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Megabus General Discussion
- Thread starter markymark2000
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I guess that implies that Megabus aren't doing well in the London to Bristol market and may be seeking to focus operations more on services to South Wales.
Not obvious that it is a Flixbus effect though as their involvement on Bristol services isn't particularly significant.
They are still the same. It's easier to do the Bristol runs from Cardiff end. Most of the operators are based in South Wales. NAT, Watts and Stagecoach Cwmbran.
Seen it at Glasgow. It's a Snowdon's tri axle.
Always thought the London to Poole Megabus M3 was a weaker route.
markymark2000
On Moderation
Feel free to love this to another thread but given there are 2 Megabus depots so close (Cwmbran and Bristol), is it easier to move everything to Cwmbran for driver route knowledge, general training. I don't know how each depot works but without separate managers for coach and bus, depot staff dealing with EU Hours and Domestic hours in one depot can get interesting. Bristol has had an uplift in service work now with the tendered stuff there and Cwmbran has just had a newer bigger depot built.
For any Bristol routes to run from Cwmbran, it's not a big issue either, a short jump over the bridge and you're in Bristol. I wonder if this will lead to Cwmbran having more Megabus services as part of the dead mileage runs.
I think everyone jumping to say Flixbus is having a big impact, I disagree. Ive found everyone to be as busy despite the competition. Instead of people before saying 'coach or train', they are now going 'NatEx, Megabus or Flixbus, train if none of the above are reasonably priced. The only thing that I can think would have a big impact for Stagecoach is they no longer own Megabus. They are just an operator and so Megabus can award the work to anyone with no need for loyalty. What's to say a lot of other firms aren't due to start Megabus or new entrants like Eurocoaches won't take on more work. Theres a few London firms that run on the M4 corridor (I think New Baraht do London to Bristol).
For any Bristol routes to run from Cwmbran, it's not a big issue either, a short jump over the bridge and you're in Bristol. I wonder if this will lead to Cwmbran having more Megabus services as part of the dead mileage runs.
I think everyone jumping to say Flixbus is having a big impact, I disagree. Ive found everyone to be as busy despite the competition. Instead of people before saying 'coach or train', they are now going 'NatEx, Megabus or Flixbus, train if none of the above are reasonably priced. The only thing that I can think would have a big impact for Stagecoach is they no longer own Megabus. They are just an operator and so Megabus can award the work to anyone with no need for loyalty. What's to say a lot of other firms aren't due to start Megabus or new entrants like Eurocoaches won't take on more work. Theres a few London firms that run on the M4 corridor (I think New Baraht do London to Bristol).
That may be a substitute. When I have done it recently it has been an interdeck. The Snowdon vehicles seem to fill in on various routes.
Cwmbran has a dedicated Megabus management team. Bristol at one time they had to second someone from Cwmbran to sort it out.
Yes, I could be wrong but that M23 is the only service operated by an English operator to Scotland out of Flixbus , NX and Megabus.
317 forever
Established Member
A few months ago I saw a Megabus connection from Manchester Shudehill to Newcastle-under-Lyme at or around 8.25am. I was planning to ride it to make a change from a train to Stoke-on-Trent. Alas it has now been withdrawn (or the Newcastle-under-Lyme stop removed from the longer-distance route in question).
They do chop and change their routes quite often. I noticed the M17 serves Birmingham southbound but not northbound.
Looks like the cross-country North to South routes are getting a remix in the New Year. I've only looked at Oxford, but that's going from
- 1x M17 (South Coast - Manchester - Glasgow) (weekends)
- 2x M34 (South Coast-Birmingham-Manchester-Leeds then splitting to Newcastle or Sheffield) (1 not Tues or Weds)
- 1x M37 (Bristol-Oxford-Birmingham-Norwich) (not Tues or Weds)
to
- 1x M17 (South Coast - Manchester - Glasgow) (weekends)
- 1x South Coast - Birmingham - Manchester - Leeds - Newcastle
- 1x South Coast - Birmingham - East Midlands - Sheffield (- Leeds in one direction)
- 1x Bristol - Oxford - Birmingham - East Midlands - Sheffield - Leeds (- Newcastle in one direction)
Overall pleased with these, the wider variety of destinations and coaches every day is good even if losing the evening coach to Manchester is a shame. Does anyone know what these changes look like on other routes, and what the numbering is (to the extent that that has any meaning on Megabus)? Also, I assume this is somehow related to Bristol losing its workings as mentioned above?
- 1x M17 (South Coast - Manchester - Glasgow) (weekends)
- 2x M34 (South Coast-Birmingham-Manchester-Leeds then splitting to Newcastle or Sheffield) (1 not Tues or Weds)
- 1x M37 (Bristol-Oxford-Birmingham-Norwich) (not Tues or Weds)
to
- 1x M17 (South Coast - Manchester - Glasgow) (weekends)
- 1x South Coast - Birmingham - Manchester - Leeds - Newcastle
- 1x South Coast - Birmingham - East Midlands - Sheffield (- Leeds in one direction)
- 1x Bristol - Oxford - Birmingham - East Midlands - Sheffield - Leeds (- Newcastle in one direction)
Overall pleased with these, the wider variety of destinations and coaches every day is good even if losing the evening coach to Manchester is a shame. Does anyone know what these changes look like on other routes, and what the numbering is (to the extent that that has any meaning on Megabus)? Also, I assume this is somehow related to Bristol losing its workings as mentioned above?
