Trying my First Coach Connection: Birmingham to Tiverton via Bristol with National Express.
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- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
- Delayed departure, roadworks, lane closures and only an hour to connect in Bristol. What could possibly go wrong!
Join me as I take my first trip on two coaches all the way from Birmingham to Tiverton, Devon. On this trip, I'll tell you all about the coaches and coach stations I visit, showing you the facilities on offer and the service provided. We'll have a look at how easy (or not) it is to connect your journey's by coach and of course I'll tell you how much it all cost. I think you'll be surprised by the outcome!
Thanks as always for your support, I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to watch my videos and likes, comments and subs to the channel. Your views are always welcome and I try to reply to most of you.
I hope you enjoy this video and, as always guys, cheers for now!
Mark
🟢 Business enquiries only: letsmakeatrip1@gmail.com
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🚌 #coachtrip 🎲 #random #nationalexpress #letsmakeatrip
📖Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:51 - Birmingham Coach Station
03:26 - Boarding Coach 1
05:12 - Birmingham to Bristol
08:00 - Arriving into Bristol
09:17 - Bristol Bus & Coach Station
09:50 - Boarding Coach 2
12:26 - Bristol to Tiverton
14:18 - Arriving into Tiverton
15:03 - Summary
Picture Credits:
Route Map: OpenStreetMap (route added)
www.openstreetmap.org/
![[National Express] 040 ~ London Victoria ➝ Bristol Bus Station (non-stop)【4K UW】](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0ZOenmMQqGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Always known it as Digbeth because that's the area's name. It was once the bus garage for Midland Red too. It's changed a lot since I was there last! Charging for toilets is despicable.
Yep, I always knew it as Digbeth too. Times change I guess 😊
Thank goodness...after a terrible week at work i can listen and watch something to make this evening enjoyable, Thank you
Cheers Mike, lovely comment. Hope next week goes better 👍
IV had lots of wonderful journeys on the NATIONAL EXPRESS COACHES SINCE THE Early 90S WHEN THEY HAD THE OLD BUSES .... I STILL USE THEM TO THIS DAY AND WILL CONTINUE... IV BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER OVER THE DECADES...IV SEEN MANY DRIVERS COME AND GONE SOME GROWING UP AND GROWING OLD RIGHT INFRONT OF ME ...I FEEL SO GRATEFUL AND BLESSED FOR ALL THOSE YEARS AND MEMORIES MADE
Thanks for the comment and it’s great to hear such positive feedback for NX.
Today was My first ever time traveling on National Express so I've videos on it all day and I personally believe it was an amazing experience, I was on a Scania Caetano Levante 3 between Swansea and Bridgend (Sarn) And what an amazing experience it was , So comfortable, And so cheap! It's amazing! Definitely travel with them again!
Cheers TWS, sounds like you had a good trip. Only a shortish journey this time but it’s hopefully convinced you to do a longer trip (London?). Hope the videos helped! 😊👍
Good pub (The Anchor) behind the coach station and also a Black Sabbath mural next to the pub.
Amazing video like always! The nice thing with buses (opposed to planes) is that even if you only have 20 mins to connect you will make it easily… with time to get snacks!
Thanks melglobus and yes obviously bus/coach stations aren’t that big and they’re arriving/departing from the same place if they’re the same company at least. I would certainly have no qualms about doing it again 👍
I had to travel from Hull back to London on a rail strike day. Car hire was so expensive and tried National Express. Great staff and a top notch coach and on time made it a nice journey, would say if on a budget it`s a good way to travel.
Agree Barry, cheers for the comment 😊👍
Nice coach station at Birmingham far better than the old one, excellent music good content Mark. 😎👍🏻
Totally agree, a bit of a walk from New Street but plenty of facilities when you get there. Thanks for commenting on the music too - adding the audio is something I really enjoy doing. Cheers.
The second coach is a seriously impressive but of kit. Looked like a very pleasant place to spend the journey.
Thanks for the video.
Cheers Craig, thanks for your support 😊 Yep, really impressed by the second coach, I was probably a bit too tired to appreciate it really. I would’ve been a bit more relaxed but the toothache was really starting to kick in by then 😂 hopefully one or two more Levante 3’s to come in the future 👍
I used to live Birmingham and midlands area for 2 years in 1998 to 2000. I am watching from my homeland of Aberdeen city, Scotland
Cheers Fraser, hope you’re enjoying the content 😊👍
Another fantastic video sir. Thankyou
Cheers Jojo, glad you enjoyed it 😊👍
Thanks for the video. Bus firms must be raking it in with all the rail strikes/disruption. LBC's Iain Dale hosted a show at 2000 tonight (Friday) with the theme "what's really working in the UK right now" and someone ought to have suggested bus firms like National Express.
