Stagecoach Gold

History

The Goldline brand was introduced to try and win more middle class motorists to bus services. It was initially trialled in two areas, Perth and Warwick from November 2007, both on routes which received kick-start funding from the government to help establish the routes. Stagecoach East Scotland invested £300,000 to demonstrate the idea to politicians.

Goldline routes have a luxury specification. Buses have hand stitched leather seats, metallic paint, special flooring and free WiFi. Drivers wear special uniform and there is a Goldline customer charter.

In February 2009 the service was expanded to Aldershot and in September 2009 to Cheltenham and Gloucester on route 94. At this stage the brand name changed from Goldline to Stagecoach Gold, as well as the introduction of a new livery with brighter swoops added, as opposed to the previous gold and blue only livery. The reason behind the name change was that Translink had the rights to the Goldline name, using it on their Ulsterbus coach services, and Stagecoach had to pay Translink a royalty.

In 2010, the Stagecoach Gold brand was extended to services run by Scottish Citylink, where Stagecoach have a 35% shareholding, where the Glasgow to Aberdeen and Glasgow to Inverness services were designated as Citylink Gold.

In 2015, all brand new Stagecoach Gold vehicles came equipped with USB charging facilities underneath every seat which enabled passengers to charge their mobile devices whilst on board. USB charging first became available on the Stagecoach in Oxfordshire S4 service which was upgraded to Stagecoach Gold in September 2015.

As of 2016, all brand new Stagecoach buses, including non-gold vehicles, come equipped with high back leather seats, USB charging facilities and many with free onboard Wi-Fi. Subsequently, this means that many of Stagecoach's new non-gold vehicles are now at the same specification as the Gold branded vehicles. As a result, some non-gold routes now have higher specification vehicles than many of the Gold routes as prior to 2015, Stagecoach Gold vehicles did not come equipped with USB charging facilities.

2016 also saw Stagecoach take delivery of the first Stagecoach Gold branded Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC and Enviro200 MMC vehicles. The liveries on the new vehicles remain the same as the previous models however Stagecoach have slightly modified the interior upholstery with new style leather seats that incorporate a cream coloured headrest as well as new wood effect flooring.

Stagecoach Gold services operated by Stagecoach in Oxfordshire also benefit from the ability to accept Contactless and Mobile payments which was rolled out to all Stagecoach in Oxfordshire services in October 2016. Stagecoach Group plans to have Contactless and Mobile payments available on all services across all divisions by the end of 2018.

Gold - Torquay to Plymouth

The Stagecoach South West service began on 30 September 2013. It runs every 30 minutes between Torquay and Plymouth on Monday to Sunday throughout the day. Stagecoach X64 has now taken the Dartmouth to Totnes part of the route. This runs every two hours during the day, which runs from Dartmouth to Exeter via Totnes and Newton Abbot. This service replaced First Devon & Cornwall's routes X80 and X81 on 27 October 2013.

1 - Aldershot to Old Dean

The Aldershot service in the Blackwater Valley between Aldershot, Farnborough and Camberley was upgraded to Goldline status on 8 February 2009. It is on Stagecoach in Hants & Surrey's route 1 which runs every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 15 minutes on evenings and Sundays. In December 2016 the fleet was renewed with 18 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCs.

1 & 2 - Liverpool to Chester

Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire's routes 1 and 2 became Stagecoach Gold routes on 30 October 2015 with 18 Alexander Dennis Enviro300 single deck vehicles entering service.

5 - Chester to Huntington

Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire's route 5 became a Stagecoach Gold route on 11 January 2016 with Optare Solo single deck vehicles from West Midlands.

7 - Scone to Hillend

The service in Perth began on 5 November 2007, and is operated by Stagecoach East Scotland.

It uses a fleet of eight Alexander Dennis Enviro350Hs, which were the first examples to be built to the new style. The scheme operates on Perth city route 7, which was in its sixth year of growth following the kick-start funding, with growth continuing at 2% a year.

