BUSES, COACHES, & LORRIES.

[[zb] anorak]

I don't very often go by bus these days but last week, to save my daughter collecting me from Fareham railways station, I caught the bus to Gosport.
This single decker of 2016 vintage was horrendously noisy, not only from the engine/hydraulic gearbox but the clunking etc of the chassis.
How do bus builders get away with it? Surely better sound insulation from the rear mounted drivetrain would be possible?
I reckon my 1980 F12 was quieter by far!
The gearbox was the producer of most of the noise!

They're cheap and nasty rubbish nowadays. When it was privatised, the profiteers had the last years of the last well-engineered vehicles. Now they just buy short-life machinery, because their backers will not fund long-term plans. Grrr...

[Ray Smyth]

Peter, Perhaps you are thinking of the Bristol VRL coaches from 1970 until 1975.
Regards, Ray.

[Paul John]

Looking at the Wrights Travel coaches, is ORR a Duple bodied Leopard? NAU, fitted with a B10M would be a flyer, and my choice to take up the road. Looks as if its fitted with a Plaxton body? Over to you Ray!

Yes, Paul John, It looks like a Plaxton Panorama Elite. Ray.

Hi Ray. Thanks for your reply. You certainly know your buses and coaches. Tremendous!

Paul

[ParkRoyal2100]

Hi ParkRoyal, would that be a 466 or 500. It probably would of been to early on a W reg for the later 8.3l turbo,or the Perkins Phaser engines. The Bedfords were slow compared to the Leyland 680, Fords turbo and defenitely the Volvo.
Thanks for the info.

Paul

More than likely the turbo 500 Paul.

[ParkRoyal2100]

Obstinacy was not confined to the Brits.

Quite so, though I can't speak reliably about others.

...Leyland had shipped one single decker (I wasn't really into buses, but I'm sure it was one of those that they built in Workington, whose name I can't remember.) .

Probably the Leyland National. Given it only came with the Headless Wonder (the 0.500 series) that wouldn't have gone over with their prospective clients very well.

[John West]

Obstinacy was not confined to the Brits.

Quite so, though I can't speak reliably about others.

...Leyland had shipped one single decker (I wasn't really into buses, but I'm sure it was one of those that they built in Workington, whose name I can't remember.) .

Probably the Leyland National. Given it only came with the Headless Wonder (the 0.500 series) that wouldn't have gone over with their prospective clients very well.

Leyland National, that's the one. Why did companies insist on only offering what they wanted to sell instead of listening to what the customer wanted. Another example of this was in Nigeria, where I was told they loved the Morris Marina (honest!) but as in all African and Middle Eastern countries, they spent their lives pressing the horn, so the horn on the stalk wasn't robust enough, they wanted to be able to lean on a boss on the steering wheel. Allegedly BL wouldn't change it.

John.

[Ray Smyth]

Ribble Leyland PD2, fleet No. 1401 in Carlisle.

[Ray Smyth]

It looks like a warm day in Carlisle...The driver of Ribble PD3 Fleet No. 1790 is in "Shirt Sleeve Order",
and the sliding door on the bus is open, giving the passengers some fresh air.

[rastone]

More

Tony

How is it that these photos have come on again.I don't think Tim Jeffcote will be happy as Some of them weren't Tims which he mentioned at the time and there was a bit of a mix up about them

Tony

[rastone]

More

Tony

How is it that these photos have come on again.I don't think Tim Jeffcote will be happy as Some of them weren't Tims which he mentioned at the time and there was a bit of a mix up about them

Tony

Tim

I haven't put them on so someone needs talking to

Tony

[rastone]

More

Tony

How is it that these photos have come on again.I don't think Tim Jeffcote will be happy as Some of them weren't Tims which he mentioned at the time and there was a bit of a mix up about them

Tony

Tim

I haven't put them on so someone needs talking to

Tony

Sorry my fault.Pressed the wrong page

[Leyland600]

MCW bodied PD3/4 No 1730 seen at the top of Botchergate, Carlisle en route from Upperby to Belle Vue Crown Rd terminus the next bus went to Criffel Rd another 500 yards further along Moorhouse Rd and then reversed into Criffel or Crown Rd to turn round in daylight and darkness. The same manoever was carried out at the Carleton terminus reversing into a narrow country lane off the main A6 road to Penrith in the days before the M6 was built. It could be tricky at times.
The cabs on those 1700s were hot in summer with the only ventilation being the small signalling windows in each cab door. I have piloted this bus quite a few times back in 1964. Note the Redmaynes Tailors shop, this company had their factory in my home town employing a lot of male and female tailors and seamstresses making high class genuine Harris Tweed suits and costumes for both Royalty and the landed gentry. Although the factory has long gone the company still maintain a shop in Wigton with a small manufacturing facility.
Cheers, Leyland 600

[Leyland600]

This PD2/13 and two others were returned to Carlisle depot to operate the two former United Automobile Services routes from the Town Hall to Botcherby estate (where the Metal Box Factory is) This situation occurred when Ribble took over the United Carlisle operations circa 1966 but did not want the three Bristol KSW deckers run by United which were sent back to Darlington. This location is English St, Carlisle now a vast pedestrianised area and where the Ribble engineering inspector used to lurk in shop doorways near the bus stops looking for drivers setting off in 2nd gear, woe betide them if they did he would be waiting for them when they returned about 20 minutes later. God knows what he would make of some of the drivers these days with their screeching rattling new Optare Solos being driven flat out and then coming to a full pressure braking stop a few hundred yards further along the street.
Cheers, Leyland 600

[pyewacket947v]

I don't very often go by bus these days but last week, to save my daughter collecting me from Fareham railways station, I caught the bus to Gosport.
This single decker of 2016 vintage was horrendously noisy, not only from the engine/hydraulic gearbox but the clunking etc of the chassis.
How do bus builders get away with it? Surely better sound insulation from the rear mounted drivetrain would be possible?
I reckon my 1980 F12 was quieter by far!
The gearbox was the producer of most of the noise!

