National Express (Travel West Midlands) SH281 (BV19 XON) near Barton Mills - 25 Mar 2020 (P1060558)

Wednesday 25 March 2020 (1620) – 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.

Service 813 operates 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 depart Victoria at 0930 (to Norwich only) followed by two journeys to Great Yarmouth at 1200 and 1630.

The coach in this photograph is National Express owned Travel West Midlands SH281 (BV19 XON), a Caetano Levante III bodied Scania K410 new in March 2019, which had operated the 0930 London-Norwich service (arriving 1320) that was now returning as the 1530 service from Norwich to Victoria (due there 1925). It was seen on the A11 between Barton Mills and Red Lodge, very lightly trafficked indeed for this time of day on a normal mid-week afternoon.