Bus Shite

[RoadworkUK]

FAB drawing, to continue the Gerry Anderson theme. You already answered my question, was that the coach used in The Italian Job?

 

Cheers Pompei! I was going to elaborate that the coach in the Italian Job was a VAL with Harrington Cavalier bodywork, but it isn't. Googlification reveals it as a Harrington Leigionnaire.

[quicksilver]

I love that drawing, if only Bedford were still building coaches. I present to you the Harrington Legionnaire, a la Italian Job

"You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" by quicksilver coaches, on Flickr

[John F]

Bristol LD spotted in Innsbruck a week or so ago...

 

 

 

Non-standard coachwork?

 

[Split_Pin]

Standard ECW body, probably modified at some point later. The platform door looks quite authentic though, mot sure if that's original?

[John F]

I like the fact it's got a tow bar. I don't recall ever seeing another bus with a tow bar.

[morris_ital_lover]

You haven't seen these puppies then;

 

 

British Airways buses which came with a trailer for transporting luggage, no idea why BA had a fleet of buses but there you go!

 

You're right though, it is rare to see buses setup to tow... these are the only ones I could think of.

[John F]

Nope, I haven't

 

That BA bus does look good though.

[Richard]

I like the fact it's got a tow bar. I don't recall ever seeing another bus with a tow bar.

 

A lot of Megabuses tow trailers for the luggage these days.

[John F]

Probably didn't make myself very clear there... I was thinking more double decker bus than coach. Although tbf I haven't noticed tow bars on all that many coaches either.

[gricer]

In the past you could check in for your Heathrow flight in central London, and then be transported by bus to the terminal. where you could go straight to the gate.

 

Not only did BEA have a fleet of routemasters for this purpose, BOAC also ran a bus fleet - culminating with a fleet of Leyland Atlanteans.

These ran from the Britsh Airways building in Victoria, opposite the coach station.

 

 

This one lives at the Brooklands museum. Like the RMs, they ended up as British Airways buses. Here's one at the Victoria terminal.

 

 

Earlier generations of BOAC buses included these Harrington integral-bodied coaches with Rolls-Royce engines

 

 

Before the Routemasters, BEA had these beauties, AEC Regal IVs with special bodies - the higher rear floor allows luggage under the floor - just like a modern coach.

 

[Sam Glover]

Fabulous find, there, Mr Quicksilver! This photo is now the star exhibit in the VAL's flimsy history file. It's clearly received desultory showers of love and attention over the last few decades. The parties responsible get a B for effort, but a C- for taste.

 

The state of its sister vehicle is truly alarming. If it was maintained to the same level as mine, then the chassis and mechanicals were probably in good order - perhaps explaining why somebody filched them and dumped the body. Perhaps they now live beneath a far more valuable Italian Job-spec body?

 

Although I am a 'distressed look' fetishist, the coach is going to require fairly intensive restoration to prevent the from body dropping to bits when subjected to Britain's failing infrastructure. As has already been pointed out, these were barely structurally sound when new. My long-term plan is to make it shiny - possibly orange - and sensitively convert the pikey interior into a Seventies modernist palace.

 

Sam

 

OH. MY. GOD. I think you've just won this thread with that baby, it takes shabby chic to a whole new level. I've always loved those VALs and Viceroys are very rare now as Duple bodies of that era seemed to be made of balsa wood panelled in cardboard.

 

It had a sister too, which apparently now has even less structural integrity.

Non-PCV Bedford VAL70 VDX115K at Manby Showground, June 1994 by Scatmancraig1974, on Flickr

[Sam Glover]

Before the Routemasters, BEA had these beauties, AEC Regal IVs with special bodies - the higher rear floor allows luggage under the floor - just like a modern coach.

 

 

That's totally lovely.

[dollywobbler]

They are rather lovely. Though how's this for wacky? Also AEC Regal. Not sure what the fin is all about!!

 

Here's a Heathrow Regal in more Autoshite spec.

[Volksy]

Some more info on the BOAC & BEA buses

[Volksy]

On the subject of Airport Buses, check out this one!

 

 

 

 

 

Apparently a prototype used at Budapest airport for a while. I remember a local bus company bought a few of Ikarus's city buses, none seem to survive now though, I liked them as they seemed just a bit more 'european' than the usual Darts and Lynx's that my local operator used.

[Volksy]

They made this one too

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Someone enjoyed Transformers a bit too much as a child. Those are absolutely superb!

[RedSparrow]

Those things are awesome!

I must find out more.

 

Eastern bloc designs are ace sometimes, it's like they were determined to find alternative ways of doing things from the west just for the sake of it!

[Sam Glover]

They are rather lovely. Though how's this for wacky? Also AEC Regal. Not sure what the fin is all about!!

 

Phwoorr... bus fin. I've suddenly realised what the Flxible Visicoach was lacking.

 

 

...the other bus on my 'dream car' list (unless we're talking ugly Soviet minibuses, of course).

 

Sam

[quicksilver]

Mmm, Harrington dorsal fin - something to do with flowthrough ventilation I think but it seemed not to work too well and became more of a styling feature. Especially for Sam, an orange VAL Viceroy:

Viceroy of Telford by quicksilver coaches, on Flickr

[Split_Pin]

Hey, talking of Europeans, I have always like the front fascia applied to some Renault buses:

 

[quicksilver]

This ugly box has just appeared on Flickr - a Lex bodied Leyland Terrier, what a hideous contraption

[cobblers]

If I ever lose my wits and end up getting married, I want that thing to take me to blackpool for my stag night.

[Wilko220]

That is truly incredible.

[Split_Pin]

That looks like a right old berry-bus that lol!

 

Looks like a portakabin on wheels.

 

Obviously, it is awesome.

[cobblers]

CHECK THIS OUT

[Cavcraft]

http://www.sct61.org.uk/zzlj9501a.htm

 

A company (now long since gone) from Queensferry were still using a bus like that in the mid-late seventies as they used to do a run to our school in it.

[RedSparrow]

Man that Leyland Lex thing really had the minimum of effort put into design.

Maybe we should start a thread investigating what shite has had the least effort put into styling.

[Split_Pin]

I vote for anything bodied by East Lancs prior to the Cityzen!

[cms206]

I vote for anything bodied by East Lancs prior to the Cityzen!

 

 

I quite liked the East Lancs European, however I will agree that 99% of everything East Lancs ever did was somewhat severe looking. I shall illustrate using our recently acquired and somewhat fearsome looking Volvo Citybus...

 

DJ International - A308 RSU by cms206, on Flickr