Keep away from here for the rest of the afternoon if I was you… bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-19267414
Great! Glad I don’t have to go around there today. Not so easy turning round/off on much of that stretch. Side roads will not be funny.
I’m the other side and need to get back to Bristol so long way round for me, sounds like the passengers were lucky.
bald bloke:
I’m the other side and need to get back to Bristol so long way round for me, sounds like the passengers were lucky.
Very lucky. Definitely an advert for PSV seatbelts.
Went pass today and I’ll put money on the fact that the coach came down Brassknocker Hill, anyone who knows it wouldn’t drive a coach down it.
bald bloke:
Went pass today and I’ll put money on the fact that the coach came down Brassknocker Hill, anyone who knows it wouldn’t drive a coach down it.
I used to take a 26ton rigid down there after delivering to the Uni (and up before sometimes 
). I think there’s a weight limit now and you’d have to go back down Bathwick Hill or North Road. Always managed to stop at the bottom but was very apparent you were using air faster than the truck could make it.
There’s only a 7.5t hgv limit, nothing stopping coaches and buses using it.
Well, if it was Brassknocker Hill (as has been mentioned in the press), then that was a big mistake any time to take that route, unless you have to (talking about large vehicles). He was presumably not local, but even a sat nav wouldn’t normally take you down that stupid hill, so why was he there? (Shortest route perhaps - rarely advisable IME). Surely there’s no chance of running out of brakes on a long steep drop in this day and age? OTOH if it was chucking it down then that hill would not be so funny in a really heavy vehicle. Having said that, looks like he (?) almost made it round (didn’t go straight over at the bottom).
Yeah not a good route for heavier vehicles. I remember coming down their in my MK1 Festa and cooking the brakes. Managed to leave off the brakes until the last minute and dive into the empty pub car park on the left. If not, I too would have been over the edge.
They were really lucky when they came across the A36 unanounced, they could have met up with one of you many Supermarket jockeys to/form the South.
Snudger:
Well, if it was Brassknocker Hill (as has been mentioned in the press), then that was a big mistake any time to take that route, unless you have to (talking about large vehicles). He was presumably not local, but even a sat nav wouldn’t normally take you down that stupid hill, so why was he there? (Shortest route perhaps - rarely advisable IME). Surely there’s no chance of running out of brakes on a long steep drop in this day and age? OTOH if it was chucking it down then that hill would not be so funny in a really heavy vehicle. Having said that, looks like he (?) almost made it round (didn’t go straight over at the bottom).
Brassknocker Hill is a short cut when coming from Bristol side and going down the A36 as we do that when visiting the in-laws in Dorset and as we know sat navs don’t always know about weight limits do they.
bald bloke:
Snudger:
Well, if it was Brassknocker Hill (as has been mentioned in the press), then that was a big mistake any time to take that route, unless you have to (talking about large vehicles). He was presumably not local, but even a sat nav wouldn’t normally take you down that stupid hill, so why was he there? (Shortest route perhaps - rarely advisable IME). Surely there’s no chance of running out of brakes on a long steep drop in this day and age? OTOH if it was chucking it down then that hill would not be so funny in a really heavy vehicle. Having said that, looks like he (?) almost made it round (didn’t go straight over at the bottom).Brassknocker Hill is a short cut when coming from Bristol side and going down the A36 as we do that when visiting the in-laws in Dorset and as we know sat navs don’t always know about weight limits do they.
If you’re going to go that way quicker to go off right to Hinton Charterhouse at the Tesco garage just after the new Sainsburys and come out much further up the A36. There used to be a 3ton weight limit along there if you were coming to Brassknocker that way as well.
A lot of traffic down Brassknocker will go across the A36 towards Bradford-on-avon (of saddo bridge watcher fame).
Where the coach crashed is the entrance to Monkton school,a road under the bridge,that may have been used even if the school is shut for the holidays,the coach was at the Fleece pub the night before in Bristol,so must have followed his car sat nav,as the buses normaly go another way.
Just an update.m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-21354629
Apparently he took the coach down Brassknocker Hill which for most of you who don’t know it is very steep, with nasty tight turns and a 7.5 t weight limit.
bald bloke:
Just an update…m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-21354629..
Apparently he took the coach down Brassknocker Hill which for most of you who don’t know it is very steep, with nasty tight turns and a 7.5 t weight limit.
Think that 7.5t limit must be recent-ish as I used to go up/down in 18/26 tonners about ten or so years ago delivering to the university.
Well, as highlighted by mucker back in the day, I think the prosecutors are found wanting as such a 7.5t limit only applies to goods vehicles (except for loading in this instance). As for the rest, naughty man!
Foreign drivers are also exempt from court actions if spotted by the lorry spotters at Bradford on Avon, they have no means to summons them to appear at court to pay the £1000 fine for exceeding the 18 ton weight limit.All UK hauliers will have to pay the fine.
You can drive over once, the second time is when you get fined, the first time is a written warning.
At least he won’t be illegally driving in these parts again, but perhaps someone should tip off the authorities abroad if he tries it again there.