National Express coaches 1990s

Saturday 8 May 1993 (1615) – Premier Travel Services 405 (E905 UNW), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M, seen in the King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 0830 Bristol-Lowestoft National Express service 747. It had been new to Wallace Arnold Tours in February 1988. The lady nearest the camera sat on the bench is Jane Sparrow, a resident of Beck Row and a regular bus and coach passenger. In her later years she moved into St. Mary’s Court so became less reliant on public transport.

Saturday 1 May 1993 (1305) – Premier Travel Services 405 (E905 UNW), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M, seen in the King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 1020 Lowestoft-Bristol National Express service 747. It had been new to Wallace Arnold Tours in February 1988. The lady paying her fare to the driver is Jane Sparrow, a resident of Beck Row and a regular bus and coach passenger. On Saturdays at this time she was a regular traveller on this lunchtime departure usually spending a couple of hours in the Conservative Club in Newmarket before returning on the 1550 service. The tree in the photograph was now losing its blossom. There were two trees between the lay-by and the road one of which was removed early one due to disease I seem to recall. The second was removed when the bus station construction began.

Monday 7 June 1993 (1305) - Premier Travel Services 452? (C452 OFL) picks up at King Street lay-by in Mildenhall when working the 0830 Great Yarmouth-Paignton National Express service 747. It did however not work to Paignton as I saw the same coach the next day working the 1530 Cambridge to Thetford trip therefore must have been changed over at Cambridge. It had been new to Stagecoach owned Cambus and was later transferred to Premier Travel Services after Stagecoach acquired Premier and made it their coaching subsidiary.

Saturday 17 March 1990 (approx. 1050) – In February/March 1990 Premier Travel Services added 14 Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10Ms to its fleet numbered 369-382 (with corresponding G-REG registration numbers numbers) for National Express work. 377 (G377 REG) is seen here passing the 15th century Market Cross in Mildenhall when working the 0805 Lowestoft to Bristol National Express service 747 (due Bristol at 1850). On the right is the ‘original’ TSB (Trustee Savings Bank) housed in rather period half-timbered building. The little shop behind the Market Cross (with the dormer window in the roof) was John McGhee’s ‘Homecare Centre’ where I bought whatever I needed for those Do-it-Yourself jobs around the house!

Tuesday 9 November 1993 (approx. 1820) - A rather wet and gloomy evening at King Street, Mildenhall as the 0805 National Express Taunton to Great Yarmouth service 347 was passing through. It was due in Great Yarmouth at 2030. For a while Premier Travel Services worked the National Express Great Yarmouth to Taunton service 347 with a matching pair of Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tigers that when new were operated by Paul Burton Coaches of Bury St. Edmunds on a U.S. Air Force contract (F107/8 NRT). The coach in this photograph is 390 (F108 NRT).

Saturday 27 November 1993 (1055) – For a while Premier Travel Services worked the National Express Great Yarmouth to Taunton service 347 with a matching pair of Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tigers that when new were operated by Paul Burton Coaches of Bury St. Edmunds on a U.S. Air Force contract (F107/8 NRT). Now as Premier Travel Services 389, F107 NRT was seen at King Street layby in Mildenhall when working the 0835 service from Great Yarmouth to Taunton. I have included this photograph as it shows the panelled up bus shelter that had suffered damage by, I understand, a badly driven car. Perhaps a customer of the Mildenhall Social Club? The building stood behind where I took the photograph.

Saturday 22 May 1993 (1830) - Wessex of Bristol participated on the cross country National Express 747 service from Bristol to East Anglia for a number of years. Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ 133 (NAT 860A but originally C133 CFB), new in June 1986, was seen leaving King Street, Mildenhall when working the 1030 Bristol to Cromer service 747. This was to be the last such run for the service because the next day when the Summer schedules began the 747 service east of Cambridge was drastically reduced and re-numbered 347. I had a quick word with the driver and he told me he had to return empty from Cromer to Bristol the next day! Buses and coaches used to travel down St. Andrew’s Street after leaving the King Street lay-by although sometimes this could be tight when they turned right into the High Street particularly if a car was wrongly parked close to the junction at end of the street or if Martins Furniture Store had a delivery van outside.

Saturday 8 May 1993 (1830) - Wessex of Bristol Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ 133 (NAT 860A but originally C133 CFB), new in June 1986, seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 1030 Bristol to Cromer service 747. Wessex participated on the cross country National Express 747 service from Bristol to East Anglia for a number of years.

