Caledonian Express (Coaches)

Tuesday 24 October 1989 – Tayside Public Transport Company Limited 312 (666 TPJ) seen loading at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge as the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 377 to Dundee. A few weeks earlier National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. The acquisition came at the same time that the agreement between National Express and Scottish Citylink (and their predecessors) spanning more than 60 odd years, came to an end. As a result Scottish Citylink created its own services to English provincial towns and cities in competition. Service 377 had been a joint service between National Express and Scottish Citylink and my notes state that the new arrangements began on 23 October 1989. The coach is an Irizar Pyrenean bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1987 as D312 ETS.

Tuesday 24 October 1989 – Tayside Public Transport Company Limited 312 (666 TPJ) seen loading at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge as the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 377 to Dundee. A few weeks earlier National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. The acquisition came at the same time that the agreement between National Express and Scottish Citylink (and their predecessors) spanning more than 60 odd years, came to an end. As a result Scottish Citylink created its own services to English provincial towns and cities in competition. Service 377 had been a joint service between National Express and Scottish Citylink and my notes state that the new arrangements began on 23 October 1989. . The coach is an Irizar Pyrenean bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1987 as D312 ETS.

Tuesday 24 October 1989 – Tayside Public Transport Company Limited 312 (666 TPJ) seen loading at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge as the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 377 to Dundee. A few weeks earlier National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. The acquisition came at the same time that the agreement between National Express and Scottish Citylink (and their predecessors) spanning more than 60 odd years, came to an end. As a result Scottish Citylink created its own services to English provincial towns and cities in competition. Service 377 had been a joint service between National Express and Scottish Citylink and my notes state that the new arrangements began on 23 October 1989. . The coach was an Irizar Pyrenean bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1987 as D312 ETS.

Sunday 29 July 1990 (approx. 2110) – Tayside Travel Services was the Scottish subsidiary of National Express based in Perth, Scotland which administered the Caledonian Express brand. DST486 (C895 CSN), a Duple 320 bodied DAF MB230 new to Stagecoach, Perth in June 1986, had just arrived at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge on the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 377 from Dundee from where it left at 0650. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border.

Saturday 5 January 1991 (approx. 1015) - Tayside Travel Services was the Scottish subsidiary of National Express based in Perth, Scotland which administered the Caledonian Express brand. VST187 (D447 FSP), a Duple 320 bodied Volvo B10M, was seen at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge on the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 535 service to Leeds and Glasgow. Window lettering was carried for a different cross border service. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. (Ref: 135-08)

Saturday 5 January 1991 (approx. 1015) - Tayside Travel Services was the Scottish subsidiary of National Express based in Perth, Scotland which administered the Caledonian Express brand. VST187 (D447 FSP), a Duple 320 bodied Volvo B10M, was seen at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge on the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 535 service to Leeds and Glasgow. Window lettering was carried for a different cross border service. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. (Ref: 135-06)

Saturday 5 January 1991 (approx. 1015) - Tayside Travel Services was the Scottish subsidiary of National Express based in Perth, Scotland which administered the Caledonian Express brand. VST187 (D447 FSP), a Duple 320 bodied Volvo B10M, was seen at Drummer Street coach station in Cambridge on the joint National Express/Caledonian Express service 535 service to Leeds and Glasgow. Window lettering was carried for a different cross border service. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings. Standing in front is G380 REG one of the Premier Travel Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M coaches working for National Express. (Ref: 135-07)

Sunday 3 February 1991 (approx. 1210) – This photograph shows a Caledonian Express liveried coach in Fordham Road, Newmarket when working the 1000 London (Victoria) to Norwich (1345) National Express service 099 which would return as the 1535 service from Norwich to Victoria (1920). This working was between overnight runs on the Scotland-London-Scotland services (either from Inverness at 1815 arriving London at 0625 on service 842 or from Aberdeen at 1830 arriving London at 0615 on service 843). The northbound departures from London departed at 2300 arriving in Inverness at 1105 and Aberdeen at 1050. VSR389 (F451 PSL) is a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Volvo B10M. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings.

Sunday 3 February 1991 (approx. 1210) – This photograph shows a Caledonian Express liveried coach in Fordham Road, Newmarket when working the 1000 London (Victoria) to Norwich (1345) National Express service 099 which would return as the 1535 service from Norwich to Victoria (1920). This working was in between overnight runs on the Scotland-London-Scotland services (either from Inverness at 1815 arriving London at 0625 on service 842 or from Aberdeen at 1830 arriving London at 0615 on service 843). The northbound departures from London departed at 2300 arriving in Inverness at 1105 and Aberdeen at 1050. VSR389 (F451 PSL) is a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Volvo B10M. In October 1989 National Express acquired the Scotland-England services of Stagecoach and set up Caledonian Express north of the border. They were allowed to use the Stagecoach name for an agreed period and so this coach carries the two Scottish brandings.