Bus Shite

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Approx 9"x7" 24 page booklet about the London Transport Collection when it was based at Syon Park. Used and dry good condition but it does smell a bit musty from storage! I am loath to bin it so first PM gets it free gratis.

 

ltc2.jpg

 

ltc1.jpg

Pm sent.

[busmansholiday]

I bring you the future...

 

https://youtu.be/1GlNONGgLCg

 

Followed one of these on my pushbike the other day. They sound even weirder from the pavement.

Somehow, despite how they shaked, rattled and rolled, an AEC Swift from 1968 sounds so much better.

[martc]

 

Followed one of these on my pushbike the other day. They sound even weirder from the pavement.

 

You are Eddy Merckx AICMFP

[willswitchengage]

You are Eddy Merckx AICMFP

 

Think more those kids from ET who aimlessly ride around all day.

[quicksilver]

We've got a bunch of full electric Optare Solos around us here - my faith in the order of things has been greatly strengthened by the fact that they sound absolutely like something out of a sci-fi movie!

They're Wrightbus Streetshites. My faith in them is somewhat tempered by the fact that a pair of diesel versions have been on loan from the manufacturer since 2014 because they're so unreliable and hardly ever all working at the same time. One did once make it all the way to Woburn Abbey and back under its own power though. 

[Vantman]

I have this 1996 parts manual for the Dennis Dart,would there be any point in offering it for sale or is it not worth bothering?

 

[Felly Magic]

Should be, BUT VALs are renowned for crap brakes, so getting it tested yearly is a must, just think about all that weight, and what could happen, we've discussed this at length on here, and MOT exemption is a bloody stupid idea

[tooSavvy]

"It were the brakes!"

[Felly Magic]

I've had severe brake fade on a double decker, and trust me, it's bloody scary, a foot pedal going straight to the floor, and I was nearing a pedestrian crossing, the only way of stopping was the parking brake, which locked up the back wheels and I went into a skid, thankfully I stopped in time. Both myself, and a duty inspector were swearing at supervisors about it, as it could have been very nasty. And the Sowerby Bridge incident involving a tipper from Skipton still is strong in my mind, no brakes, driver slammed into a shop, hitting several people, and killing them. I'd love to meet the idiot who decided on this exemption rule, and hit them in the head with a mallet, sorry, but this subject really boils my piss

[rml2345]

Can you still get screen rubbers? Same as YRQ I believe.

Depends on the body but I should think so after a hunt about.

[busmansholiday]

I have this 1996 parts manual for the Dennis Dart,would there be any point in offering it for sale or is it not worth bothering?

 

DD.jpg

Somebody out there will buy this, people are starting to preserve them, sadly.

[busmansholiday]

Should be, BUT VALs are renowned for crap brakes, so getting it tested yearly is a must, just think about all that weight, and what could happen, we've discussed this at length on here, and MOT exemption is a bloody stupid idea

 

Agree totally with this. I remember back in the late 70's the firm I drove for had a VAL. It had also been excellently modified by the fitters who'd replaced the standard gear lever with one that appeared to be out of a Vauxhall Viva. You nearly had to turn around and face the passengers to reach it and change gear.

 

As for brakes, at another firm I worked for, I looked at the duty sheet then looked at the boss. "Ah, yes, we're given you the Ford today (an R1114 Dominant II) as the brakes don't work properly and you know how to slow down using the gears".

 

 

I looked at him and thought bollocks, the brakes have been shite since it was brand new and the whole fleet, including the Leopard are manual boxes. What shit have you got lined up for me tomorrow.

Cannot remember quite what shit job it was.

[Eddie Honda]

After Misery Bus 1 ( http://autoshite.com/topic/10183-bus-shite-ive-been-papped-noooooo-lol/?p=1378728 ) there was Misery Bus 2. ( http://autoshite.com/topic/10183-bus-shite-ive-been-papped-noooooo-lol/?p=1456492 ). MB1 was fixed and returned briefly, but has been replaced by Misery Coach 2 (MC1 is away getting fixed).

 

MC2...

 

 

 

...is an ex-Ulsterbus Plaxton Premiere / Volvo B10M (1603 / JAZ 1603)

 

 

 

Hmmm

 

[Felly Magic]

I regularly used to drive an ex Bus Eireann B10M Premiere 350, with UK private plate YSV563, that was a shed that shat it's compressor in Maryport, it was recently up for sale with no MOT, with a grand starting price, oh how I roffled, as it's bodywork is rotten

[RichL]

Wollaton Park Autokarna today

 

[Guest Hooli]

After Misery Bus 1 ( http://autoshite.com/topic/10183-bus-shite-ive-been-papped-noooooo-lol/?p=1378728 ) there was Misery Bus 2. ( http://autoshite.com/topic/10183-bus-shite-ive-been-papped-noooooo-lol/?p=1456492 ). MB1 was fixed and returned briefly, but has been replaced by Misery Coach 2 (MC1 is away getting fixed).

