National Express coaches 2000s

Wc Sept 10 (12th?) 2007 - National Express Operations Limited D23 (R300 SPK) seen during a pick-up call at Mildenhall bus station. It was working the 1315 Norwich (University of East Anglia) to Gatwick Airport service 727 (due 1900). This Plaxton Premiere bodied DAF SB3000 was new in May 1998 to Speedlink Airport Services. The letters ‘SPK’ on the licence plate being a short form for that name.

March 2006 - Three Burtons Coaches National Express liveried Plaxton Panther bodied Volvos seen on the parking ground adjacent to the Cambus property in Depot Road, Newmarket which Cambus leased to Burtons at the time.

Wednesday 21 June 2006 - Burtons Coaches RK04 BWU, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B12B, seen at Linton. An appointment at the dentists today resulted in my normal duty being covered by another driver and around the appointment I was 'spare man'. It turned out to be quite an interesting day in that I had to shuttle various National Express coaches between Newmarket and Haverhill for workshop checks.

Tuesday 10 April 2007 - Burtons Coaches Limited YU04 XFD in National Express livery. Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B12B new July 2004. Seen in Haverhill bus station after I briefly drove it as a ‘pool car’ from the garage during a bus duty driver changeover.

Monday 6 May 2005 (approx 1128) - I couldn't contain my excitement when Burtons Coaches YN54 DDO came into Bury St. Edmunds bus station for me to work the 0915 service 358 to Thetford and the 1115 service back to Bury. The Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B12B was photographed at Santon Downham in the most unlikely place to see a National Express coach.

Wednesday 21 June 2006 - Burtons Coaches YN54 ZHK, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B12B, seen on Willie Snaith Road, Newmarket. An appointment at the dentists today resulted in my normal duty being covered by another driver and around the appointment I was 'spare man'. It turned out to be quite an interesting day in that I had to shuttle various National Express coaches between Newmarket and Haverhill for workshop checks.

March 2006 - Two Burtons Coaches National Express liveried Plaxton Panther bodied Volvos seen on the parking ground adjacent to the Cambus property in Depot Road, Newmarket which Cambus leased to Burtons at the time.

Wednesday 21 June 2006 - Burtons Coaches YN54 ZHL, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B12B, seen on Rowley Drive, Newmarket. An appointment at the dentists today resulted in my normal duty being covered by another driver and around the appointment I was 'spare man'. It turned out to be quite an interesting day in that I had to shuttle various National Express coaches between Newmarket and Haverhill for workshop checks.

March 2006 - Rear end advertising for British Airways was carried on some of the National Express liveried coaches operated by Burtons Coaches. YN54 ZHL was seen at Drummer Street, Cambridge loading on service 010 to London (Victoria) despite the 'Airport' branding and airline advertising.

March 2006 - Rear end advertising for British Airways was carried on some of the National Express liveried coaches operated by Burtons Coaches. YN54 VRU was seen at Drummer Street, Cambridge loading on service 010 to London (Victoria) despite the 'Airport' branding and airline advertising.

November 2007 - Burtons Coaches YN05 VRU, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B12B, had suffered a broken windscreen and the Autoglass fitters were on site at Haverhill to fit a new one. Burtons was a National Express contractor operating a number of services centred on Cambridge.

Monday 28 April 2008 (1521) - Burtons Coaches FJ08 KMA, a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K340 tri-axle coach, seen at the Haverhill yard. About one month old it had 61 seats and a wheelchair lift.

Sunday 27 February 2000 - R W Chenery of Dickleburgh, Norfolk became a contractor to National Express on 23 May 1993 operating on the Norwich to London service ‘Rapide’ service 599. Chenery favoured Kässbohrer-Setra coaches in its own fleet and for the next 11-12 years employed this brand of vehicle on its National Express contract. By this time there were three model S250 coaches operated on the contract, two new to Chenery (R303/304 EEX) and a third R39 AWO (shown here) which had been new to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre. It was shown here on the A11 at Red Lodge as it worked the 0900 Norwich to London (Victoria). (At this time Chenery’s fourth NX liveried coach was RYG 684, later K127 OCT, a 1994 model S215HD).

Sunday 10 August 2003 (approx. 1150) - R W Chenery of Dickleburgh, Norfolk R39 AWO seen cruising by Red Lodge on the A11 when working the 0955 Great Yarmouth to London (Victoria) National Express service 599. Chenery favoured Kässbohrer-Setra coaches in its own fleet and for about 11-12 years employed this brand of vehicle on its National Express contracts. By this time there were three model S250 coaches operated on the contract, two new to Chenery (R303/304 EEX) and this third coach which had been new to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre.

Wednesday 1 June 2005 (approx. 1815) – R W Chenery of Dickleburgh, Norfolk became a contractor to National Express on 23 May 1993 operating on the Norwich to London service – at the time ‘Rapide’ service 599. Chenery favoured Kässbohrer-Setra coaches in its own fleet and for the next 11-12 years employed this brand of vehicle on its National Express contract. The Setras were always something different on NX work but in May 2005 three Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12B coaches (FJ05 AOV/W/X) were put to work on the service – pretty mundane and barely indistinguishable from many other NX contractors. FJ05 AOV is seen here at Thetford when working the 1715 Norwich to London service, now carrying service number 490. This coach was subsequently re-registered to become NBN 922 in January 2013.

One of the best buys was the twice yearly National Express coach guide. The covers varied with each issue. I think this one was the last ever and sadly missed even after all these years. Where else could you see all the services in one easy place? The National Express website doesn't present the picture in anywhere near the same manner.

Wednesday 1 January 2003 (approx 1210) - National Express usually operates a skeleton service on Boxing Day and New Years Day using service numbers in the '800' series. Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 196 (FN52 HRG), a Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B12M new in November 2002, seen rolling down Newmarket High Street when working the 1035 Great Yarmouth to London (Victoria) service 817.

Wednesday 1 January 2003 (approx 1210) - National Express usually operates a skeleton service on Boxing Day and New Years Day using service numbers in the '800' series. Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limted 196 (FN52 HRG), a Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B12M new in November 2002, is seen rolling down Newmarket High Street when working the 1035 Great Yarmouth to London (Victoria) service 817.