Category D test Buses

[n_i_express]

Passed category D yesterday in Belfast ( already have C & E ) .

Not very different to the Cat C test with a few exceptions . A few comments for anyone thinking of taking

a. Gearbox - no requirement for a range change . However the vehicle in which I tested was a clapped out old banger ( 17 years old ) and selection of gears could be quite difficult on occasions .

b. Remember to use the bus lanes - you are driving a bus . !!!

c. Hill and downhill starts will be at bus stops - alignment to the stop is crucial and you must be as close to the kerb as possible ( to prevent passengers falling off the kerb .

d. Safety questions different

If possible train in a newest vehicle . On the one in which I trained , the clicker to indicate that signals were on did not work nor did the heater . A small stand alone heater was installed . You could not tell if you were on dipped or main beam - it got quite dark during the test and examiner asked me to switch lights on -

[dar1976]

Congratulations on passing your D licence (which should come back as a Manual DE too).

I am starting training on Monday with First in Bristol. Really looking forward to it.

Are you jumping ship to the buses / coaches or just getting another string for your bow?

[yambol57]

Hello mate
Lol took mine Yrs ago in an old Double decker Bristol back loader crash box ha that brings back memories …things were a lot different then though the Examiner asked me do you know your way back to the test centre then spent half the test Hanging on to the handbar at the Back door looking at the tallent on Lytham and Blackpool prom . in them days you had to pass in a Double decker to drive one .
My first test was ment to be at Bredbury and was canciled before i got on the road because of the state of the Bus A cracked window that could have shattered and a bad fuel leak … so they boarded up the window lol and but a couple of 5 gallon drums under the stair well then ran i flexi pipe to the engine and got me a re-test next day in Kirkham we set out at 6 am from manchester up the A6 the trainer would not use the Motorway in case we broke down so by the time we got to the test centre in Kirkham i could drive that thing like an old pro

[n_i_express]

YAMBOL57:
Hello mate
Lol took mine Yrs ago in an old Double decker Bristol back loader crash box ha that brings back memories …things were a lot different then though the Examiner asked me do you know your way back to the test centre then spent half the test Hanging on to the handbar at the Back door looking at the tallent on Lytham and Blackpool prom . in them days you had to pass in a Double decker to drive one .
My first test was ment to be at Bredbury and was canciled before i got on the road because of the state of the Bus A cracked window that could have shattered and a bad fuel leak … so they boarded up the window lol and but a couple of 5 gallon drums under the stair well then ran i flexi pipe to the engine and got me a re-test next day in Kirkham we set out at 6 am from manchester up the A6 the trainer would not use the Motorway in case we broke down so by the time we got to the test centre in Kirkham i could drive that thing like an old pro

Yambol - an amusing post - really enjoyed . The bus in which I tested was not quite as bad as that - though the instructor did tell me that if the bus failed a road worthiness check before I left the test centre , I still had to pay half their hire fee ( in addition to losing the test fee ) . At least there was enough fuel in the tank to get me round the test route - at least one person failed because they ran out of fuel during the test . !!!

[yambol57]

Wow was he called Robbin ? Robbin b******d lol you have to pay half the re_test fee if the Bus gets a KB from the examiner thats some trainer Who can get away with that …He should not be on the road if he is unsure that the Bus is ok what kind of example is that ! …
I hope you enjoy your future as a driver mate . i did well on the tours and coach work anyway but service work is crap , where have ya been ya late // can you just drop me here at the corner // sorry I only have a £20 note for a 50p fare are only a few things you have to put up with …enjoy

[noworries]

dar1976:
Congratulations on passing your D licence (which should come back as a Manual DE too).

I am starting training on Monday with First in Bristol. Really looking forward to it.

Are you jumping ship to the buses / coaches or just getting another string for your bow?

I take it the crb came back

[dar1976]

Noworries:

dar1976:
Congratulations on passing your D licence (which should come back as a Manual DE too).

I am starting training on Monday with First in Bristol. Really looking forward to it.

Are you jumping ship to the buses / coaches or just getting another string for your bow?

I take it the crb came back

CRB came back. Got one misdemeanour from 17 years ago that had honestly slipped my mind. Just hoping it does not go against me. I know that they cannot directly use it as it’s been longer than the cut off point for RoO Act 1974.

Been to get my 4 pics done. I assume 1 is for staff pass, 1 is for personnel file, 1 is for id badge. Can’t think what 4th one would be.

Plenty of H&S training and paperwork this week coming would be my guess. Though I hope I get to do some driving too.

