Bus Shite

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, martc said:

Quote - 'The former coal yard was also used by bus dealer Ted Brakell to store his second-hand sales stock which included a lot of the former London RTs visible here. The Leyland National is probably an ex Plymouth one as they got rid of most of theirs in the late 1970s.'

Now....

sad face

Great comparison! Houses rulez, tho

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Lazy spotting in a Kent village. Haven't seen one in this livery- in service for at least 25 years! 

[cms206]

A pearoast from The Mundane Public Transport Archive on facebook; FPB7 , myself and others have done some scribblings which aren't entirely aimed at the bus spottist. Please do check it out.

--

 

758BC001.

A stardate? A Mercedes partnumber? Neither; but it was a first, and it does - only just, sadly - cling to life.

Plaxtons aging Panorama range had been facelifted several times from it's introduction in the 1950s, morphing into the incredibly handsome Panorama Elite III by the early 70s. Just as Duple's Dominant had replaced the Viceroy 1972, the Panorama's next shapeshift was imminent.

The 1974 Commercial Motorshow saw the introduction of a new model from Scarborough; The Plaxton Panorama Supreme. Initially available only on Bedford's PJK and Bristol's LHS chassis, the 1974 show exhibit was of a composite framed 35-seat Panorama Supreme (Later known as Supreme II) on a Bristol LHS6L chassis which was delivered in late 1974 to Yeowart of Whitehaven in the Lakes as GHH 256N.

It quickly moved on, to Winn Brothers of Brompton, Dobson's of Whickham and then to Flights where it gained cheriahed registration 567 FTG. On disposal in 1990 it became JOK 234N and passed to Summerfield of Southampton, once again re-registered OIB 1084. It passed into non-PSV use in 1991, before returning to use as a PSV with several companies between 1994 and the early 2000s.

Like many midicoaches of it's age and size, it ended up with new age travellers; having been sighted several times in and around RAF Fylingdales in early 2003, 758BC001 had made the trek north to the banks of the Gare Loch where it was last reported in 2003 at the Faslane Peace Camp.

Faslane Peace Camp is still active, with a small community of resident CND activists still peacefully protest at the north gate of HMNB Clyde on a weekly basis. The peace camp itself is home to two former coaches; FIL 8678 is a Plaxton Supreme IV on a Bedford chassis, new to Grindle, Cinderford as AFH 4T - 7911TC114 for the code watchers - while the other is 758BC001, that 1974 motorshow exhibit and first example of Plaxton's new "Panorama Supreme" which became GHH 256N.

It remains largely complete though a local engineering firm on the Rosneath Penninsula disembowelled it for it's Leyland 401 powerplant in very recent years. Otherwise, it remains in the same position it was left in two decades ago, mere feet from the busy A814, watching traffic go by.

Five decades have not been kind to her, but five decades take their toll on most... for now, though, the years continue to tick by for this one time show star in her final resting place.

[martc]

Have I said that I think Ikarus 55's are blinkin' ace?

[Yoss]

If we're going down that road I'd have a Škoda 706.

 

This one's bendy

 

And this one has a separate trailer. 

 

To be honest I have no idea if they are any better than the Ikarus but I am biased. 

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, martc said:

Have I said that I think Ikarus 55's are blinkin' ace?

Why on earth is Ikarus a good name for transport, considering the greek myth?

[MorrisItalSLX]

On 15/04/2023 at 04:05, cms206 said:

On disposal in 1990 it became JOK 234N

Just five registrations after to the Maserati Merak from Top Gear.

(Yes, it is sad that I recognised the plate.)

[Asimo]

https://www.facebook.com/people/Global-Village-Trucking-Co/100063456394081/?sk=photos

[big_al_granvia]

The 2 at faslane are pretty knackered, having spent time as traveller buses before being driven onto site, could still provide parts for others in preservation

One converted bus that really should be in preservation now is Burnett motorsport 's Ford with duple body, built in the early 60's converted to race bus late 70's and still on the road today. Its home base is just outside cumbernauld. The guys at gvvt in bridgeton are well aware of it

[cms206]

7 hours ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

Just five registrations after to the Maserati Merak from Top Gear.

(Yes, it is sad that I recognised the plate.)

JOK 229N was 1 BOV from new; JOK-N was a re-reg series.

[martc]

20 hours ago, Yoss said:

If we're going down that road I'd have a Škoda 706.

