Ambassador Travel

Easter Monday 18 April 2022 (1441) – Ambassador Travel 201 (BX69 WAJ) seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1230 National Express service 490 from London (Victoria) to Norwich. Pretty much spot on time despite the heavier holiday traffic. It was due at Thetford at 1455. According to the tracker on the Bus Times website it called there just one minute late then, with no passengers to set down at UEA (University of East Anglia), it travelled direct to Norwich bus station arriving 9 minutes early (at 1546 rather than 1555). After completing the run it then ran empty to Great Yarmouth arriving at 1619. (Earlier in the day it had worked the 0730 service 491 from Great Yarmouth to London (Victoria) (due at 1120 but actually arriving at 1104). It is a Caetano Levante bodied Volvo B8R which was new in September 2015 to National Express owned West Midlands Travel as their 94. It passed to Ambassador Travel around November 2021. Note the celebratory logo beneath the destination indicator to mark 50 years of National Express.

Saturday 28 May 2022 (0930) - Ambassador Travel 214 (BV19 XRA), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in June 2019, seen on the A11 at Barton Mills when working the 0730 National Express service 491 from London (Victoria) to Great Yarmouth. The previous timed point was Stratford (East London) at 0815 and the next timed point is Thetford at 1000. Just 15 minutes or so from here to Thetford so making good progress.

Saturday 20 August 2022 (1302) – Ambassador Travel 214 (BV19 XRA), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in June 2019, seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1000 National Express service 491 from London (Victoria) to Great Yarmouth. The previous timed point was Stratford (East London) at 1045 and the next timed point is Norwich at 1300. Running about one hour late.

Saturday 20 August 2022 (1302) – Ambassador Travel 214 (BV19 XRA), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in June 2019, seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1000 National Express service 491 from London (Victoria) to Great Yarmouth. The previous timed point was Stratford (East London) at 1045 and the next timed point is Norwich at 1300. Running about one hour late.

Saturday 28 May 2022 (0930) - Ambassador Travel 214 (BV19 XRA), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in June 2019, seen on the A11 at Barton Mills when working the 0730 National Express service 491 from London (Victoria) to Great Yarmouth. The previous timed point was Stratford (East London) at 0815 and the next timed point is Thetford at 1000. Just 15 minutes or so from here to Thetford so making good progress.

Thursday 8 September 2022 (1111) - Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 215 (BV19 XPU), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in June 2019, seen just after a very rare summer 2022 downpour at Mildenhall when working the 0915 National Express service 727 from Great Yarmouth to Heathrow Airport.

Sunday 21 August 2022 (1227) - Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 215 (BV19 XPU), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in June 2019, is seen approaching Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0920 National Express service 727 from Heathrow (Central) to Norwich/ University of East Anglia. The corresponding southbound journey of this working is the 0320 service 727 from Norwich to Heathrow (arriving 0715). Ambassador had taken over this diagram (possibly commencing 29 July) following it being worked for a short time from ‘the wrong end’ by Edwards Coaches (of Bristol and South Wales).

Tuesday 30 August 2022 (1058) - Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 215 (BV19 XPU), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in June 2019, seen leaving Mildenhall bus station when working the 0915 National Express service 727 from Stansted Airport to Norwich/ University of East Anglia.

Friday 9 February 2024 (1352) – Express service coaches waiting in Norwich Bus Station. Ambassador Travel 215 (BV19 XPU), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in June 2019, was about to work the 1355 National Express service 728 to Heathrow Airport. This service had started from UEA (University of East Anglia) at 1330. Its route would be via Thetford (1440), Mildenhall (1500), Newmarket (1520), Cambridge (Parkside) (1550-1600), Trumpington Park & Ride (1625), Stansted Airport (1705-1715), Heathrow Airport (Central 1845-1855 and Terminal 5 (1905)). Prospect Coaches 151 (PR19 STU), an Irizar i6 integral new in June 2019, was about to work the 1405 Megabus service M87 to Liverpool. The route was via UEA (1415), Cambridge (1545), Coventry (1720), Birmingham (1805-1810), Manchester Airport (2000). Manchester (2040) and Liverpool (2150). My outing today from Cambridge to Norwich and back was on the Megabus service. Whichever of these coaches a passenger chose to travel to Cambridge they would have arrived there on time.

