Bus Shite

[Inspector Morose]

While the PCM-RE did indeed have its engine mounted horizontally under the driver, it wasn't front-wheel drive although that heavy front hub design would tend you towards thinking this was the case. In reality, it was just a Berliet PCM with another deck on top and built to a low height. They only lasted about 9 years before being pulled off because of their restrictive headroom inside, suspension problems, and, basically, it was a crap idea to build a low-height underfloor engined double-decker!

After their life in service in Paris, a good number found second lives as promotional tools, travellers campers, I believe one became a mobile brothel for a time (headroom not really an issue if you're horizontal, I suppose). It's possible that two survive in preservation, one in the Paris Museum of Urban Transport and another (the prototype) was reported at Musée Automobile de Reims-Champagne. It's also possible, although highly unlikely, that there could be the remains of one or two scattered around too.

[Inspector Morose]

Also, while I'm here, a visit to Perth last week saw me sampling their electric buses. Not one of these buses in the picture has any form of internal combustion on board. Like 'em or loath 'em, it was pretty impressive not hearing a line of buses.

[martc]

13 hours ago, busmansholiday said:

Here we go @martc,

Thanks,  I should have been paying attention many pages back....

The Berliet looks like if was sponsored by Saint Gobain as a mobile advert for every shape and type of auto-glass they make.

[busmansholiday]

19 hours ago, Inspector Morose said:

Also, while I'm here, a visit to Perth last week saw me sampling their electric buses. Not one of these buses in the picture has any form of internal combustion on board. Like 'em or loath 'em, it was pretty impressive not hearing a line of buses.

Interesting that they are all Lundinium registered rather than Scarborough or Falkirk.

[cms206]

4 hours ago, busmansholiday said:

Interesting that they are all Lundinium registered rather than Scarborough or Falkirk.

Thats a BYD thing for some reason; First Glasgow's are all London plated, as are Stagecoach West Scotland's.

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[cms206]

This trip's London update will come with a few changes as I'm moving garages next week; my last shift at Bow is tomorrow on an all evening turn on the 425.

I did manage to tick off another few of Bow's Enviro 400s, somewhat sullied by having had 11366 with no retarder the last few nights which isn't ideal on busy corridors with regular standing loads but there you go.

 

Full update next week.

[jon.k]

 

Paramount on Ebay in Autoshite colours.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/386179397473?hash=item59ea15f761%3Ag%3AZGwAAOSwDMFlItDp&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4Hk3Whradj%2BzlvM7RMvf%2FnSAskOcht%2BvhxbtRZ9WUFp92PzTo0IckE0nbm%2FX6DFcXdjBJC8CRr6FD09KTrkAdz2b2sFaRis5ddIaLDGlBfnzdAozmu1wlJdbEYDspy%2Fc%2Bu9An7v5jwm4sM%2BsQ5M%2Bko9gSPzCT0k%2B9FuhdYlkXslDMht1ah8PrgkmNJp4wbF%2FzsIEptMYR02Umd7XklQb6JFUIs3jrpMR5mAx6cqhUs%2BaGvI2pvvk8RGIHf56yMr4Llnsq0cYVR%2F3cXPuPorhTqncJFnxASgITxrm98y0byAH|tkp%3ABk9SR-zHhYnjYg&fbclid=IwAR1fFyb5O3141Ty-b3eKzubBY2hX80euaFKFVF6n_Le7n2X0oMLGeJ4vjl8

[SunnySouth]

On 10/8/2023 at 9:59 PM, Inspector Morose said:

Also, while I'm here, a visit to Perth last week saw me sampling their electric buses. Not one of these buses in the picture has any form of internal combustion on board. Like 'em or loath 'em, it was pretty impressive not hearing a line of buses.

Be alright until one of the bastards catches fire! 😮😬

[SunnySouth]

 

Thought this was a rather pleasing contrast, spotted at Rownhams services recently. Brand spanky new thing meets proper thing

In fairness to Xelabus, their livery is very pleasing!

[SunnySouth]

For the London lickers, bonus shot of a former Go Ahead London Optare pressed straight into service with Blue Star in Southampton; currently a bit of a vehicle shortage going on after mopping up all the former First work. The fleetnames had been changed by the time I took this (they weren’t initially), but it’s still got a TFL ad emblazoned down the side of it. Picture’s shoite but you get the idea!

 

Bonus bonus shot of a Southern Vectis machine, complete with “CBA to peel the fleetnames off” spec (alternatively; “They’re having it back” spec), also propping up the Southampton empire. Other far flung donors of exotic machinery include Swindon, Salisbury and Poole.

