First appearing in 1972, National Express coaches have become a familiar site on the UK's roads, and are very much a part of popular culture, celebrated in songs and on television. With many former National Express vehicles finding their way to preservation, this book explores the history of this very British brand and celebrates the history and heritage of a British institution. The book covers the operations of the business, the evolution of the National Express brand and the development of the fleet up to the latest Caetano Levante, a vehicle designed to meet the operator's very specific requirements for accessibility. Featuring driver stories and passenger memories, together with detailed images, photographs and designs, this book celebrates 50 years of coaching history.

This book offers a concise, chronological history of bus and coach travel, exploring the significant contribution this form of travel has made to the development of Britain’s tourism industry. Through eight chapters the book explores the way that bus and coach travel has evolved, from early horse-drawn carriages to the latest electric buses, taking readers on a journey of technological innovation, public and private sector ownership and competition between rail, air and road transport. Along the way, Peter Robinson and Harry Cameron look at both scientific developments and the role of buses and coaches in popular culture, examining the public’s enduring fascination with group travel, coach tours and heritage collections.