The old Digbeth Coach Station, Birmingham

Tuesday 4 May 2004 - Digbeth Coach Station, Birmingham: Left is Ulsterbus 692 (ACZ 6692), a Plaxton Excalibur bodied B10M new in 1999, which would be working the 1100 service 921 as far as Stranrear on the Belfast service. Right is First 20542 (WX53 WFA), a Transbus Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B10M new in 2003.

Tuesday 4 May 2004 - Digbeth Coach Station, Birmingham: Left is First Coaches or First 20542 (WX53 WFA), a Transbus Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B10M new in 2003. Right is Ulsterbus 692 (ACZ 6692), a Plaxton Excalibur bodied B10M new in 1999, which would be working the 1100 service 921 as far as Stranrear on the Belfast service.

Tuesday 4 May 2004 (approx 0930) - Rapson's Coaches 667 (DSU 707) seen in the old National Express coach station at Digbeth, Birmingham as it worked the 0830 National Express service 538 from Coventry to its home city of Inverness.

Tuesday 27 February 2001 (approx. 1405) - In March 1996 National Express acquired the Manchester-Birmingham-Heathrow-Gatwick express coach services of Birmingham based Flight’s Travel Group which included the ‘Flightlink’ brand name. Flight’s Coach Travel Limited continued to act as a National Express contractor for a few years after the acquisition although the vehicles were latterly less exotic. S295 WOA was a Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M new in December 1998 that was seen in the old National Express Coach Station at Digbeth, Birmingham when working the 0930 Gatwick to Wolverhampton service 210 – it was due in at 1325 but running late. Just visible beyond was First Western national Buses 2521 (P521 PRL), a Van Hool Alizeé bodied Volvo B10M, working the 0740 Plymouth to Rochdale National Express service 328.

Tuesday 4 May 2004 (approx 1000) - In March 1996 National Express acquired the Manchester-Birmingham-Heathrow-Gatwick express coach services of Birmingham based Flight’s Travel Group which included the ‘Flightlink’ brand name. Flight’s Coach Travel Limited continued to act as a National Express contractor for a few years after the acquisition. This smart looking Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B10M was seen in the old National Express coach station at Digbeth, Birmingham had arrived as the 0545 NX service 210 from Gatwick.

Thursday 22 August 1996 – First Wessex 6183 (P946 RWS), a Plaxton Expressliner II bodied Volvo B10M new in June 1993, seen leaving the old National Express coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham when working the 1030 London to Pwllheli National Express service 545 (due Pwllheli 2030). It carried ‘Express Shuttle’ livery. In the background is Express Travel Services P251 AUT, a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B10M , working the 1040 National Express service 314 from Cambridge to Southport (due 1735).

Tuesday 27 February 2001 (approx. 1440) – First Cymru Buses 175 (R175 VWN), a Plaxton Premiere 320 bodied Dennis Javelin, seen in the old National Express Coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham loading to work the 1500 National Express service 528 to Haverfordwest, scheduled to arrive at its destination in the far West of Wales at 2113. It had previously worked the 0645 service from Haverfordwest arriving Digbeth at 1315.

Thursday 27 February 2001 – East Yorkshire Motor Services 41 (V841 JAT) seen leaving the in the old National Express Coach Station at Digbeth, Birmingham when working the 0910 National Express service 322 from Brecon to Scarborough (due 1955). I had photographed this coach earlier in the day from my seat aboard Bebb Travel S53 UBO working the 0855 Pontypridd to Bradford service 321 as we passed through Merthyr Tydfil bus station. The 321 travelled via Hereford whereas the 322 travelled via Cardiff. The 321 should have arrived Digbeth at 1305 and the 322 at 1315 however both arrived at 1318 with the 321 following the 322 into Digbeth.

Tuesday 4 May 2004 - An unusual feature at Digbeth coach station was 'Buskers corner’ at the northern door of the coach station near the London service bay.