Route 7 runs between Hillend, Perth city centre and Scone, and runs every 10 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytime, and up to every 30 minutes in the evening and Sundays.

In mid-2012 Route 7 was converted to hybrid buses using nine Alexander Dennis Enviro350Hs.

7 & N7- Woodstock to Oxford

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire launched the brand new route 7 service on 3 January 2017. The new Gold service links Woodstock and Kidlington with Oxford via Oxford Parkway railway station. The service will use roughly three of the ten brand new Gold buses delivered to Oxford in December 2016 and will work alongside the S3 service.

9 - Chester to Pipers Ash

Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire's route 9 became a Stagecoach Gold route on 11 January 2016 with Optare Solo single deck vehicles from West Midlands.

10 - Lower Tuffley to Cheltenham

This service began in December 2012. Stagecoach West have a fleet of 19 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UDs. Buses run every 10 minutes between Lower Tuffley and Cheltenham, Monday to Saturday and on Sundays, buses are every 30 minutes to Cheltenham.

Stagecoach had at one point threatened to remove the Stagecoach Gold brand from route 10 after three buses were severely vandalised within two weeks of the bus' launch.

13 - Haverhill to Cambridge

Stagecoach East service 13 became a Stagecoach Gold route on 1 June 2014 with 11 new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UDs entering service to operate the route. The service runs every 30 minutes on Weekday and Saturday daytimes and hourly on Sunday daytimes and Weekday evenings.

16 - Hythe to Canterbury

Stagecoach East Kent service 16 between Canterbury and Hythe received Stagecoach Gold status on 2 November 2014. Ten Stagecoach Gold branded vehicles are currently in service on the route.

51 - Selsey to Chichester

Route 51 from Chichester to Selsey became a Stagecoach Gold service with effect from 24 February 2013. The service runs every 10–15 minutes in the daytime on Mondays to Saturdays, every 70 minutes on Monday to Saturday evenings, and half-hourly on Sunday daytimes.

57 - Exeter to Exmouth

Stagecoach Southwest route 57 between Exeter and Exmouth (including Brixington) became a gold service on Monday 23 November 2015. They use 10 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UD.

63 - Forest Green to Gloucester

Stagecoach Gold began running on Stagecoach West 63 route on 19 November 2016 using six of 12 of Cheltenham's old gold 94 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses (15527-32). The Scanias were launched properly alongside the 66 and 97/98 on 21 January 2017.

This service uses a fleet of ex Cheltenham 09 reg Alexander Dennis Enviro400s

The service runs every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday. And every 2 hours on Sundays.

66 - Swindon to Oxford

Route 66 between Swindon and Oxford was upgraded to Gold status starting on 22 January 2012. The service runs up to every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday and half hourly on Sundays.

66 - Stroud to Gloucester

Stagecoach Gold began running on Stagecoach West 66 route on 22 January 2017 using a batch of 2008 Alexander Dennis Enviro300 bodied MANs (22744-49/22751-54). The MANs were launched alongside the 63 and 97/98 on 21 January 2017. The service runs every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday between Waterwells P&R and Gloucester. And every hour on Sundays.

94 - Cheltenham to Gloucester

Stagecoach Gold began running on Stagecoach West 94 route between Cheltenham, Churchdown and Gloucester on 12 September 2009. The new service and buses were launched at Cheltenham Racecourse.

The service uses a fleet of 2016 Alexander Dennis Enviro400s. The service is run by Stagecoach West.

The route runs every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and 30 minutes in the evening. Services run up to every 15 minutes on Sundays.

97/98 - Gloucester to Cheltenham via Innsworth

Stagecoach Gold began running on Stagecoach West 97/98 route on 19 November 2016 using 6 of 12 of Cheltenham's old gold 94 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses(15521-26). The Scanias are due to be launched properly alongside the 63 and 66 on 21 January 2017 with them entering service on the 22nd.

