Victoria Coach Station 1985

This video was filmed in and around VCS in 1985 using a Sony SLF1 portable Betamax VCR. I hope you enjoy it.....

[@lilylaw1517]

All those Plaxton bodied Leylands! Brings back so many fond memories, I loved travelling on the ones with a preselector gearbox.

[@andrewcroft6855]

Fabulous piece of nostalgia, used to use Victoria in early eighties every week from Canterbury to see my sister in Kennington, some great old coaches on display here. Thank you

[@julieaylward7033]

You are very welcome!

[@Neash2]

Thank you for posting such rare footage, brought back happy memories of when I was occasionally rostered to drive the Rapide 525 service to/from Newcastle-upon-Tyne... the journey was timetabled for 5 hours, although we usually achieved earlier arrival times. You would be hard-pressed to achieve that today in a car!

[@julieaylward7033]

Hi Neash2, Glad you enjoyed it. Who would have thought then that 30 years later, we would be reminiscing over what were such modern vehicles.....

[@clairebalding4792]

I remember travelling to Manchester to see family with my mum, on the National Express Rapide, from Victoria as a child in the eighties. Your video has brought back some happy memories, what a different world it was then! Thank you x

[@julieaylward7033]

You are most welcome!

[@RStantun]

This video starts with a rare late model Bova Europa, the one with the smaller passenger windows.

[@hairynews1973]

Theis is Great. Used to arrive at Victoria Coach Station from Norwich to change over to the Ramsgate service to go see my nan in the summer holidays of the late 70s and early 80s. Remember queueing and waiting ages on the platform. I seem to recall the "Alder Valley" coaches in the next bay, the the Ramsgate service. Thankyou so much for posting this, brings back alot of childhood memories.

[@julieaylward7033]

I'm glad you liked it. I only wish I had taken more....

[@michaelkeen5010]

Love the pre Health and Safety scenes at VCS, people wandering everywhere.

[@davesaunders3334]

Do you remember that incident when a child was crushed by a coach in 1987?

[@rogerwickins9728]

I also remember going on the Ribble Gay Hostess, I wouldn’t be called that now !

[@mickeytaker4255]

Good memories for me too. I used to catch a bus from viccy to Andover in the late 70s, on my own as a lad of 14! Wouldn't dream of sending a child of that age on such a journey now

[@julieaylward7033]

Indeed so! A sad reflection on modern society.

[@zeddeka]

​@@julieaylward7033it was twenty thousand times worse back then!!!!! Victoria coach station was absolutely notorious as a paedophile hotspot. The coach station was the main route into London for the many runaways from the provinces. It attracted some really notorious paedophiles. Look up the Sidney Cooke gang. Modern society has many problems, but child protection is a trillion times better than it was back then.

[@zeddeka]

​@@julieaylward7033​​it was 20,00 times worse back then!!! Victoria coach was absolutely notorious in the 80s as a paedophile pick up point - not least because it attracted so many vulnerable young kids running away to London on the coach. There were some incredibly dangerous people around there, including the notorious Sidney Cooke gang who were pimping out one of their victims in victoria train and bus stations, 14 year old Jason swift, before they murdered him. We have many problems now, but child protection is a trillion times better than it was back then.

[@rogerwickins9728]

In the 50s I used to travel to Liverpool from Tunbridge Wells. Green line to Victoria and then Crosville or Standerwick to Liverpool, I loved it .

[@taridean]

One of the things I used to look forward to coming from Zimbabwe to visit my aunt in Sheffield in the 80s, was the coach ride up. As a then 4 year old in 85, I was so fascinated to ride on the National Express Rapide double-deckers. These coaches with two floors looked so space age compared to the long distance chicken buses I was used in Africa.