Still gotta do my Mod 1 and Mod 2 Theory Test. Did HPT off my own back (which impressed my interviewer).

Can’t wait to get stuck in.

[n_i_express]

dar1976:

Noworries:

dar1976:
Congratulations on passing your D licence (which should come back as a Manual DE too).

I am starting training on Monday with First in Bristol. Really looking forward to it.

Are you jumping ship to the buses / coaches or just getting another string for your bow?

I take it the crb came back

CRB came back. Got one misdemeanour from 17 years ago that had honestly slipped my mind. Just hoping it does not go against me. I know that they cannot directly use it as it’s been longer than the cut off point for RoO Act 1974.

Been to get my 4 pics done. I assume 1 is for staff pass, 1 is for personnel file, 1 is for id badge. Can’t think what 4th one would be.

Plenty of H&S training and paperwork this week coming would be my guess. Though I hope I get to do some driving too.

Still gotta do my Mod 1 and Mod 2 Theory Test. Did HPT off my own back (which impressed my interviewer).

Can’t wait to get stuck in.

Dar

Just wondering what HPT stands for . Do First train in full size coaches or forty seater buses ? . Enjoy you first run - hope it is a full automatic one - no chance of selecting wrong gear then . Keep us posted

[dar1976]

HPT = Hazard Perception Test.

No idea what Bristol vehicle is. The one in Highbridge last week is a J reg full length manual coach. But I don’t know if that’s from Bristol.

Would rather train in a manual bus as I loathe auto boxes.

Really looking forward to it

[yambol57]

the Bristol well its like The old London red bus but were they are auto or semiauto this was a manual crash box lol had too double the clutch your left leg was aching by the time you had done a day training

aolsearch.aol.co.uk/aol/imageDet … olibra.com

Wow that makes me feel old Thanks Dean ha ha

[dar1976]

Sorry. Crossed wires there. When I said Bristol vehicle. I meant the training bus in the city of Bristol.

Sorry for confusion.

But always happy to help .

On a side note…

Peters first training bus.

Bet you glad you have something more modern to train in now

[yambol57]

Ha Ha bloody hell thats in good nick ahhh a bit of nostalgia Dean thats nowt like the old shed that i passed in lol if ya had to drive one of the all day you would pray for an auto box ha ha . .

[charliebear]

dar1976:

Noworries:

dar1976:
Congratulations on passing your D licence (which should come back as a Manual DE too).

I am starting training on Monday with First in Bristol. Really looking forward to it.

Are you jumping ship to the buses / coaches or just getting another string for your bow?

I take it the crb came back

CRB came back. Got one misdemeanour from 17 years ago that had honestly slipped my mind. Just hoping it does not go against me. I know that they cannot directly use it as it’s been longer than the cut off point for RoO Act 1974.

Been to get my 4 pics done. I assume 1 is for staff pass, 1 is for personnel file, 1 is for id badge. Can’t think what 4th one would be.

Plenty of H&S training and paperwork this week coming would be my guess. Though I hope I get to do some driving too.

Still gotta do my Mod 1 and Mod 2 Theory Test. Did HPT off my own back (which impressed my interviewer).

Can’t wait to get stuck in.

4th one for the dartboard?

[paul_pstt]

Peters first training bus.

Second bus - not that it matters. First one was an ex Wigan PD2 half cab reg ■■■ 6F. Go on, you know you want to Google it!

All the best Dean. Pete

[dar1976]

I stand corrected.

However. If you look closely at the Reg of Pete’s first bus you will see why it was ZB’d above

flickr.com/photos/30794964@N03/6748101379/

[jennie]

dar1976:
I stand corrected.

However. If you look closely at the Reg of Pete’s first bus you will see why it was ZB’d above

flickr.com/photos/30794964@N03/6748101379/

Was it once owned by mrs brown

[dented]

I trained on a Lynx, quite a nice vehicle ISTR but having driven a similar vehicle after I passed my test I found it a bit more difficult to drive. Then again, having passed I was in Scania Omnilink and Scania Irizars quite quickly

I have bits fall off the truck that shouldn’t on a truck test that cost me for that test but that truck was quite old and decrepit anyway. What is nice with coaches is that you can he driving a 6sp small coach with a iffy clutch all weekend that is on the books to get sorted the following week but still needs the run doing, over to a fully auto coach for the feeder connections for the rest of the evening. If it wasn’t for the fact you’d got used a smaller vehicle its quite nice to drive.

The things you need to remember are really to be patient, especially on test, and try not to hit the castle kerb before the bus stop when lining it up