Bus Shite

[Inspector Morose]

The legend that was the MCW 400GT. Only three or four built (or was it five?). Originally fitted with either the Gardner 6LYT or the cummins 14 litre sprinter train engine. They were known to beat cars off lights and there was a book held with the West Midlands ones on who can get the fastest 0-60 times (I kid you not).

 

Two were sold in later life to Yorkshire Traction who fitted them with Scania engines. Just as quick but a bit more reliable. Two are still around with a third (the prototype) in a yard in many pieces.

[Felly Magic]

That is one of the 'Tracky' examples, later sold to Ensignbus I believe

[Grundig]

Didn't megabus have some ex Hong Kong Olympians to start off with ??  

[Inspector Morose]

The two runners were indeed the YT ones. Souter hates MCW with a passion so they were sold off soon after YT was taken over (with a brief stint on Megabus duties). After wandering around the country (ensign, sure line sun cruisers in Scarborough) they were re-united in Tamworth at Invincible coaches. They have gone bump now (5th or 6th time now, I think) so I've lost track of them a bit. Back axles were a weak point, as on all high speed MCWs, and both were suffering with the usual split axle casings, fucked bearings etc.

[willswitchengage]

Yep, Scania. Ex one of the Yorkshire companies.

[Inspector Morose]

  On 10/01/2015 at 22:15, Grundig said:

Didn't megabus have some ex Hong Kong Olympians to start off with ??

 

The quick answer. Yup.

[quicksilver]

There were three 400GTs, D932ODA and E906TOJ for West Midlands and E99AAK for Yorkshire Traction. I think it was TOJ that was later sold to Tracky. Although I've never had the pleasure of seeing one in the flesh they're up there in my top ten favourite coaches, along with this odd-looking beast, the Irizar Urko.

 

Highways and Byeways by quicksilver coaches, on Flickr

[Felly Magic]

Last I heard of the above Urko, it was rotting away in a yard, shame as it went downhill so fast

[Inspector Morose]

I think it had been for sale for longer than e-bay itself though with no takers. B58 wasn't it?

[quicksilver]

Yep, it's a B58, last seen on the bay looking very sorry for itself. The only other known survivor got the chop recently despite having a lot of money spent on restoration less than 10 years ago

[Felly Magic]

This will set the SVM off into a right old froth. Bus bodied B10M Vanhool that originated in Scotlandshire

 

[Grundig]

 

..... easy tiger 

[RoadworkUK]

Love those old Lasers; styled like sci-fi Dominants. Are there any left now with the original headlamps and taillamps?

[willswitchengage]

I travelled on an electricity bus the other day in hipster/Green council York. It was an Optare something and the buses take a recharge at the end of their brief route to and from the park and ride depot. The buses themselves weren't as smooth as a nice electric tram, but the lack of vibration is nice. The silence is eery - nobody wants to talk to each other!

 

The whole concept does seem a bit pointless though - it's a very expensive system, and if all they're bothered about is local emissions then why not use CNG buses as have been proved out extensively all over the world? Reading (last municipal in England?) has lots of new Scania CNG buses and they're great.

[quicksilver]

  On 11/01/2015 at 18:38, RoadworkUK said:

Love those old Lasers; styled like sci-fi Dominants. Are there any left now with the original headlamps and taillamps?

I know where there's a Caribbean with original taillamps but not headlamps - I'm sure there's a photo of it in this thread. Haven't seen a Laser at all in years. This one I photographed in 1998 still exists but has lost the original lights.

Phone or FAX by quicksilver coaches, on Flickr

[mrcitroen]

  On 10/01/2015 at 22:35, quicksilver said:

There were three 400GTs, D932ODA and E906TOJ for West Midlands and E99AAK for Yorkshire Traction. I think it was TOJ that was later sold to Tracky. Although I've never had the pleasure of seeing one in the flesh they're up there in my top ten favourite coaches, along with this odd-looking beast, the Irizar Urko.