[@shonnou]

OMG!!! This brings back memories😁 travelling from Cardiff to London in the 1980’s on the National Express Coach, to visit my Grandparents. Wonderful memories😌thanx for posting

[@mikehumble1120]

I enjoyed that.... Enough to make a glass eye weep

[@this_is_a_tiny_town]

We used to change at VCS in the early 90s on our way from the ferry port in Scotland to Reading Festival. As we usually had a few hours to spare we'd go on a walkabout, without really having much of a notion of where we were going and it's a small miracle that we managed to find our way back again! But it was amazing for a handful of young lads from N.Ireland to see all these landmarks that we'd only ever seen on the television like New Scotland Yard and Buckingham Palace! Also I always thought it was really strange to see lots of London Transport busses with Co.Antrim number plates on them, the reason was that they were built by Wrightbus in Ballymena who in later years also built the new Routemaster 'Boris Busses'

[@Piner5074]

Brings back memories, it was so confusing, don’t know how I ever got on the right coach back in the day

[@julieaylward7033]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Madjock1965]

Great video brought back a lots of memories of when I first came to london from Scotland on the bus this was were it all started for me around 1983/4.I totally forgot about the coach station as I now tend to fly up and and down. But the other day I had to visit the company doctor and it so happen to the doctor office was right above the coach station looking down on to the forecourt and I could see the people getting onto the buses. So I got home search the web for the bus type I came to London on which was a Scottish company it was blue and white and windows were angled to give the impression of speed. I was hoping to see one come out of the coach station but these buses only went early morning or overnight. Anyway I did find a photo of one with the help of Google. Again thanks for posting this video so enjoyed it as a reminisce as I traveled up and down to Scotland.

[@julieaylward7033]

I am pleased that this brought back memories for you. Thank you for your comments.

[@colliecandle]

Bit before my time, but i knew this place well in later years as a regular daily run for good ol' Nat Express ( the canteen was a bit of a dump, but it was either that or sit on the coach for the obligatory rest break ). i always loved leaving the place, but it was only temporary as i'd have to drive back there the following day !

[@julieaylward7033]

It has changed a bit over the years with the addition of the gates. Also, when coaches left via the back way, they used to turn right, now they have to turn left.

[@doveronefoxtrot4417]

Just around the time of deregulation, and to the mess that we now have both on the road, and the rails. Bring back the national bus company, they ran routes as a vital service, instead of a money making exercise.

[@shripneycarsales]

used to love popping to see my nan on a Maidstone & District / Invictaway Medway Towns service Leyland Olympian....Feels like so long ago.. Great video.

[@julieaylward7033]

Sadly Chris, IT IS!!!

[@khawkeye5039]

Thanks for posting this video, brought back good memories of my childhood. " Wow was that the olden days" The hilarious reaction from my 10 year old son 😂

[@julieaylward7033]

Glad you both enjoyed it Karen. It still feels quite recent to me....

[@adamburgess1287]

Used to get the National Express Rapide Metroliner from Sunderland (526, I think?) at least once a year in the 80s. I had family in London and beyond. Brought back some lovely memories.

[@julieaylward7033]

Glad you liked it Adam. It was known as The Mackem Express!

[@zakamoriarty]

I came down from Dundee on one of these in 1985 to Victoria and then on to Oxford.

[@alantraish3368]

Mum used to take NE from Victoria to Durham regularly but I hated her using the coach wanted her to go by BR but she said she would have but it was cheaper. I’d rather pay the extra fare in comfort

[@telhadaway3833]

Crazy how many regions operate under the national express banner

[@kevanhubbard9673]

I use to do them from the north east in NBC times and most on the London run where operated by United or Northern in National Express livery.But if I went to Birmingham you'd get more exotic fare like Midland Red,Wessex,Trent,etc..

[@julieaylward7033]

I'm pleased that this brought some memories back for you....

[@dean6816]

I can almost remember the smell of these old bus depots!!

[@AndreiTupolev]

You could wander about quite happily among the coaches until quite recently. Though it looks like a safety nightmare to the modern mind. I remember those Wilts & Dorset Duple-bodied Leyland Tigers 1:40; they were in service well into the 1990s. (Nice Jaguar XJ6 as well, though I'm not sure if it should have been parked there.)

[@julieaylward7033]

Getting out of there was a real nightmare.

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

I'm your 21st subscriber Julie...!!! Nice classic footage here! 🎥 🎞 📹 📺 😁👍

[@julieaylward7033]

Thanks Anton, Welcome Aboard!

