Kingcommute?

[Tony]

Are these people real,

for a start, there contact address is a P.O box number

KingCommute
PO Box 7677
Brackley
NN13 9BB

They claim to "avoid imminent rail price rises", how can you when rail fares go up in January & there service starts in April.

It appears that the owners of King Long may be involved, 'Jeffs Coaches' Also owned by the same people are based in NN13

[JoNi]

As with any service advertising Two hours 15 minutes is likely to be the fastest journey. They must be mad if they think every journey can be done in the same time.

[Kevin]

tell you what, as they have a phone number, anyone have any questions they can just ring up and ask surely?

[Kevin_Brum12]

To me, it seems a very risky venture.

We know that London commuters are travelling from further afield and that there are people who live in Solihull and Warwickshire who commute daily to London.   However, how many of them are prepared to pay £4321 up front to use a coach?   Yes there are people who are paying thousands for annual rail season tickets, but they can travel quickly to the capital via Virgin and Chiltern and they are the sort of customer who's time is precious and who may need to be in meetings in London for 09.30.  I don't think they would trade down to use a coach whose arrival time into Central London could be erratic depending on traffic conditions.  (The trains are relatively reliable).

There are far more people who travel to London on business regularly - maybe several times a month.  If you are lucky your employer will pay for a One Day Travelcard for Virgin, but if you are unlucky its the London Midland practically all stations train which takes about 2hrs 45 to get to London and still costs an arm and a leg.  It is this market I would think that would be stronger for any coach firm and I'm surprised Nat Ex has not made more of an attempt to go after it now Digbeth has been upgraded.   Peak time flyers, calling only in Central Solihull and Oxford, then straight down to London Victoria - with Carnet tickets, a business lounge and a "club" scheme for frequent users may be an opportunity for the NX team on this busy corridor.   Certainly would be a much more cost effective and business like alternative to the slow LM train to London.

[notepanel]

To me, it seems a very risky venture.

We know that London commuters are travelling from further afield and that there are people who live in Solihull and Warwickshire who commute daily to London.   However, how many of them are prepared to pay £4321 up front to use a coach?   Yes there are people who are paying thousands for annual rail season tickets, but they can travel quickly to the capital via Virgin and Chiltern and they are the sort of customer who's time is precious and who may need to be in meetings in London for 09.30.  I don't think they would trade down to use a coach whose arrival time into Central London could be erratic depending on traffic conditions.  (The trains are relatively reliable).

There are far more people who travel to London on business regularly - maybe several times a month.  If you are lucky your employer will pay for a One Day Travelcard for Virgin, but if you are unlucky its the London Midland practically all stations train which takes about 2hrs 45 to get to London and still costs an arm and a leg.  It is this market I would think that would be stronger for any coach firm and I'm surprised Nat Ex has not made more of an attempt to go after it now Digbeth has been upgraded.   Peak time flyers, calling only in Central Solihull and Oxford, then straight down to London Victoria - with Carnet tickets, a business lounge and a "club" scheme for frequent users may be an opportunity for the NX team on this busy corridor.   Certainly would be a much more cost effective and business like alternative to the slow LM train to London.

Quite a few early morning National Express services to London did use to call into Solihull, however, that number was gradually reduced and Solihull is now no longer served. All of the London departures out of Digbeth in the morning 'peak' operate direct from Birmingham to either Central or North London, and quite often are full, especially on Mondays. There are a number of regular commuters (and students) who do commute daily on the coach.

I personally don't believe there is a market for an 'upmarket' route. A coach is a coach at the end of the day, no matter how luxurious it may claim to be (unless you really transform it into a football team type vehicle - but I don't think that would be profitable!).

I think if Nat Ex eventually gets round to installing Wi-Fi on all of its coaches & gets the plug sockets fully functioning, coupled with the leather seats & modern vehicles, that is more than what I believe most commuter train travellers would expect a coach has.

Onto this KingCommute proposal, the fare of this season ticket works at approximately £83.09 p/w. Whilst obviously more cramped, National Express is already more competitively priced with more journeys, although of course this is without the free parking & from Digbeth rather than near the Airport. Megabus, which do operate from the Airport are arguably cheaper still. 

[winston]

To me, it seems a very risky venture.

