摘要: |
National Express has marked its first half century by officially endorsing this illustrated history of how the brand evolved from the state-owned National Bus Company's launch in 1972 of white coaches and the National name (Express came a few years later) to today's multi-modal international group. All the twists and turns are covered either in the main chapters or a timeline at the end. It acknowledges that there was coach life before 1972, tracing the company's origins back to horse-drawn stage coaches of the 18th century, through the birth of scheduled motor coach services in the 1920s, their rise in the 1930s, the creation of coach stations in London, Cheltenham and Birmingham, and such postwar innovations as Standerwick's Gay Hostess Atlanteans with at-seat catering. |