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National Bus & Coach Operations

National Bus & Coach Operations

RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
I've stuck a timetable together for the Flixbus UK operations and will (attempt to) keep it updated as the schedules change and expand.
Initially they're running 3 routes from London - to Portsmouth via Guildford, Bristol and Birmingham.
Services run Thursday to Monday initially, and will be operated by two operators, BM Coaches of Hayes and Turners Coachways from Bristol. Vehicles are expected to be in the distinctive green Flixbus livery. I've used Flixbus in Europe, where they run a huge operation and they're a typically well organised German run operation so expect routes to be expanded quickly in the UK as we travel more and more.

Schedule attached below...
.pdf flixbus_uk_jul2020.pdf

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RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
While I am on with looking at the coach restarts should we make a list of the current National Express & Megabus services within the North East from the restart after the enforced Covid-19 period of no service. It will be interesting to see how both networks evolve as they adapt to changing passenger demand.

Megabus network restarted on 03 July 2020
M12 0515 Newcastle - London VCS 1230 - calls Sunderland (0555), Middlesbrough (0630)
M12 1700 London VCS - Newcastle 0005 - calls Middlesbrough (2250), Sunderland (2325)
M20 1255 Newcastle - London VCS 2010 - calls Durham Uni (1340)
M20 1000 London VCS - Newcastle 1700 - calls Durham Uni (1625)
M36 0755 Newcastle - Bristol 1640 - calls Sunderland (0835)
M36 1240 Newcastle - Bristol 2120 - calls Middlesbrough (1340)
M36 0850 Bristol - Newcastle 1730 - calls Middlesbrough (1630)
M36 1330 Bristol - Newcastle 2215 - calls Sunderland (2135)

National Express network restarted on 01 July 2020
905 1120 Newcastle - London VCS 1955 - calls Sunderland (1155), Middlesbrough (1240), Darlington (1310) - operated by Go North East
905 2250 Newcastle - London VCS 0620 - calls Sunderland (2320), Middlesbrough (0005), Darlington (0035) - operated by NX West Midlands
905 1230 London VCS - Newcastle 2035 - calls Darlington (1850), Middlesbrough (1920), Sunderland (2005) - operated by NX West Midlands
905 2200 London VCS - Newcastle 0525 - calls Darlington (0345), Middlesbrough (0410), Sunderland (0455) - operated by Go North East
910 0820 Newcastle - Birmingham 1400 - calls Sunderland (0850), Middlesbrough (0935) - operated by Go North East
910 1500 Birmingham - Newcastle 2040 - calls Middlesbrough (1925), Sunderland (2005) - operated by Go North East

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RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
(04 Jul 2020, 5:28 pm)tyresmoke wrote While I am on with looking at the coach restarts should we make a list of the current National Express & Megabus services within the North East from the restart after the enforced Covid-19 period of no service. It will be interesting to see how both networks evolve as they adapt to changing passenger demand.

Megabus network restarted on 03 July 2020
M12 0515 Newcastle - London VCS 1230 - calls Sunderland (0555), Middlesbrough (0630)
M12 1700 London VCS - Newcastle 0005 - calls Middlesbrough (2250), Sunderland (2325)
M20 1255 Newcastle - London VCS 2010 - calls Durham Uni (1340)
M20 1000 London VCS - Newcastle 1700 - calls Durham Uni (1625)
M36 0755 Newcastle - Bristol 1640 - calls Sunderland (0835)
M36 1240 Newcastle - Bristol 2120 - calls Middlesbrough (1340)
M36 0850 Bristol - Newcastle 1730 - calls Middlesbrough (1630)
M36 1330 Bristol - Newcastle 2215 - calls Sunderland (2135)

National Express network restarted on 01 July 2020
905 1120 Newcastle - London VCS 1955 - calls Sunderland (1155), Middlesbrough (1240), Darlington (1310) - operated by Go North East
905 2250 Newcastle - London VCS 0620 - calls Sunderland (2320), Middlesbrough (0005), Darlington (0035) - operated by NX West Midlands
905 1230 London VCS - Newcastle 2035 - calls Darlington (1850), Middlesbrough (1920), Sunderland (2005) - operated by NX West Midlands
905 2200 London VCS - Newcastle 0525 - calls Darlington (0345), Middlesbrough (0410), Sunderland (0455) - operated by Go North East
910 0820 Newcastle - Birmingham 1400 - calls Sunderland (0850), Middlesbrough (0935) - operated by Go North East
910 1500 Birmingham - Newcastle 2040 - calls Middlesbrough (1925), Sunderland (2005) - operated by Go North East
From Monday 13 July, more journeys will be added to the National Express network due to high demand. See below for additions in our region:

905 0655 Newcastle - London VCS 1510 - calls Sunderland (0725), Middlesbrough (0815), Darlington (0850)
905 1630 London VCS - Newcastle 0045 - calls Darlington (2300), Middlesbrough (2330), Sunderland (0015)

The 910 has been adjusted to depart Newcastle 0805, Sunderland 0840, Middlesbrough 0930, arriving into Birmingham at 1400 as now.
The return 910 still leaves at 1500, however adjusted times in our region to Middlesbrough 1940, Sunderland 2020 and into Newcastle at 2055

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National Bus & Coach Operations
Cheltenham based JG Travel Group - which also includes Just Go! Holidays and Omega Breaks - has announced that National Holidays is being revived after it acquired the brand.

Looks like Hays weren't buying them after all, wonder if they had second thoughts

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...d-18590824

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RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
(13 Jul 2020, 8:04 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Cheltenham based JG Travel Group - which also includes Just Go! Holidays and Omega Breaks - has announced that National Holidays is being revived after it acquired the brand.

Looks like Hays weren't buying them after all, wonder if they had second thoughts

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...d-18590824

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Hays weren't in a position financially to buy National Holidays as they lost over a £1million in cancellations of holidays at the start of lockdown and have only just started to take booking again for later in the year and next year, so very much in a position of recovery right now as a business and would of been a massive financial risk to take at this time when things are very uncertain from what my sister told me as she works for them in the sales side of business.

Hopefully things work out well for JG Travel Group with this acquisition.
RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
(13 Jul 2020, 8:37 pm)Malarkey wrote Hays weren't in a position financially to buy National Holidays as they lost over a £1million in cancellations of holidays at the start of lockdown and have only just started to take booking again for later in the year and next year, so very much in a position of recovery right now as a business and would of been a massive financial risk to take at this time when things are very uncertain from what my sister told me as she works for them in the sales side of business.

Hopefully things work out well for JG Travel Group with this acquisition.

I have friends who work for Hays and they were told by management that Hays were buying them, that was a month or so ago so my guess is JG put a higher bid into the administrators, or Hays decided it was too high of a risk at the moment and pulled out, plus the fact that Tyresmoke heard similar rumours suggests it wasn't just office gossip.

I'd honestly expect National Holidays to do extremely well, especially since foreign travel doesn't seem to be likely for quite some time yet. Wonder if the deal included the fleet of vehicles so they can get back on the road fairly quickly
RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
(14 Jul 2020, 12:43 am)streetdeckfan wrote I have friends who work for Hays and they were told by management that Hays were buying them, that was a month or so ago so my guess is JG put a higher bid into the administrators, or Hays decided it was too high of a risk at the moment and pulled out, plus the fact that Tyresmoke heard similar rumours suggests it wasn't just office gossip.

I'd honestly expect National Holidays to do extremely well, especially since foreign travel doesn't seem to be likely for quite some time yet. Wonder if the deal included the fleet of vehicles so they can get back on the road fairly quickly
JustGo tend to use hired operators rather than operate their own fleet so assuming they go down the same line here then I don’t think the old fleet will reappear in one operation at least.

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RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
New schedule for the Flixbus operations from tomorrow.
Route 063 London to Portsmouth via Guildford has been removed.
Route 020 London to Birmingham is extended to Manchester and renumbered 023, timetable changes too with upto 4 journeys each way
Route 041 London to Bristol has extra journeys added over the weekend, running up to 4x a day
.pdf flixbusuk_2020_v2.pdf

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RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
Flixbus are making changes to their network again from Thursday 6 August... some adjustments to times on route 023 to Manchester and a new route linking London to Meadowhall & Leeds twice a day. I'm sure it won't be too long before we see them in our region too.
.pdf flixbusuk_2020_v3.pdf

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RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
More additions to the Flixbus network in the UK with extra journeys to Manchester added - now running 7 days a week - and new route London to Liverpool 3 days a week. I'll try to keep up with the schedule as it continues to expand. Wonder if they'll appear in our region at some point soon...
.pdf flixbusuk_2020_v4.pdf

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National Bus & Coach Operations
.pdf flixbusuk_2021_v5.pdf

Flixbus are returning to the UK domestic scene next week. Starting on Thursday will be five routes from London, operated by a mix of three operators.

London-Bristol
London-Cardiff-Swansea
London-Birmingham-Manchester
London-Sheffield-Leeds-Bradford
London-Leicester-Loughborough-Derby

None of them make it to our region just yet but hopefully in the future we’ll see the bright green coaches in our region!

Schedule attached for interest.


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National Bus & Coach Operations
.pdf flixbusuk_2021_v7.pdf

v7 of my FlixBus schedule which sees service start to Newcastle on Thursday, 1st July. Upto twice daily on route 001 to London, operated by Whippet Coaches.

Service will run from the same stop that Megabus use on John Dobson St.

Various other enhancements especially around Yorkshire plus more new routes to Coventry and Leamington as well as Chippenham and Bath - both from London.


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RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
(26 Jun 2021, 10:43 am)tyresmoke wrote v7 of my FlixBus schedule which sees service start to Newcastle on Thursday, 1st July. Upto twice daily on route 001 to London, operated by Whippet Coaches.

Service will run from the same stop that Megabus use on John Dobson St.

Various other enhancements especially around Yorkshire plus more new routes to Coventry and Leamington as well as Chippenham and Bath - both from London.
Thanks for this info, Scott. It’s so difficult find whole timetables for services like these.
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RE: National Bus & Coach Operations
Opting for the coach today instead of the car. Travelling to Milton Keynes to host an event.

(29 Jul 2024, 5:53 am)idiot wrote Opting for the coach today instead of the car. Travelling to Milton Keynes to host an event.

Hopefully I don't regret it haha