Thursday 28 July 2022 (1124) - Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited 217 (BV19 XPA) seen arriving in Mildenhall when working the 0915 National Express service 727 from Great Yarmouth to Heathrow Airport. It is scheduled to call here at 1100 so was running rather late. It is a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360EB4 that was new in June 2019 to National Express owned West Midlands Travel as their 268.

Monday 8 January 2024 (1057) – The bollards and signage at the McDonalds ‘restaurant’ at Fiveways, Barton Mills spell out ‘Welcome to Barton Mills’. Passing by in the background spot on time is Ambassador Travel 218 (BV19 XOZ) working the 0715 National Express service 728 from Heathrow Airport to Norwich and the University of East Anglia. It is a Caetano Levante 2 bodied Scania K360EB4 that was new in June 2019 to National Express owned West Midlands Travel as their 267.

Thursday 28 July 2022 (1100) - Ambassador Travel 219 (BV19 XOY) seen at Mildenhall when working the 0915 National Express service 727 from Stansted Airport to Norwich and the University of East Anglia (UEA). This was a journey that had previously been worked by National Express themselves until the end of June 2022. It is a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360EB4 new in March 2019 to National Express owned West Midlands Travel.

Thursday 28 July 2022 (1101) - Ambassador Travel 219 (BV19 XOY) seen leaving Mildenhall bus station when working the 0915 National Express service 727 from Stansted Airport to Norwich and the University of East Anglia (UEA). This was a journey that had previously been worked by National Express themselves until the end of June 2022. It is a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360EB4 new in March 2019 to National Express owned West Midlands Travel.

Friday 5 August 2022 (1135) – Fiveways, Barton Mills. Ambassador Travel 216 (BV69 KPT), a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K360 new in October 2019, was working the 0915 National Express service 727 from Great Yarmouth to Heathrow Airport. (Running about 35 minutes late). Passing through is a Scania OmniExpress of Empress Coaches of Upminster (YT59 NZO?. If so new in September 2009 to Heffernan, Perivale). Marketed as a complete Scania product the bodywork for the OmniExpress was built by Lahden Autokori of Finland under contract to Scania.

Friday 9 February 2024 (1324) – Ambassador Travel 301 (BV22 VSX), a Caetano Levante III bodied Scania K410 new in August 2022, seen leaving Norwich bus station. It was working the 1000 National Express service 491 from London (Victoria Coach Station) to Great Yarmouth. It was due here at 1310 and out again at 1315 with an arrival at Great Yarmouth scheduled as 1350.

Tuesday 2 May 2023 (1114) – Ambassador Travel 305 (BV72 XFB) seen arriving in Mildenhall when operating the 0920 National Express service 727 from Great Yarmouth to Heathrow Airport (due there 1505). Between August 2022 and February 2023 the company added nine Caetano Levante 3 bodied Scania K410 coaches to their fleet for operation on National Express contracts. This one was new in November 2022. In the days before the Coronation of King Charles III the bus station building is adorned with bunting.

Tuesday 2 May 2023 (1114) – Ambassador Travel 305 (BV72 XFB) seen arriving in Mildenhall when operating the 0920 National Express service 727 from Great Yarmouth to Heathrow Airport (due there 1505). Between August 2022 and February 2023 the company added nine Caetano Levante 3 bodied Scania K410 coaches to their fleet for operation on National Express contracts. This one was new in November 2022. Note that the rearmost road wheels steer in an opposite aspect to the front main steering road wheels. Parked in the layover bay is WA15 DXY, a Peugeot Boxer mini-bus operated by the Voluntary Network on the ‘Connecting Communities’ demand responsive/dial-a-ride service. This facility provides affordable, accessible transport for communities in West Suffolk which do not have a normal bus service.

Tuesday 2 May 2023 (1115) – Between August 2022 and February 2023 Ambassador Travel added nine Caetano Levante 3 bodied Scania K410 coaches to their fleet for operation on National Express contracts. 305 (BV72 XFB) was new in November 2022 and is seen here at Mildenhall when operating the 0920 National Express service 727 from Great Yarmouth to Heathrow Airport (due there 1505). In the background is Coach Services of Thetford YX14 RXK, an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D new in April 2014. In the days before the Coronation of King Charles III the bus station building is adorned with bunting.