. Does anybody know the reason (I assume its because the temporary bus station cannot accommodate coaches) and if this is the case, is there any discussion or information if National Express plan to return to Crewe once the new bus station opens in December 2023 (which will feature one coach stand)?

More en route with less time penalty. The 551 is slow enough without serving Crewe haha.

 

[johncrossley]

Also, I note the no. 551 route (Liverpool-London) stops at Nantwich but does not stop at Crewe, despite Crewe being over four times larger. Does anybody know the reason (I assume its because the temporary bus station cannot accommodate coaches) and if this is the case, is there any discussion or information if National Express plan to return to Crewe once the new bus station opens in December 2023 (which will feature one coach stand)?

In addition to being further from the A51 than Nantwich, the rail competition at Crewe is huge, including a lower cost train option to London. Nantwich folk can take advantage of the very comprehensive rail services from Crewe as well, but it is slightly more of a trek.

 

[embers25]

Nantwich to crewe is not a very comprehensive rail service by any stretch of the imagination and that's without the regular cancellations.