This service uses a fleet of ex Cheltenham 09 reg Alexander Dennis Enviro400s

The service runs every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday. And every hour on Sundays.

125 - Preston to Bolton

Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire's route 125 between Preston and Bolton became Stagecoach Gold routes on 16 November 2015 with 24 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UDs entering service.

132 - Maerdy to Cardiff

Stagecoach Wales route 132 was upgraded to Stagecoach Gold status on 5 December 2016 with 23 new Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC vehicles to operate the upgraded service. This is the first Stagecoach Gold service to be operated by Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMCs.

300 - Carlisle to Whitehaven

The route runs every hour Monday to Saturday daytime, and every two hours Sunday daytime. It became a Stagecoach Gold service on 5 August 2013.

The service uses a fleet of four Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UDs. The service is run by Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire's Workington depot.

G1 - Warwick to South Farm

In Warwick, the service started on 12 November 2007.

The service uses a fleet of 11 Optare Solos on route 66 which was renumbered G1. The service is run by Stagecoach in Warwickshire.

The route runs every 8–10 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every half hour on evenings and Sundays.

Route G1 received 14 brand new Stagecoach Gold branded Optare Solo SRs which entered service on 3 October 2015. These new vehicles have replaced the 15 Goldline branded Optare Solos that entered service in 2007. At present, route G1 is the only Stagecoach Gold service to use vehicles manufactured by Optare.

Five of former Goldline branded solo's have now been resprayed into the standard Stagecoach livery and are now operating local services under Stagecoach Midlands. Despite losing the Goldline livery, the fleet has retained their Gold spec interior. A further five vehicles were transferred to Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire for use on a new Stagecoach Gold route. These five vehicles were rebranded in Stagecoach Gold livery and were also re-registered.

S1, S2, S7 & NS1 - Carterton/Witney to Oxford

In 2010, Stagecoach Oxfordshire introduced the Stagecoach Gold brand on its S1 and S2 services running from Carterton Witney to Oxford. Route S1 runs up to every 10 minutes in Monday to Saturday daytimes, every 20 minutes Sunday daytimes, every half-hour Monday to Saturday evenings and every hour on Sunday evenings. Route S2 runs every half-hour on Mondays to Saturday daytimes, and there are a number of express journeys in the rush hours on Monday to Fridays.

Night bus NS1 runs from Oxford to Carterton via Witney and Eynsham. There are eight journeys on this route on Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday nights, and one journey on all other nights. Former night bus NS2 ran in the opposite direction, as an express bus from Carterton to Oxford without serving Witney. There were six journeys on this route on Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday nights only.

On 3 July 2014 Stagecoach in Oxfordshire confirmed that it would run a new service connecting West Oxfordshire with the Headington Hospitals in Oxford. Route S7 launched on 27 July 2014 running hourly on weekdays until the service proved successful. On 27 July 2014, the S2 service stopped serving Minster Lovell with the new S7 service taking its place.

In September 2016, Stagecoach in Oxfordshire made several timetable changes to routes S1, S2 and S7. The main changes were with route S7 which now starts and terminates in Witney and no longer serves Minster Lovell and Carterton. The changes also saw all NS2 services replaced by NS1 services.

S3 - Chipping Norton / Charlbury to Oxford

Route S3 became a Stagecoach Gold route in September 2012, with eight Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UDs.

The route runs from Oxford up to every 30 minutes during the daytime (Monday-Friday) with one service per hour terminating in Chipping Norton and the other terminating in Charlbury. All services run via Woodstock and Blenheim Palace making the S3 one of Oxfordshire's busiest tourist route. The service runs hourly during the day from Chipping Norton and Charlbury with the estimated journey time of 71 minutes (from Chipping Norton) and 65 minutes (from Charlbury).

The S3 Sunday service also runs up to every 30 minutes from Oxford, but all services terminate in Chipping Norton with Charlbury not being served at all. This gives Chipping Norton a more frequent Sunday service (up to every 30 minutes) than weekday service (up to every 60 minutes).

