TRIVIA: Places that National Express coaches no longer serve

[Martin1988]

There used to be at least one NatEx coach a day pass through Evesham (and since it didn't go around the bypass I'm assuming Evesham was a scheduled stop for it). That no longer happens - not sure when the service ended but possibly during Covid.

The service that went through Evesham was the 327 from Bath Spa to Scarborough (later Bristol to Scarborough) which operated from February 2012 until Mid October 2018 and before that Evesham was served by Service 335 which ran from Poole to Halifax.

The 327 also served Redditch and from what I understand that destination also stopped being served by NX once that route was withdrawn.

536 https://bustimes.org/registrations/PD0000738/240 (Cardiff <> Monmouth)
and
343 https://www.nationalexpress.com/media/1240/r320.pdf (Swansea <> Bradford)
admittedly, with nearly a decade between the two routes.

I've got a feeling that Monmouth might have also been on Service 323 which replaced the Cardiff to Birmingham section of the 536 in March 2010

 

[weepingwillowb]

I once went from Connah's Quay to Holyhead on a NX service, around 1993-4; not sure where it had started from. Birmingham?

 

[BVW]

1874? That's impressive.

Operated by Stagecoach. I'll get my coat.

 

[AY1975]

1874? That's impressive.

Indeed, I presume you mean 1974.

 

[Titfield]

Many villages were served by NX constituent companies dating back to the pre-motorway era, and a time when private car ownership was considerably less than now. When I started coach driving for Midland Red on National Express services in 1874, two of the old pre-motorway routes between Birmingham and London still ran (3½ hours driving each way!) and the number of stops was amazing. Rarely were any used, though.

I doubt if more than 3 or 4 of the stops on the Harwich - Bangor service are still in use!
View attachment 147022

This stopping pattern was extremely common for example the service from Bournemouth also served Southampton Winchester, Basingstoke, Camberley and Staines to name a few. It used the old A30 road for much of the journey.

 

[kijeta]

The service that went through Evesham was the 327 from Bath Spa to Scarborough (later Bristol to Scarborough) which operated from February 2012 until Mid October 2018 and before that Evesham was served by Service 335 which ran from Poole to Halifax.

The 327 also served Redditch and from what I understand that destination also stopped being served by NX once that route was withdrawn.


I've got a feeling that Monmouth might have also been on Service 323 which replaced the Cardiff to Birmingham section of the 536 in March 2010

I tried searching for information on the 323 serving Monmouth but was in vain. Could you please advise?

 

[JonathanH]

I tried searching for information on the 323 serving Monmouth but was in vain. Could you please advise?

Recorded here https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/national-express-coaches-discussion.206382/page-17#post-6003617