Bus Shite

[Asimo]

On 01/01/2025 at 08:36, lesapandre said:

Why the opening windscreen? 

A utilitarian way of getting ventilation and de-misting air for the driver back in those days.

[martc]

A Mercedes-Benz O 302, I think they're ace. It looks RHD, but the photo is reversed for some reason. However, fun fact, in many Alpine regions (particularly Italy) RHD was favoured as you could see the precipitous edges easier (and then try and avoid them).

[martc]

Ikarus 260's being washed. Looks like the channels have been specially designed for them, I guess to keep them parallel with the brushes.

[Volksy]

6 minutes ago, martc said:

A Mercedes-Benz O 302, I think they're ace. It looks RHD, but the photo is reversed for some reason. However, fun fact, in many Alpine regions (particularly Italy) RHD was favoured as you could see the precipitous edges easier (and then try and avoid them).

I love those O302s. Many fond memories of travelling on these in Spain as a kid.

[Volksy]

Mercedes-Benz O 302 interurban bus for sale Spain Esquivias, AB40275

 

Yum.

[Yoss]

On 01/01/2025 at 08:36, lesapandre said:

 

Why the opening windscreen? 

Opening windscreens are for winners. I always opened mine on a hot day when I had the RM. Beats any air con. 

Also a by product of having an opening windscreen is you don't need windscreen washers. I mean they would still be handy but you don't need them by law. RMAs (built for BEA for London to Heathrow services) had sealed windscreens and so had to have washers fitted. All of LTs RMs had opening windscreens so had no washers. 

[lesapandre]

Yes cars up to WW2 had mostly opening screens.

Post-War they disappeared on most brands with the advent of heaters and because of the 1945-55 export drive - they were not suitable for some dusty export markets.

Interesting to see the feature persisting in buses and coaches. But an opening windscreen by that day is quite late - I suppose RMs had them to the end - must be one of the last vehicles so equipped - though some specialist vehicles may still have the feature.

[lesapandre]

37 minutes ago, martc said:

A Mercedes-Benz O 302, I think they're ace. It looks RHD, but the photo is reversed for some reason. However, fun fact, in many Alpine regions (particularly Italy) RHD was favoured as you could see the precipitous edges easier (and then try and avoid them).

"Can we get two Minis in here?"

"No let's try a different bus."

[Inspector Morose]

2 hours ago, martc said:

A Mercedes-Benz O 302, I think they're ace. It looks RHD, but the photo is reversed for some reason. However, fun fact, in many Alpine regions (particularly Italy) RHD was favoured as you could see the precipitous edges easier (and then try and avoid them).

I remember the first UK one of these (OLH302E) sitting at PVSs yard complete in Barnsley for bloody years with him trying to find someone to save it. Unsurprisingly, it didn't get saved.

[bramz7]

I've seen quite a few abandoned vehicles in farms when traveling by train but I didn't expect to see at least 3 of these side by side near to Bristol. All in what looked like a tiny bit of hard standing. 

 

Someone clearly has an affliction. 

Someone must know the legend/nutcase involved. 

[busmansholiday]

17 hours ago, bramz7 said:

I've seen quite a few abandoned vehicles in farms when traveling by train but I didn't expect to see at least 3 of these side by side near to Bristol. All in what looked like a tiny bit of hard standing. 

 

Someone clearly has an affliction. 

Someone must know the legend/nutcase involved. 

There used to be at least 9 withdrawn ex First Bristol ones stored on the old Filton airstrip. These must be the ones that haven't yet been scrapped.

[Yoss]

Most normal people would get the dedicated bus service if they need to get from Prague Airport to the station but where's the fun in that? 

For £1.20 you can get a 90 minute ticket valid on anything. 

The first bus was a double bendy trolleybus! Škoda powered obviously but actually built by Solaris in Poland. 

I got off on the outskirts and walked to a nearby tram turning circle. I do like a good tram turning circle. And to my delight the front tram was an old Tatra T3. 

Some of these have been converted to have a low floor section in the middle which means they can probably run until the end of time. 

And by god its hot in here. Its about -3 outside. 

[willswitchengage]

47 minutes ago, Yoss said:

The first bus was a double bendy trolleybus! Škoda powered obviously but actually built by Solaris in Poland.

Pretty much all trolleybus tech still originates in Central Europe.

Lekov, now Faiveley/Wabtec or whatever it's called these days makes most of the electrical equipment.

https://www.ftczech.com/products/green-city-transportation/trolleybus-current-collectors/

 

Solaris I believe was spun of of Neoplan Poland and now is an extremely successful independent company that has been a very successful challenger to the old MAN/Merc duopoly on the continent.

 

[Yoss]

Certainly in Central and Eastern Europe a large proportion of new buses, both diesel and electric seem to be Solaris. And the trolleys all have powered by Škoda in the back window. I don't know enough about them to know if they are any good but the ones I've been on seem solid enough. 

[17-Coffees]

This was going through the VOSA lane at my work earlier this week...

I know nothing of busses, but a DVLA check shows it as an Alexander, a further google check and I think its a B10M? I just think it looked cool! 

 

*Excuse the poor image quality, was about -4 when I took it, and I poorly cropped and covered the numberplate. 

[83C]

Volvo Olympian with an Alexander (Belfast) R-type body. 

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, 83C said:

Volvo Olympian with an Alexander (Belfast) R-type body. 

Aye, that front end looks shouty, right enough!

