National Express coaches 2010s

Saturday 12 April 2008 (0817 hrs BST) - East Yorkshire Motor Services Limited Plaxton bodied Volvo 46 (A19 EYC) was seen outside Scarborough railway station (to the right) about to leave as the 0815 National Express service 322 to Brecon, South Wales (due 1910). The taxi parked behind the coach had hastily arrived with some passengers one minute after the supposed departure time. The Art Deco style building on the left, now Alan Ayckbourn's Stephen Joseph Theatre, was built in the 1930s as the Odeon Cinema.

Saturday 12 April 2008 (0817 hrs BST) - East Yorkshire Motor Services Limited Plaxton bodied Volvo 46 (A19 EYC) was seen outside Scarborough railway station about to leave as the 0815 National Express service 322 to Brecon, South Wales (due 1910). The taxi parked behind the coach had hastily arrived with some passengers one minute after the supposed departure time.

Wednesday 29 Sept 2010 (1058) – National Express Limited C097 (A14 TKF) loading at Pool Valley, Brighton on the 025 service to London (Victoria). This unusual vehicle entered the National Express fleet when the business of the Kings Ferry was acquired in November 2007. It has a Hispano body mounted on Mercedes-Benz O 404 chassis.

Saturday 7 May 2011 (1045) - National Express CO66 (FN06 FMA), a Caetano Levante bodied Volvo B12B, working the 1040 service 727 through Mildenhall to Norwich. The service would have possibly originated at Gatwick Airport at 0640 travelling via Heathrow and Stansted Airports. (Pictured from the driving seat of Mulleys YN54 VLE).

Saturday 7 May 2011 (1448) - Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 206 (FJ09 DXA), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K340 new in July 2009, on stand 1 at Bury St Edmunds bus station when working the 1225 hrs National Express service 497 from Great Yarmouth to London (Victoria) (due 1720).

Saturday 21 May 2011 (1648) - Rear end advertising carried by Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 182 (FD54 DHX), a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12B, seen at Mildenhall bus station when working the 1430 National Express service 496 from London (Victoria) to Cromer). A quick shot taken from the driving seat of Mulleys YN54 VLE which unfortunately includes my reflection!

Wednesday 25 May 2011 (0631) - Chenery of Dickleburgh FJ05 AOW, a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12B, seen at Thetford bus station when working the 0540 Norwich-London (Victoria) National Express service 490. New May 2005. Within the past two weeks the coach had promotional branding applied.

Wednesday 25 May 2011 (0632) - Chenery of Dickleburgh FJ05 AOW, a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12B, leaving Thetford bus station when working the 0540 Norwich-London (Victoria) National Express service 490. New May 2005. The exit from Thetford bus station is quite a tight one with a pole and wall on either side of the exit at the top of a slope. On the opposite side of the narrow street is a high wall without a pavement and vehicles have to negotiate a right turn when leaving. Within the past two weeks the coach had promotional branding applied.

Wednesday 25 May 2011 (0632) - Chenery of Dickleburgh FJ05 AOW, a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12B, leaving Thetford bus station when working the 0540 Norwich-London (Victoria) National Express service 490. New May 2005. The exit from Thetford bus station is quite a tight one with a pole and wall on either side of the exit at the top of a slope. On the opposite side of the narrow street is a high wall without a pavement and vehicles have to negotiate a right turn when leaving. Within the past two weeks the coach had promotional branding applied. This coach was subsequently re-registered to become N999 RWC.

Thursday 2 June 2011 (1451) - Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 207 (FJ09 DXB) is a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K340 seen at Bury St Edmunds. It was working on National Express service 497 which links London and Great Yarmouth. Unfortunately I can’t say whether it was the 1200 from London (due in Bury 1430-1435) or the 1225 from Great Yarmouth (due in Bury 1440-1445). The coach is named ‘University of East Anglia’.

Tuesday 7 June 2011 (approx 0640) - National Express Limited CO02 (FJ56 PFF), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K340 new in November 2006, seen at Mildenhall bus station when working the 0500 hrs Norwich to Gatwick Airport service 727.

Mildenhall bus station - National Express FJ56 PFF - 7 Jun 2011

Wednesday 29 June 2011 (1545) - National Express CO70 (FH06 EBL), a Caetano Levante bodied Volvo B12B new in August 2006, seen at Mildenhall when working the service 727 to Norwich. (Late running service?)

Saturday 2 July 2011 (1645) - National Express CO07 (FJ07 DVN) had strayed onto the Norwich-Gatwick Airport service 727 when seen here at Mildenhall. This was the 1500 from Norwich UEA due at Mildenhall at 1650. The 61 seat tri-axle Caetano Levante bodied Scania K340 was new in July 2007. As may be seen from the lettering, it would normally work service A6 between Central London and Stansted Airport. (Mulleys BMC Falcon YN54 VLE behind on 1610 Bury St Edmunds-Holywell Row-Beck Row service)

Saturday 2 July 2011 (1645) - Two National Express Caetano Levante bodied coaches in Mildenhall on services 727. Left: CO72 (FJ07 DWN) (Volvo B12B new April 2007) working the 1245 Gatwick Airport-Norwich trip due here 1640. Right: CO07 (FJ07 DVN) (Scania 340 tri-axle new July 2007) working the 1500 service from Norwich UEA due at 1650. It was lettered for service A6 between Central London and Stansted Airport.

Saturday 2 July 2011 (1645) - National Express CO07 (FJ07 DVN) had strayed onto the Norwich-Gatwick Airport service 727 when seen here at Mildenhall. This was the 1500 from Norwich UEA due at Mildenhall at 1650. The 61 seat tri-axle Caetano Levante bodied Scania K340 new in July 2007. As may be seen from the lettering, it would normally work service A6 between Central London and Stansted Airport.

Saturday 2 July 2011 (approx 1750) - Selwyns Travel of Runcorn 141 (YN10 FKM) Plaxton Elite bodied Volvo B9R seen at Bury St Edmunds when working the 0715 National Express service 350 from Liverpool to Clacton-on-Sea (due 2005).

Thursday 7 July 2011 (1441) - National Express Limited CO82 (LK53 KVZ), a Transbus (Plaxton) Panther bodied Volvo B12B new in October 2003, on stand A at Mildenhall Bus Station. I suspect it was working the 1045 hrs service from Gatwick to Norwich service 727 due here at 1440. The 1300 hrs from Norwich to Gatwick calls in around the same time although isn’t due in until 1450 leaving Thetford at 1425. A Lewis’s coach was passing in the background.