 

This one's bendy

 

And this one has a separate trailer. 

 

To be honest I have no idea if they are any better than the Ikarus but I am biased. 

Yeah, it's a close run thing between the Skoda and the Ikarus, but the '55 just squeezes past for me.

I may also be biased as I nearly came a cropper on my motorbike just after crossing the Czechoslovakian border into Hungary where a Skoda 703 had just disgraced itself by emptying a lot of gear oil (by the smell) onto the road causing a 'moment'. The driver was underneath it with a substantial tool box by his side and the passengers had set up camp on the grass verge.

[gm]

a couple of events in the north east that may be of interest

 

[Vantman]

[cms206]

After about five weeks without it, I'm finally back in my MAN 19.360 and fuck me does it feel like a Rolls Royce compared to a Temsa Safari HD12; silky smooth and piles of torque. Forgot how much I'm spoiled with it.

College run round the Vale of Leven in about half an hour then off to Glenafton Park in New Cumnock this evening with the Clydebank supporters club - let it never be said the life of a coach driver isn't glamorous.

[quicksilver]

Rail replacement in Oxford today and I was surprised to see this. A BMC Condor airport shuttle must rank pretty high on the bus shite scale, especially when it's working alongside Tourismos, Irizars and other modern coaches.

I'm sure train passengers would be delighted* to see this turn up, but it didn't actually do anything, just sat at the back all day as a spare.

[Eyersey1234]

19 hours ago, cms206 said:

After about five weeks without it, I'm finally back in my MAN 19.360 and fuck me does it feel like a Rolls Royce compared to a Temsa Safari HD12; silky smooth and piles of torque. Forgot how much I'm spoiled with it.

College run round the Vale of Leven in about half an hour then off to Glenafton Park in New Cumnock this evening with the Clydebank supporters club - let it never be said the life of a coach driver isn't glamorous.

Why were you without it for 5 weeks?

[cms206]

1 hour ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Why were you without it for 5 weeks?

It was off for MOT for a week and a half - normally we test on a Thursday, with the week prior reserved for works.

It passed MOT on the Thursday, was off the road Friday, I did a football with it on the Saturday and it threw on every warning light. Just got it back yesterday after a back end rebuild and some electrical work.

For those interested, it had eaten an ABS sensor... which turned into two hubnuts, two hubseals, two hubs, two sensors, two ABS rings, two back discs, a full set of rear pads and a caliper. Buses can be bastards too 😂

[martc]

15 hours ago, quicksilver said:

Rail replacement in Oxford today and I was surprised to see this. A BMC...

I'm sure train passengers would be delighted* to see this turn up, but it didn't actually do anything, just sat at the back all day as a spare.

It really is the Pacer of rail replacement buses but your average passenger would revel in the comfort, smooth ride and overall de-luxe ambiance of the BMC.

[Zelandeth]

21 hours ago, quicksilver said:

Rail replacement in Oxford today and I was surprised to see this. A BMC Condor airport shuttle must rank pretty high on the bus shite scale, especially when it's working alongside Tourismos, Irizars and other modern coaches.

I'm sure train passengers would be delighted* to see this turn up, but it didn't actually do anything, just sat at the back all day as a spare.

Kill it with fire...

BMC...1100FE I think it was, has to be the most absolutely horrible vehicle I've ever driven.  It seriously had zero redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Well, other than that it wasn't mine so I was able to hand the bloody thing back when we were done!

This thing.

Basically the cheapest bus body in the universe plonked on top of the cheapest truck chassis they could find that's been stretched to be long enough, then fitted with completely the wrong gearbox just for fun.

[big_al_granvia]

8 hours ago, cms206 said:

It was off for MOT for a week and a half - normally we test on a Thursday, with the week prior reserved for works.

It passed MOT on the Thursday, was off the road Friday, I did a football with it on the Saturday and it threw on every warning light. Just got it back yesterday after a back end rebuild and some electrical work.

For those interested, it had eaten an ABS sensor... which turned into two hubnuts, two hubseals, two hubs, two sensors, two ABS rings, two back discs, a full set of rear pads and a caliper. Buses can be bastards too 😂

Was Brian swearing a bit

[83C]

9 hours ago, cms206 said:

It was off for MOT for a week and a half - normally we test on a Thursday, with the week prior reserved for works.

It passed MOT on the Thursday, was off the road Friday, I did a football with it on the Saturday and it threw on every warning light. Just got it back yesterday after a back end rebuild and some electrical work.