[cms206]

I've started scanning again from the collection of photos we rescued from skips several years back; current mission as I'm missing the place like mad is That London in the late 1980s.

One for @Yoss here, RM2037 at Terminus Place on Thursday February 26th, 1987; I was approximately 18 days prior to birth, so claim no copyright to this but the publisher has since passed away and I suspect the photographer has too.

 

It's mostly RMs which don't hold massive interest to me but I am happy to share more if people would like?

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, cms206 said:

It's mostly RMs which don't hold massive interest to me but I am happy to share more if people would like?

on behalf of and as one of the solitary 2 Routemaster enthusiasts on this website, yes please  

[Yoss]

4 hours ago, cms206 said:

I've started scanning again from the collection of photos we rescued from skips several years back; current mission as I'm missing the place like mad is That London in the late 1980s.

One for @Yoss here, RM2037 at Terminus Place on Thursday February 26th, 1987; I was approximately 18 days prior to birth, so claim no copyright to this but the publisher has since passed away and I suspect the photographer has too.

 

It's mostly RMs which don't hold massive interest to me but I am happy to share more if people would like?

That is exactly as it looked when I first met it in October 1986 when it worked the last Routemaster 68. After that Norwood only had the 2B left. But its London days are very much numbered there as it was withdrawn in March 87. But it didn't sit idle long as two months later it arrived in Southampton. 

I must admit I had to do a double take there to check it wasn't one of my own pics. In 2006 I had those adverts remade for the 20th anniversary of the last 68. They are very simple black and white or black and yellow so I was able to walk in to my local sign writers with close up photos and dimensions and it was quite easy for them to knock them out. So that is a look very familiar to me. Thanks. 

[cms206]

I've scanned about 60 images so far; there are probably another 150 or so in this batch, plus an absolute pile of Londom rally shots which I won't lie I've not even looked at scanning as I don't particularly like rally shots.

A handful which I posted on my facebook earlier today, as I'm not on the PC at the minute...

RM1290 at Hyde Park Corner bound for Tottenham Court Road, March 30th 1987.

 

Apparently nobody can do it like a steam train; answers on a postcard.

RM1063 pondering if it's 2B or not 2B on Vauxhall Bridge Road.

Ahhhh... Terminus Place in better* times. RM2033 is graced with the presence of an Ambassador, February 26th 1987.

Last for now, back to Thursday February 26th 1987; London Buses' RML2660 at Friern Barnet Lane.

[big_al_granvia]

On 12/01/2025 at 18:00, 17-Coffees said:

This was going through the VOSA lane at my work earlier this week...

I know nothing of busses, but a DVLA check shows it as an Alexander, a further google check and I think its a B10M? I just think it looked cool! 

 

*Excuse the poor image quality, was about -4 when I took it, and I poorly cropped and covered the numberplate. 

@cms206 didnt liddels of mocketleck have one of these ex a1 service, they claimed it is stored, it cannot be , can it

[cms206]

Just now, big_al_granvia said:

@cms206 didnt liddels of mocketleck have one of these ex a1 service, they claimed it is stored, it cannot be , can it

Their ex A1 Volvo was B899 RSH, a Citybus rather than this. It was the former TSD 285 and ran for Jim Liddell in yellow.

[big_al_granvia]

Just now, cms206 said:

Their ex A1 Volvo was B899 RSH, a Citybus rather than this. It was the former TSD 285 and ran for Jim Liddell in yellow.

arse

[Yoss]

20 minutes ago, cms206 said:

I've scanned about 60 images so far; there are probably another 150 or so in this batch, plus an absolute pile of Londom rally shots which I won't lie I've not even looked at scanning as I don't particularly like rally shots.

A handful which I posted on my facebook earlier today, as I'm not on the PC at the minute...

RM1290 at Hyde Park Corner bound for Tottenham Court Road, March 30th 1987.

 

Apparently nobody can do it like a steam train; answers on a postcard.

RM1063 pondering if it's 2B or not 2B on Vauxhall Bridge Road.

Ahhhh... Terminus Place in better* times. RM2033 is graced with the presence of an Ambassador, February 26th 1987.

Last for now, back to Thursday February 26th 1987; London Buses' RML2660 at Friern Barnet Lane.

RM 2033 became the Cummins engined prototype. Probably not too long after this. Refurbs started in earnest in 1992 but they spent a fair while evaluating the prototypes before finally opting for the wrong two engines. 

[martc]

Beijing 1993, hundreds of minibuses, known locally as 'locusts'. And a bonus Beijing (the brand) 4x 4 for @hairnet

[martc]

[quicksilver]

4 minutes ago, martc said:

Beijing 1993, hundreds of minibuses, known locally as 'locusts'. And a bonus Beijing (the brand) 4x 4 for @hairnet

A couple of surprising western vehicles there. An Iveco Daily van in the middle and a BMW 5-series, in the outside lane of course. Lots of locally-built Daihatsu Charades and Volkswagen Santanas, and the old-fashioned car in front of the Beemer is a Shanghai SH760.

[martc]

7 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

A couple of surprising western vehicles there. An Iveco Daily van in the middle and a BMW 5-series, in the outside lane of course. Lots of locally-built Daihatsu Charades and Volkswagen Santanas, and the old-fashioned car in front of the Beemer is a Shanghai SH760.

The Santanas and the Shanghai were made by SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation), better known as MG in the UK. SAIC still build VW's for the Chinese market.

[Dyslexic Viking]

47 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

Shanghai SH760

I now want one of these but guess they are almost impossible to find.