Cheers Alex, I wonder how Iain Dale was able to fill his show with a question like that! Can’t think of much personally, definitely feels a bit demoralising the way things are going. But, agree coaches seem to be doing well. Maybe it’s time to bring back the sleeper coach to Scotland. Cal Sleeper prices seem to be particularly extortionate atm 🤔
Digbeth! What a name! Anglo-Saxon? Dig Path? Duck's bath? Or did some ancient rock and roller fancy local Elisabeth?
I like ‘Ducks Bath’. That would be a great name for any place 👍
There’s a Duckhole near Thornbury, S. Gloucestershire.
Very pleasant looking coaches indeed. National Express look a very decent outfit, you’ll persuade me to travel with them yet!
Cheers mate, I think you should do it soon - will get you to 1k quicker than anything else 😉
I have absolutely no interest in buses but there is something about your reviews that keep me hooked! The crapper the better like your overnight Megabus journey 😂
Haha, thanks Ross! This was a pretty good experience tbf. The next one, not so good…..
@@LetsMakeaTrip looking forward to it already mate!
Love your videos! Top Guy!
Cheers Paul, thanks for your support 😊👍
Mark. As someone who has been fortunate to travel the world for work but now very much a home bird I love to follow your adventures. Hopefully you have long term plans for the channel which is great . Take care.
Hi David, well thanks for the kind words. Tbh, I started very very late with all this and I’ve just fallen into it really. I have a ‘normal’ job so have to squeeze trips in and edit them in my spare time. It takes quite a while believe me but I enjoy doing it and it gets me out of the house! Now I’ve got more subscribers than I expected(!), something must be working! So yep, I’m going to carry on for a bit and, if I can make a go of it, maybe one day this will be my proper job instead. Fingers crossed anyway 😊
@LetsMakeaTrip Well Mark your hard work pays off as they are well produced. Travel really does broaden the mind. Hopefully the audience will continue to grow. My best wishes. David
Thanks mate and stay safe.
Cheers Simon. I am trying 😊
Another great trip! Cheers!
Cheers Phil 😊👍
I am planning a trip from London to Birmingham and later Devon. Your channel is really informative!
Cheers Matt, appreciate the kind words 😊👍
Very enjoyable video. Nice bright day as well which always helps. Bargain price as well. I love the purple lighting in the premier inn.
Cheers Neil, yep decent weather and a decent Premierinn tbf. You’ve gotta love the purple lighting yes 😊👍
Fantastic video and thanks for adding subtitles
Cheers, been a bit busy lately but trying to remember when I can 😊
Last time I travelled on National Express I did Leeds to Luton Airport via Milton Keynes Coachway and luckily nobody had reserved seat 2A, so I had extra leg room for the 3.5h journey to Milton Keynes.
It is one of the best options for coach travel in the UK and I have used it a few times already, and certainly will book with them next time. We also left late from Leeds as an idiot had parked his car on the way and held up the coach for 15 minutes while getting into Leeds, but we managed to get there earlier than scheduled
Sounds like a good experience mate and yeh, I think Seat 2A will become more popular as several videos on YT have mentioned it now 😂 Prices seem to be increasing to so book early!
A new model of coach will be hitting the roads soon! The levante 3a with cameras for mirrors plus a few more extra features. Look out for it
I didn’t know that Daniel, thanks for the heads-up mate 😊👍
Interesting journey that. I used to used NX a lot when I lived in London to Tivvy. Also Berry's are great, used them a lot from Hammersmith too. I used them that much,they started calling me by my name! I now live here so dont have do that anymore.
Chris, I would love to hear your opinion on my video re: Berrys that’s just come out. I thought it was poor, so was it a one off? Cheers 😊👍
Ah, my neck of the woods! I've actually got that last coach from Taunton to Heathrow, couldn't fault it. Would definitely get it again. Cheers
Hi Daz, cheers mate. I headed east the next day, not with NX, with Berrys. I’m looking forward to releasing that one next week!!
Great coach video pal very good coaches they are that woman next to you was sleepy wasn't she ay on the first coach you went on keep up the good work pal :)
Cheers FG. Yep she must’ve had a late night I reckon!
I travelled on a 22 plate from Manchester to London and I think they are a bit roomier than the slightly older models. The extra space seats on Megabus are the best for leg room but overall National Express wins as their seats are much more comfy with decent legroom and the toilet is much more spacious.