For those interested, it had eaten an ABS sensor... which turned into two hubnuts, two hubseals, two hubs, two sensors, two ABS rings, two back discs, a full set of rear pads and a caliper. Buses can be bastards too 😂

Oof. Thats some going for just an ABS sensor. I melted a half shaft on an Olympian once because the fitter changing the diff/axle oil did a fantastic job of draining the old stuff, then totally forgot to put any fresh in because they went off for lunch half way through. Bus comes off the ramps, and I get the job of taking it into town (10 miles away) and swapping it over with another Olympian. A mile in and with a fuckton of smoke pouring out of the rear arch I stopped and called the depot, only to be told it was fine and that was just the water from the pressure washer boiling off. Funny looking grey oily 'steam' says I, but I was just a simple dogsbody and the fitter knew best. Righto. 

Two more stops, two more calls and an increasingly irate supervisor who was being assured that I didn't know what I was on about, despite being told about lots of heat, lots of smoke and a strong smell of very hot oil/grease. Got to Mile End roundabout on the A5, right at the head of a queue of traffic, went to go forward and felt a 'thunk' from the back as I took power and almost instantly lost drive. Left the gearbox in D, pulled the hatch open to find the prop shaft from the box to the diff turning easily. It's amazing how the phrase 'I'm blocking a bit of Mile End roundabout and either a half shaft of the diff has shat itself' can alter the course of a phone conversation in favour of finally getting the message through. The fitter got there half an hour later and set about extracting the half shaft bolts from the o/s, the threads of which were still glowing orange. Then the half shaft endplate fell off, showing where the heat had twisted and then snapped the shaft as the hub and bearings seized.

Next day after trying to strip the axle and finding everything was utterly bolloxed it was a phone call to the usual suspects in Barnsley for a whole axle assembly...

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Kill it with fire...

BMC...1100FE I think it was, has to be the most absolutely horrible vehicle I've ever driven.  It seriously had zero redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Well, other than that it wasn't mine so I was able to hand the bloody thing back when we were done!

This thing.

Basically the cheapest bus body in the universe plonked on top of the cheapest truck chassis they could find that's been stretched to be long enough, then fitted with completely the wrong gearbox just for fun.

So, overall, you liked it? 

[cms206]

13 hours ago, 83C said:

Oof. Thats some going for just an ABS sensor.

Grew arms and legs... couldn't get the ABS sensor out, workshop destroyed it trying to get the sensor out and in the process damaged the ABS ring.

Hub had to come off as the ABS ring is part of the hub. The (original and still servicable after 470,000km) brake discs were welded to the hubs.

This ran to a new hub, hubnut, hubseal, disc, pads, ABS ring & ABS sensor.

Built back up. Other side started showing a fault due to inconsistent readings across the axle.

Cue the other side... same again.  Two hubnuts, two hubseals, two hubs, two discs, two sets of pads, two ABS rings, two ABS sensors, plus a caliper rebuild.

Not bad for a missed hammer blow to an ABS sensor 😂

[martc]

Hounslow High Street, 1962

[martc]

[Eyersey1234]

Today's chariot, for some reason we have this beast on NX instead of the usual Levante 

[cms206]

Some day in the life shit from the past wee while; been jumping between buses a lot.

[cms206]

Also for the first time in a long time I managed a shift in this recently; new as SA02 RZB, this Volvo B12M has been on fleet since new in May 2002, having outlasted all it's newer and older Volvo Van Hool siblings here.

[AnnoyingPentium]

27 minutes ago, cms206 said:

Also for the first time in a long time I managed a shift in this recently; new as SA02 RZB, this Volvo B12M has been on fleet since new in May 2002, having outlasted all it's newer and older Volvo Van Hool siblings here.

Reminds me of the one I got to school, was a 1997/98 I'm sure. One of Smiths of Patna's ones.

[Leyland Worldmaster]

8 hours ago, cms206 said:

Also for the first time in a long time I managed a shift in this recently; new as SA02 RZB, this Volvo B12M has been on fleet since new in May 2002, having outlasted all it's newer and older Volvo Van Hool siblings here.

Noice! 😎 How does it compare to the B10M? I've driven two of these; one was an ex Oxford Plaxton Excalibur and the other an ex National Express Plaxton Panther- with over 1,000,000 miles on the odometer! 😎