[@citroenfil]

Not a stupid hi viz or safety sign in sight. When people had common sense back then before rogue claims lawyers started appearing.

[@marty8535]

The last great days of public transport in UK! So sad, what we have let the politicians destroy.

[@πλούσιομετάλλιο]

Got the front yard looking like the boggs

[@AndreiTupolev]

9:45 interesting; Lotus Elan is it, with a hardtop, parked over the road, and a Audi Quattro S1 photobombing! Though that turning looked a ****er to get out of with cars parked on single yellows on each side of the road.

[@julieaylward7033]

It was!

[@tonestransportphotos3453]

Is there a Trent coach ? Any Trent Tigers?

[@MQsCues]

It amazes me that they would schedule a dozen coaches to leave all at the same time. Would have caused congestion and chaos in the passenger waiting area for any late arrivals, led to a queue to get out of the coach station, and would then have caused congestion in the city streets with a dozen big vehicles suddenly all trying to get round the parked cars etc. Surely someone had the authority to dictate staggered departure slots, or was this the grim reality of deregulation?

[@ratmanbug]

It was like this most of the day. There's as many going in!

[@julieaylward7033]

These days, the gates are locked one minute before departure so there are no people getting in the way of departing coaches. Departures are scheduled at 00, 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour.

[@AndreiTupolev]

They traditionally did that, for example at Cheltenham, long before deregulation

[@juliesmith5567]

That surely is different

[@TechHeadHD2]

amazing video! do you have any of speedlink coaches? been trying to find some with no luck yet

[@julieaylward7033]

Sorry, I don't but I'm sure there will be some on KZbin somewhere.....

[@TechHeadHD2]

+Julie Aylward Ah no problem! Still enjoyed watching it. I'll keep searching the web for the coaches (speedlink,railair) Have a great day :)

[@jasonfeeley1097]

Do you have anymore footage at digbeth coach station or anymore at vcs .I've watched this 5 times already

[@julieaylward7033]

Sorry Jason, that's all I've got. Do feel free to share it with your VCS group.

[@jasonfeeley1097]

Julie Aylward thankyou Julie .amazing again

[@adamuppsala1931]

digbeth is in Birmingham, you twat!!!

[@raymondfunnel6856]

All the different coach company names

[@jasonfeeley1097]

this is amazing footage could i share this with my Facebook group vcs please

[@julieaylward7033]

Of course you can.

[@hairynews1973]

Many thanks for this video. Takes me back to the late 70s early 80s summer holidays waiting for the National Express coach to Ramsgate. I remember the coach's in the next bay to the Ramsgate bay were for the Alder Valley service. Once again thank you for stirring up these great memories!

[@julieaylward7033]

I am really pleased that you enjoyed the video. If only I had done more.....

[@joeritchie7286]

Whats the Eiffel Tower doin in London haha

[@paulchance3766]

Nearly as tall as well, from the top you'd get an equal eye full..😁

[@joeritchie7286]

@@paulchance3766 what is that anyway ?

[@julieaylward7033]

Crystal Palace transmitting station, Sydenham Hill, South London.

[@VICTOR-pf9eg]

Who film this you or someone else

[@julieaylward7033]

It was I.

[@thebeast2746]

Not many illegal immigrants wandering around in them days.

[@_B.M_]

Why? Did you know everyone back then? Doh!

[@stottybox3185]

No, driving buses now.

[@telhadaway3833]

We just interested in the video of the bus station

[@zeddeka]

In victoria it was just the massive problem it had with paedophiles preying on young kids getting off the coaches back then. I suppose you'd prefer that because they were white, would you?

[@geoffcapper769]

Poor quality film,probably due to age,wouldn’t want to watch it again,makes your eyes strained ,good try though

[@bruceanderton1518]

Interesting buses-but the technical quality of this piece is terrible and the hesitant style of filming doesn't help: "going-away" shots are not attractive, and I almost lost the will to live waiting for that Routemaster to pull away from the kerb.

[@julieaylward7033]

You are right. I posted it for its content rather than its quality. Good job I don't do it for a living....

[@AndreiTupolev]

Have you any conception of what videotape and equipment available to amateur filmmakers in the 1980s was like? Don't be so rude