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, jon.k said:

 

Paramount on Ebay in Autoshite colours.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/386179397473?hash=item59ea15f761%3Ag%3AZGwAAOSwDMFlItDp&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4Hk3Whradj%2BzlvM7RMvf%2FnSAskOcht%2BvhxbtRZ9WUFp92PzTo0IckE0nbm%2FX6DFcXdjBJC8CRr6FD09KTrkAdz2b2sFaRis5ddIaLDGlBfnzdAozmu1wlJdbEYDspy%2Fc%2Bu9An7v5jwm4sM%2BsQ5M%2Bko9gSPzCT0k%2B9FuhdYlkXslDMht1ah8PrgkmNJp4wbF%2FzsIEptMYR02Umd7XklQb6JFUIs3jrpMR5mAx6cqhUs%2BaGvI2pvvk8RGIHf56yMr4Llnsq0cYVR%2F3cXPuPorhTqncJFnxASgITxrm98y0byAH|tkp%3ABk9SR-zHhYnjYg&fbclid=IwAR1fFyb5O3141Ty-b3eKzubBY2hX80euaFKFVF6n_Le7n2X0oMLGeJ4vjl8

That's a pretty late example of a Bedford based coach, surely?  I'm used to them being under Dominants or Supremes usually.  

[jon.k]

I went to school on a Bedford paramount which was left for dead on the hills by the rival Leyland paramount run by the same people.

[cms206]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

That's a pretty late example of a Bedford based coach, surely?  I'm used to them being under Dominants or Supremes usually.  

It's a late YNT too, not the heavier YNV Venturer which by all accounts was less worse than most Bedfords.

Where cars are concerned I'm a massive Vauxhall apologist but for buses... Ford all the way.

ALL BEDFORDS ARE SHIT etc.

[Inspector Morose]

21 minutes ago, cms206 said:.

Where cars are concerned I'm a massive Vauxhall apologist but for buses... Ford all the way.

All I’ve got to say is Ford six speed box. At least the gears are in the same place as where you left them on a Bedford.

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, jon.k said:

I went to school on a Bedford paramount which was left for dead on the hills by the rival Leyland paramount run by the same people.

Same here.  We had an absolute shed of a YMT as one of ours, STA380R.  Slower than a wet week, but absolutely, unerringly reliable and dependable.  Plus the heater was a damned site better than any of the Volvos.  

[martc]

Talking of continental double deckers did you know my favourite, Ikarus, made one? No, neither did I.

It's hard to find out how many were built, probabaly just one as all the pictures I've found appear to have the same reg number. The top deck was simply added to a regular 556 single decker -

And ..... it survives!

 

 

[busmansholiday]

10 hours ago, Inspector Morose said:

All I’ve got to say is Ford six speed box. At least the gears are in the same place as where you left them on a Bedford.

"We've given you the Ford today as you know how to slow down using the gears as the brakes aren't working properly", classic greeting when I signed on one morning.

As for Bedford gearboxes, at least with the front engined ones you can get the gear lever out and stick a crowbar in when needed.

[Asimo]

14 hours ago, jon.k said:

 

Paramount on Ebay in Autoshite colours.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/386179397473

 

[Yoss]

On 10/10/2023 at 20:03, SunnySouth said:

For the London lickers, bonus shot of a former Go Ahead London Optare pressed straight into service with Blue Star in Southampton; currently a bit of a vehicle shortage going on after mopping up all the former First work. The fleetnames had been changed by the time I took this (they weren’t initially), but it’s still got a TFL ad emblazoned down the side of it. Picture’s shoite but you get the idea!

 

Bonus bonus shot of a Southern Vectis machine, complete with “CBA to peel the fleetnames off” spec (alternatively; “They’re having it back” spec), also propping up the Southampton empire. Other far flung donors of exotic machinery include Swindon, Salisbury and Poole.

The Southern Vectis buses will be temporary so they won't bother with fleet names. It has happened ever since Solent Blue Line started in 1987. They were started as a subsidiary of Southern Vectis. In the early days when Citybus were running Routemasters they even sent some of their Bristol Lodekkas over in the winter when they weren't needed on the Island.

But now they are all Go Ahead temporary bus swapping happens quite regularly. I saw a Salisbury Red (formerly Wilts & Dorset) bus in Shirley last week. This was more amusing before First Bus pulled out because they had rebranded Southampton as City Reds and then Blue Star are running a bus branded Salisbury Reds and looking quite similar, just a slightly darker red.

[Zelandeth]

Looks like the somewhat infamous Bain's Coaches as folks from Aberdeenshire will be used to seeing chugging around in a cloud of smoke relying on structural zip ties finally had their reputation catch up with them.

