| March 2001 |
| National
Express Rapide
Retrospective |
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| Trathens F999HGE in
Wolverhampton in June 1993. |
Rapide - No more crisps and
teas
Forever remembered in the The Divine Comedy
record "National Express", Rapide and its jolly hostesses have
come to the end of the road. Started in response to non-stop
services to Cornwall by Trathens in 1982, Rapide provided levels of
comfort and speed previously unknown to coach travellers in the
UK. Vehicles were equipped with fewer seats, toilets and
galleys for the preparation of food. Routes tended to start
or terminate in London, although a clutch of cross country and cross
border services also existed. Latterly services were either
downgraded to National Express standard or re-branded in the 7xx series
which provided similar facilities. Rapide names finally
disappeared in 2000 with the introduction of GoByCoach.com, although a
handful of services remain with limited refreshment facilities. |
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| Trathens ADV160Y
performing Rapide work at Victoria Coach Station in September
1982. Their original service had triggered the birth of
Rapide. |
The first vehicles built to a
Rapide specification were ten Dennis Falcons with Duple
bodies. Western National AOD646Y is seen at the NEC
Motor Show in October 1982. |
| Apparently a normal
Expressliner 2, South Wales 113 (N113VWN) is in fact a Dennis
Javelin (rather than the more usual Volvo B10M). It is seen here departing Haverfordwest for London
in June 1997. This journey takes over seven hours to complete. |
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National Express flirted with
MCW Metroliners for an unhealthy length of time. Ambassador Travel
C916BPW is seen at Norwich on the (599) from London to Great
Yarmouth in September 1986. |
Trathens' Neoplan H203 AOD
departs Stockport bus station for London on the (540) service in April
1996. Trathens now operate exclusively Van Hool vehicles. |
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| Scottish Citylink vehicles
worked cross-border Rapide services until the big fall-out with National
Express in 1989. Clydeside 196 (B196CGA) leaves
Bristol on the bottom-numbing (547) from Penzance to Glasgow in August
1986. |
Crosville Bova CBD62
(B62DMB) at Chorlton St, Manchester on the (580) Liverpool to
Newcastle service in October 1989. Most Rapide routes
centred on London, but there were a handful of cross country ones such
as this. |
London Transport WLT702
and Central Coachways K3CEN on the (520) to Birmingham at
Victoria Coach Station, London in May 1993. The Londonliner
service had operated in competition with National Express until it was
absorbed into the network. |
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enlarge photos |
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