Thursday 27 February 2001 (approx. 1450) – Bruce of Shotts, North Lanarkshire, Scotland Bova Futura X20 NAT seen in the old National Express Coach Station at Digbeth, Birmingham. Technically this was the 0700 Edinburgh to Bournemouth National Express service 539 although I don’t know if it had originated in Scotland today because of the bad weather. The coach on the right was Bebb Travel V32 HAX, a Setra S315GT-HD, which was assigned to the 0800 Cardiff to Aberdeen service 536 but it did not venture north of Birmingham today. Heavy snow on Sunday/Monday in Scotland prevented the 536 getting beyond Carlisle the previous day. I don’t know what became of V32 HAX later in the day but I presumed it may have returned to Cardiff at the appointed time that the southbound Aberdeen to Cardiff service 536 departed Birmingham. Similarly, I think the Bruce coach may have only partially worked service 539 today.

Friday 8 September 1995 (approx. 1505) – Northern National 7044 (H330 UWT) was pulling out of the old National Express coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham after loading on the first stand (Bay A) as part of the 1500 interchange. It was working the 1500 Birmingham to Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1920 service 709. Just over an hour earlier it had arrived at the terminal as the 0930 service 480 from London via Stratford-upon-Avon (due in at 1350). It was a Volvo B10M/Plaxton Expressliner 1.

Friday 8 September 1995 - Premier Travel Services 451 (N451 XVA), a Volvo B10M/Plaxton Expressliner 1, seen leaving the old National Express coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham on National Express service 314. It actually carries the ‘Express Shuttle’ livery for operation on the service between Cambridge and London. It had worked the 1150 service 314 from Cambridge (due in 1425) and was now returning as the 1500 service 314 due to arrive Cambridge at 1735.

Friday 8 September 1995 - Premier Travel Services 451 (N451 XVA), a Volvo B10M/Plaxton Expressliner 1, seen leaving the old National Express coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham on National Express service 314. It actually carries the ‘Express Shuttle’ livery for operation on the service between Cambridge and London. It had worked the 1150 service 314 from Cambridge (due in 1425) and was now returning as the 1500 service 314 due to arrive Cambridge at 1735.

Friday 8 September 1995 (approx. 1505) – Shaw-Hadwin of Silverdale K615 EEO on Digbeth, Birmingham having just pulled out of Mill Lane from the old National Express Coach when working the 1230 London to 1045 Blackpool (1835) National Express service 570. It is a Van Hool Alizeé bodied Volvo B10M new March 1993. Another Shaw-Hadwin coach which is in normal fleet colours is waiting to leave Mill Lane. That was 5129, a Jonckheere Jubilee bodied Volvo B10M, new in December 1983 A305 XHE to National Travel East. It was duplicating the southbound service 570 to London Victoria.

Friday 8 September 1995 (approx. 1435) – Shaw-Hadwin of Silverdale G553 SSP, a Volvo B10M/Plaxton Expressliner 1, leaving the old National Express coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham when working the 1045 Blackpool to London (arriving 1650) service 570. It was scheduled to be at Birmingham from 1420 to 1435. On the left is Northern National 7044 (H330 UWT) working the 1500 service 709 to Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1920 service 709 and on the right is Wessex of Bristol 171 (H72 PWO) working a Friday and Sunday only 1500 service 325 to Luton (arriving 1710). It would return to Birmingham departing Luton at 1805.

Friday 8 September 1995 (approx. 1510) – Seen leaving the old National Express Coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham. Left is Trathens Travel Services N314 BYA, a Van Hool Alizeé bodied Volvo B10M new in August 1995, working the 0940 Colne to Gatwick Airport service 225 (due 1840). Right is South Wales Transport 101 (J1 SWT), a 1991 Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M, working the 1500 service 708 to Haverfordwest (due 2108).

Friday 8 September 1995 (approx. 1510) – South Wales Transport 101 (J1 SWT), a 1991 Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M, seen leaving the old National Express Coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham when working the 1500 to Haverfordwest National Express service 708. It was scheduled to arrive at its destination in the far West of Wales at 2108.

Friday 8 September 1995 - Trathens Travel Services M422 VYD, a Van Hool Alizeé bodied Volvo B10M, seen leaving the old National Express coach Station, Digbeth, Birmingham on National Express service 309. It had worked the 0920 service 309 from Paignton (due in at 1410) and was now returning on the 1500 service 309 due to arrive back in Paignton at 1945.