North East Buses
National Express - Printable Version

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RE: National Express - Dan - 04 Jun 2014

(04 Jun 2014, 12:50 pm)Andreos Constantopolous Noticed a few of the National Express vehicles have had a yellow advert placed onto the rear of their vehicle.

I saw FJ60 KVR today and it appears the advert is for Leeds Festival.

See news article here. Wink


RE: National Express - Andreos1 - 04 Jun 2014

(04 Jun 2014, 1:56 pm)Dan See news article here. Wink

Hadn't seen the article - but now you know at least two of the vehicles have them Smile


RE: National Express - nk55 - 28 Jul 2014

Just picked up on this thread, the shamrock liveried coaches symbolise the area around digbeth coach station in Birmingham is in the Irish area.


RE: National Express - Andreos1 - 01 Aug 2014

FJ61 EXW is looking forlorn in Trowell Services, on a 426 to Shields.

Passengers are being transferred onto 4017 (cant see reg), which has just arrived fresh.


RE: National Express - Andreos1 - 12 Sep 2014

7093 currently getting hitched up, after breaking down at j1 of the M180 on a Skeggy run.
No sign of passengers, so guessing they're on their way on a replacement.


RE: National Express - gtom - 11 Oct 2014

Does anyone know if it's Selwyn or GNE that operate the Saturday 10am 580 to Liverpool and what kit they use?

Train is prohibitively expensive and I'm not driving (and work aren't paying!)


RE: National Express - Kuyoyo - 11 Oct 2014

Morning departures South are GNE - and it could be anything from the coach fleet (believe 580s are booked for the B9R Levantes but could be a Scania one instead)


RE: National Express - gtom - 11 Oct 2014

(11 Oct 2014, 1:38 pm)Kuyoyo Morning departures South are GNE - and it could be anything from the coach fleet (believe 580s are booked for the B9R Levantes but could be a Scania one instead)

Thanks for the quick reply. I've not done a NEX trip since the days of the Plaxton Paramount NEX Rapide days!

It's only £20 return which I can't knock. 3hr 35 not a bad journey time either considering with layovers the train is only half hour quicker


RE: National Express - gtom - 04 Nov 2014

After the uncomfortable dated power socket less GNE shed I travelled on does anyone know if GNE operate the 14.45 ex Manchester to Newcastle


RE: National Express - Andreos1 - 21 Nov 2014

1/3 stops unsuitable for wheelchair users
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30126954


National Express - Jimmi - 24 Jan 2016

Should radios be blasted out for passengers to hear on National Express services? I ask as I'm being subjected to some painfully dull music right now on the 580 back to Middlesbrough.


RE: National Express - DavidSBrough - 20 May 2016

From the 23rd of May the 534 service will not serve any of the borders stops anymore and will run direct between Edinburgh and Newcastle.


RE: National Express - Michael - 06 Nov 2016

A coach company is hoping its new Christmas Day Sunderland service will prove just the ticket. National Express has announced it will be serving Sunderland for the first time ever on Christmas Day. The coach operator will be running a December 25 service from its Chester Road stop outside the University of Sunderland. Coaches will travel to London’s Victoria Coach Station via Middlesbrough, Darlington and Heathrow Airport at 13.30pm and 23.15pm.


http://www.sunderlandecho.com/lifestyle/travel/coach-operator-launches-christmas-day-sunderland-service-1-8220284


RE: National Express - tyresmoke - 06 Nov 2016

Seems to be service 815 starting at Newcastle, going via Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Darlington then direct (with a services stop I assume) to Heathrow Terminal 5, Heathrow Central, and then into Victoria


RE: National Express - mb134 - 11 Jan 2018

With the continued growth of Megabus, how much has National Express got left in its tank?

I've had to travel a few long distance journeys recently, and as the train was ridiculously expensive, I looked at coaches. Every journey I looked at, Megabus was cheaper and quicker than National 'Express' (Indeed, my Megabus into Edinburgh the other week overtook the National Express coach on the A1).

Further to that, in my opinion Megabus Astromegas and Elite interdecks give off a far more premium impression than the National Express standard Levante.


RE: National Express - James101 - 12 Jan 2018

(11 Jan 2018, 2:05 pm)mb134 With the continued growth of Megabus, how much has National Express got left in its tank?