October 1990 - There were a number of different National Express contractors serving Mildenhall over the years. Wessex of Bristol participated on the cross country 747 service from Bristol to the East Coast. 133 (NAT 860A but originally C133 CFB) was seen heading up High Street, Mildenhall when working the 0935 National Express service 747 from Cromer to Bristol. It is a Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ new in June 1986. Just on the right hand edge of the photograph is Julie Bentley riding her bicycle who, like myself, worked at Kirby Pharmaceuticals (later to become Kirby-Warrick and then Schering-Plough). The man in the blue dairy overalls was called Norman and I believe he also worked at K-W/S-P at some time. The building on the left was the Trustee Savings Bank. After merging with Lloyds Bank (the Mildenhall branch of which is directly behind the coach) the TSB branch closed. In later years the TSB name was resurrected but what we see here is the original.

April 1991 - Wessex of Bristol Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ 133 (C133 CFB), new in June 1986, seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working towards home on the National Express 747. Wessex participated on the cross country from Bristol to East Anglia for a number of years.

July 1991 (1305) - Wessex of Bristol 131 (C131 CFB) was a MCW Metroliner single deck coach seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the Cromer to Bristol National Express service 747. The driver very kindly held back for me to take the photograph.

Saturday 22 December 1990 – Christmas and New Year greetings adorn the back window of B502 CBD, a Jonckheere bodied DAF of Wiltshires Coaches of Sea Palling, Norfolk. It was seen at King Street, Mildenhall duplicating Premier Travel Services 372 (G372 REG) which was operating the 0820 Lowestoft to National Express service 747. The cluster of signs on the left remained from time when the car park entrance was located to the left of them. The large rectangular sign would no longer be read by any motorists, the ‘Buses and Coaches prohibited’ sign now looks rather odd in a bus and coach lay-by and the sign facing into the car park was the original ‘No Entry’ sign now guarding a brick wall!

Sunday 29 July 1990 (approx. 2110) – Tayside Travel Services was the Scottish subsidiary of National Express based in Perth, Scotland which administered the Caledonian Express brand. DST486 (C895 CSN), a Duple 320 bodied DAF MB230 new to Stagecoach, Perth in June 1986, had just arrived at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge on the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 377 from Dundee from where it left at 0650. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border.

Saturday 5 January 1991 (approx. 1015) - Tayside Travel Services was the Scottish subsidiary of National Express based in Perth, Scotland which administered the Caledonian Express brand. VST187 (D447 FSP), a Duple 320 bodied Volvo B10M, was seen at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge on the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 535 service to Leeds and Glasgow. Window lettering was carried for a different cross border service. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. (Ref: 135-08)

Saturday 5 January 1991 (approx. 1015) - Tayside Travel Services was the Scottish subsidiary of National Express based in Perth, Scotland which administered the Caledonian Express brand. VST187 (D447 FSP), a Duple 320 bodied Volvo B10M, was seen at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge on the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 535 service to Leeds and Glasgow. Window lettering was carried for a different cross border service. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. (Ref: 135-06)

Saturday 5 January 1991 (approx. 1015) - Tayside Travel Services was the Scottish subsidiary of National Express based in Perth, Scotland which administered the Caledonian Express brand. VST187 (D447 FSP), a Duple 320 bodied Volvo B10M, was seen at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge on the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 535 service to Leeds and Glasgow. Window lettering was carried for a different cross border service. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. Standing in front is G380 REG one of the Premier Travel Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M coaches working for National Express. (Ref: 135-07)

Sunday 3 February 1991 (approx. 1210) – This photograph shows a Caledonian Express liveried coach in Fordham Road, Newmarket when working the 1000 London (Victoria) to Norwich (1345) National Express service 099 which would return as the 1535 service from Norwich to Victoria (1920). This working was in between overnight runs on the Scotland-London-Scotland services (either from Inverness at 1815 arriving London at 0625 on service 842 or from Aberdeen at 1830 arriving London at 0615 on service 843). The northbound departures from London departed at 2300 arriving in Inverness at 1105 and Aberdeen at 1050. VSR389 (F451 PSL) is a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Volvo B10M. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings.

Sunday 3 February 1991 (approx. 1210) – This photograph shows a Caledonian Express liveried coach in Fordham Road, Newmarket when working the 1000 London (Victoria) to Norwich (1345) National Express service 099 which would return as the 1535 service from Norwich to Victoria (1920). This working was between overnight runs on the Scotland-London-Scotland services (either from Inverness at 1815 arriving London at 0625 on service 842 or from Aberdeen at 1830 arriving London at 0615 on service 843). The northbound departures from London departed at 2300 arriving in Inverness at 1105 and Aberdeen at 1050. VSR389 (F451 PSL) is a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Volvo B10M. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings.