Stagecoach Midlands 11130 (SK68 LVB) and First Eastern Counties 36901 (YN69 XZD) in Peterborough - 21 Mar 2024 (P1170747)

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1236) – Peterborough bus station

Left: Stagecoach Midlands 11130 (SK68 LVB) seen departing as the 1232 service X4 to Corby (due 1344) and Northampton (1521).

Like many longer bus services the X4 is licenced in shorter sections (Peterborough-Corby/Corby-Northampton) but with buses running through. This legally avoids having to comply with additional formalities and regulations.

This bus had arrived at 1225 as the 0933 service X4 from Northampton via Corby (1113). It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in October 2018. I think I have read that the Stagecoach Gold livery will disappear as corporate repaints take place.

Right: First Eastern Counties Buses 36901 (YN69 XZD) had arrived on time (at 1217) as the 0900 service B from Norwich. It would return to Norwich as the 1240 service C (arriving 1537). It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 City bodied Scania N250UD new in November 2019.

It is an interesting thought that a passenger could have departed Norwich at 0900 changed buses here and arrived Northampton at 1521 (or conversely left Northampton at 0933 arriving Norwich at 1537) travelling only by these two buses covering around 130 miles/209km in just over 6 hours!