Eurolines - European express coach network

Sunday 26 August 1990 - Eurobus Limited of West Drayton F812 RJF was a Yugoslavian built TAZ Dubrava D3500 which was new in June 1989. Between July 1988 and September 1990 the Yugoslavian (Croatian) bus and coach builder Tvornica Autobusa Zagreb (abbreviated to TAZ) sold around 77 of their Dubrava type coaches to operators in the British Isles. (60 to England/Scotland, 1 to Northern Ireland and 16 to the Irish Republic according to details shown on the ‘Bus Lists on the Web’ website). There was a mixture of the lower height D3200 and the higher D3500 body types - the numbers depicting the heights in millimetres. These vehicles had a lower price tag than contemporary types from other builders but the build quality was inferior. In the ‘Little Red Book 1992/3’ Eurobus Limited was shown as operating a fleet of eight coaches all being TAZ Dubrava models. F812 RJF was seen at rest in Chamonix, France beneath the alpine scenery of Mont Blanc having worked the 1500 Eurolines service 131 departure from London on Saturday 25 August arriving in Chamonix at 1315 today (Sunday 26 August). On Friday 24 August I had seen the same coach as it worked the 1415 service from Chamonix to London where it would have arrived at 1030 (Saturday 25 August) – so had had a short turn around before being on the road again. (Unfortunately, on the morning of Tuesday 4 September I saw the coach just north of Paris where it had broken down and was parked on the hard shoulder of the Autoroute leading to the coastal ports). At the time service 131 operated the through service three times a week all year round supplemented with a fourth trip in the main part of the summer. Other than being a contracted operator I believe that Eurobus and Eurolines were unrelated.

Friday 24 August 1990 (approx 1545) – Eurobus Limited of West Drayton F812 RJF, a Yugoslavian built TAZ Dubrava D3500 new in June 1989, seen in the Gare Routiere in Geneva, Switzerland working the 1415 Eurolines service 131 from Chamonix (France) to London (England). It would arrive at 1030 the next day (Saturday 25 August). I saw the coach again two days later when parked in Chamonix, so it had then worked the 1500 departure from London on Saturday 25 August arriving in Chamonix at 1315 on Sunday 26 August. (Unfortunately, on the morning of Tuesday 4 September I saw the coach again just north of Paris where it had broken down and was parked on the hard shoulder of the Autoroute leading to the coastal ports). At the time service 131 operated the through service three times a week all year round supplemented with a fourth trip in the main part of the summer. Other than being a contracted operator I am of the belief that Eurobus and Eurolines were unrelated. Between July 1988 and September 1990 the Yugoslavian (Croatian) bus and coach builder Tvornica Autobusa Zagreb (abbreviated to TAZ) sold around 77 of their Dubrava type coaches to operators in the British Isles. (60 to England/Scotland, 1 to Northern Ireland and 16 to the Irish Republic according to details shown on the ‘Bus Lists on the Web’ website). There was a mixture of the lower height D3200 and the higher D3500 body types - the numbers depicting the heights in millimetres. These vehicles had a lower price tag than contemporary types from other builders but the build quality was inferior. In the ‘Little Red Book 1992/3’ Eurobus Limited was shown as operating a fleet of eight coaches all being TAZ Dubrava models.

Friday 24 August 1990 (1545) – Eurobus Limited of West Drayton F812 RJF, a Yugoslavian built TAZ Dubrava D3500 new in June 1989, seen in the Gare Routiere in Geneva, Switzerland working the 1415 Eurolines service 131 from Chamonix (France) to London (England). It would arrive at 1030 the next day (Saturday 25 August). I saw the coach again two days later when parked in Chamonix, so it had then worked the 1500 departure from London on Saturday 25 August arriving in Chamonix at 1315 on Sunday 26 August. (Unfortunately, on the morning of Tuesday 4 September I saw the coach again just north of Paris where it had broken down and was parked on the hard shoulder of the Autoroute leading to the coastal ports). At the time service 131 operated the through service three times a week all year round supplemented with a fourth trip in the main part of the summer. Other than being a contracted operator I am of the belief that Eurobus and Eurolines were unrelated. Between July 1988 and September 1990 the Yugoslavian (Croatian) bus and coach builder Tvornica Autobusa Zagreb (abbreviated to TAZ) sold around 77 of their Dubrava type coaches to operators in the British Isles. (60 to England/Scotland, 1 to Northern Ireland and 16 to the Irish Republic according to details shown on the ‘Bus Lists on the Web’ website). There was a mixture of the lower height D3200 and the higher D3500 body types - the numbers depicting the heights in millimetres. These vehicles had a lower price tag than contemporary types from other builders but the build quality was inferior. In the ‘Little Red Book 1992/3’ Eurobus Limited was shown as operating a fleet of eight coaches all being TAZ Dubrava models.

