Flixbus

Saturday 11 March 2017 (1101) – German registered Mercedes-Benz Tourismo (D NR 123) leaving Victoria Coach Station, London by the Ebury Street exit working the 1100 Flixbus service to Dortmund, a journey of just over 12 hours travelling via Brugge, Antwerp, Eindhoven, Dusseldorf and Essen.

Saturday 11 March 2017 (1101) – German registered Mercedes-Benz Tourismo (D NR 123) had just departed from Victoria Coach Station, London working the 1100 Flixbus service to Dortmund, a journey of just over 12 hours travelling via Brugge, Antwerp, Eindhoven, Dusseldorf and Essen. It was turning from Ebury Street into Semley Place.

Saturday 11 March 2017 (0927) – Two continental bound services on the loading stands at Victoria Coach Station, London. Left is a French registered VDL Futura of Flixbus on bay 13 loading as the 0930 service 700 to Paris (due there 1800*) (Registration number is either DZ 655 YO or DZ 655 YQ). Right is Kings Ferry 425 (BT16KNC), a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo new in August 2015, on bay 14 loading as the 0930 Eurolines service 140 to Amsterdam (2145*) via Brussels (1730*), Rotterdam (2030*) and Den Haag (2100*). (*Local times on the continent which are 1 hour ahead of UK). On the extreme right is Luckett’s of Fareham BF63 ZTD working the 0930 National Express service 030 to Portsmouth (1125) and Fareham (1145). Volvo B9R/Caetano Levante new Jan 2014

Saturday 11 March 2017 (1042) – German registered Mercedes-Benz Tourismo (D NR 123) loading on bay 13 of Victoria Coach Station, London as the 1100 Flixbus service to Dortmund, a journey of just over 12 hours travelling via Brugge, Antwerp, Eindhoven, Dusseldorf and Essen. In the background is Travellers Choice PO12 GWJ working the 1100 National Express service 571 to Whitehaven (due 2025).

Saturday 11 March 2017 (0926) – Victoria Coach Station, London which opened on 10 March 1932. A selection of coaches loading in bays 13 upwards that face north (towards Ebury Street). This area was open until the 1960s. Far left are two continental bound services, Flixbus on bay 13 (700 to Paris?) and Kings Ferry 425 (BT16KNC) (Eurolines 140 to Amsterdam). A 1974 photo taken from roughly the same spot makes an interesting comparison with this photo: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/44521286

Saturday 11 March 2017 (1000) – Stagecoach 54219 (YX63 NHF), a Plaxton Elite i Interdeck bodied Volvo B11RT new in November 2013. Note the ‘Flixbus’ vinyl on the side. It was pulling in to the arrivals terminal of Victoria Coach Station in Eccleston Place which was once the operational garage of Samuelson New Transport Limited - still referred to as ‘Sammy’s’. Unfortunately the destination display wasn’t caught by the camera it read ‘Sammy’s Lane 2’ if I recall correctly.

Tuesday 11 May 2021 (1143) – After an initial start with domestic coach services in Britain which stalled due to the Covid-19 lockdown, Flixbus re-introduced services in April 2021 operating on Saturdays and Sundays only from London to Sheffield-Leeds-Bradford; London to Bristol-Cardiff-Bridgend-Swansea; London-Birmingham-Manchester; and London-Leicester-Loughborough-Derby. Whippet Coaches Limited of Swavesey, Cambridgeshire has now ceased to be a contracted operator for National Express and is now operating services for Flixbus. Two Caetano Levante bodied Scania K410s that had previously worked on National Express services are seen here at the Swavesey property. Left is BL17 XAX (new in June 2017) formerly fleet number NX19 now in full Flixbus livery and the fleet number FX19. On the right is BV67 JZT (new in January 2018) still in base white but with Flixbus fleetnames. It had previously carried fleet number NX31 although the NX prefix has been removed.

Tuesday 11 May 2021 (1143) – Whippet Coaches Limited of Swavesey, Cambridgeshire has now ceased to be a contracted operator for National Express and is now operating services for Flixbus. BL17 XAX, a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K410 new in June 2017, had worked for National Express and carried fleet number NX19. It now carries Flixbus livery and fleet number FX19. After an initial start with domestic coach services in Britain which stalled due to the Covid-19 lockdown, Flixbus re-introduced services in April 2021 operating on Saturdays and Sundays only from London to Sheffield-Leeds-Bradford; London to Bristol-Cardiff-Bridgend-Swansea; London-Birmingham-Manchester; and London-Leicester-Loughborough-Derby.

Sunday 8 August 2021 (0949) – After Whippet Coaches Limited of Swavesey, Cambridgeshire ceased to be a contracted operator for National Express the company became a contractor to Flixbus. A number of coaches once operated on the former National Express contracts, with NX as a prefix to the fleet number), were transferred to Flixbus work becoming pre-fixed with FX. FX28 (BV67 JZN), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K410 new in January 2018, had previously been numbered NX28 and was seen just after it had departed the company’s garage close to where the white car is on the left of the photograph. The improved A14 highway and the Cambridge Services service area can be seen on the right. A rather striking suspension footbridge spans the main highway (three lanes each way), two local roads (one lane each way) and an exit slip road from the eastbound A14 (two lanes).

Sunday 8 August 2021 (0953) – After Whippet Coaches Limited of Swavesey, Cambridgeshire ceased to be a contracted operator for National Express the company became a contractor to Flixbus. A number of coaches once operated on the former National Express contracts, with NX as a prefix to the fleet number, were transferred to Flixbus work becoming pre-fixed with FX. FX21 (BL17 XAZ), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K410 new in June 2017, had previously been numbered NX21 and was seen at the company’s garage.