Route S3 does not have a night service. The last bus leaves Oxford at 23:45 (weekdays).

S4 - Banbury to Oxford

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire confirmed in May that route S4 between Banbury and Oxford was to receive new single deck Stagecoach Gold buses as part of major improvements to the service. Route S4 was upgraded to Gold status in August 2015. On weekdays and Saturdays the service runs up to every 30 minutes between Banbury and Deddington with one of these services continuing to Oxford. There is also a service between Oxford city centre and Oxford Airport in Kidlington which runs up to every 60 minutes. On Sundays there are four buses in each direction between Banbury and Oxford.

Whilst the Stagecoach Gold vehicles entered service in August 2015, the gold service was officially launched in Banbury on 16 September 2015.

S5 & NS5 - Bicester to Oxford

At the very end of 2011, and into the start of 2012, the S5 and NS5 service between Bicester and Oxford also received new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UDs as well as an improved frequency throughout. Route S5 runs up to every 15 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytimes, hourly on Monday to Saturday evenings, half-hourly on Sunday daytimes and every 90 minutes on Sunday evenings. Route NS5 runs as four journeys from Oxford to Bicester and three journeys from Bicester to Oxford on Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday nights, with two journeys from Bicester to Oxford on Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday nights only. On Monday/Tuesday to Thursday/Friday nights the route provides one journey from Oxford to Bicester.

X4 - Peterborough to Milton Keynes

In November 2011 Stagecoach Gold expanded to the X4 route from Peterborough to Milton Keynes via Oundle, Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Northampton.

X4 & X5 - Workington to Penrith

Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire's X4 and X5 services received Stagecoach Gold status in October 2015 with a fleet of seven new Stagecoach Gold branded vehicles including five Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UDs and two Alexander Dennis Enviro300 bodied Scania entering service. This makes routes X4 and X5 the first and currently only Stagecoach Gold services to use a mixture of both single deck and double deck vehicles.

X17 - Sheffield to Matlock

Stagecoach Gold launched on route X17 on 10 November 2014 with six new Stagecoach Gold vehicles operating the route.

X24 - Blaenavon to Newport

Stagecoach South Wales route X24 became a gold service on Saturday 28 November 2015. They are using 15 65 plate Alexander Dennis Enviro300 single deckers numbered 27273-27287.

X30, 31, N30 & N31 - Wantage to Oxford

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire routes X30 and 31 were upgraded to Stagecoach Gold in January 2017 alongside the creation of route 7 between Woodstock and Oxford. Route X30 runs up to every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes and every 60 minutes Sunday daytime. Route 31 operates every 60 minutes Monday to Sunday daytimes with an hourly service Monday to Saturday evenings with a service every two hours on Sunday evenings. Night services N30 and N31 operate Friday and Saturday evenings with buses from Oxford to Wantage running until 3am. There is also one N31 journey from Oxford to Wantage that operates Monday to Thursday. The services use roughly six Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCs that were delivered brand new to Oxford in December 2016.

X46 & X47 - Northampton to Raunds

Each route runs hourly via slightly different routes, on Mondays to Saturdays except evenings. The X47 goes through Great Doddington and rejoin the X46 at Church Street in Wellingborough.

X46 and X47 became Stagecoach Gold routes in November 2013.

G9 & G10 - Scottish Citylink

The Citylink Gold brand is used for two Scottish Citylink services, the G9 between Glasgow and Aberdeen and the G10 between Glasgow and Inverness. Service specifications are similar to that of the bus services branded as Stagecoach Gold, but with free tea and coffee served all day.

SW1 - Carterton to London

Stagecoach Oxfordshire began operating route SW1 began on 8 November 2014 as a weekend and bank holiday service linking Carterton and Witney directly with London using spare buses from its other Gold routes. On 17 April 2015 Stagecoach Oxfordshire confirmed that the SW1 service would cease due to low passenger numbers.