News, debate and discussion on National Bus & Coach Operations.
A dedicated thread set up to primarily discuss scheduled coach operations which operate in the UK (e.g. Megabus, National Express, National Holidays, etc).



As some of you may know already... Rail Replacement coaches are currently being used between Newcastle and Darlington on the ECML on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

In use yesterday were

Abbotts - YN07LJZ
Alan Madrell - A15AVT
Colborns - B489UNB DIG2797
Compass Royston - M40CRT N30CRT P996JBC R459BAY FL02ZXF FL02ZXG DSU313 GSU230 HDZ2615 YIL1224 YIL1226
Croft - JIG3668
Durham City - N256THO FJ03AAF
Enterprise Travel - GIL2163 RJI2714
Garnetts - W229JBN YR02ZKU FJ06BSZ YN06OPY
Jim Hughes - BX06UMJ VNP893 YSV815
M&D Travel - LUI9950 RJI8609
Rowell - V501EJR W157SUP

Scott
North East Buses - www.northeastbus.co.uk
Fleet news, fleetlists and more

A rare sighting in Newcastle today was that of Portsmouth Trident 18191 (MX54LPY) working the M34/M35 from Portsmouth-Newcastle-Rugby... photo here

I will try and get some more information on Megabus workings etc on here for those of you so may be unsure about them

wouldn't mind knowing the timings of the M20 Elite i'S in Newcastle, I know one of them is 2:15pm Heading to London I believe

(02 Mar 2013, 11:53 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote wouldn't mind knowing the timings of the M20 Elite i'S in Newcastle, I know one of them is 2:15pm Heading to London I believe

M20s leave Central Station on an afternoon at the following times (24 hour times):

1420 towards London
1540 towards Glasgow

Other departures from Newcastle are:

0530 M35 to Cardiff (Astromega worked)
0645 M12 to London (Astromega worked)
0840 M20 to London (Elite worked)
1120 M36 to Plymouth
1330 M34 to Portsmouth
1805 M35 to Rugby
2030 M35 to Manchester

Note that the 0530 M35 working is normally the same Astromega that worked the M12 the previous day, unless a fault develops with the example that works the M35 north the night before.

Back to normal allocation-wise, Trident wasn't out on the M34/5 today.

Introducing MegabusGold...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimbosbus/8659699591/
http://stagecoach.com/media/news-release...coach.aspx

This looks very different to the service they trialled.

Seats converting to beds instead of the bunks on the trial sleeper service for one.

Looks like a broadshot at the Caledonian Sleeper

There was even a comparison to the sleeper service too. If it was a toss up between the two - wonder who would win?

(18 Apr 2013, 6:50 pm)Daniel wrote Introducing MegabusGold...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimbosbus/8659699591/
http://stagecoach.com/media/news-release...coach.aspx

You can even get a free onesie!!!!!

I couldn't believe it when I read about the onesie...

(18 Apr 2013, 7:18 pm)Andreos1 wrote There was even a comparison to the sleeper service too. If it was a toss up between the two - wonder who would win?

Similar journey times but Megabus will win on price I'd imagine, especially with a lot of this being targeted at students, something Stagecoach are pretty hot on.

The plane into Stansted comes up cheaper (with a hotel thrown in) a lot of the time than the Cally Sleeper

If you don't fancy the sleeper to try it out, then the coaches will run on the Aberdeen-Glasgow CityLink Gold Services during the day, but can't be guaranteed!

(19 Apr 2013, 12:49 pm)gtomlinson wrote

(18 Apr 2013, 7:18 pm)Andreos1 wrote There was even a comparison to the sleeper service too. If it was a toss up between the two - wonder who would win?

Similar journey times but Megabus will win on price I'd imagine, especially with a lot of this being targeted at students, something Stagecoach are pretty hot on.

The plane into Stansted comes up cheaper (with a hotel thrown in) a lot of the time than the Cally Sleeper

If you don't fancy the sleeper to try it out, then the coaches will run on the Aberdeen-Glasgow CityLink Gold Services during the day, but can't be guaranteed!

Personally, I have always wanted to try the sleeper. They do some good deals too.
Looking at the timings of the bus from the starting points, I wonder if you would be allowed to board earlier like you can with the sleeper?

A handful of Megabus coaches are/have been working rail replacement from Nottingham Station today.

Asuming I read the vehicle's registration number correctly, a small minibus type coach was in Park Lane a few minutes ago, on the layover (at Stands A-G). Its reg was T200 OCT.
I'm assuming it had something to do with Megabus on the basis that the vehicle had seats which had a Stagecoach beach ball moquette.

Nothing particularly noteworthy - just thought I'd give it a mention.

A quick bit of googling suggests it used to be part of the Rennies fleet so that would explain the Stagecoach seats, nothing to do with Megabus.

(02 Jun 2013, 9:40 am)tyresmoke wrote A quick bit of googling suggests it used to be part of the Rennies fleet so that would explain the Stagecoach seats, nothing to do with Megabus.

Still left to wonder why she was there then! I assumed she was a dupe for a service, but nevermind..!

Last known with PJ Travel of Clydebank so probably on a private hire!?

(02 Jun 2013, 9:47 am)tyresmoke wrote Last known with PJ Travel of Clydebank so probably on a private hire!?

I'd assume so!
Ta for clearing that up - wish I had got a photo now.

Quick bit of Megabus searching and I've managed to come up with this timetable for Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Scotch Corner...