Sunday 8 August 2021 (0953) – After Whippet Coaches Limited of Swavesey, Cambridgeshire ceased to be a contracted operator for National Express the company became a contractor to Flixbus. A number of coaches once operated on the former National Express contracts, with NX as a prefix to the fleet number, were transferred to Flixbus work becoming pre-fixed with FX. Two Caetano Levante bodied Scania K410s are seen here at the company’s garage. Left is BV67 JZT (new in January 2018) which had previously carried fleet number NX31. The NX prefix has been removed but FX not substituted. Right is FX21 (BL17 XAZ) (new in June 2017) had previously been numbered NX21.

Sunday 8 August 2021 (1322) – After Whippet Coaches Limited of Swavesey, Cambridgeshire ceased to be a contracted operator for National Express the company became a contractor to Flixbus. A number of coaches once operated on the former National Express contracts, with NX as a prefix to the fleet number, were transferred to Flixbus work becoming pre-fixed with FX. Three Caetano Levante bodied Scania K410s seen here at the company’s garage. Nearest the camera is FX19 (BL17 XAX) (new in June 2017, formerly fleet number NX19). In the background (left) is BV67 JZT (new in January 2018, previously NX31. The NX prefix has been removed but FX not substituted). Centre is FX21 (BL17 XAZ) (new in June 2017, previously NX21).

NOTE START DATE CHANGE! - Flixbus started a new service from Manchester to Paris on Wednesday 13 July 2022 (originally advertised from 6 July) calling at Birmingham, Cambridge (Trumpington Park and Ride) and outer London (Stratford and Greenwich), Operators like Flixbus don’t issue timetables in the traditional style which people like me find good reading. Passengers obtain information from journey planners on websites which are perhaps addequate for the general public. After going to the trouble of making umpteen individual point to point enquiries on the website I compiled this service timetable and having done so thought I would share it.

Saturday 23 July 2022 (1907) – Whippet Coaches FX29 (BV67 JZP) seen arriving at the Trumpington Park and Ride site, Cambridge when working the 1450 Manchester to Paris Flixbus service N603 – just 7 minutes late. It is a Caetano Levante bodied bodied Scania K440 new in January 2018 for the National Express contracts the company operated at the time. Earlier in the day this coach had substituted Neoplan Tourliner FX33 (OU22 ZWW) which had worked from Paris at 2225 Friday evening but was taken out of service due to a fault with the entrance door. FX29 worked to Manchester and back to Trumpington from where FX33 took over the onward run to Paris. The destination display permanently showed service number N603 and Paris. Beneath the latter it scrolled via Birmingham, Cambridge, Stratford and Greenwich.

Saturday 23 July 2022 (1908) – Whippet Coaches FX29 (BV67 JZP) seen at the Trumpington Park and Ride site, Cambridge when working the 1450 Manchester to Paris Flixbus service N603 – just 7 minutes late. It is a Caetano Levante bodied bodied Scania K440 new in January 2018 for the National Express contracts the company operated at the time. Earlier in the day this coach had substituted Neoplan Tourliner FX33 (OU22 ZWW) which had worked from Paris at 2225 Friday evening but was taken out of service due to a fault with the entrance door. FX29 worked to Manchester and back to Trumpington from where FX33 took over the onward run to Paris.

Saturday 23 July 2022 (1908) – Whippet Coaches FX29 (BV67 JZP) seen at the Trumpington Park and Ride site, Cambridge when working the 1450 Manchester to Paris Flixbus service N603 – just 7 minutes late. It is a Caetano Levante bodied bodied Scania K440 new in January 2018 for the National Express contracts the company operated at the time. Earlier in the day this coach had substituted Neoplan Tourliner FX33 (OU22 ZWW) which had worked from Paris at 2225 Friday evening but was taken out of service due to a fault with the entrance door. FX29 worked to Manchester and back to Trumpington from where FX33 took over the onward run to Paris. The destination display permanently showed service number N603 and Paris. Beneath the latter it scrolled via Birmingham, Cambridge, Stratford and Greenwich.

Saturday 23 July 2022 (1910) – Whippet Coaches FX29 (BV67 JZP) seen at the Trumpington Park and Ride site, Cambridge when working the 1450 Manchester to Paris Flixbus service N603 – just 7 minutes late. It is a Caetano Levante bodied bodied Scania K440 new in January 2018 for the National Express contracts the company operated at the time. Earlier in the day this coach had substituted Neoplan Tourliner FX33 (OU22 ZWW) which had worked from Paris at 2225 Friday evening but was taken out of service due to a fault with the entrance door. FX29 worked to Manchester and back to Trumpington from where FX33 took over the onward run to Paris. The destination display permanently showed service number N603 and Paris. Beneath the latter it scrolled via Birmingham, Cambridge, Stratford and Greenwich.

Saturday 23 July 2022 (1917) – Whippet Coaches FX33 (OU22 ZWW), a Neoplan Tourliner new in June 2022, seen at the Trumpington Park and Ride site, Cambridge taking over the working of the Manchester to Paris Flixbus service N603. This coach had worked from Paris at 2225 on Friday evening but was taken out of service at Cambridge Services due to a fault with the entrance door. Caetano Levante bodied Scania K440 FX29 (BV67 JZP) continued to Manchester and then returned from there at 1450 arriving back at Trumpington at 1907. FX29 was new in January 2018 for the National Express contracts the company operated at the time. Just before departure the destination display was changed to show service number N603 and Paris. Beneath the latter it scrolled via Birmingham, Cambridge, Stratford and Greenwich.