National Express coaches 1970s

Saturday August 19 1972 - The cover of the Yelloway Lancashire-London services timetable extolled ‘Air conditioned reclining seat coach services’ although the definition of ‘air conditioned’ back then wasn’t what we know as air conditioning today. It was basically forced air ventilation. The Yelloway services competed with those of North Western (later to become National Travel and then National Express) which was without doubt the market leader on the routes. There were various reasons for this, the main one being that the Yelloway services used lesser known coach stations in Manchester and London (Kings Cross - where fewer connections to other destinations were available rather than Victoria used by all the big companies). Another was that the North Western services ran all year whereas those of Yelloway only ran in summer and at Christmas. The Yelloway coaches did have more luxurious seating and with such lightly loaded trips it was often quite possible to have a double seat to oneself in most cases on a Yelloway service. This shot, taken at Corley Service Area I seem to recall, shows Yelloway KDK 805F a Plaxton Panorama bodied AEC Reliance’s seen alongside one of North Western’s Alexander ‘Y’ type bodied Leyland Leopards which had recently been painted into the then new National white coach livery. The two vehicles were working almost parallel services. That of Yelloway was the 1600 hrs service from Rochdale (departing from Manchester (Central Station Forecourt) at 1700) and due in Kings Cross at 2125 with that of North Western being the 1715 service from Manchester (Lower Mosley Street) arriving at Victoria at 2145.

February 1973 – I think this was the first day we ever saw a National white liveried Standerwick coach working on the X79 service. 940S (FCK 940F) was seen at the Yelloway Coach Station, Weir Street, Rochdale at 1345 when working the 1315 Oldham-Blackpool X79 service. When the all white National Bus Company coach livery was introduced the large fleetname was simply ‘NATIONAL’ becoming ‘NATIONAL EXPRESS’ later. Also, the company name of the NBC subsidiary which owned the vehicle was carried over the front wheel underlined by a coloured band - there were no outside contractors to NBC at that time and all were NBC company businesses.

One Saturday evening in July 1973 Northern General Transport 114L (NCN 814L) appeared at Weir Street, Rochdale and was seen here on the fuel pumps. It had Torquay on the destination blind and I believe it had been used as a duplicate on the northbound Yelloway service and was then going to somehow run back to it’s native area of north-east of England. It was a Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bristol RELH6G just a couple or so months old new in May 1973.

August 1973 – By this time Greenslades had become part of the National Bus Company and their traditional fawn and green livery had disappeared being replaced by the all-over white format. YTX 322H was parked up for the day at Rochdale having worked on hire to Yelloway duplicating the Friday night northbound service from Devon to then duplicate the Saturday night southbound service. The destination blind was amusing – perhaps this Devon based driver thought that Rochdale was ‘Lands End’ or ‘world’s end’!! A Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Leyland Leopard new to Rhondda Transport in 1970.

Saturday 27 May 1973 - By now the National white coach livery was also appearing on Southdown coaches. 1231 (LCD 231F), a Plaxton Panorama bodied Leyland Leopard new in 1968, stands in the morning sunshine on the Rochdale Corporation Transport parking ground before working the day south service back home to Portsmouth and Southsea. This was one of the through joint Yelloway/Associated Motorways services from the North-West to the South Coast established for the summer 1967 season and this working was initially covered by Royal Blue. After the first or second season it was assigned to Southdown. The coach had worked north on the previous day from Portsmouth/Southsea to Rochdale technically on the through direct service but, because this was late season when bookings were getting lighter on the through Friday service northbound, it had also been gainfully employed in the carriage of passengers on the Associated Motorways Portsmouth-Cheltenham service and then on the Yelloway Cheltenham-Rochdale service.

A Saturday in August 1973 – By now the National white coach livery was appearing on the coaches operated by Royal Blue. Royal Blue (Western National) 2372 (LDV 844F), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH new in June 1968, swings out of the Yelloway bay of Chorlton Street coach station, Manchester with a full load for Bournemouth on the joint Yelloway/Associated Motorways service. The Bournemouth arrival time was scheduled for 1806 although the Royal Blue drivers were able to trim that somewhat by travelling down the A34 road through Oxfordshire rather than the official route via the M5 and Wiltshire - a route more prone to delays which would possibly have made the arrival in Bournemouth later still.

December 1973 – Now in National white coach colours but still operated by Ribble, Plaxton Panorama bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3/3RT 776 (ARN 776C) was new in April 1965. It was seen in Sherriff Street, Rochdale an unusual location for such a vehicle which was possibly working on a private hire.

December 1973 – Now in National white coach colours but still operated by Ribble, Plaxton Panorama bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3/3RT 776 (ARN 776C) was new in April 1965. It was seen in Sherriff Street, Rochdale an unusual location for such a vehicle which was possibly working on a private hire.

Saturday x June 1976 – Ribble Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Leyland Leopards sporting National Travel white coach livery seen on The Esplanade in Rochdale bound for Scarborough on holiday express service 898.

Saturday x September 1977 – Ribble 1025 (WTF 571L), sporting National white coach livery, is seen on The Esplanade in Rochdale bound for Scarborough on holiday express service 898. It is a Duple Dominant bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3B/4R new in July 1973.

