Bus Shite

[LightBulbFun]

25 minutes ago, PhilA said:

Each tube must've had its' own supply then because 20W off a vibrator transformer supply is going some.

well the vibrator ballast comment was made in reference to RTC1 from 1949, to which I sadly dont know what size of tube was used as I have never seen any interior shots of that bus/coach

im pretty sure the RMC and such like, used early transistorised ballasts as featured in @Yoss's Routemaster 

although it is worth noting just how large the ballasts are (the one on the far right being a 1970's replacement im pretty sure)

and the fixtures in an RMC are quite slimline so im curious where the ballasts are

 

certainly the 1970's Thorn 20W T12 I saw install in an RMA's (Routemaster Airport, which used the same fixtures as the RMC IIRC) fixture missing its cover I was once onboard had wear/end blackening patterns consistent with a tube being driven off a DC transistorised ballast

 

 

 

[LightBulbFun]

52 minutes ago, Eyersey1234 said:

I've had a response, yes she does have the medium speed diff in place of the high speed diff she should have 

ah thats interesting, I was always under the impression that the RMC's always had a Medium speed diff (I believe Country RML's also had a medium speed diff)

and that only the RMA (and maybe RCL) got a high speed diff (along with a larger AEC AV690 engine), in the RMA's case for 70Mph running on the M4 motorway  (I know the RCL's got the larger engine but im not sure if they had a medium or high speed diff)

(and standard RM's and RML's had a City diff, good for about 40Mph-45Mph depending how much you care about your hearing!)

[Yoss]

I assume the end one is smaller because the rearmost tube is smaller. The advert panel contains four long and one short tube. 

[LightBulbFun]

48 minutes ago, Yoss said:

I assume the end one is smaller because the rearmost tube is smaller. The advert panel contains four long and one short tube. 

im pretty sure its a newer replacement based on its style thats its 1970's or 1980's Thorn/smart brown unit, the other 4 are unmistakably 1960's  (and I think I can make out an outline of where the old ballast once was on the board)  

 

 a 20W 2ft tube runs at 57V 370Ma, a 4ft 40W Tube runs at 110V 430Ma

so in terms of current the specs are not that far off, and generally its lamp current that determines a ballast's physical size (lamp/tube voltage can do so, but that has other dependancies like what the incoming voltage is for example)

in fact because of that a lot these low voltage ballasts are often rated to run a group of sizes from 2ft to 4ft (2ft 20W 3ft 30W and 4ft 40W) or 1.5ft-2ft 15W-20W

[Yoss]

I bow to your superior knowledge. 

[cms206]

On 12/8/2020 at 11:40 PM, leanycan said:

Is that Linwood retail park or am I completely wrong?

Bang on. I drive around these parts.

[Eyersey1234]

East Yorkshire 775 and 776 parked on 'The Muck' as it is known by crews. Taken 4th December. For the benefit of those not from Hull it is the bus park at the back of the station. The term dates from the old bus park on the old station which I believe many years ago was a state, full of potholes, mud etc before it was tarmaced over, however the name stuck. 

[Roverageous]

On 12/11/2020 at 6:05 PM, Eyersey1234 said:

East Yorkshire 775 and 776 parked on 'The Muck' as it is known by crews. Taken 4th December. For the benefit of those not from Hull it is the bus park at the back of the station. The term dates from the old bus park on the old station which I believe many years ago was a state, full of potholes, mud etc before it was tarmaced over, however the name stuck. 

I grew up in North Ferriby. My Dad had a brown Montego Countryman Estate. I think it was broken into 5 times, and eventually stolen. It was used in a robbery on Bev road before being dumped round the back of the station.

Dixons got custody of it after it was recovered and we went to collect all of our stuff out of it - it was a right state. The first time I cried about a car.

[Yoss]

The Lurkers were Ickenhams finest and a long time favourite of Steve Lamaq. I had a few of their albums but you only really need one, they are pretty much all the same - not necessarily a bad thing. They were on Beggars Banquet records. The very first BB releases were The Lurkers and Gary Numan/Tubeway Army. 

Gold Blade were a Britpop era cod glam punk band, so much later than anything else there. Fronted by John Robb, journalist and many time talking head on many a music telly programme. Like a Poundland Rocket From The Crypt. I once saw them supporting RFTC, that was a great night out. Their signature look was the gold lame' suit. 

I've heard of GBH and UK Subs but don't really know anything about them, the rest I've never heard of. 

