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.

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.

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/...-1-8220284

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

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.

(11 Jan 2018, 2:05 pm)mb134 wrote 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.

(12 Jan 2018, 12:53 am)James101 wrote 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.

(11 Jan 2018, 2:05 pm)mb134 wrote 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.

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

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

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

Oh dear!

(19 Oct 2019, 9:10 pm)Andreos1 wrote

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

Oh dear!

Page not found!?

(20 Oct 2019, 10:31 am)idiot wrote

Page not found!?

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

https://www.facebook.com/NationalExpress/

Hopefully one of them works this time.

If it doesnt, here's the summary:

230 from Heathrow - Derby got diverted.

Went down a very narrow, country lane in the dark.

Got stuck.

This is the video from 'Catey Jane' of the aftermath.

Oh I've seen that already. Big whoops!

A quiet night in, classic Corrie and Colin Barnes getting a Duple bodied Rapide to Hartlepool.

Didnt take long to track it down or its history. 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicksbuscoach/11648686025

The plate did appear to have been used on a couple of vehicles.