Saturday 27 January 1973 - Alder Valley 51 (VCG 598H), a Duple Commander bodied AEC Reliance, seen at Aldershot when working the London to Farnham express service. When new to Aldershot and District (as their 598 in June 1970) it would have sported the company’s coach livery of cream with green relief. In the early 1970s the National Bus Company formed National Travel and introduced the white based coach livery which was applied to the vehicles on this service. However, it was considered that this shorter haul service fell outside the remit of the National Travel network and later it became more of a local express service employing vehicles carrying the NBC ‘local coach’ livery. (Alder Valley was the trading name of The Thames Valley and Aldershot Omnibus Company Limited which was created when the NBC merged Thames Valley and A&D).

Sunday 20 August 1972 - Alder Valley 53 (VCG 600H) seen on Farnborough Road in Farnborough close to Farnborough Main railway station. With the road layout changes I would say that the house behind is one that is now accessed from Clock House Road and from this location is shrouded in trees and barely visible. The Duple Commander bodied AEC Reliance which was new to Aldershot and District (as their 600 in June 1970) working the Farnham to London express service. When new it would have sported the company’s coach livery of cream with green relief. In the early 1970s the National Bus Company formed National Travel and introduced the white based coach livery which was applied to the vehicles on this service. However, it was considered that this shorter haul service fell outside the remit of the National Travel network and it became more of a local express service employing vehicles carrying the NBC ‘local coach’ livery. (Alder Valley was the trading name of The Thames Valley and Aldershot Omnibus Company Limited which was created when the NBC merged Thames Valley and A&D).

Saturday 27 January 1973 - Alder Valley 52 (VCG 599H), a Duple Commander bodied AEC Reliance new in June 1970, seen at Aldershot when working the Farnham to London express service. When new to Aldershot and District (as their 599 in June 1970) it would have sported the company’s coach livery of cream with green relief. In the early 1970s the National Bus Company formed National Travel and introduced the white based coach livery which was applied to the vehicles on this service. However, it was considered that this shorter haul service fell outside the remit of the National Travel network and it became more of a local express service employing vehicles carrying the NBC ‘local coach’ livery. (Alder Valley was the trading name of The Thames Valley and Aldershot Omnibus Company Limited which was created when the NBC merged Thames Valley and A&D).

The National Bus Company started to pull together the many coach services operated by its subsidiaries under a corporate brand. Initially National Travel this later became National Express. The Winter 1973/4 coach guide was the first under this branding. Whilst a worthy effort it wasn't as presentable and clear as the NBC style it replaced and also it contained numerous errors.

One of the best buys was the twice yearly National Express coach guide. The covers varied with each issue.

Sunday 26 September 2004 – ‘Showbus’ bus and coach rally at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK. Two former, and consecutively numbered, coaches new in 1975 to Greenslades. The tight roads of the West Country frequented by the company’s excursions and tours prompted them to buy a number of 7’ 6” wide Plaxton bodied Bristol LH6L coaches. Entry number 527: Former 326 (JFJ 506N) entered by Chelveston Preservation. Entry number 528: Former 327 (JFJ 507N) entered by K and J Stafford

July 1976 – Don Everall Travel Limited was based in Wolverhampton and a subsidiary of the Everall empire that owned car and coach dealerships, aviation services etc in the West Midlands.The coaching business was sold to National Travel circa 1974 and operated under the Everall National name for a time until the different National Travel regional companies were created. Plaxton Supreme bodied Ford R226 XUK 777K had been new to Everall in August 1969 and was one of the fleet that moved to Everall National with the sale of the business. It was seen on Farnborough Road in Farnborough, Hampshire when working a northbound National Travel service from the South Coast to the West Midlands possibly from Portsmouth and a Saturday supplement to the daily Portsmouth to Birmingham service operated by Royal Blue as part of the Associated Motorways and later National Travel network for many years. Unfortunately the poor snapshot (printed on ‘bubbly’ photopaper) doesn’t enable one to read the various labels on the front windscreen. Initially the Everall summer Saturday holiday coach services were assigned service numbers in a series prefixed by the letter ‘M’ but gradually three digit National Travel service numbers were assigned as services were integrated with those of National Travel Midlands.

July 1976 – Don Everall Travel Limited was based in Wolverhampton and a subsidiary of the Everall empire that owned car and coach dealerships, aviation services etc in the West Midlands.The coaching business was sold to National Travel circa 1974 and operated under the Everall National name for a time until the different National Travel regional companies were created. Plaxton Supreme bodied Ford R226 XUK 777K had been new to Everall in August 1969 and was one of the fleet that moved to Everall National with the sale of the business. It was seen on Farnborough Road in Farnborough, Hampshire when working a northbound National Travel service from the South Coast to the West Midlands possibly from Portsmouth and a Saturday supplement to the daily Portsmouth to Birmingham service operated by Royal Blue as part of the Associated Motorways and later National Travel network for many years. Unfortunately the poor snapshot (printed on ‘bubbly’ photopaper) doesn’t enable one to read the various labels on the front windscreen. Initially the Everall summer Saturday holiday coach services were assigned service numbers in a series prefixed by the letter ‘M’ but gradually three digit National Travel service numbers were assigned as services were integrated with those of National Travel Midlands.