[Eyersey1234]

Another blast from the past for you, a Northern Counties bodied Leyland Olympian. EYMS bought 4 batches between 1990 and 1993, H547-52 VAT, H154-60 BKH, J561-70 HAT and K572-83 RRH. Good solid workhorses, most of them were withdrawn between 2008-2010 with the last going in 2012.

[Eyersey1234]

One of the Mercedes-Benz based Optare Prismas we had. Again excellent buses, this particular one was one of 3 that were bought from an operator in Scotland in 2001 joining 16 that were bought new. 

[Zelandeth]

On 12/31/2020 at 2:20 PM, Eyersey1234 said:

One of the Mercedes-Benz based Optare Prismas we had. Again excellent buses, this particular one was one of 3 that were bought from an operator in Scotland in 2001 joining 16 that were bought new. 

Never realised there were Optare bodied.  Every day's a school day.

Have a photo of an articulated version.

Which I believe was the first bendy bus in Scotland.  Had a patchy life in service because it really was a bit too complicated for the maintenance crew to deal with. 

Have only travelled on it once (after it entered preservation) when it was out on a test run - it goes like a bat out of hell and sounds fantastic.  Probably way over-geared for a city bus though.  One I'd have loved a chance to drive, sadly it never happened.

On 12/31/2020 at 2:16 PM, Eyersey1234 said:

Another blast from the past for you, a Northern Counties bodied Leyland Olympian. EYMS bought 4 batches between 1990 and 1993, H547-52 VAT, H154-60 BKH, J561-70 HAT and K572-83 RRH. Good solid workhorses, most of them were withdrawn between 2008-2010 with the last going in 2012.

Stagecoach Bluebird ran quite a few of these too, mostly on R***XNO plates originally as I recall, handful were still going when I left Aberdeen in 2013, don't imagine they lasted much longer though.  Not through any fault of the vehicles, but it was the DDA regs that were seeing them off - along with both Aberdeen City and Shire councils putting vehicle age restrictions on their school transport contracts.  That decision still irks me as it saw no small number of perfectly decent vehicles consigned to the scrapheap almost overnight.

[Eyersey1234]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

Never realised there were Optare bodied.  Every day's a school day.

Have a photo of an articulated version.

Which I believe was the first bendy bus in Scotland.  Had a patchy life in service because it really was a bit too complicated for the maintenance crew to deal with. 

Have only travelled on it once (after it entered preservation) when it was out on a test run - it goes like a bat out of hell and sounds fantastic.  Probably way over-geared for a city bus though.  One I'd have loved a chance to drive, sadly it never happened.

Stagecoach Bluebird ran quite a few of these too, mostly on R***XNO plates originally as I recall, handful were still going when I left Aberdeen in 2013, don't imagine they lasted much longer though.

We also had a number of the Volvo Olympians bought new from 1995-8 plus some secondhand ones, the new ones were Alexander Royale bodied N590-603 BRH and Northern Counties bodied N584-9 BRH, P604-11 SAT and S622-36 MKH. 

[Eyersey1234]

Regarding the Prismas, I believe the body was a Delta modified to fit the Mercedes chassis 

[Ditchfinder General]

7 hours ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Another blast from the past for you, a Northern Counties bodied Leyland Olympian. EYMS bought 4 batches between 1990 and 1993, H547-52 VAT, H154-60 BKH, J561-70 HAT and K572-83 RRH. Good solid workhorses, most of them were withdrawn between 2008-2010 with the last going in 2012.

I remember these on the 744(?) from Bridlington to York via Pocklington? Fine views from the top deck and they used to go like stink IIRC. 

[Eyersey1234]

1 hour ago, Ditchfinder General said:

I remember these on the 744(?) from Bridlington to York via Pocklington? Fine views from the top deck and they used to go like stink IIRC. 

I think some of them were used on the 744 at one time. They were good solid machines as they were Gardner engined. 

[MorrisItalSLX]

On 30/12/2020 at 19:37, MorrisItalSLX said:

The Sydney Bus Museum is raising money to restore their 1983 Mercedes-Benz O305G Bendy Bus, which is to be repainted back to its original brown and orange livery.

If you would like to donate to the cause, and you should, just look at that glorious colour scheme, there is a go fund me on their website.

https://www.sydneybusmuseum.com.au/mercedes2556

 

[busmansholiday]

Don't know if this will work...

 

 

[LightBulbFun]

25 minutes ago, busmansholiday said:

Don't know if this will work...

 

 

 

That works for me

 

but sadly the one you uploaded in Six Cylinder's thread is broken for me 

 

9 hours ago, busmansholiday said:

 

Seen that video before, M4 between London and Heathrow. Was actually looking at some 8mm I shot at Heathrow around 1973/4 only last week. Had RMA'S in the old BEA livery on plus a 707 taking off. Really has focused my mind to get it transferred professionally, as using your phone is crap. 