 

Highways and Byeways by quicksilver coaches, on Flickr

That is just awesome. Why the raised rear section. Is is something to do with the engine layout or luggage space?

[Grundig]

 

Well thats tidied up the front end  

[meshking]

  On 11/01/2015 at 18:55, willswitchengage said:

I travelled on an electricity bus the other day in hipster/Green council York. It was an Optare something and the buses take a recharge at the end of their brief route to and from the park and ride depot. The buses themselves weren't as smooth as a nice electric tram, but the lack of vibration is nice. The silence is eery - nobody wants to talk to each other!

 

The whole concept does seem a bit pointless though - it's a very expensive system, and if all they're bothered about is local emissions then why not use CNG buses as have been proved out extensively all over the world? Reading (last municipal in England?) has lots of new Scania CNG buses and they're great.

I've been using London buses a lot recently, last Friday I got a slightly different route. I was last on, which meant I got to stand next to the driver. The bus was a BYD, or Build your Dreams, which is a weapons grade new bus shite from China. I guess it was some hybrid thing, there was definitely an engine but the rev counter read to 8k, which is way too high for a diesel.

 

Also, London Buses seem to have retrofitted some of the older buses which a hybrid system, so whenever the bus stopped it went very quiet. Then, once above about 15mph, the engine cut in and took over. All very strange.

[meshking]

Double post, soz.

[Felly Magic]

Check these photos out from my mate Wobblegob. This bus has been in that building over 20 years. It put up a fight to leave. Almost every window is smashed, and it was green tint glazing, but the plan is to restore it. It's a rare 33ft Leeds Roe Jumbo AN68 Atlantean

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21667585@N03/sets/72157648061285784

[greengartside]

I remember reading about that bus and such a sad story of it being left to rot away. Glad it's been saved.

[Inspector Morose]

Was that a SUG-M? Mega times riding and photting those in the early 90s. (Back in the days I used to travel silly miles to photograph buses)

[Felly Magic]

It's SUG588M. It's taken shedloads of nagging and threats to drag it out by others to finally get that bus out, and to a safe location. I think the plan is to mechanically restore it, and keep it in Yorkshire Rider livery. There are 2 other Roe Jumbos in preservation too, one used to be at Pocklington Gliding club and is a major resto job, and also SUG591M, which, well, wants breaking for spares really, as it's totally fugged

[Inspector Morose]

Roe on Park Royal frames by any chance? If so they'll be royally fucked (rear body frame, body bearers, roof structure, interfloor framing etc etc). I talk from experience in things Park Royal and 33foot long.

[Felly Magic]

I think this is all Roe, which means just as crusty everywhere. Roe bodywork rots for a laugh. I suspect a certain person who likes Roe Atlanteans now owns this, to go with his restored examples, and his AEC Swift that is at Reliance Bus Works having a fuckton of money spent on restoring it

[Inspector Morose]

Shame, as Roe use to have such a good reputation for strong bodies. A Roe Swift eh? Nice!

Off goes I and perves over Daimler Roadliners for no good reason.

[Split_Pin]

That's a epic Flickr account of the rescue in the true sense of the word!

[Felly Magic]

In the last bit of roof collapse, one of the beams hit the bus and was resting against it. I feel if it had been left any longer, the roof would have collapsed on top of the bus. I was one of the people who added a bit of pressure on to get the bus out too. Here's a vid of the rescue too filmed by my mate Wobblegob. 

 

[RichL]

Great save, well done to all involved. Didn't look like an easy job, freezing temperatures and ice making it all the more fun...

[Felly Magic]

BTW SUG588M is now A RUNNER!!! It's been driven around the yard where it lives

 

This bus must be a candidate for one of the oldest normal buses in service with First, New to Yorkshire Rider Halifax, now based at Chelmsford, seen in Colchester today. Drove this in service back in 2005.