Bus Shite

[Leyland Worldmaster]

[SunnySouth]

5 hours ago, Leyland Worldmaster said:

I love it, “Instructions”!

“Drive bus, collect passengers, don’t crash…”

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

[Inspector Morose]

On 26/04/2025 at 11:36, The Old Bloke Next Door said:

Been there, done that, bought the, erm, Midland Red short Ford.

[Inspector Morose]

On the way back from Dundee, what did we stumble across but a Royal Tiger on its way south.

Apparently, being sacrificed to help with the gargantuan rebuild of the severely fire damaged King Alfred Olympic.

[Matty]

How's the new job and relocation going @Inspector Morose?

[Inspector Morose]

10 minutes ago, Matty said:

How's the new job and relocation going @Inspector Morose?

Okay thanks. Just about to sign on the dotted line to rent a place up here. It comes with absolutely sod all inside and so I've got to bugger around to get the obvious sofa, bed, washing machine, fridge, etc. But it's in a nice location and is relatively cheap for what it is - I'll have to slum it for a while, as I gather the funds to get things that make up a home.  

I'm still training but working the lanes alongside a mentor who oversees me and signs off on any tests I do. Obviously, I can't be as free and open here with what I do, day to day, as I can get into a lot of trouble if someone decided to report me for having an opinion (oh, the joys of being a civil servant). 

[Matty]

4 minutes ago, Inspector Morose said:

Okay thanks. Just about to sign on the dotted line to rent a place up here. It comes with absolutely so all inside and so I've got to bugger around to get the obvious sofa, bed, washing machine, fridge, etc. But it's in a nice location and is relatively cheap for what it is - I'll have to slum it for a while, as I gather the funds to get things that make up a home.  

I'm still training but working the lanes alongside a mentor who oversees me and signs off on any tests I do. Obviously, I can't be as free and open here with what I do, day to day, as I can get into a lot of trouble if someone decided to report me for having an opinion (oh, the joys of being a civil servant). 

Excellent news. Glad it's working out for you 👍

[Inspector Morose]

1939 AEC Matador converted to a bus recovery vehicle by Salford City Transport but passed to South Yorkshire PTE.  By the time I photographed it, it had passed to SYPTE enthusiast and erstwhile bus operator Isle Coaches of Owston Ferry. After a few more owners, it was restored to Salford livery and the bodywork modified again, losing the built up front wings.

 

[lesapandre]

On 26/04/2025 at 11:35, The Old Bloke Next Door said:

That actually looks like two people.

[Matty]

1 hour ago, lesapandre said:

That actually looks like two people.

Stilts?

[Inspector Morose]

On 26/04/2025 at 11:10, The Old Bloke Next Door said:

It’s nice to see one of these in WMPTE colours, as some did transfer over in 1973 when the PTE made a polo mint out of Midland Reds territory, but this particular one stayed red, passing to Midland Red East (later Midland Fox) and surviving in service until 1985 when it was saved for preservation.

There was no WMPTE fleet number 6225. Well, if there was (and contrary to popular belief, i do not have fleetlists to hand while I’m in bed) it certainly wasn’t this bus.

[Inspector Morose]

On 26/04/2025 at 11:17, The Old Bloke Next Door said:

872 was Walsalls last new trolleybus. Nicknamed growlers, due to the noisy double reduction back axle fitted to the second batch of these, this one was decked out on the last day with special signs on the side proclaiming the end of the Walsall system - illuminated by fluorescent tubes.

There is some interest as Walsall had been absorbed by the WMPTE at this time, making this the only trolleybus system to operate under a PTE. However, even though all of the corporation crests and names were painted over on the trolleybuses, none ever received West Midlands fleetnames or logos, unlike some other equally short lived motorbuses. There is some debate that the trolleybuses were actually still under the control of Walsall council and not the PTE, (due to the blanket powers given to all PTEs by the government to take control of all motorbus services within its jurisdiction (a trolleybus comes under light rail and therefore is not actually a ‘bus’ - weird eh?)hence the lack of fleetnames and why it was given the heave-ho relatively quickly.  
 

oh, and yes, I have driven it under the wires (albeit not on public roads - I’m not that old).

[lesapandre]

I remember seeing these on the road before they finished.

And the idea has returned in London in a different form.

I'd say that pantograph charging is the way forward for bigger electic vans and lorries.

[danthecapriman]

26 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

I remember seeing these on the road before they finished.

And the idea has returned in London in a different form.

I'd say that pantograph charging is the way forward for bigger electic vans and lorries.

Jesus Christ! Whoever styled those needs publicly executing! This is why I hate electric vehicles, because they mostly seem to be styled in this same gopping futuristic style. It’s absolutely awful.

[lesapandre]

It's a little better in reality - but not great. Very poor ride and very plasticy inside with uncomfortable 'bucket' seats. They pull away a bit too fast for passenger comfort - and the driver on the one I was on braked too hard at stops - may be due to the controls.

Those lower windows are very odd too. Slope to front not perfect for London conditions.

But as a piece of innovation a first step. 

[danthecapriman]

1 minute ago, lesapandre said:

It's a little better in reality - but not great. Very poor ride and very plasticy inside with uncomfortable 'bucket' seats. They pull away a bit too fast for passenger comfort - and the driver on the one I was on braked too hard at stops - may be due to the controls.

Those lower windows are very odd too. Slope to front not perfect for London conditions.

But as a piece of innovation a first step. 

I must admit, I’m not a fan of innovation!😆

Bring back the Routemaster!

[lesapandre]

Just lovely things - they were so nice to use. Very jolly and sociable too - folk used to talk more.

[danthecapriman]

2 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Just lovely things - they were so nice to use. Very jolly and sociable too - folk used to talk more.

I watch a lot of these old videos on YouTube of the Routemaster’s and other buses in London. 
This guy has loads. And Trains too if your interested in those.

A completely different era. 

 

[SilverMachine]

21 hours ago, Inspector Morose said:

On the way back from Dundee, what did we stumble across but a Royal Tiger on its way south.

Apparently, being sacrificed to help with the gargantuan rebuild of the severely fire damaged King Alfred Olympic.

thats a great thing, its amazing so much of the glass has survived with the damage to the roof! are there any pictures of the fire damaged king alfred? (prior and post fire) dose look like the roof structure has had a tree or something land on it! but other than that it dont look like its missing much on one side at least! maybe they will decide this is better than the other?

[Inspector Morose]

It's about 50/50 which one is the worse but as the king Alfred olympic is one of only a tiny handful of survivors around the world and the fact that it had been the poster child of fokab after its incredible restoration from it's field in Ireland state, there's no doubt which one is being done!

There is another coronation bodied royal tiger from that batch preserved already so there's no great loss in it giving up it's mechanical bits for the cause. The body is totally shot but bits like the glass and the odd fixture and fitting can go on to be used as spares for the other coronation royal tiger at the SVBM.

For current photos of the olympic, look up JAA708. It's heartbreaking to see it now.