Unusual National Express working. Route 380 Sunday 3rd September 2017

[gimmea50anyday]

Image courtesy of Lee Calder posted on Buses North East Facebook page

Go North East's 'Angel' branded Volvo B5LH / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2, 6066 registered NK62 CBV operating National Express service 380 to Leeds. Very unusually the bus was standing in for the Caetano Leviante usually used. These vehicles are fitted with tachometers. This worked as far as Sunderland where it swapped with the inbound working from Swindon and returned to Newcastle.

 

[freetoview33]

Image courtesy of Lee Calder posted on Buses North East Facebook page

Go North East's 'Angel' branded Volvo B5LH / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2, 6066 registered NK62 CBV operating National Express service 380 to Leeds. Very unusually the bus was standing in for the Caetano Leviante usually used. These vehicles are fitted with tachometers. This worked as far as Sunderland where it swapped with the inbound working from Swindon and returned to Newcastle.

Must have been very short of coaches/break downs!
Far from ideal, but I guess it's better than the service not operating at all and leaving people stranded.

 

[cf111]

I've done Fort William to Inverness on a double-decker in lieu of a coach before, that was an experience!

 

[yorkie]

I've done Fort William to Inverness on a double-decker in lieu of a coach before, that was an experience!

Some of us had to endure some sort of small bus (I am not a bus expert so don't know the type), on 29 May 2016. It was the 1045 from Inverness, but departed late and ran non-stop to Fort William leaving several people behind. A double decker would have been good.

 

[Bungle965]

Image courtesy of Lee Calder posted on Buses North East Facebook page

Go North East's 'Angel' branded Volvo B5LH / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2, 6066 registered NK62 CBV operating National Express service 380 to Leeds. Very unusually the bus was standing in for the Caetano Leviante usually used. These vehicles are fitted with tachometers. This worked as far as Sunderland where it swapped with the inbound working from Swindon and returned to Newcastle.

Megabus seem to be far more common at doing something like this.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/41987105@N06/5999374753/in/photolist-a99n6K-hkPYLT-hpdSSL-hjE8P1-cnWsiQ-bsnfVT-dJaUyg-hpeRp2-a7wKn8-hkAypy-hg2gfH-cnWqVs-isjvsq-hjJZmh-hCfE96-hkNtBK-FufMqS-hqEnEa-dJAVik-gib1a2-jPnVE1-91QPYM-8jb2u9-Jai9QA-9NdXxU-PWp29S-onDZeC-isjXHZ-7NhHxg-cpeEJo-biSCcp-o6nEYw-7Fk3e5-QHhTuW-bBvtAB-hdv5FG-8t6bdG-cteqLQ-jR3EdA-SC12QG-K4RKg4-JD36pf-RajseC-JUFWo5-Rajv7m-LXKuGs-K3VKMG-9ZdNFK-biSBv8-dtrSDb
However I have also need a few days ago a fleet of minibuses being used to transport passengers after a Bruce's coach had broken down.
Sam

 

[freetoview33]

Megabus seem to be far more common at doing something like this.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/41987105@N06/5999374753/in/photolist-a99n6K-hkPYLT-hpdSSL-hjE8P1-cnWsiQ-bsnfVT-dJaUyg-hpeRp2-a7wKn8-hkAypy-hg2gfH-cnWqVs-isjvsq-hjJZmh-hCfE96-hkNtBK-FufMqS-hqEnEa-dJAVik-gib1a2-jPnVE1-91QPYM-8jb2u9-Jai9QA-9NdXxU-PWp29S-onDZeC-isjXHZ-7NhHxg-cpeEJo-biSCcp-o6nEYw-7Fk3e5-QHhTuW-bBvtAB-hdv5FG-8t6bdG-cteqLQ-jR3EdA-SC12QG-K4RKg4-JD36pf-RajseC-JUFWo5-Rajv7m-LXKuGs-K3VKMG-9ZdNFK-biSBv8-dtrSDb
However I have also need a few days ago a fleet of minibuses being used to transport passengers after a Bruce's coach had broken down.
Sam

Megabus Gold is more than likely comfier than a normal coach anyway!

 

[Bungle965]

Megabus Gold is more than likely comfier than a normal coach anyway!

There is a picture of a standard Enviro 400 covering Megabus duties but I cannot seem to find the picture.
Sam

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've done Fort William to Inverness on a double-decker in lieu of a coach before, that was an experience!

I'd pay extra for that - the views must have been stunning.

 

[Robertj21a]

There is a picture of a standard Enviro 400 covering Megabus duties but I cannot seem to find the picture.
Sam

Quite a few standard E400s have worked Megabus trips over the years.

 

[Statto]

Quite a few standard E400s have worked Megabus trips over the years.

Not just E400, ALX 400s have worked Megabus routes as well.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/abbiesbuspics/8522847166/

 

[quarella]

I have driven a Ford Granada on National Express work. This was either due to a missed connection or the service car skipping a few minor stops to try and make up some time.