 

MC2...

 

IMG_20180520_170450.jpg

 

IMG_20180522_001100_489.jpg

 

...is an ex-Ulsterbus Plaxton Premiere / Volvo B10M (1603 / JAZ 1603)

 

IMG_20180520_165551.jpg

 

 

Hmmm

 

IMG_20180520_165509.jpg

 

Looks similar to what I learnt to drive buses in.

[Pillock]

Damnit, would have gone to Wollaton Park had I known!

[RichL]

Apologies for this one as contains GAS POWERED MODERN

 

[rml2345]

Those E400 City things are quite handsome.

[clayts450]

Wollaton Park Autokarna today

 

DSC_0105.JPG

DSC_0107.JPGDSC_0104.JPG

 

 

Bollocks, how did I miss this ? Only live about two miles away for goodness sake...

[RichL]

Merc 0303

[Felly Magic]

The cream looks very close to 'Wigan Airways' base livery, with ivory for the windscreen & roof, lower side looks like gloss black

[jon.k]

This was a new one on me.

[quicksilver]

A friend of mine nearly bought one of those once. That version is actually an improvement on the original, which retained the original Mercedes truck cowl and cab doors!

[cms206]

Did those 814/817Ls not eventually end up as the Buscraft Buffalo after NWCS went under?

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[busmansholiday]

The cream looks very close to 'Wigan Airways' base livery, with ivory for the windscreen & roof, lower side looks like gloss black

TBH looks like primrose with a deep Maroon skirt to me.

 

External trim looks standard Plaxtons from that era, internal will be standard with the operators choice of colour for the seats.

 

Have you tried the Southdown Enthusiasts Club. I know it wasn't one of theirs but Bognor was their territory so an older member may remember it or have pictures. Surprising what can turn up, doubt I'll have a pic of it, I can ask around if you want.

[busmansholiday]

I've already had a reply from a friend and as there's some useful bits in it I'll post his full reply rather just pm you as it may be useful to others.

 

 

Good to know that this still survives. I looked it on Bus Lists of the Web to see who it was new to as I did not recognise it at all, the reason being the top sliders in the side windows – which was extremely rare to say the least on Panorama Elites. The only others I can recall with this feature were Southdown’s touring coaches.

 

 

 

So, it was new Morgan, Bognor Regis being PSV licenced 1/72 on chassis 2T471136 with body number 728379. At the back of my mind I seem to recall Morgan used the fleet name Golden Key, so I have looked it up in The Little Red Book I have for 1979/80, and found:

 

 

 

GOLDEN KEY of BOGNOR, Hillsboro Garage, 33 Chichester Road, Bognor Regis. Proprietor W. H. Morgan so there you have it! Fleet of 5 Plaxton coaches plus 1 minibus, and a livery of gold/black/white. So that is the original livery in your photo.

 

 

 

Another non-standard feature is the herzim moulding at the bottom of the black paintwork, with the black plastic insert to the moulding.

 

 

 

Now all the Plaxton records of that era are held at the Kithead Trust and if someone contacts them they should be able to find the build records and specification for this coach. They will need the body number, the name Morgan t/a Golden Key and the reg no. The supplying dealer was Arlington Motor Co Ltd.

 

 

 

West Sussex was never an area I covered in my Plaxton days, I was with them when this was new, otherwise I might have remembered more about the coach and its’ specification. Incidentally the records at Kithead will include the paint colour codes and the lettering details plus what was on the destination blind. If the paint code is HMG that means the supplier was H Marcel Guest in the Manchester area, and I understand that they are still in business today and have the records to be able to supply the actual colours used.

 

 

 

All the above is conditional on the coach being built new for Golden Key and not somebody else who did not take delivery of it, when someone other than Plaxtons could have applied Golden Key’s livery.

 

 

 

The Kithead Trust is at Droitwich see http://kitheadtrust.org.uk/ although I see that it has become the Bus Archive now http://www.busarchive.org.uk/

 

 

 

Hope this helps, perhaps you would be kind enough to keep me informed as to how this all progresses in the coming months

[RoadworkUK]

This was a new one on me.

 

Ooh, what book is that?

[Zelandeth]

That beige looks pretty close to "Grampian Beige" as was the base colour used by Grampian Regional Transport before they became First...

 

Though looking at a couple of my photos, that looks like it's a little more yellow.

 

 

(Photo is mine)

 

Still surprised me when I actually found that colour in a car parts store!

 

 

Lovely looking bus though. VAL was actually one of the first vehicles I drove (on private land), well before I had my first driving lesson. Probably explains a lot!

[jon.k]

It’s the eastern bus handbook, but I haven’t got it in me and can’t remember the year. I’ll check.