We know that London commuters are travelling from further afield and that there are people who live in Solihull and Warwickshire who commute daily to London.   However, how many of them are prepared to pay £4321 up front to use a coach?   Yes there are people who are paying thousands for annual rail season tickets, but they can travel quickly to the capital via Virgin and Chiltern and they are the sort of customer who's time is precious and who may need to be in meetings in London for 09.30.  I don't think they would trade down to use a coach whose arrival time into Central London could be erratic depending on traffic conditions.  (The trains are relatively reliable).

There are far more people who travel to London on business regularly - maybe several times a month.  If you are lucky your employer will pay for a One Day Travelcard for Virgin, but if you are unlucky its the London Midland practically all stations train which takes about 2hrs 45 to get to London and still costs an arm and a leg.  It is this market I would think that would be stronger for any coach firm and I'm surprised Nat Ex has not made more of an attempt to go after it now Digbeth has been upgraded.   Peak time flyers, calling only in Central Solihull and Oxford, then straight down to London Victoria - with Carnet tickets, a business lounge and a "club" scheme for frequent users may be an opportunity for the NX team on this busy corridor.   Certainly would be a much more cost effective and business like alternative to the slow LM train to London.

I'd have thought if NX were to ever introduce a B'ham - London route now that they may now introduce one under 'The Kings Ferry' brand / concept

[Tony]

To me, it seems a very risky venture.

We know that London commuters are travelling from further afield and that there are people who live in Solihull and Warwickshire who commute daily to London.   However, how many of them are prepared to pay £4321 up front to use a coach?   Yes there are people who are paying thousands for annual rail season tickets, but they can travel quickly to the capital via Virgin and Chiltern and they are the sort of customer who's time is precious and who may need to be in meetings in London for 09.30.  I don't think they would trade down to use a coach whose arrival time into Central London could be erratic depending on traffic conditions.  (The trains are relatively reliable).

There are far more people who travel to London on business regularly - maybe several times a month.  If you are lucky your employer will pay for a One Day Travelcard for Virgin, but if you are unlucky its the London Midland practically all stations train which takes about 2hrs 45 to get to London and still costs an arm and a leg.  It is this market I would think that would be stronger for any coach firm and I'm surprised Nat Ex has not made more of an attempt to go after it now Digbeth has been upgraded.   Peak time flyers, calling only in Central Solihull and Oxford, then straight down to London Victoria - with Carnet tickets, a business lounge and a "club" scheme for frequent users may be an opportunity for the NX team on this busy corridor.   Certainly would be a much more cost effective and business like alternative to the slow LM train to London.

I'd have thought if NX were to ever introduce a B'ham - London route now that they may now introduce one under 'The Kings Ferry' brand / concept

Remember National Express bought London Liner (yes London Liner was taken over by National Express, seperately to the merger of NX and TWM) , and has also tried 'Rapide' brand in the past on London-Birmingham, both brands trying a better quality of speed/service than was offered on the standard coaches of their time, but failed to make enough money from either to warrant keeping them going.

This King Commute thing is risky on both sides, by only selling annual season tickets, and they claim to have sold 3 already! will they keep the service going at a big loss for 12 months just to keep these three people happy if they do not sell any more?, somehow I don't think so, what then happens to the £4321 these people have already parted with?

[Liverpool Street]

To me, it seems a very risky venture.

We know that London commuters are travelling from further afield and that there are people who live in Solihull and Warwickshire who commute daily to London.   However, how many of them are prepared to pay £4321 up front to use a coach?   Yes there are people who are paying thousands for annual rail season tickets, but they can travel quickly to the capital via Virgin and Chiltern and they are the sort of customer who's time is precious and who may need to be in meetings in London for 09.30.  I don't think they would trade down to use a coach whose arrival time into Central London could be erratic depending on traffic conditions.  (The trains are relatively reliable).

There are far more people who travel to London on business regularly - maybe several times a month.  If you are lucky your employer will pay for a One Day Travelcard for Virgin, but if you are unlucky its the London Midland practically all stations train which takes about 2hrs 45 to get to London and still costs an arm and a leg.  It is this market I would think that would be stronger for any coach firm and I'm surprised Nat Ex has not made more of an attempt to go after it now Digbeth has been upgraded.   Peak time flyers, calling only in Central Solihull and Oxford, then straight down to London Victoria - with Carnet tickets, a business lounge and a "club" scheme for frequent users may be an opportunity for the NX team on this busy corridor.   Certainly would be a much more cost effective and business like alternative to the slow LM train to London.