 

[howittpie]

Can't remember exactly but I travelled on GM Buses Leyland National from Manchester to London on the 540 at that time was supposed to be a Rapide service it certainly wasn't this was the late 80's.

 

[Martin2012]

I remember hearing about an instance where Stagecoach used a coach seated olympian on the 449 London to Mablethorpe service due to having no other spare coach available.

Remember one day when Cwmbran used an olympian on their Megabus from Bristol to London whilst at the same time the X14 Bristol to Cwmbran bus route was being worked by coaches.

 

[Martin2012]

I have driven a Ford Granada on National Express work. This was either due to a missed connection or the service car skipping a few minor stops to try and make up some time.

I remember an instance a few years ago where a taxi was used on a Megabus service between Bristol and Plymouth. Complete with a Megabus banner in the windscreen. This was a short lived working which was normally worked by Hamilton Gray which got withdrawn quite quickly presumably due to lack of passengers.

 

[bradford758]

I've done Fort William to Inverness on a double-decker in lieu of a coach before, that was an experience!

Fort William - Inverness was a local service bus via Loch Ness in the 1990s, outward ex Inverness was a normal single decker,

the 1735? ex Fort William was one of the local minibus types of bus, not best pleased.

 

[cf111]

Fort William - Inverness was a local service bus via Loch Ness in the 1990s, outward ex Inverness was a normal single decker,

the 1735? ex Fort William was one of the local minibus types of bus, not best pleased.

It's been a quasi-local service in recent years, the Stagecoach 19 would run along with the Citylink 919 both normally operated by coaches. Since this summer's timetable was introduced all end-to-end journeys are 919s run by Citylink, the 19 still runs but only goes as far as Invermoriston.

My double-decker experience was 2-ish years ago, our coach broke down and I suppose that was the spare at the depot!

 

[Flying Snail]

It's been a quasi-local service in recent years, the Stagecoach 19 would run along with the Citylink 919 both normally operated by coaches. Since this summer's timetable was introduced all end-to-end journeys are 919s run by Citylink, the 19 still runs but only goes as far as Invermoriston.

My double-decker experience was 2-ish years ago, our coach broke down and I suppose that was the spare at the depot!

The 919/19 were all run from the same pool of knackered Stagecoach Inverness Plaxton profiles anyway which are by far the worst condition coaches currently run on the Citylink network, a decker wouldn't be much of a demotion from the sheds Stagecoach put on that (and Inverness-Skye) route. They are really shown up by the immaculate coaches West Coast Motors and Shiels use on their Citylink contracts in the region.

 

[overthewater]

This bus has been used on Scottish Citylink work back around 2005ish. I think around the days of the old 995 etc

https://www.flickr.com/photos/david...pjb-wdtbgC-xj3FVb-wRt6He-ww6aug-xG9xEk-wwHETF

Stagecoach Inverness Plaxton profiles are all ex Highland country, but I believe there are due newer stock

 

[cf111]

The 919/19 were all run from the same pool of knackered Stagecoach Inverness Plaxton profiles anyway which are by far the worst condition coaches currently run on the Citylink network, a decker wouldn't be much of a demotion from the sheds Stagecoach put on that (and Inverness-Skye) route. They are really shown up by the immaculate coaches West Coast Motors and Shiels use on their Citylink contracts in the region.

Yes, they are well and truly done and more than often stink of pee. I am glad I don't have to go to Fort William as often as I used to. The Portree run is quite pleasant on Sheils' coaches, they run some 919s (N19s I think they are numbered) but they do use older coaches, still much nicer than the Citylink ones, however in better news they are being replaced!

http://www.citylink.co.uk/media070617.php

Four new coaches worth £1.2 million
Coaches to go into service this November
New vehicles have a toilet, reclining seats, WiFi and USB charging points

Scottish Citylink has announced vehicle improvements for customers travelling from Fort William to Inverness.

The coach operator is to introduce a fleet of four new, state of the art coaches to the 919 route from November.

The British made Plaxton Elite vehicles, currently on order from the manufacturer in Scarborough, England will offer passengers the latest in luxury travel across the Highlands.

The new coaches - worth £1.2million – feature USB points, WiFi, toilet, air conditioning and reclining seats. The four vehicles – which have the cleanest Euro 6 engines available - will replace the current 10 year old vehicles across the route.

Peter Knight, Operations Director for Scottish Citylink said: “We’re delighted to be upgrading our fleet of coaches across the Highlands. Our new state of the art vehicles will provide passengers with a great transport option, while also ensuring that we are operating a fleet that is environmentally sustainable and safe.

“The new high-spec vehicles will offer the best possible service and value for money for our passengers, who can sit back and relax during their journey.

“We continuously strive to update and upgrade our fleet so that customers can benefit from the very best, spacious and modern vehicles available and it will be great to see these new coaches travelling between Fort William and Inverness.”