National Express Coaches

[LazyGuy222]

4.5 hours max driving time and then a 45 minute uninterrupted break has to be recorded on the tacho. There is scope for this to be split into a 15 and 30 (has to be in this order). The driver can take it as a passenger onboard, hence some services being dual-crewed.

For example, as the 333 service (Blackpool to Bournemouth) currently works, the coach is shunted to Sandbach services where the main drivers then take over, they drive the service to Birmingham then have a 15 min recorded break, then proceed on to Bristol where they then have the remaining 30 minutes. This then clears the clock and gives them a full 4.5 hours to make Bournemouth.
Drivers can only drive for 9 hours in a day, but this can be extended to 10 hours no more than twice in a week.

Idling does not count towards the 4.5 hours, something I used to wrongly assume did count.

Drivers are still able to drive company cars and vans outside of the above
An example of this is the 302 Bristol to Northampton service. The coach comes off the 200 service from Gatwick then goes to the yard to be cleaned, toilet dropped, fuelled etc.
The service is incredibly tight for driving time and with the already racked up driving time from the yard, is impossible to complete. So it's worked like this:
- 302 driver takes the coach to Bristol Coach Station
- 302 driver then drives a company van to Bath Bus Station and waits there
- Driver who arrives off the 339 from Grimsby has a 45 break
- Ex-339 driver then shunts the 302 coach in service between Bristol and Bath
- 302 driver takes on 302 coach for the rest of the journey
- 339 driver goes direct to the yard with the company van

I hope this helps!

That's interesting.

The 339 towards Grimsby has a 25-35 min break in Bristol, a 40 min break in Birmingham, and a 45 min break in Leicester, so I don't see the logic for that in the 339's case.

[Pat]

Does anyone know what services does the new double decker coaches operate on?

509 (Cardiff - London) and A1 (Victoria - Luton Airport).

[Tony]

509 (Cardiff - London) and A1 (Victoria - Luton Airport).

You won'r see any on the A1, they are all with Edwards, so only run on Edwards routes

[Pat]

You won'r see any on the A1, they are all with Edwards, so only run on Edwards routes

But they have made an appearance on the A1 before.

[Busboy105]

How many double deckers do NX coaches have? Is there a reason as to why they are allocated to those routes?

[MW]

How many double deckers do NX coaches have? Is there a reason as to why they are allocated to those routes?

At a guess, maybe the demand on those routes warrants them...?

[Ian Hardy]

But they have made an appearance on the A1 before.

5 of the double deckers were originally operated by NX directly on the A1, with the sixth hired to Edwards.
A period of time later they were all moved to Edwards.

[CL]

One of EYMS' Levante IIIs have received a full-body wrap for the winning design in their 'Driving Design' competition. From what I can make out in the photographs, it appears to be number 3 (BF68 LCX).

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/blog/driving-design-winner-revealed

*not a full body wrap* has only been done on the nearside..

Currently sat in Digbeth with a 322 service for Swansea. Departing 1300.

[tphi12000]

Levante III BU18OTE appears to have expired in Lichfield Bus Station, bonnet up when I passed a few minutes ago.

[Ally]

That's interesting.

The 339 towards Grimsby has a 25-35 min break in Bristol, a 40 min break in Birmingham, and a 45 min break in Leicester, so I don't see the logic for that in the 339's case.

The Northern half of the 330 and the Southern half of the 339 have driver interworking.
The driver that comes down from Nottingham on the 330 will take over the 339 service from Sedgemoor Services down to Westward Ho! (the 339 is shunted between Bristol and Sedgemoor by the driver arriving into Bristol at 14:30 on the 040 service). The 339 will then be driven up to Bristol from Westward Ho! the next morning where the coach and drivers change, the old 339 will go to the depot, get "turned round" then will come back down to the station to take up the Northern half of the 330 service again.

The Northern 339 driver would for example then be able to have a 15 in Bristol, a 30 in Birmingham and a 45 in Leicester.

[Ally]

Levante III BU18OTE appears to have expired in Lichfield Bus Station, bonnet up when I passed a few minutes ago.

It was a waste of time me mopping its soiled floor this morning then ::)

[markcf83]

Does anyone know what services does the new double decker coaches operate on?

Usually the 040 which runs between Bristol and London. Some journeys run beyond Bristol to serve Weston-super-Mare.

[Ally]

Usually the 040 which runs between Bristol and London. Some journeys run beyond Bristol to serve Weston-super-Mare.

One recently made it out onto the 200 service Bristol - Reading - Heathrow - Gatwick, thankfully with low passenger numbers so the luggage wasn't a nightmare to load. I thought the driver was having a laugh when he pulled in to the station with it on the destination!

They sometimes end up allocated to the 401/403 services if they're short on vehicles and they've been out on the 330 a few times. I've also known the 201 and 202 services to be covered by them after breakdowns. But indeed as everyone has pointed out, the 040 service is the mainstay of these!

[winston]

Looks as though Flixbus will soon be entering the UK coach market, I assume it will result in increased competition for NX coaches, could get interesting depending on Flixbus aspirations:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/flixbus-to-enter-uk-coach-market.191981/#post-4201867

[Michael Bevan]

Edwards Boa Vista BU18 OTC is on the Rugby bound 337 today.