The old National Express Coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham - 8 Sep 1995

Friday 8 September 1995 – A line up of coaches inside the old National Express coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham during the 1700 interchange. All have Volvo B10M chassis except for coach on the far right which is a Leyland Tiger. From left to right:

Bay A:
Northern National 7042 (H142 CVK)
1145 Bournemouth to Newcastle-upon-Tyne 2115 service 711
Plaxton Expressliner 1

Bay B:
Bebb Travel M35 KAX
1355 Cardiff to Bradford 2045 service 320
Plaxton Expressliner 2

Bay C:
Wessex of Bristol 179 (M440 FHW)
0925 Southend-on-Sea to Liverpool 1930 service 305
Plaxton Expressliner 2

Bay D:
Express Travel L708 PHE
1140 Gatwick to Rochdale 2040 service 325
Van Hool Alizeé

Bay E:
Western National 2248 (F446 DUG)
1040 Paignton to Grimsby 2115 service 340
Plaxton Paramount

Bay F: Midland Red South 64 (G532 LWU)
1700 Birmingham to York 2100 service 322
Plaxton Paramount

Bay G:
Excelsior Holidays 802 (M802 KJT)
0930 Edinburgh to Bournemouth 2120 service 739
Plaxton Expressliner 2

Bay H:
Ambassador Travel 106 (F106 CCL)
0930 Great Yarmouth to Aberdare 2055 service 308
Plaxton Paramount

Depending on traffic volumes different formats of loading were put to work. The draw in saw tooth arrangement as seen here used lettered bays (with capacity for about 14 coaches). If the straight line format was used the coaches formed four/five straight through lines of about seven coaches each. Those bays were identified by numbers which can be seen hanging from overhead. Then there was a combination of the saw tooth bays and two straight through lines. The 1500 interchange (two hours before) employed the latter format but the 1700 interchange which was not quite so busy used the saw tooth format.