Bus Shite

[spike60]

I worked for United from 76-80 and saw the series1 Nationals with Leyland 500 engines though I don't remember them quite as fondly as some folk! I remember the company were not suited at the fuel consumption after running Gardiner engined Bristol RE's.

[Pillock]

Trent Buses soldiered on with Nationals long after they looked old, but to be fair they were looked after and smart. I was catching them up to about 1997, I'm sure I remember an L reg? But most were R or T, so getting on for 20 years old.

[Felly Magic]

Blimey an ex SYPTE Renner Bodge with Reeburr bodywork in that shot as well

[Inspector Morose]

I'm biased. I used to work for Chase Coaches!

 

DollyW, the Caves National in your picture was one of the first batch delivered to Midland Red and was preserved after Caves closed its doors. Sadly, for some unknown reason and after a fairly comprehensive rebuild and repaint back into NBC livery, it was sold for scrap to Martin Perry of Bromyard.

 

High Wycombe? Might be the NPD???L batch delivered to London Country in 73.

 

For those who don't know (probably all of you) my username is the original code for the National FPB7 meaning Forward Prodject Bus 7.

 

I keep trying to wright an article on the National, problem is, I can't wright And, trust me, you'd be bored within the first paragraph!

[oman5]

I haven't been on a National since the late 80s when National Welsh bought in a load of godawful Freight Rover based Bustler minibuses on all the local routes. I remember being mortified though..a nasher was a proper bus

[Richard]

The last National I was in cornered like it was on rails, because it was.

[Vantman]

[lisbon_road]

That fine picture looks like a Bristol L.   I have lost track with how Maidstone and District would have bought Bristols as my oldest memory of them in Tunbridge Wells in the '70s was all Leyland Atlanteans and so on.  So I think they were BET group so no Bristols?  Anyone know?  Anyone care?  A great picture of a fine bus though whether it is a shite bus I doubt.

[Vantman]

A brief history of Bristol LKT991--

 

http://www.bristolsu.co.uk/l/operatordetails/maidstoneanddistrict/lkt991.htm

[Inspector Morose]

Got this feeling that BET and Tilling both owned a share in M&D so they had the option of Bristols if they wanted to. I think that one is AEC engined too for rarity value.

 

Edit: beaten to it! I had to use precious grey cells too!

[Grundig]

 

For those who don't know (probably all of you) my username is the original code for the National FPB7 meaning Forward Prodject Bus 7.

 

I keep trying to wright an article on the National, problem is, I can't wright And, trust me, you'd be bored within the first paragraph!

 

I would read it - I love the Leyland National, both 1&2      .... The Atlantean though, urgh hateful thing

[Inspector Morose]

Why oh why did I spell write like that!

 

Anyway, to make up for the hatefulness of the Atlantean, try its elder cousin, the lowloader!

[Vantman]

I would read it - I love the Leyland National, both 1&2      .... The Atlantean though, urgh hateful thing

 

I saw this in W H Smith today,

[HH-R]

Phwoar! Was it on the top shelf?

[catsinthewelder]

 

I stuck these two recent spots up on another thread but what is the double decker?

[Inspector Morose]

Might take a look at that. I'm trying to find pics of the unstyled prototypes (FPB7-701 to 704 I think).

 

The concept behind and the development of the National is one that has never been repeated before or since. I was at the coach show at the NEC a couple of weeks ago and one Chinese exhibitor was showing a film of its highly automated bus production plant that could produce up to 40 buses a week. The chap on the stand was amazed when I told him we had one of those in this country in 1972 and that we even built a main road just to connect it to the motorway to make delivery easier (it's the A66 from the M6 to Workington by the way)

[Inspector Morose]

Ex Warrington Foden PVD6

[HH-R]

Might take a look at that. I'm trying to find pics of the unstyled prototypes (FPB7-701 to 704 I think).

 

The concept behind and the development of the National is one that has never been repeated before or since. I was at the coach show at the NEC a couple of weeks ago and one Chinese exhibitor was showing a film of its highly automated bus production plant that could produce up to 40 buses a week. The chap on the stand was amazed when I told him we had one of those in this country in 1972 and that we even built a main road just to connect it to the motorway to make delivery easier (it's the A66 from the M6 to Workington by the way)

My glass eye... where did it all go wrong?

[Mirkin]

Can't remember if I've posted my old bus shite up before, good deal on ales at Tesco. 

Anywho, my old gaff.

Not my photo though, bloody abacus is playing up again.

Given to my ex when we split as I had somewhere I could live. Last saw it in a Walsoken haulage yard, was told it was scrapped around 2007.

[Inspector Morose]

Petrol or diesel?

 

I got offered a petrol one of those in the early 90s with 40 thousand on the clock. Spent all of its life in Guernsey or Jersey. It was like a brand new 1960s coach! Oh to turn the clock back.

[Mirkin]

330 Diesel, 4 speed crash box.

[brickwall]

Bus rally 012.jpg

 

 

All buses should be that colour scheme.

[Split_Pin]

Stephen Morris' 1984 book on the National is a very good piece. Covers the BREL railbus too, the proper one, not the Pacers.

[Inspector Morose]

Aye, a pretty well researched book on the whole. Not surprising, I've had mine for years. The Leyland Bus mk2 and beyond reality by Doug Jack have a good few bits on Nationals too.

 

All buses should be green and cream, I agree.

[rml2345]

Country buses should be green and cream. Corporation buses (remember those?) should be maroon and white with gold lining and the town crest.

It's tradition or old charter or something.

[Inspector Morose]

You are Robert Rankin AICMFP

[Grundig]

 

[Grundig]

 

OMGBUSHITESNOWKAOS

[cms206]

My gaffer states that all buses should be red. Which is why ours are maroon, grey and gold, no doubt

[Split_Pin]

I still think east of Bathgate is green, Linlithgow to Stirling is blue, Glasgow is orange and the West is red, except for Granny's bit in Port Glasgow which is yellow and white. Oh and Auntie's place in Carnoustie is a blue and orange Routemaster. © Iain Lindsay aged 5 1/4