Linky

They always had serious issues with even the simplest of paperwork when I had to deal with them 10+ years ago, so there's nothing in that report which surprises me in the slightest sadly.

Was somewhat staggered last time I was in the area to see their absolute shed of a BMC still on the road looking even *more* shonky than when I left the area in 2013.  I expected it to have been long since in a scrap yard.

[Daviemck2006]

4 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Looks like the somewhat infamous Bain's Coaches as folks from Aberdeenshire will be used to seeing chugging around in a cloud of smoke relying on structural zip ties finally had their reputation catch up with them.

Linky

They always had serious issues with even the simplest of paperwork when I had to deal with them 10+ years ago, so there's nothing in that report which surprises me in the slightest sadly.

Was somewhat staggered last time I was in the area to see their absolute shed of a BMC still on the road looking even *more* shonky than when I left the area in 2013.  I expected it to have been long since in a scrap yard.

I think they used to use structural chewing gum holding bits together too. They never looked the most attractive or dependable vehicles around when I was driving buses and coaches back in the early noughtys. 

[MiniMinorMk3]

[artdjones]

On 10/10/2023 at 19:56, SunnySouth said:

 

Thought this was a rather pleasing contrast, spotted at Rownhams services recently. Brand spanky new thing meets proper thing

In fairness to Xelabus, their livery is very pleasing!

Great, no turquoise and cerise swirls.

[SunnySouth]

31 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Great, no turquoise and cerise swirls.

 

[martc]

The loco is heading for Ottery St Mary / Sidmouth Junction (now called Feniton), in the village of Tipton St John. It will have come from either Sidmouth or Exmouth/Budleigh Salterton/Otterton. Great photographic composition. But what is the coach?

[EyesWeldedShut]

7 minutes ago, martc said:

The loco is heading for Ottery St Mary / Sidmouth Junction (now called Feniton), in the village of Tipton St John. It will have come from either Sidmouth or Exmouth/Budleigh Salterton/Otterton. Great photographic composition. But what is the coach?

Devon General AEC Reliance - possibly VDV793 (if that's 793 on the side)
Similar one here:
https://www.dgot.org.uk/our-vehicles/1957-aec-reliance-vdv798-2/

 

[EyesWeldedShut]

On 12/10/2023 at 16:32, Zelandeth said:

Linky

Makes fun* reading, Bains claim software problems - maybe a bit like the Traffic Commissioners' spell checker?

The MOT failure rate was twice the national average and safety critical defects were being identified at test, which indicated the preventative maitnenance regime was poor.
It's a sad read though - maybe Bain did get a bit more off piste in his later years but it sounds like the operation was already in cowboy territory before that? Greed, laziness or ineptitude?

Greed: our local milk tanker and heavy haulage guys got similar treatment a few years back. Owners were also barred from holding company directorships and were fined £500,000 at criminal court -  for falsifying maintenance sheets with some minor drivers' hours breaches.

 

 

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Makes fun* reading, Bains claim software problems - maybe a bit like the Traffic Commissioners' spell checker?

The MOT failure rate was twice the national average and safety critical defects were being identified at test, which indicated the preventative maitnenance regime was poor.
It's a sad read though - maybe Bain did get a bit more off piste in his later years but it sounds like the operation was already in cowboy territory before that? Greed, laziness or ineptitude?

Greed: our local milk tanker and heavy haulage guys got similar treatment a few years back. Owners were also barred from holding company directorships and were fined £500,000 at criminal court -  for falsifying maintenance sheets with some minor drivers' hours breaches.

 

 

I think they just never kept up with the times.  They were always a bit of a cowboy outfit I reckon, but as the world changed around them into the 90s and beyond they just never kept up.  Dougie wasn't a bad guy to talk to, but always did strike me as the sort of guy who would never be told how to do something.  Vehicles got more complex, record keeping became more onerous etc.  I definitely noticed things seeming to get visibly more disorganised as the move was made from paper to digital tachos.

On the maintenance perspective they probably didn't do themselves any favours with their taste for newer low end vehicles from the likes of King Long and BMC rather than sticking with older but probably actually easier to live with for a smaller outfit, buses.  A little outfit like that is likely to be looking for a fair few bits and pieces on the second hand market, not helpful when there isn't one.

I don't think they meant any wrong, but the world changed and they didn't.  I hadn't realised his wife had passed away, that's sad to hear as she did play a big part in the business and always came across as a lovely person.  Usually at least knew what you were asking about when you spoke to her too.

The thing which always stuck in my mind from an admin perspective though was when they were running contracts for us and it came to be time for the invoices to be sent in, and they were contacting me to ask what price they had quoted to operate it... usually after I'd chased them already for the invoices three or four times.