I'd have thought if NX were to ever introduce a B'ham - London route now that they may now introduce one under 'The Kings Ferry' brand / concept

Remember National Express bought London Liner (yes London Liner was taken over by National Express, seperately to the merger of NX and TWM) , and has also tried 'Rapide' brand in the past on London-Birmingham, both brands trying a better quality of speed/service than was offered on the standard coaches of their time, but failed to make enough money from either to warrant keeping them going.

This King Commute thing is risky on both sides, by only selling annual season tickets, and they claim to have sold 3 already! will they keep the service going at a big loss for 12 months just to keep these three people happy if they do not sell any more?, somehow I don't think so, what then happens to the £4321 these people have already parted with?

£12963 won't even cover one driver's wages, let alone a fleet or King Longs.

That is, if they have been bought....

[winston]

To me, it seems a very risky venture.

We know that London commuters are travelling from further afield and that there are people who live in Solihull and Warwickshire who commute daily to London.   However, how many of them are prepared to pay £4321 up front to use a coach?   Yes there are people who are paying thousands for annual rail season tickets, but they can travel quickly to the capital via Virgin and Chiltern and they are the sort of customer who's time is precious and who may need to be in meetings in London for 09.30.  I don't think they would trade down to use a coach whose arrival time into Central London could be erratic depending on traffic conditions.  (The trains are relatively reliable).

There are far more people who travel to London on business regularly - maybe several times a month.  If you are lucky your employer will pay for a One Day Travelcard for Virgin, but if you are unlucky its the London Midland practically all stations train which takes about 2hrs 45 to get to London and still costs an arm and a leg.  It is this market I would think that would be stronger for any coach firm and I'm surprised Nat Ex has not made more of an attempt to go after it now Digbeth has been upgraded.   Peak time flyers, calling only in Central Solihull and Oxford, then straight down to London Victoria - with Carnet tickets, a business lounge and a "club" scheme for frequent users may be an opportunity for the NX team on this busy corridor.   Certainly would be a much more cost effective and business like alternative to the slow LM train to London.

I'd have thought if NX were to ever introduce a B'ham - London route now that they may now introduce one under 'The Kings Ferry' brand / concept

Remember National Express bought London Liner (yes London Liner was taken over by National Express, seperately to the merger of NX and TWM) , and has also tried 'Rapide' brand in the past on London-Birmingham, both brands trying a better quality of speed/service than was offered on the standard coaches of their time, but failed to make enough money from either to warrant keeping them going.

This King Commute thing is risky on both sides, by only selling annual season tickets, and they claim to have sold 3 already! will they keep the service going at a big loss for 12 months just to keep these three people happy if they do not sell any more?, somehow I don't think so, what then happens to the £4321 these people have already parted with?

Yes I remember NX brought London Liner route before the merger. I can't remember the brand they first used, was it something like London Flyer or something along those lines? Didn't NX replace the WMT's London Liner with a NX branded 'London Express' service operated by behalf of NX by BCC?

Realistically, Birmingham is too far away from London to offer a competitive service against rail.  Really it needs to beno more than say a 60-70 mile radius from the capital

[Justin Tyme]

Realistically, Birmingham is too far away from London to offer a competitive service against rail.  Really it needs to beno more than say a 60-70 mile radius from the capital

I agree.  Oxford - London works because:-

(a) it is within that distance and therefore a manageable commute,
(b) the train does not have a massive time advantage as the route is less than direct, and
(c) Oxford Bus Company and Oxford Tube both provide frequent services - and you can board any coach without pre-booking.

[nx4737]

tell you what, as they have a phone number, anyone have any questions they can just ring up and ask surely?

I'll give it a go, I've got a shed load of free minutes that I never use...

[Kiewii]

They seem to be struggling to get more than 4 passengers at the moment

[TinnedPeaches]

Thought I'd bump this back up the list as it seems to have gone a bit quiet. Just taken a look at their website, which doesn't seem to have changed. Any news on if they've bought their King Longs yet (let alone whether the company is real or not)?

[Ex BC driver]

I've been having a look on flickr and came across someone's page where he comments saying that a commuter service from Birmingham International to Marylebone is starting on 1st September

[Liverpool Street]

I've been having a look on flickr and came across someone's page where he comments saying that a commuter service from Birmingham International to Marylebone is starting on 1st September

Mmm... Will it materialise though?! Knowing these unknown operators... I doubt it.