Megabus

Saturday 7 April 2018 (0950) – Oh dear! The game of capturing moving coaches on my local patch can be fraught with challenges. A coach I have so far not managed to get a photograph of is Freestones Coaches YN07 LFL which is eclipsed here by a car at just the wrong moment. It (the coach) is an Irizar i6 bodied Scania K340 that had been new to Silverline, Solihull in June 2007. It was operating the 0855 Norwich to Birmingham Megabus service M37. The quest continues.

Saturday 1 September 2018 (1001) – Freestones Coaches YN07 LFY seen on the A11 at Red Lodge when operating the 0855 Norwich to Birmingham Megabus service M37. It is an Irizar i6 bodied Scania K380 that had been new to Silverline, Solihull in June 2007.

Saturday 18 August 2018 (0958) – Fiveways Roundabout at Barton Mills. Richmond’s Coaches of Barley, Hertfordshire 648 EAU, a Van Hool TX27 Astromega new in May 2017, had just taken a break at the Picnic Area on the A1065 when working a day excursion to Wells-next-the-Sea. An Irizar coach of Freestones Coaches of Beetley near East Dereham was passing through when working the 0855 Megabus service M37 from Norwich to Birmingham.

Sunday 19 December 2021 (1119) – Freestone’s Coaches YT68 GXM seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1000 Megabus service M16 from Norwich to Stratford (East London). It is a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018. A change to the Megabus image is now underway and this coach is already devoid of any lettering and graphics along the whole length beneath the side windows. The ‘Megabus Sid’ character is being phased out and part of him already has disappeared on this coach.

Sunday 4 November 2018 (1001) – Freestone’s Coaches YT68 GXM seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0900 Megabus service M16 from Norwich to Stratford (East London). My first photographs of this coach having caught sight of it only the previous day. It is a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018.

Sunday 4 November 2018 (1445) – Freestone’s Coaches YT68 GXM seen approaching at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1330 Megabus service M16 from Stratford (East London) to Norwich. It is a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018.

Sunday 4 November 2018 (1001) – Freestone’s Coaches YT68 GXM seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0900 Megabus service M16 from Norwich to Stratford (East London). My first photographs of this coach having caught sight of it only the previous day. It is a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018.

Wednesday 6 March 2019 (1106) – Freestones Coaches YT68 GXM seen on the A11 near Kennett when working the 1000 Megabus service M16 from Norwich to Stratford (East London). It is a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018. Fairly new graphics I think.

Wednesday 6 March 2019 (1106) – Freestones Coaches YT68 GXM seen on the A11 near Kennett when working the 1000 Megabus service M16 from Norwich to Stratford (East London). It is a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018. Fairly new graphics I think featuring a wave from ‘Megabus Sid’.

Sunday 5 April 2020 (1344 BST) – Freestones Coaches YT68 GXM, a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018, seen on the A11 at Barton Mills when working the 1220 Megabus service M37 from Norwich to Birmingham. It would return from Birmingham as the 1800 service. This was to be the last M37 trip for some time as a result the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic restrictions and, like National Express, Megabus was ceasing to operate services after today until further notice. Having left Norwich (University of East Anglia) at 1235 the coach, on a busy day, would normally pass here 45 minutes later. I had waited in a decent spot on the roundabout from 1305 and by 1340 I decided to give up. Just after I moved off the coach passed by nearly 25 minutes behind schedule. The next timetabled point was Cambridge at 1355 about 25 minutes run on the roads that were very lightly trafficked in the current crisis.

Sunday 12 December 2021 (0849) – Freestone’s Coaches YT68 GXM seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0745 Megabus service M16 from Norwich to Stratford (East London). It is a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018. A change to the Megabus image is now underway and this coach is already devoid of any lettering and graphics along the whole length beneath the side windows. The ‘Megabus Sid’ character is being phased out and part of him already has disappeared on this coach.

