National Express Covid-19 temporary timetables for services 813 and 816

In response to the Covid-19 Coronavirus outbreak and the consequential reduction in passengers, National Express cut many services effective Tuesday 24 March 2020. From that date a limited number of routes operated on a temporary timetable with services numbered in the 800 series.

The service passing close to where I live was service 813 which operated from Great Yarmouth to London (Victoria Coach Station) via Norwich, Thetford, Newmarket, Cambridge, Stansted Airport and Stratford with two departures from Great Yarmouth (at 0620 and 1050) and one from Norwich (at 1530). The northbound journeys departed Victoria at 0930 (to Norwich only) followed by two journeys to Great Yarmouth at 1200 and 1630.

The coaches for these services were provided as by the following operators:

0620 Great Yarmouth-Victoria (1055) returning as the 1200 Victoria-Great Yarmouth (1630) worked by Ambassador Travel (215 (BV19 XPU) on 27 March)

1050 Great Yarmouth-Victoria (1525) returning as the 1630 Victoria-Great Yarmouth (2055) worked by Whippet Coaches (NX28 (BV67 JZN) on 26 March)

0930 Victoria-Norwich (1320)/1530 Norwich-Victoria (1925) worked by National Express (Travel West Midlands) (SH281 (BV19 XON) on both 25/26 March)


The following week effective Wednesday 1 April 2020 the number of trips on this reduced network was further cut back along the announcement that effective 2359 hours on Sunday 5 April 2020 all services would cease until at least 1 June 2020.

Service 813 was reduced to just one trip each way between Norwich and Victoria leaving Norwich at 1130 and returning from Victoria at 1630 (with the timings the same as had been on the curtailed 1050 Great Yarmouth-Victoria (1525) returning as the 1630 Victoria-Great Yarmouth). This was operated by Whippet Coaches (NX28 (BV67 JZN) on 4 April).