Lynx (bus company)
Lynx[1] is a bus company based in King's Lynn and operating services across west and north Norfolk and eastern Cambridgeshire.
A pair of Lynx Optare Tempos at King's Lynn bus station in March 2018 | |
Slogan | The new locally-owned bus company for West Norfolk |
---|---|
Parent | Stephen Challis Julian Patterson Andrew Warnes |
Founded | 6 January 2015 |
Headquarters | King's Lynn |
Service area | Cambridgeshire Norfolk |
Service type | Bus services |
Routes | 18 (July 2019) |
Destinations | Marham Downham Market Fakenham Hunstanton King's Lynn Wells-next-the-Sea Wisbech Fairstead Estate Castle Rising Dersingham |
Hubs | King’s Lynn |
Stations | Hunstanton |
Website | www.lynxbus.co.uk |
History
Lynx was founded by Stephen Challis, Jullian Patterson and Andrew Warnes in 2013. The trio had previously established Konectbus in 1999 before selling it to the Go-Ahead Group in March 2010.[2]
Operations commenced on 6 January 2015, with a school contract between Southery and Downham Market Academy. On 26 January 2015, it commenced operating route 35 from King's Lynn to Hunstanton.[2][3]
Having taken over three former Stagecoach in Norfolk routes in September 2017,[4] when Stagecoach in Norfolk withdrew most of its services, Lynx took over a further eight routes, including the western half of the branded Coasthopper service between King's Lynn and Cromer from 29 April 2018.[5][6] Lynx's section of the route was renumbered to the 36 and rebranded as the Coastliner, extended inland from Wells-next-the-Sea to Fakenham, with the section of route from Wells-next-the-Sea to Cromer being taken over by Sanders Coaches.[7][8] Lynx took over another three services from Stagecoach in September 2018.[9]
Fleet
Lynx commenced operations with second-hand single-decker Optare Tempos.[10][11] By April 2018, it was operating the largest fleet of Tempos in the United Kingdom with 27.[5]
Since September 2016, Lynx has operated double-deckers; Optare Spectra bodied DAF DB250LFs, Wright Pulsar Gemini bodied DAF DB250s and Leyland Olympians.[12][13][14]
Lynx own a Leyland National, which is operated as a heritage bus in a semi-preserved state, painted in Lynx's standard red livery. Delivered new to Hants & Dorset in November 1977, it has been used in passenger service several times to mark special occasions, as well as attending industry and promotional events and bus enthusiasts' rallies.
References
- Coastal Red Limited Companies House extract
- Second time around for former Konectbus team Bus & Coach Buyer 11 February 2015
- Lynx is launched Lynx 5 January 2015
- New bus times from Sept 2017 Lynx
- "All change in King's Lynn as Stagecoach vacates the town" Coach & Bus Week issue 1340 1 May 2018 page 11
- Stagecoach in Norfolk Stagecoach
- "Stagecoach planning to shut King's Lynn depot" Coach & Bus Week issue 1328 6 February 2018 page 11
- Stagecoach calls it a day in Norfolk and plans withdrawal Route One 6 February 2018
- "Lynx :: New Services 54, 55A & 55B". www.lynxbus.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
- Lynx effect in Norfolk Coach & Bus Week 9 December 2014
- "Lynx links Lynn" Buses issue 720 March 2015 page 10
- "Fleet News" Buses issue 745 April 2017 page 72
- "Fleet News" Buses issue 754 January 2018 page 73
- "Fleet News" Buses issue 756 March 2018 page 73