Bank Holiday Monday 2 May 1988 (approx. 0655) – At the time of this photograph National Express controlled around 950 coaches operating its daily network. Originally the vehicles were provided by National Bus Company subsidiaries then later by outside sub-contractors.

Prior to 1986 National Express Limited never owned any coaches itself nor did it have its own operator’s licence. In order to comply with the requirements at the time the company obtained an operator’s licence and owned a nominal fleet of just four vehicles which was administered and maintained by Midland Red at Digbeth, Birmingham.

Midland Red operated the Birmingham-Norwich National Express service which, upon arrival at Norwich then worked a Norwich-Newmarket evening trip on service 747. The following day it worked back to Birmingham firstly by operating the 0635 Newmarket-Norwich service 747 and then the Norwich-Birmingham service.

National Express number 1 (C182 RVV), one of a pair of Caetano bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZs acquired in May 1986, was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0635 service 747 from Newmarket to Norwich.