The bus enthusiast thread.

[Mad Doug Biker]

As far as I can tell, only the RT (KGU106) doesn't appear to have any Scottish connections, although I might be wrong!

All the others worked up here at some point.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Incidentally, in that picture above, the red single decker bus in the background there isn't Londres, oh no, it belongs to a local firm called 'Avondale' (a very Scottish sounding name, I know!) and apparently they are a bit naff, but it's the purple 'First Bus' in the background there that does my usual routes anyway.

 

[FrankCrank]

Can just about remember the old trolley buses we used to have in Reading. Here's some pics, about as grainy as my memory

Sunglasses ready, we're in colour now

 

[Dogtrousers]

Well, Mr @Dogtrousers, look away now then!:

Annyway, the inspiration for this thread came on Saturday there, as, quite by chance, I happened to catch the end of the GVVT (Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust) 'London Comes To Glasgow' run.

My ire about Routemasters comes from the people (obviously not regular bus users) who complained when they were withdrawn from service, simply because they liked the nostalgic look of them. By then they were no longer "fit for purpose" as people like to say. I'm happy to get nostalgic with everyone else as long as you don't expect me to use them day-to-day.

But to join in with the spirit of the thread, and add a cycling twist, there's a preserved bus serving as a cycling themed cafe between Milton Keynes and Bedford. It's called the Bike Bus. I don't know what kind of bus it is. Clearly more modern than a Routemaster.

I stopped by for coffee and cake last year. Here's a not very good picture.

 

[All uphill]

I'm not a bus fan, in fact not a nostalgic person at all; I can't help remembering how rubbish a lot of things were long ago.

Having said that I used to get a thrill on wet mornings when my cycle to school, among the boring Ford Anglias and Morris Minors, was dynamited by ex Spitfire pilots (I imagined) barrelling along at unimaginable speeds of up to 50mph driving Bristol bus chassis to the Lowestoft coach works.

When a teacher (himself a former Lancaster pilot) told us the drivers were drugged to keep them awake as they drove through the night I finally understood what it meant to be a man.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

I try and use public transport as much as possible but I generally use the train as there is a station close by and I can get to most places relatively quickly (certainly compared to a similar bus journey). Last time I got on a bus a lady (who I suspect had dementia) fell off her seat and face planted on the floor. Once the driver had stopped literally every other passenger ran off as quick as they could. I stopped on and helped the lady and the driver until Paramedics arrived (fortunately she was okay). As a bonus I got a solo bus ride and the driver dropped me off at the end of my road as a thank you!

 

[Dogtrousers]

Problem with rural buses is: you provide a crap service, it's not very convenient, people don't use it because it's a crap service, the operator can say "look, there's no demand".

Some friends of mine live in a village about 30-40 mins bus ride from the nearest towns with railway stations. The bus service is very infrequent and whenever I've used it I've been the only passenger, or maybe one of a handful.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

My ire about Routemasters comes from the people (obviously not regular bus users) who complained when they were withdrawn from service, simply because they liked the nostalgic look of them. By then they were no longer "fit for purpose" as people like to say. I'm happy to get nostalgic with everyone else as long as you don't expect me to use them day-to-day.

Fairynuff. The idea of this thread isn't anything to do with nostalgia, it's just a thread for people who like buses.
I in reality, have little to relate to with them.

But to join in with the spirit of the thread, and add a cycling twist, there's a preserved bus serving as a cycling themed cafe between Milton Keynes and Bedford. It's called the Bike Bus. I don't know what kind of bus it is. Clearly more modern than a Routemaster.

I stopped by for coffee and cake last year. Here's a not very good picture.
View attachment 814147

Nice idea!

I'm not a bus fan, in fact not a nostalgic person at all; I can't help remembering how rubbish a lot of things were long ago.

You too seem to mis - understand the thread (well, for me anyway). It has little to do with nostalgia really, mainly because I travelled by train all the time and I have little connection to buses really and can relate little to many of them.

If others want to use this as a vehicle for their nostalgia though, then fine.