I. too, am a rare customer of local bus services, but usually find myself hopping on one of Arriva's puddle=jumpers when I'm feeling a bit lazy. Although the things are reasonably new (compared to the 20-year old Bristols that served in my youth) they are so noisy and uncomfortable that you'd be forgiven for presuming that they are pre war. Rear suspension is non-existent, the gearbox and/or the final drive shreaks like a banshee and the drivers, to a man, sorry, PERSON, are apparently trained not to even acknowledge the passengers, let alone speak to them.
Come back, oily, your country needs you!

I too have had occasion to use what is left of the local bus service into and from Bridgwater.
The vehicles operated by First Something or Other are Wright bodied Volvos and the ride is atrocious, while most of the noise seems to emanate from seats,body panels, grab rails and the roof. OK so i am biased, but i certainly do not remember Birmingham standards being so noisy and uncomfortable.
One small plus point perhaps saw a First Kernow Bus putting in a appearance in the shape of a Wright bodied Scania .This seemed to ride better than the Volvos and the acceleration was frankly astonishing. oh and the different livery made a nice change.

[Ray Smyth]

Ribble 452 is a Leyland Tiger Cub 41 seater from 1954 with bodywork by Saunders-Roe of Beaumaris, Anglesey.
Much of its time in service was at Ribble Kendal depot. It is now in the care of Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust.

[DEANB]

Glasgow 1967.

Click on page twice to read.

[oiltreader]

Bristol L6B (1949) Wilts & Dorset EMW284
Oily

[Ray Smyth]

Two Liverpool Corporation buses at Seaforth Terminus. A Leyland PD2, and a Daimler
with bodywork by Northern Counties of Wigan. Ray Smyth.

[DEANB]

London Buses 1968.

Click on pages twice to read.

[oiltreader]

Neoplan coachwork.
Oily

[oiltreader]

Various.
Oily

[Ray Smyth]

Ribble Leyland PD3, Fleet No. 1798 at the Bus Station in Hope Street, Wigan.
This bus was based at Wigan depot, and I drove it many times during my 2 years
with Ribble in the late 1960s, on journeys to Liverpool, Preston, & Southport.
Ray Smyth.

[Froggy55]

Landliner (3).jpg (51.27 KiB) Viewed 1271 times

Just discovered this strange concept this morning. The Landliner was built by Dyson in Australia
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/bus-stop ... own-under/

[Ray Smyth]

Landliner (1).jpg

Landliner (2).jpg

Landliner (3).jpg

Just discovered this strange concept this morning. The Landliner was built by Dyson in Australia
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/bus-stop ... own-under/

Bonjour Monsieur Froggy, This bus is the strangest machine that I have ever seen. In reality, the driver
will be sat in the trailer to drive it. I imagine it would be more than a 2 minute job to "Drop The Trailer".
Regards, Ray Smyth.

[robinswh]

It must have been a pig to drive!!

[Buzzer]

Not what you always think, Buzzer

[ERF-NGC-European]

Not what you always think, Buzzer

[rastone]

I don't very often go by bus these days but last week, to save my daughter collecting me from Fareham railways station, I caught the bus to Gosport.
This single decker of 2016 vintage was horrendously noisy, not only from the engine/hydraulic gearbox but the clunking etc of the chassis.
How do bus builders get away with it? Surely better sound insulation from the rear mounted drivetrain would be possible?
I reckon my 1980 F12 was quieter by far!
The gearbox was the producer of most of the noise!

They're cheap and nasty rubbish nowadays. When it was privatised, the profiteers had the last years of the last well-engineered vehicles. Now they just buy short-life machinery, because their backers will not fund long-term plans. Grrr...

I don't use a bus very often but I did go on one to Burton from Doveridge.I have never had such an uncomfortable ride on Public Transport.Come back Stevensons all is forgiven.Started off from Doveridge and it seemed there were more pot holes than I thought.I thought it was because I was sitting over the rear wheels so when I came back I sat in the middle, but no different.Use the busses in Brighton and Newcastle upon Tyne and no problem.It strikes me that the people involved with these motors don't use them,but only when they've got their cars in the garage to sort out a rattle like a glove box lid.

Tony

[DEANB]

60 new AEC Reliance single deckers in Trinidad in 1963.

Click on pages twice to read.

[Ray Smyth]

Ribble Leyland PD2 buses, 1471 and 1497 at the Pier Head, Liverpool. The Liverpool Corporation
bus at the rear of the picture is also a Leyland PD2, Its driver and conductor are heading across
to the kiosk for a cup of tea. They both have white reflective panels on the sleeves of their jackets.
The conductor is carrying his "Ultimate" ticket issuing machine and his cashbag.
Ray Smyth.