I've had to travel a few long distance journeys recently, and as the train was ridiculously expensive, I looked at coaches. Every journey I looked at, Megabus was cheaper and quicker than National 'Express' (Indeed, my Megabus into Edinburgh the other week overtook the National Express coach on the A1).

Further to that, in my opinion Megabus Astromegas and Elite interdecks give off a far more premium impression than the National Express standard Levante.

I caught one of the newest Elites between Leeds-Manchester in their first week in service. It was the most impressive vehicle I'd rode on in a while. I booked the journey the same afternoon for £3 and the station staff and driver were all pleasant. Coach left bang on time too. 

Later I traveled on Nat Ex form Manchester to Stoke. It cost £15, the coach interior had litter and the driver seemed stressed and unfriendly. Granted, the variables here could apply to either company on an 'off day', but national express appears to be stagnating while megabus is improving the passenger experience, launched a better website and are expanding into new routes and partnerships with regional operators to offer new destinations and multiple-leg journeys.


RE: National Express - Dan - 12 Jan 2018

(12 Jan 2018, 12:53 am)James101 I caught one of the newest Elites between Leeds-Manchester in their first week in service. It was the most impressive vehicle I'd rode on in a while. I booked the journey the same afternoon for £3 and the station staff and driver were all pleasant. Coach left bang on time too. 

Later I traveled on Nat Ex form Manchester to Stoke. It cost £15, the coach interior had litter and the driver seemed stressed and unfriendly. Granted, the variables here could apply to either company on an 'off day', but national express appears to be stagnating while megabus is improving the passenger experience, launched a better website and are expanding into new routes and partnerships with regional operators to offer new destinations and multiple-leg journeys.

I've often avoided using National Express as they are often much more expensive than Megabus on competing journeys, and haven't had much in the way of bad experiences on Megabus (bar an overnight trip to London which ended up being a duplicate service - never again), but the one thing I have noticed is that National Express tends to attract a better clientele of passengers.

My experience of a Transdev Cityzap service to York was seriously let down recently by those connecting from Leeds. They looked like they'd just been to a music festival, with sleeping bags, etc. They were very loud and did not show any consideration towards other passengers.


RE: National Express - Andreos1 - 28 Jan 2018

(11 Jan 2018, 2:05 pm)mb134 With the continued growth of Megabus, how much has National Express got left in its tank?

I've had to travel a few long distance journeys recently, and as the train was ridiculously expensive, I looked at coaches. Every journey I looked at, Megabus was cheaper and quicker than National 'Express' (Indeed, my Megabus into Edinburgh the other week overtook the National Express coach on the A1).

Further to that, in my opinion Megabus Astromegas and Elite interdecks give off a far more premium impression than the National Express standard Levante.

I meant to reply to this at the time, but something must have happened.

Is it fair to compare Megabus with the likes of easyjet/Ryanair and National Express to BA?

I think they are very similar in that the established old guard have maybe become a little complacent and the new pretenders have created a cheaper product, which has caught right up in terms of popularity.

I think the issue for NX is now about how they fix this perception and also maybe how to steal a march on their rivals.
Do they up the ante, creating a far better product (whilst ensuring cost doesn't put off passengers), or do they do a BA and try to compete, by taking away the frills that originally separated them and thus becoming very similar to Megabus?

I think NX have slowly reduced their 'offer'. Thinking back, they had the hostess, served food etc (for a sky high fee!).

From an enthusiasts perspective it might be hard to differentiate, but I wonder if the Stagecoach/Megabus brand is more familiar than NX is.
Prior to de-reg, I would argue that NX was a far more familiar brand than the likes of the 'Clipper' or other competing services, if only because of the fact National operated in more or less every town, city and county across the country.
However, to counteract that, some locals may have preferred the Clipper because of its owners.


RE: National Express - omnicity4659 - 28 Jan 2018

Anyone know what gets used on the overnight 435 from Northumberland into London?

Hoping for a newer tri-axle Levante, as they're lush. Big Grin


RE: National Express - Andreos1 - 19 Oct 2019

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2796314113725945&id=108060512551332&sfnsn=mo&d=n&vh=i


Oh dear!