The bus thread.

[presta]

Given the choice I prefer almost anything to a bus, other than taxis.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Being an oldie I get free travel on London buses (outside of morning rush hour)

I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about Routemasters. A lot of people get misty eyed about it being a "design classic", but they never rode on them. They were rubbish. Really uncomfortable unless you happen to be well under average size, and next to impossible to use (as I found) if you are on crutches. They were a cheapo austerity design that had one good feature: They lasted for ages. Of course LT/TfL kept them going well beyond their service life and ran them into the ground so there was a time (roughly the 1990s) when on every journey you would see one broken down somewhere. Sometimes you'd be on it. Anti-Routemaster rant over.

My grandad was a bus driver (in Birmingham). I think he may also have driven trams.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

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.

There were more events on Sunday, but I never attended.

So... I managed to catch an old 'RT' from Clydebank to Glasgow Buchannan bus station and what's more, I got to sit at the front!! 😍

We were the 5th vehicle out of 5 (2 modernish buses, 2 Routemasters and our 'RT' (I might not know much about buses, but strangely, I know exactly what an 'RT' is, hence my choice).

All too soon, it was over, but I enjoyed it anyway!!:

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

 

[Cirrus]

I visit Malta quite often, and miss the old buses, the new ones are just sterile in comparison…

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Unfortnately, I was the last off the RT and it drove away before I could get a picture, hence why I have an inordinately large number of images of the two Routemasters, especially this one.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

An RT through the Clyde Tunnel though 😍, even if the pictures are a bit rubbish:

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

There are videos too, but I can't seem to get them up here:

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

That was run by the GVVT (Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust) who are based at the Bridgeton Bus Garage (where they have their museum too).

I'll have to post some pictures some time.

 

[annedonnelly]

My brother volunteers with some sort of vintage bus group based in Barrow. They go to events like you describe and punters get to travel on them. I've no idea what buses they have but one is an open topped one.

My brother is really a train enthusiast and can't drive so buses are a bit of an odd hobby but I'm pleased he has something to keep him busy.

 

[PeteXXX]

Here be a photograph of the Guided Busway, St Ives to Cambridge.
I rode my Brommie 15 miles down it this morning, folded my bike up, flashed my ol' farts bus pass and got driven back to St Ives.. 👍

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

My brother volunteers with some sort of vintage bus group based in Barrow. They go to events like you describe and punters get to travel on them. I've no idea what buses they have but one is an open topped one.

My brother is really a train enthusiast and can't drive so buses are a bit of an odd hobby but I'm pleased he has something to keep him busy.

Yeah I am railway, so I only know so much about buses really.

I don't even know what the two, modern buses that led us were. 🤷‍♂️