My favourite coach still is the London - Bristol double-decker with Edwards. Tell you what, if they ran those coaches up to Scotland, I’d be in the premium seats all the time. Fantastic coaches!
Nice video as always
Thanks John, appreciate the comment mate 😊👍
6:50 she looks like the dizzy woman from The Thick of It 😀
I use the 401 service from Swindon to London run by Edwards Coaches they are usually very clean and staff very friendly and helpfull
In my limited experience so far, Edwards are right up there in terms of coaches, service and staff. Can’t wait to try them again 👍
It'll always be Digbeth Coach Station to me, perhaps they renamed it to make it more obvious where it is? Can't imagine too many people outside the West Midlands know where Digbeth is.
True, I always think of it as Digbeth too. Pretty decent job they’ve done of it though, thought it looked quite smart 👍
The lavatorial facilities on those are much better than in, say, a VDL Futura (like the one you went to Scotland in) where they try to squeeze as many seats in as possible and they squeeze it under the floor where you can't stand up.
Agree. Talking about the VDL, I’ve been on another one since and can confirm, it is still bad. Rubbish coaches imo.
useful video thanks
No probs, thanks for watching 😊
You have missed out on good old bristol :) Like your vid.
Thanks, check out my London - Bristol vid for a bit more on the city 👍
6:15 on Sunday 27th November I did a similar journey from Birmingham back to Exeter (I did the opposite the day before). Unfortunately at about this junction there had been a vehicle fire and we got stuck in it for about an hour…
Seems a bit of a black spot this area 🤔
At least she didn’t dribble down your shoulder…☮️
Great video, always enjoy watching... Was that a Premier Inn by any chance??
Cheers Stephen and yes, it was the Premier Inn.
A very good Friday evening Mark from Alan in Lowestoft buddy
Hi Alan, good evening (well good morning now) from Shrewsbury! Hope you’re doing fine 😊
Regarding wi-fi on buses and trains: it’s not designed for watching RUclips and catching up on your soaps - certainly on the trains, it says as much!
I myself have literally just got back from Middlesbrough by train - couldn’t even get my reserved seat until we got to York (I got on at Darlington) - you don’t reserve a seat and expect to have to stand - I have never seen a train so overcrowded in my entire lifetime - I have travelled on buses that were less crowded, even though they were very crowded! It lessened a bit beyond Birmingham, and, despite being nearly half an hour behind schedule at Derby, it went via Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield and made up the time at Birmingham New Street and Bristol Temple Meads - I knew it was too good to last - got held up outside Worle and arrived in Taunton ten minutes late! Just as well I am not on some sort of schedule or against the clock!
I don’t watch soaps these days, haven’t got the time. But yep, I expect WIFI to work enough to get text really and anything else is a bonus. If it doesn’t work at all (i.e. it doesn’t even show up on the list), that’s not so good. Just very hit and miss in my experience, as are the trains tbf.
Just like to give you the history of digbeth coach station was first run by midland red when it was part of national bus company and was a midland red bus garage until it came a coach station fort Nat ex
I remember Midland Red in Shrewsbury when I was younger. And Hotspur!
That was when midland red was split up as north south and west went to the arriva buses in Shrewsbury not so long ago and they have the old midland red sign out side off the old midland red garage
@@simonflynn168 the garage which is no more sadly!
Great video poor you did you manage to get your toothache sorted. Kindest regards. Paul in Kent
Hi Paul, cheers for the comment. The toothache got worse so I had to get it removed the week after. Nearly £200 that cost me!!
@@LetsMakeaTrip I know so expensive many years ago I did the overnight NX coach from London Victoria to Penzance 9 hours I remember it went along the M4 then turned off at Chippenham went through lots of towns till it got to Bristol airport then Bridgwater a long journey but a nice coach and friendly drivers
National express from Nottingham to London was a nightmare, no food, drink or toilet, they stopped half way for 10 minutes at a toilet block with two cubicles, half the people on the bus wanted to use the toilet by then including me, luckily I didn't have anything to drink as I knew there were no toilets on the bus and would have a problem and managed to hold it until we got to London, by train was a breeze by comparison, tables, plenty of leg room, food, drink and toilets and much faster.
Same experience I had
I'm normally on bays 1 to 6 depending what service i'm driving ( i'm based at Birmingham - Aston depot ). Regarding thw wi-fi the driver has to press a button on the dashboard ..but to be fair at our depot we never turn it off.Huge fan of the levante one and two...but as a driver the Levante three is an impressive piece of kit...ours are Volvo's
Hi Lee, thanks for the comment. Great to hear from another driver too as I always learn a few things from these comments. I got the impression it may be a button-press as it’s just such a lottery whether it works or not. I guess in which case you can just ask the driver to turn it on if it’s that desperately important. Cheers mate 😊👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip Just subscribed i do a number of service runs out of Digbeth /The 400, 409, 120, 121, 777, 210 and adhoc as needed will come and say hi if i see you around the network
@@leeallen1407 yes, please do (I’m off to look up those service numbers now 😂). Cheers for the sub 👍
When were the last levante 1s retired?