(08 Jul 2013, 3:46 pm)tyresmoke wrote Quick bit of Megabus searching and I've managed to come up with this timetable for Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Scotch Corner...

That's quite helpful Scott - thanks.
If I could give a word of advice on improving it, I'd say that adding a list of the workings for each run on the timetable would be good - listed by Tony in Post #3.

(09 Jul 2013, 6:31 am)Daniel wrote

(08 Jul 2013, 3:46 pm)tyresmoke wrote Quick bit of Megabus searching and I've managed to come up with this timetable for Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Scotch Corner...

That's quite helpful Scott - thanks.
If I could give a word of advice on improving it, I'd say that adding a list of the workings for each run on the timetable would be good - listed by Tony in Post #3.

There's also a few minor mistakes, for example the M12 southbound only has its weekday times on there (it still runs at the old times of 0645 from Newcastle, 0800 from Middlesbrough at the weekend).

An extreme rare working on the M35 towards Newcastle in the form of South Wales' B10M 52633, having just left Middlesbrough.

(24 Aug 2013, 10:27 am)Kuyoyo wrote An extreme rare working on the M35 towards Newcastle in the form of South Wales' B10M 52633, having just left Middlesbrough.

For anyone in the North East wanting to catch it, I believe the timings (using a guide created by tyresmoke a page or two ago) are as follows:

M35: Sunderland 1155, Newcastle (A) 1235.
M34: Newcastle (D) 1330, Sunderland 1405, Middlesbrough 1445.

If people haven't already seen, the M35/M36 duties on Megabus are now being operated by the second batch of Volvo B11R/Plaxton Elite Is, which have replaced the original 7 B12BT/'Mega' Panthers (the first 15m examples built) along with 54026 (which holds a North East connection having been based at Walkergate for a time during its early life) which will be leaving the Stagecoach Empire within the next month for new lives with any independents who won't mind a coach with over 1 million miles on the clock. The M34/M35 workings, however, aren't so lucky - they instead are being worked now by the B9R/Panthers previously used on the European runs which are now mainly in the hands of Left Hand Drive Altanos.

For everyone's benefit, here are the Elite I workings in the North East (not just Newcastle):

Glasgow's batch (54201-11)
Newcastle
M20 to London: 0140, 0840, 1420
M20 to Glasgow: 0430, 1610, 2310

Rugby's Batch (54212-21)
Newcastle
M36 to Plymouth: 1120
M35 to Manchester: 2030

Sunderland
M36 to Plymouth: 1200
M36 to Newcastle: 1740
M35 to Newcastle: 0945
M35 to Manchester: 2105

Middlesbrough
M36 to Plymouth: 1240
M36 to Newcastle: 1700
M35 to Newcastle: 0905
M35 to Manchester: 2145

This afternoons working of the M20 heading south, was being worked by a corporate liveried Parks coach as I passed it an hour or so ago near Dishforth.

It was being closely followed by a Megabus liveried coach NIS.

(06 Dec 2013, 5:19 pm)andreos1 wrote This afternoons working of the M20 heading south, was being worked by a corporate liveried Parks coach as I passed it an hour or so ago near Dishforth.

It was being closely followed by a Megabus liveried coach NIS.

There was a similar coach heading North this afternoon at Chester - presumably the same one heading South yesterday afternoon.

Megabus are running their free ticket offer again (excludes Scotland). The offer applies to selected routes and dates but new seats seem to be released daily.
Details can be found at:
http://uk.megabus.com/free-bus-travel.aspx

Note a 50p per single journey booking fee applies.

(18 Dec 2013, 12:36 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote Megabus are running their free ticket offer again (excludes Scotland). The offer applies to selected routes and dates but new seats seem to be released daily.
Details can be found at:
http://uk.megabus.com/free-bus-travel.aspx

Note a 50p per single journey booking fee applies.

Found one!
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
http://d.pr/i/f7LI

EDIT:
Found a few more...
http://d.pr/i/rIri

So annoyed I'm not off school until the week after :|
I literally couldn't refuse a trip to London for a quid (+ booking fee)

Ok guys

Here's an up to date spreadsheet (converted into a PDF) of the latest Megabus times.
Not much has changed since last time.

The M20 northbound is often duplicated by Parks of Hamilton on a Saturday and Monday. I'm yet to find out whether this is every week but it certainly seems to be quite often! They duplicate the southbound journey through the previous night (2300 Edinburgh-London, 0930 return).
Indeed me and Kuyoyo travelled back on the dupe from Edinburgh on Sunday night, 2300 out of Edinburgh which went direct to Scotch Corner to drop us off (and a driver change), it then went straight to London, having taken all of the London passengers from Edinburgh.
The service run was a Megabus Elite which had to go into Newcastle to pick up, and then straight to Woolley Edge I presume!

EDIT:
The journeys duplicated by Parks of Hamilton I have as follows:
Fri 1135 Edinburgh - London 2100 (Newcastle 1420, Scotch Corner 1510)
Fri 2230 London - Edinburgh 0740 (Scotch Corner 0330, Newcastle 0430)
Sun 2300 Edinburgh - London 0800 (Newcastle 0140, Scotch Corner 0230)
Mon 0930 London - Edinburgh 1905 (Scotch Corner 1505, Newcastle 1610)
Please note the southbound journeys may not always call at Newcastle, it will depend entirely on booking numbers....