It is more just a thread for people who like buses.

 

[Drago]

I like buses, both the concept and the actual vehicles.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Oh, just seen this... The first ever electric Routemaster.

How dreadful! 😆:

 

[MontyVeda]

my first job after leaving school was as an apprentice fitter working on this fleet...

...so I do have a soft spot for buses. On the left i think is an Atlantean (or AN68) and the right is a Leopard.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

my first job after leaving school was as an apprentice fitter working on this fleet...

View attachment 814233

...so I do have a soft spot for buses. On the left i think is an Atlantean (or AN68) and the right is a Leopard.

We did sometimes travel on the Leopards that worked in the local area, when my Mum didn't take the train.
Red and cream ones to the west of Glasgow in the mid/late '80s.

I also knew a guy who drove the buses in Edinburgh (RT Lothian) who had, or at least wanted an Atlantean. I can't remember what happened there as I've not spoken to him in over 20 years for various reasons though! 😆

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

my first job after leaving school was as an apprentice fitter working on this fleet...

View attachment 814233

...so I do have a soft spot for buses. On the left i think is an Atlantean (or AN68) and the right is a Leopard.

Also, yes, the double decker is an Atlantean:

Bus KCK201W (fleet number 201) was a Leyland Atlantean AN68C/2R double-decker bus with East Lancs bodywork, registered in July 1981. It originally operated for Lancaster City Transport before later passing to operators like RoadCar (Sheffield Omnibus) and Howells Coaches, before eventually being scrapped.
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As for the Leopard, I cannot find anything much, but there is this:
Registration number WFV20R is a classic Leyland Leopard PSU3E/2R bus with Alexander bodywork. It was originally operated as Fleet Number 20 by Lancaster City Transport before moving to Scotland with Clydeside Scottish as Fleet Number 630.

... And it is in model form in it's later Clydeside livery when it worked up here:

modelbuszone.co.uk/efe////sd/225/39202gs.html

 

[Gwylan]

Buses, anyone like 'em?

Broadly speaking yes.
70 years ago I would be put on the bus in Swansea and collected in Cardiff.
Nowadays everyone involved would be on a "register"

I've had some adventure bus rides

For a while, on technical grounds, I commuted between the UK and bits of europe on intercity coaches.

I once took a coach from Accra to the Burkino Fassa border. It was overnight and it took 2 nights, with a halt on the way. That was weird

Another trip was from Brussel to Prague just as things were loosening up.

An overnight coach to hell. That went from Ostende to Innsbruck. When you could get a ferry to Ostende. The seats converted to bunks just south of Koln.

A more recent wander through off piste Morroco. My challenge was being dark and wearing blues but having no language. I was fine until anyone spoke to me
A local probably working for the department, sort of escorted me. Think he told people I was his idiot cousin.

A snow bound night at motorway services on a coach in southern Germany.

I do have a bus pass but it's almost impossible to use here The train network here is more versatile and let's be take my bike too.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Broadly speaking yes.
70 years ago I would be put on the bus in Swansea and collected in Cardiff.
Nowadays everyone involved would be on a "register"

Oh don't put yourself down too much!

Seriously though... Should we be worried? 😆

I've had some adventure bus rides

For a while, on technical grounds, I commuted between the UK and bits of europe on intercity coaches.

I once took a coach from Accra to the Burkino Fassa border. It was overnight and it took 2 nights, with a halt on the way. That was weird

Another trip was from Brussel to Prague just as things were loosening up.

An overnight coach to hell. That went from Ostende to Innsbruck. When you could get a ferry to Ostende. The seats converted to bunks just south of Koln.

A more recent wander through off piste Morroco. My challenge was being dark and wearing blues but having no language. I was fine until anyone spoke to me
A local probably working for the department, sort of escorted me. Think he told people I was his idiot cousin.

A snow bound night at motorway services on a coach in southern Germany.

I do have a bus pass but it's almost impossible to use here The train network here is more versatile and let's be take my bike too.

Sounds really interesting!