Thanks
Hi John, thanks mate - much appreciated 😊
I certainly prefer Right Side of any coach, if bored then I try to spot Eddy Stobart lorries or any fancy cars whizzing past
Good tip - hadn’t thought of that. I like to look out of the window but not sure most bother these days.
Much cheaper than XC trains and probably more reliable, but it's nice to be able and get up and go walkabout.
Hi Kevin, yep much cheaper than XC I agree. Drawback not being able to walk around but not so bad on these shorter journeys.
It looks like Manchester Bus Station. The same layout and facilities
A bit bigger the Birmingham hub but yep, fairly similar.
Always liked national express coaches
I started off not too sure about the coach thing tbh, but now I’ve done a few, National Express are definitely my preferred operator atm. Cheers 👍
Oh man, I had to visit Digbeth station once on an NE arrival - about 20 years ago and it was an utter toilet of a place. Thankfully it looks like they have rebuilt it since then.
The old Chorlton Street station in Manchester was dreadful till the rebuild 20 years ago.
Yep, 2009 according to wiki
Digbeth Coach Station in days gone by, was an absolute "dark hole". It was a shared garage and coach station, with basic passenger facilities and just lines of coaches facing the vehicle exit with barely enough space between each vehicle; Health and Safety wouldn't allow it today! I passed through it earlier this year, and it is considerably improved on how it used to be. Its style is roughly the same as the NatEx section within Leeds Bus and Coach Station.
@@iainjones5002 Leeds is somewhere I haven’t been yet on the coach. Hoping to get there sometime next year👍
A very interesting video to watch as I'm thinking of travelling from Birmingham to Exeter in May - How far is the walk from Birmingham New Street to Coach Station as I have only about 20 mins to get my connection from when the train arrives. Please and thank you
Cheers Caz, if you can get off platform and out onto the street quick enough you might just make it. 20 mins though is a bit tight. I’d be nervous at that.
Hello once again great vid
Hi Uma, thanks for the kind words and for watching another one. Much appreciated 😊👍
Np
@@LetsMakeaTripAlso you said levante 2 those are the ones with 2 wheels at the back it was a levante 1 which I really find a lot 😂
@@ziepie-m4x didn’t realise that - duly noted!
@@LetsMakeaTripNo problem stay safe😊
Tiverton Bus Station Berry's SF1 use to cover that route before they discontinued Tiverton. Just goes to Wellington now
Yes so I hear. I’m presuming NX still operate out of Tiverton though
@Let’s Make a Trip! Yhh NX is a massive company they serve everywhere
Great video as always my favourite travel Vlogger 😊
Cheers Stephen, really appreciate the kind words 😊
Gotta be a Premier Inn! I am quite a fan of National Express and have not got any complaints about the legroom. Not sure how it compares to other providers; what are your thoughts? Thanks for another great video.
I prefer National Express to Megabus and Flixbus at this point, but the branded Megabus coaches are pretty good for leg room in my (albeit limited) experience so far.
I'm amazed to see some Bus stations still charging money to access toilets.
It happens, though I’ve seen a few recently where the turnstiles are in place but entrance is free. Bit hit and miss tbh.
Looks much different to when I used it back in 1999. When did it get an upgrade?
2009 according to Wiki
He's got a Terry Jones-ish vibe about him, don't you think? RIP Terry.
I’ll take that as a compliment any day of the week sir 👍
Trames are sutible for load of passengers by roads .
Yep, better suited to urban transport of course but I agree, there should be more of them.
Stress free! they don't even have a route up the east side of the country. gotta get a train.
Yep this one wasn’t too bad. My London to Edinburgh coach was a little tighter time-wise but yep, that also went up the M6 and tbh, I did think we’d go via the M1.
NatEx run services between London and up to Lincolnshire, Hull, York, Scarborough, and all points accessible from the A1 all the way up to Newcastle,
@@iainjones5002 I put London to Peterborough or near, in the route planner, no journey found, reckon they stopped it pre Covid, I will have to call them to make sure.