Also those three are in the three different liveries, BEA, BOAC and BA.

 

 

[busmansholiday]

 

34 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

That works for me

It's the same one, but reduced in size so works.

FRM1 in service at Potters Bar and that depot, 73 or 74 ish. Part of a longer bit that includes the MS and LN trials at Clapton and BEA Routemaster at Heathrow. Will get it done professionally (but there's 11 in total) then edit if you want bits on here.

Took the Xmas crap into the loft, found my 1969/70 bus pics I took. Bet you want me to scan and post some of those.

[martc]

Oldham Street, Manchester 1988. Just look at that Crapi's lights.

[busmansholiday]

Right, spent a snowie weekend scanning over a hundred prints, then doing some basic editing (if you think I'm going to go all Photoshop shite, forget it) so I can post some of them here.  Please note, back then (1969 / 70 / 71) my camera was either an Instamatic, my dad's 1950's 35mm with a serious shagged lens or a Kodak camera with those lenses that you pressed a button and they folded down out of the front attached to a set of cardboard / cloth bellows (I kid you not). Hence the quality of these is guaranteed to be shite by modern standards.

You have been warned.

So here we are, these say 1970 on the book and being from Sheffield the first few are obviously taken in Portsmouth, or actually Southsea as we went there every year for our holidays.

Back then on Saturdays and Sundays, lots of coaches turned up on day trips and generally parked in the coach park at Clarence Pier, where the amusements are now. Except of course those who came on a London Transport day excursion. As LT didn't have "coaches" the depot closest to where they booked simply turned out something "appropriate".

So the lucky people near Norwood Garage got RM1090,

those near South Croyden Garage go a pretty new RML2741,

whilst if the sun wasn't behind them and I'd had a decent camera (I got bought a Zorki 4 in spring 1971 prior to the school trip around Europe), I'd know which depot sent a pair of RTs.

More to come, some time soon.

[somewhatfoolish]

14 hours ago, martc said:

Oldham Street, Manchester 1988. Just look at that Crapi's lights.

Those weird stripy stickers Ripspeed etc used to sell to idiots to put over lights to 'style' them? 

[busmansholiday]

I've found several bags of negatives from the early 70's (I started taking colour slides in September 1972) and a few more modern slides in the bags as well.

 

Here's one especially for @Yossand @LightBulbFun.

[LightBulbFun]

5 minutes ago, busmansholiday said:

I've found several bags of negatives from the early 70's (I started taking colour slides in September 1972) and a few more modern slides in the bags as well.

 

Here's one especially for @Yossand @LightBulbFun.

something something Cummings something something turning the fuel pump up something something Rolling coal?

 

(but seriously WTF happened there LOL)

[busmansholiday]

Fuel pump guovenor stuck open, plod just working out best way of stopping engine ( big clue, turn the tap marked fuel cut off).

[Yoss]

10 hours ago, busmansholiday said:

I've found several bags of negatives from the early 70's (I started taking colour slides in September 1972) and a few more modern slides in the bags as well.

 

Here's one especially for @Yossand @LightBulbFun.

I think it's rejecting its new engine. Looking at the style of roundel and London Central markings it would be mid nineties so probably not long after it had been refurbed. 

[LightBulbFun]

4 hours ago, Yoss said:

I think it's rejecting its new engine. Looking at the style of roundel and London Central markings it would be mid nineties so probably not long after it had been refurbed. 

Yeah I dont blame it! LOL

and yeah was thinking that, mid 90's means its Cummings engine would of only been a couple years old

(when I saw it was refurbished example, I was hoping it was an Iveco engined one so I could just circle that fact in its history on Ians bus stop and say "there the problem right there" but sadly It was/is Cummings engined so that joke would not have worked as well LOL)

[Eyersey1234]

20 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

something something Cummings something something turning the fuel pump up something something Rolling coal?

 

(but seriously WTF happened there LOL)

I thought someone had put a Gardner in it and started it up from cold 😂

[Yoss]

5 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

Yeah I dont blame it! LOL

and yeah was thinking that, mid 90's means its Cummings engine would of only been a couple years old

(when I saw it was refurbished example, I was hoping it was an Iveco engined one so I could just circle that fact in its history on Ians bus stop and say "there the problem right there" but sadly It was/is Cummings engined so that joke would not have worked as well LOL)

Yes it would have explained a lot. The Cummins is supposed to be the quality one.