Dfatcontroller
Member
Currently run with KSK979.
KSK979 (Megabus)
Seen in Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow is Park's of Hamilton's recently reliveried Volvo 9700 bodied Volvo B11R KSK979 into Megabus livery for use on Megabus service M17 from Glasgow to Southampton.
flic.kr
Yes, I had that bus to Manchester on the M17. I had a Panorama on the full route back in July. One quirk of he route is the Northbound day service omits Birmingham.Currently run with KSK979.
KSK979 (Megabus)
Seen in Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow is Park's of Hamilton's recently reliveried Volvo 9700 bodied Volvo B11R KSK979 into Megabus livery for use on Megabus service M17 from Glasgow to Southampton.
markymark2000
On Moderation
It may be of interest to some that Megabus have released their network map for January 2024.
Attachments
The Hull extension of the 2300 from Victoria via Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds has gone. Looks like the last one is on the night of Tuesday 9 January.
Journey moves to 2330, loses the Coventry, Birmingham Airport, and Newcastle-under-Lyme stops and terminates in Manchester.
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Looks like Hull ad Bournemouth are no longer part of the network.#
What service runs from Manchester airport to Sheffield?
Oh dear, that's not enormously encouraging - Gatwick services only through London, nothing London to South Coast, and no Hull immediately jump out.
The system shows two a day at weekends from January, but both stopping at Shudehill, and one via Leeds. EDIT: these are coming up from Bristol and Birmingham to Manchester, then looping back round to Sheffield.
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Joe Paxton
Established Member
- Joined
- 12 Jan 2017
- Messages
- 2,468
I wonder why the trams get a mention in Sheffield and Nottingham, but not in Manchester, Birmingham or Edinburgh?
I've now mostly worked out the 2024 timetable from the booking system, attached as a spreadsheet (currently missing are Bristol and Wales to London, Barnstaple, and Gatwick). Overall, it's not looking good at all - almost all Birmingham coaches now take an absurd routing via Reading, barely any fast Scotlands left, and cities such as Nottingham seeing an incredibly reduced service compared to now (assuming nothing else is added). Separated for ease into discrete routes in the last tab though I couldn't figure out a way to find actual numbers, the other tabs are varying levels of aggregation. Do let me know if there's any obvious mistakes.
I believe those are the only cities where through-ticketing is available with the trams?
Interesting there is a 0420 service from Glasgow, I seem to remember a service pre covid at this time.
I would double check the Southbound sheet I think some services start from Glasgow rather than Edinburgh.
The Glasgows are all on there, just bunched up at one end! Also to note is that ! on the sheet shows a stop out of order, which is almost entirely for Glasgow and Edinburgh.
markymark2000
On Moderation
Just to give you a little helping hand.
On the M37 journeys,
Thu-Mon, the 14:05 off Norwich extends to Liverpool calling Manchester Airport, Manchester and Liverpool
Thu-Mon the 14:50 from Birmingham actually starts back at Liverpool at 11:05 calling Manchester, Manchester Airport then as the 14:50 from Birmingham
Logically working as part of the M37 extensions is a Thu-Mon 05:50 from Birmingham - Liverpool calling Manchester Airport, Manchester and Liverpool and a Thu-Mon 23:10 Liverpool to Birmingham calling Manchester, Manchester Airport and Birmingham.
Barnstaple line looks like it's just bus a 1 bus shuttle doing 2 daily round trips doing Barnstaple to Bristol.
08:00 & 14:10 from Barnstaple calling Taunton, Weston, Bristol Airport and Bristol.
11:00 & 19:00 from Bristol calling Bristol Airport, Weston, Taunton and Barnstaple.
Gatwick services are what you list as the 16:00 London to Newcastle, this service starts at Gatwick South Terminal at 14:20. The 04:45 Newcastle to London, that extends to Gatwick arriving at 13:25.
Thanks! I eventually managed to work out the numbers using Google Maps which also showed what was going on with the now-M87, but Gatwick and Barnstaple are helpful. Can't see Barnstaple lasting long in that format, maybe could be folded somehow into the Falcon. What I think is the complete version minus the M4 corridor, now including the surprisingly sensible numbers, is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OGP3pWd4PjhIBcMOKUmJKYv76HxvA9TXYlDBXlslDzY/edit?usp=sharing
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Could this information be published in a format that doesn't require the installation of additional software in order to view it? Ideally it should included in your post, but failing this, a PDF would be more appropriate.
Apologies, hadn't thought of that, is a google sheet alright? https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OGP3pWd4PjhIBcMOKUmJKYv76HxvA9TXYlDBXlslDzY/edit?usp=sharing Afraid I don't know how to turn a sheet into a PDF, but would happily attach it to my original post if someone else did it for me.
Much appreciated. There should be an option to print to a PDF, but a Google Sheet is okay as it's web-based and can be opened in a browser.
I wasn't au-fait with Megabus numbering but I assumed, having seen the M34, that they were numbered after the main roads they went along (as the M34 follows the A34). However the M17 described here is nowhere near the A17.
computerSaysNo
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Dec 2018
- Messages
- 1,196
That's what I thought at first too but it's not, it's just a route number prefixed by 'M' for Megabus (or 'G' for (Megabus) Gold when that used to operate). As far as I'm aware the numbers themselves are meaningless?