Great video - thanks. Useful to see your connection worked; did you see any evidence that there would have been help for you if it had just missed, or coach #2 had been leaving as coach #1 pulled in? Also, do the buses in Birmingham, run mainly by Nat Express, are in anyway co-ordinated with the coaches? It would be great - though unlike the public transport industry in general - if they didn't just ignore passenger needs other than actually on the vehicle (which per your video they do seem to be good at)
There was a later one to Taunton (and another change there). Not sure what NX contingency is for getting passengers to their final destination if they miss a connection or even if a coach breaks down. An issue I haven’t experienced yet but yes, I’d be interested in finding out what happens. Birmingham being a major hub and exclusively used by NX I would imagine there are several services a day you can catch but what if they’re already full?
A great question Rick and maybe one for Twitter, see what they say. Cheers 😊👍
You can buy an add-on to your coach ticket for journeys arriving or departing from Birmingham with National Express, it's basically equivalent to NX West Midlands' "Daysaver" ticket, giving you travel on all their buses in the region, but for £3, rather than the standard £4.
I'm not sure specifically how NX handle it, but if you've missed a connecting trip due to a delay, you're already part way through your journey and they have a duty of care to get you to your destination. I actually work for Megabus (you can even see me in another video on this channel in Birmingham!), and generally we'll try to accommodate a delayed passenger on the next available service, but when that fails, we'll get them a taxi to their destination.
Oops, I missed a small detail. You can add that daysaver ticket, but National Express also offer a free bus transfer from the coach station into the city centre when you book a ticket through their site. I've never made use of it, having a local pass valid on their services, but it's nice to see it offered, especially since the walk down to Digbeth isn't the most pleasant.
@@DJenerate cheers DJ, thanks for the info and for taking the time to provide some useful comments on this. Hope you didn’t mind ‘featuring’ in one of my other videos 😊👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip I didn't mind at all!
Wolverhampton to blackpool 12:59
See you 🎢🚟⛵🛣️⛱️
Only just watched this without further explanation ( you were on the coach) you called the Punto driver an idiot not on !
You don't know the circumstances, unless you've been fortunate to always have new cars, for some people a road legal old Fiat might be the best he/she can manage.
Mike.
Thanks Mike. Fair point, well made.
Most of the newer coach stations annoyingly make you pay to go to the loo!
Yes I’ve noticed that. Seems to be becoming more abundant everywhere that!
Good point - coaches don’t do food
why doesnt national express have a extension seat belts like arlines do for larger passengers
I don’t know the answer tbh. Might be worth asking them on Twitter/X I’d be interested to find out 👍
6/- to spend a penny, though!......
Mmm, not good.
Excellent 👍👍👍👍🎄🎄🎄🎄🍾🍾🍾🍾🥂🥂🥂🥂🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅
Thank you mate 😊😊😊🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🇬🇧🌝🌝🌝🌗🌗🌗🌗🌑🌑🌑🌑🌙🌙🌙
First 3 times in a row
National Express don't own or run quite a few routes ,
And the coaches are branded NX but staffed and run by an independent, and they get fines by NX if stuff doesn't work or coaches are dirty .
They run a few of the airport routes from Victoria
Amazing how many services they operate when you look at the timetables.
Used to be just a big dark car park
Birmingham?
@@LetsMakeaTrip yea back in 90s like a under ground car park
Better than the dump called Victoria Station, London
A lovely building from the outside though 👍
See 🚦🇬🇪🇬🇧
Zaaaqaa 🎃
Birmingham coach station looks a bit like Darth Vader's helmet.
That’s ingrained in my brain now! And, yes, I think you’re right 😂
May The Bus Be With You
What do you mean to close for comfort or stress free
I’m referring to the connection in Bristol.
See 🚦🇬🇪🇬🇧🚦🚢🚧🌉🇬🇧
🚍🚥🚧
It's ok if they sleep on you as long as they don't start drooling.
67776
Dooooo
Boyfriend made this journey often.
🚍
U should have been to the
" 🚍😝 OLD DIGBETH 🚍😝 "
BUS STATION 🚍😝.
Small horrible place
In a built up
Housing area 😝🚍👎😡.
🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
🚍👍THIS IS PERFECT 🚍👍🙂
Plenty of SPACE
LOADS of INFORMATION SCREENS
shop
Toilets 🚻 👍👍👍🙂?
Nee problems with it what so ever .
🙂👍🚍a perfect experience with no bother no fuss
in any 🚍 COACH CONECTIONS👍🚍🙂
4me to DEVON / SCOTLAND 🙂👍🚍😍
Yep, agree it’s a nice space now. I may have been there years ago and probably shut it out of the memory. Used to spend a lot of time down there going to gigs at various places. Had some great nights.