Friday 24 August 1990 (1545) – Eurobus Limited of West Drayton F812 RJF, a Yugoslavian built TAZ Dubrava D3500 new in June 1989, seen in the Gare Routiere in Geneva, Switzerland working the 1415 Eurolines service 131 from Chamonix (France) to London (England). It would arrive at 1030 the next day (Saturday 25 August). I saw the coach again two days later when parked in Chamonix, so it had then worked the 1500 departure from London on Saturday 25 August arriving in Chamonix at 1315 on Sunday 26 August. (Unfortunately, on the morning of Tuesday 4 September I saw the coach again just north of Paris where it had broken down and was parked on the hard shoulder of the Autoroute leading to the coastal ports). At the time service 131 operated the through service three times a week all year round supplemented with a fourth trip in the main part of the summer. Other than being a contracted operator I am of the belief that Eurobus and Eurolines were unrelated. Between July 1988 and September 1990 the Yugoslavian (Croatian) bus and coach builder Tvornica Autobusa Zagreb (abbreviated to TAZ) sold around 77 of their Dubrava type coaches to operators in the British Isles. (60 to England/Scotland, 1 to Northern Ireland and 16 to the Irish Republic according to details shown on the ‘Bus Lists on the Web’ website). There was a mixture of the lower height D3200 and the higher D3500 body types - the numbers depicting the heights in millimetres. These vehicles had a lower price tag than contemporary types from other builders but the build quality was inferior. In the ‘Little Red Book 1992/3’ Eurobus Limited was shown as operating a fleet of eight coaches all being TAZ Dubrava models.

Friday 24 August 1990 (1545) – Eurobus Limited of West Drayton F812 RJF, a Yugoslavian built TAZ Dubrava D3500 new in June 1989, seen leaving the Gare Routiere in Geneva, Switzerland working the 1415 Eurolines service 131 from Chamonix (France) to London (England). It would arrive at 1030 the next day (Saturday 25 August). I saw the coach again two days later when parked in Chamonix, so it had then worked the 1500 departure from London on Saturday 25 August arriving in Chamonix at 1315 on Sunday 26 August. (Unfortunately, on the morning of Tuesday 4 September I saw the coach again just north of Paris where it had broken down and was parked on the hard shoulder of the Autoroute leading to the coastal ports). At the time service 131 operated the through service three times a week all year round supplemented with a fourth trip in the main part of the summer. Other than being a contracted operator I am of the belief that Eurobus and Eurolines were unrelated. Between July 1988 and September 1990 the Yugoslavian (Croatian) bus and coach builder Tvornica Autobusa Zagreb (abbreviated to TAZ) sold around 77 of their Dubrava type coaches to operators in the British Isles. (60 to England/Scotland, 1 to Northern Ireland and 16 to the Irish Republic according to details shown on the ‘Bus Lists on the Web’ website). There was a mixture of the lower height D3200 and the higher D3500 body types - the numbers depicting the heights in millimetres. These vehicles had a lower price tag than contemporary types from other builders but the build quality was inferior. In the ‘Little Red Book 1992/3’ Eurobus Limited was shown as operating a fleet of eight coaches all being TAZ Dubrava models.

Thursday 27 April 2000 (approx. 1000) – Bovo Tours of Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands Bova Futura 252 (BD RJ 61) seen at the Channel Tunnel Terminal near Folkestone, UK. It was possibly working the 0800 Eurolines service 142 from London to Amsterdam (due 1915).

Thursday 27 April 2000 (approx. 1000) – Bovo Tours of Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands Bova Futura 252 (BD RJ 61) seen at the Channel Tunnel Terminal near Folkestone, UK. It was possibly working the 0800 Eurolines service 142 from London to Amsterdam (due 1915). (Water damaged print)

Thursday 4 March 1993 (0030) – Bovo Tours of Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands Bova Futura 215 (VR-74-KT) seen waiting to board the ferry ‘Prins Fillip’ for Oostende (Belgium) at the Port of Dover (England). It was working the 2200 Eurolines service 142 from London (3 March) to Amsterdam where it was scheduled to arrive at 1130 (4 March) travelling via Breda (0915), Rotterdam (1015) and The Hague (1045).

Thursday 4 March 1993 (0030) – Bovo Tours of Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands Bova Futura 215 (VR-74-KT) seen waiting to board the ferry ‘Prins Fillip’ for Oostende (Belgium) at the Port of Dover (England). It was working the 2200 Eurolines service 142 from London (3 March) to Amsterdam where it was scheduled to arrive at 1130 (4 March) travelling via Breda (0915), Rotterdam (1015) and The Hague (1045).

Monday 5 August 1996 (approx. 1100) – A Belgian registered Setra S215HD queueing to board the ‘Stena Invicta’ on the 1115 Dover to Calais ferry crossing. It was working Eurolines service 162 from London to Brussels. The window board reads ‘London-Gent-Lille’ and ‘London-Bruxelles’.

Saturday 27 January 1996 (approx. 0900) – Menchen Reisen of Borken, Germany BOR HM 20, a Neoplan Cityliner with Eurolines fleetnames, seen near Marble Arch in London during light sleet. The sign in the window shows ‘Transline bus’. Transline was a brand used by Eurolines for a range of services linking British and German cities mainly tailored for families of the British armed forces. Borken, where Menchen is based, is close to the River Rhine and the border with The Netherlands. Close by are the towns of Münster, Dortmund, Essen etc.