Sunday 12 December 2021 (0849) – Freestone’s Coaches YT68 GXM seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0745 Megabus service M16 from Norwich to Stratford (East London). It is a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018. A wave from ‘Megabus Sid’ whose days are numbered. A change to the Megabus graphics and image is already underway. Sid is being phased out and has already disappeared on some vehicles.

Sunday 5 April 2020 (1344 BST) – Freestones Coaches YT68 GXM, a Scania K410 with Higer bodywork new in October 2018, seen on the A11 at Barton Mills when working the 1220 Megabus service M37 from Norwich to Birmingham. It would return from Birmingham as the 1800 service. This was to be the last M37 trip for some time as a result the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic restrictions and, like National Express, Megabus was ceasing to operate services after today until further notice. Having left Norwich (University of East Anglia) at 1235 the coach, on a busy day, would normally pass here 45 minutes later. I had waited in a decent spot on the roundabout from 1305 and by 1340 I decided to give up. Just after I moved off the coach passed by nearly 25 minutes behind schedule. The next timetabled point was Cambridge at 1355 about 25 minutes run on the roads that were very lightly trafficked in the current crisis.

Monday 28 October 2019 (0809) – Poor old ‘Lulu’ had been left in the layby at Fiveways, Barton Mills for the best part of three days having presumably suffered a mechanical problem. She is Crawley Luxury Coaches K3 CLC, a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B12M new to Shearings Holidays (516) in March 2003 registered MX03 ACJ. Passing by in the background is Freestones Coaches ME54 BUS working the 0700 Megabus service M16 from Norwich to Stratford (East London) which had called at UEA at 0715. It is an Irizar i6 bodied Scania K400 that had been new to J&L Coaches, St. Leonards in January 2013 registered YT62 JBX. It was a very chilly morning with the first significant frost of the autumn season.

Friday 11 January 2019 (1319) – Freestones Coaches ME54 BUS cruising along the A11 near the Elveden Memorial in Suffolk when operating a Megabus service. It is an Irizar i6 bodied Scania K400 that had been new to J&L Coaches, St. Leonards in January 2013 registered YT62 JBX. ME54 BUS is a representation of Megabus.

Friday 22 February 2019 (1211) - Freestones Coaches ME54 BUS seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1045 Megabus service M16 from Stratford (East London) to UEA (1250), Norwich (1305) and Great Yarmouth (1350). Now wearing new graphics that had been added since I photographed the coach on 11 January 2019. It is an Irizar i6 bodied Scania K400 that had been new to J&L Coaches, St. Leonards in January 2013 registered YT62 JBX. ME54 BUS is a representation of Megabus.

Friday 22 February 2019 (1211) - Freestones Coaches ME54 BUS seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1045 Megabus service M16 from Stratford (East London) to UEA (1250), Norwich (1305) and Great Yarmouth (1350). Now wearing new graphics that had been added since I photographed the coach on 11 January 2019. It is an Irizar i6 bodied Scania K400 that had been new to J&L Coaches, St. Leonards in January 2013 registered YT62 JBX. ME54 BUS is a representation of Megabus.

Easter Monday 22 April 2019 (1748) – Freestones Coaches ME54 BUS seen approaching Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1635 Megabus service M16 from Stratford (East London) to UEA (1840), Norwich (1855). A special holiday schedule was offered today with an increased number of departures which left Stratford at 0955, 1050, 1215, 1510, 1635, 1910, 1945 and 2250. (The 1050 and 1945 services operated through to Great Yarmouth). Towards the capital the timings from Norwich were 0620, 0700, 0845, 1000, 1230, 1515 (from Great Yarmouth at 1425), 1555 and 1915. ME54 BUS is an Irizar i6 bodied Scania K400 that had been new to J&L Coaches, St. Leonards in January 2013 registered YT62 JBX. I saw that it worked the 0620 from Norwich arriving Stratford 0840; 0955 from Stratford arriving Norwich 1215; 1230 from Norwich arriving Stratford 1450; 1635 from Stratford arriving Norwich 1855 (I wondered if it also did the 1915 down and 2250 return but don’t know that).