| Bedford had a previous history of running to both Oxford and Cambridge in Tillings days, the 131/2 were joint with Oxford then South Midland (Bicester) each had two return trips a day this route was ended in 1986, Cambridge was served more often on the 128 which served Northampton at the western end. Post 86 it became part of the coachlinks network.
The X5 started out in the mid-ninties with a fleet of 6 ex Wallace Arnold Stick box B10Ms on a hourly headway over this longish route with a end to end time of just under 3 hours. It ran limited stop St Neots was not served to start with, except the Tesco on the A428, Ex Oxford Tube coaches appeared at a later date to supplement the route. Interurban B10Ms that were new to UC were used as well. Former National Express Expressliners arrived in 2004 by which time the service was half hourly through the day, including Sundays. An Olympian was tried on the route but was not capable of the punishing schedules that are required, a slight cut back in Oxford when the Rail Station was no longer served saved a coach, 14 are now required for the service with most doing 2 1/2 round trips a day (about 400 miles). Unusually for such a long route Bedford is the only depot providing vehicles, a couple of journies do run dead to or from MK. Outstations were at one time at Huntingdon and MK but have since ceased. New vehicles arrived just prior to Christmas 08 to take up the service, a total of 17 B9R Panthers, 53601-17 KX58 NBJ/K/L/M/N/ O/Y/Z, NCA/C/D/E/F/ J/N/O/U Complete with wi-fi and leather seats for this highly respected route.53614 was involved in an RTA on 14 feb 09 and suffered major fire damage, its future is at present uncertain. Livery has always been based on the basic Stagecoach colours but with route branding added, several of the NX B10Ms had adverts for Cambridge, MK and Oxford on the rear, but none had anything for there home town of Bedford. The route serves or passes near Many rail connections (all towns except Buckingham) and has NX connections at Oxford/Cambridge and MK Coachway. |
16209 R34 TAC works through MK on an X5 June 16th 2008. In the unique livery it carried for X5 for just over a year |
52021 (106) VLT 225 St.Neots June 01. A former Tube vehicle that started life as L156 LBW |
52024 L159 LBW new for Oxford Tube duties, here livered up for X5 at Bedford May 03 but on a school contract |
52028 WLT 908 Bedford Dec 00 |
52113 J752 CWT Bedford March 96 |
52114 (145) TSU 640 new as J753 CWT former Wallace Arnold B10M used on the X5 from its introduction, with suitable lettering on the windows |
52116 K758 FYG another of the former WA vehicles purchased for the X5 here at MK July 96 |
52118 K760 FYG Bedford July 96 |
52120 K150 DNV MK March 96. The first Interurban place in service with the group, it lasted till 2007 |
52155 L155 JNH Bedford Sept 96 |
52301 N451 XVA Bedford Aug 03. It was later painted up for X5. |
52371 P171 KBD Oxford Oct 03 |
52371 P171 PBD Cambridge Aug 03 |
52373 P173 KBD Bedford Aug 04 |
52387 P627 ESO at Bedford Jan 09 with one of several rearend adverts for town on the route, none of which featured Bedford the home base for some reason |
52387 P627 ESO at Bedford Jan 09, with 4 years on X5 and 7 on NX workings this vehicle must have a good few miles on the clock |
52435 R35 AKV a former National Express livered B10M at St. Neots May 08 |
52435 R35 AKV at MK 260109, one of 3 B10Ms seen on that day 52301/436 were the others |
52436 R36 AKV at MK 260109, devoid of route branding in readyness for disposal |
52436 R36 AKV leaves Bedford and works to Oxford in April 09, inplace of a B9R that had just been taken out of service. |
52438 R38 AKV at MK Jan 09 |
52439 R39 AKV Bedford June 05 |
52447 withdrawn and unloved was devoid of route grafix at Biggleswade 16 feb 09 |
52452 R552 JDF arrives in Oxford with another X5 working in July 08, the X5 requires 14 vehicles 7 days a week. |