Easter Sunday 16 April 1995 (approx. 1430) - Menchen Reisen of Borken, Germany BOR HM 26, a Neoplan Skyliner, seen pulling out of Chorlton Street Coach Station, Manchester. The sign in the window shows ‘Transline bus’. Transline was a brand used by Eurolines for a range of services linking British and German cities that were tailored for families of the British armed forces. Borken, where Menchen is based, is close to the River Rhine and the border with The Netherlands. Close by are the towns of Münster, Dortmund, Essen etc. In a timetable I have (q.v.) for the date shown the journey time from Manchester to those towns was in the region of 18.5 to 19.5 hours. Services ran from a number of key British cities. There was an Interchange point at one of the Channel ports in order to link with different coaches then operating to different groups of destinations in Germany. In the background is Shearings Holidays 680 (M680 KVU), a Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M new in February 1995. Inside the coach station is a GM Buses North vehicle loading for service 184 to Uppermill. Looks like one of the coach seated Northern Counties bodied MCW Metrobuses from the D-LNB batch.

Easter Sunday 16 April 1995 (approx. 1430) - Menchen Reisen of Borken, Germany BOR HM 26, a Neoplan Skyliner, seen just after pulling out of Chorlton Street Coach Station, Manchester. The sign in the window showed ‘Transline bus’. Transline was a brand used by Eurolines for a range of services linking British and German cities/military locations that were tailored for families of the British armed forces. Borken, where Menchen is based, is close to the River Rhine and the border with The Netherlands. Close by are the towns of Münster, Dortmund, Essen etc. In a timetable I have (q.v.) for the date shown the journey time from Manchester to those towns was in the region of 18.5 to 19.5 hours. Services ran from a number of key British cities. There was an Interchange point at one of the Channel ports in order to link with different coaches then operating to different groups of destinations in Germany.

Tuesday 24 September 1991 – Victoria Coach Station, London This Neoplan Cityliner N116 carries the colours of German operator DTG (Deutsche Touring GMBH). I failed to record full details but I don’t think the coach was operated bt DTG itself. It was loading as the 2000 hrs departure of Eurolines service 195 to Athens (Greece, a service operated twice weekly departing London on Tuesdays and Fridays. The coach would travel via Brussels (Belgium) where it was due at 0800 the next day) continuing via the German cities of Frankfurt (1400) and Munich (2000). The first set down in Greece was at Thessalonki (2230 Thursday) then Larissa (0040 Friday) and Athens (0630 Friday). The return trip would leave Athens at 1530 on Friday. Before the formation of Eurolines, DTG was an active partner in the Europabus network. Alongside on the left is Bus Éireann PD38 (91 D 10038), a Plaxton Paramount bodied DAF new in 1991, which was working the 1930 Eurolines service 170 to Dublin and Galway (Ireland). (Extreme right is Yorkshire Traction 99 (HE 8899), an MCW Metroliner 400GT, working the 1930 National Express ‘Rapide’ service 560 to Barnsley).

Saturday 29 November 1997 (approx. 0940) – International coach services about to load in Victoria Coach Station, London. An Ikarus coach of Hungarian operator Volánbusz was working the 1000 hrs Eurolines service 191 to Budapest which at the time ran three days per week all year round with two additional runs in summer. The journey was scheduled to take 25 hours travelling via Brussels etc. Note the Eurolines logo at the top of the front window. The coach behind is Allied Coachlines of Uxbridge P568 VEE, a Kässbohrer-Setra S250 new in May 1997, also working service 191 as far as Brussels. In front of that is an Ikarus coach of Hungarian company Volanzbus which was also operating service 191 through to Budapest. On the right is S.A. Cars Labarriere of Castets des Landes, South West France 4365 PQ 40, a Renault FRI, which had arrived on an overnight service from France.

Saturday 29 November 1997 (approx. 0940) – Allied Coachlines of Uxbridge P568 VEE, Kässbohrer-Setra S250 new May 1997, seen in Victoria Coach Station, London about to work a second section of Eurolines service 191 as far as Brussels (Belgium). Service 191 runs through to Budapest (Hungary) via Brussels and today was worked by an Ikarus coach of Hungarian operator Volanzbus just visible in front. An interesting pictogram on the rear window telling there is an on board toilet!

Saturday 29 November 1997 (approx. 0920) – S.A. Cars Labarriere of Castets des Landes, South West France 4365 PQ 40, a Renault FRI, seen in Victoria Coach Station, London having arrived on an overnight Eurolines service from Paris (France). On the extreme left is an Ikarus coach of Hungarian company Volanzbus was operating Eurolines service 191 to Budapest via Brussels etc. The Kässbohrer-Setra S250 in Eurolines livery standing behind that is P568 VEE operated by Allied Coachlines of Uxbridge new May 1997. It was also working service 191 but only as far as Brussels.

Saturday 29 November 1997 (approx. 0920) – S.A. Cars Labarriere of Castets des Landes, South West France 4365 PQ 40, a Renault FRI, seen in Victoria Coach Station, London having arrived on an overnight Eurolines service from Paris (France).