Arriva X1 Brighton 1X Comparison (4)

Faster Than F70/F77?

To add to the mix, fbb is grateful to correspondent Julian for this timetable. It shows Buffalo Travel ...

... (with the quality of its operation clearly indicated by its vehicles) operating an X66 between Milton Keynes and Luton. From the point times, the route is straight down the A5 to Dunstable then across to Luton. For a time the same company operated on a 66 to Buckingham. This table dates from 1994.

But then ...

Here is Luton and District (later to be Arrva) running the self-same X66 ...

... and, by way of conformation, another X66 actually going to Milton Keynes.

Did L & D tyke over Buffalo? Dunno. Maybe this note will prod Julian's memory a bit further?

But, for another twist in this convoluted tale, we need to move to Railway Privatisation. 

Some bidders for franchises were so keen to get the job that they made what seem now to be some outlandish promises. So it was that Stagecoach with South West Trains and Virgin West Coast offered a whole collection of bus links with through fares.

One such was route VT99 from Milton Keynes to Luton. It was operated by Virgin Trains liveried coaches ...

... including at least one with a yellow splodge on the front ...

... just like the trains! Sweet!

Not sure who that bloke is leaning against the front of the train or what became of him. Neither could fbb find an actual timetable of the VT99; but the leaflet ...

... implies the most limited of limited stops.

So it would have been Fast! Coaches ran every hour seven days a week.

Of course Virgin did not operate the coaches; that was down to their partner Stagecoach ...

... who had a 49% share in Virgin's rail operations anyway.

Slowly but surely the train link buses either just fizzled out or were taken  over by the bus operator (Stagecoach) in their own right. The VT99 became Stagecoach 99 and for a time it was operated with boundless enthusiasm and branded coaches.

As the years ticked inexorably by, even that enthusiasm faded and late you would, more than likely, find yourself on a very ordinary (and probably elderly) single decker.

To make the service LESS prestigious, Stagecoach started adding extra stops in the Milton Keynes City area. These varied over the years and which variant came in which order has done fbb's head in!

So here is just a sample in no particular order.

via Kingston Industry and ...

... Simpson Close.

In case you didn't know, Simpson Close is the stop after leaving the M1 at Luton ...

... here on the left!

Bet there were queues for the 99 there!

Kingston and Simpson Close stops renamed.

Now via Eagle Farm Amazon

And what a joy and delight that is!

Actually , the buses stop right outside B&M with Amazon just down the road.

But we wouldn't want constancy, would we? So the 99 becomes the MK1 (which readers will, of course, remember was the very first MK numbered bus route running from Stony Stratford to Bletchley along the old A5.)

Bus watchers found the MK1 development more than usually crazy, so crazy that Roger French wrote a whole blog about it!

Ir is an arbitrary joining of a route from Bedford to Luton Airport with what used to be the 99 from Milton Keynes to Luton Airport. 

fbb will not attempt to tackle the Bedford side of the "V" but can report that the Milton Keynes side is unchanged in route and stops.

What a nice ride of two hours and fifty minutes from Bedford to MK - let's hope no innocent abroad decides to take it! The X5 takes just under 60 minutes so, whatever you do, don't get on the wring bus in Bedford unless you really want to!

But the MK1 takes 57 minutes from station to station. Not at all bad.

Arriva's new X1 takes 1 hour and 15 minutes from station to station.

X1 Timetables

Our first journey leaving Milton Keynes is at 04:45 on weekdays and 06:00 on Saturdays. Coaches run hourly from Milton Keynes Rail Station to Luton Interchange between 08:45 and 18:45, Monday to Friday. And between 07:45 and 18:45 on Saturdays.  

The X1 bumbles via Dunstable, hence the extra runnng time. Attractive, eh?

Tickets

Single fares are still available for £2. But our season tickets can offer even better value for regular travellers with an Adult Annual Orbit ticket working out to £2.95 a day for unlimited travel in the Orbit region. To see all our ticket options visit here  

Onward travel

Customers can get a free transfer to London Luton Airport.

  

Simply let your X1 driver know you want to go to Luton Airport. They’ll issue you a ticket for onward travel. Then connect at Luton Interchange and show your ticket to the driver on services A, F70, F77 or 100.

Helpfully (?) The X1 does NOT run to the airport but you may travel on other Arriva buses to meet up with your flight for free; but adding even more time to your journey. (meet for free not fly for free!!

And the map?

There isn't one! The above link takes you back to the timetable.

Basket Case is a horror movie from 1982.

fbb had to hide behind the sofa as the trailer was so scary!

Arriva's X1 would appear to be a similar horror story from 2024. fbb predicts its demise before Christmas.

 Next ???? blog : Saturday 20h July