noisy buses

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 28 Aug, 2009 7:44 pm

Riponian wrote: Quite frankly I'm not that bothered with the age of the bus but so long as I don't need to visit a chiropractor after my journey! Thank you again Riponian - you have summed up in one splendid sentence what it takes me pages of prattling to put across !!

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 29 Aug, 2009 9:06 am

BLAKEY wrote: .One thing we must all be thankful for though - at least the various makers of fully automatic gearboxes have at last got their act together, and most modern transmissions behave reasonbly well. Some of the early units of this type, between say mid 1960s and late 1980s, were totally unacceptable. I've had some awfully embarrassing experiences while trying my utmost to give a really smooth ride, only to hear grumblings of "Oh what an awful driver." It sounds like you went to the notorious Bob Newhart "Bus drivers school" Worth a listen if you've never heard it.

Loiner1960 · Post by **Loiner1960** » Sat 29 Aug, 2009 2:08 pm

I remember the AEC Regent V as the best bus LCT ever ran. It was comfortable, smooth ride and one I would look out for. Compared to the lorries rebuilt as buses we, the travelling public have to use, this was an omnibus developed by a coach bulider in Leeds for Leeds roads and Leeds people. With a front engine and gearbox the noise was insulated from the passengers. I hate the ftr as this is so rubbish a design. And it only does 4mpg max! The seating is worse than a bench and how can sideways seats be allowed. How many have been flung across the thing as it swings around corners. We've gone backwards in vehicle design, even the brakes are too harsh now. I can stand on a train going from 125mph to a halt without being thrown about. A bus from 28mph shoud be easy. Rant over. http://www.sct61.org.uk/ixoldth.htm

Loinerpete · Post by **Loinerpete** » Sat 29 Aug, 2009 10:11 pm

The Aec Regent V carrying a Roe body was in my opinion the ultimate in ride and build quality, i would love to see a few running on the streets of Leeds in some kind of heritage role, after all, there are 2 or 3 preserved and restored Regents out there, far better than the sterile rubbish that pass for a double decker bus thesedays.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sun 30 Aug, 2009 12:59 am

Loiner1960 wrote: I remember the AEC Regent V as the best bus LCT ever ran. It was comfortable, smooth ride and one I would look out for. Compared to the lorries rebuilt as buses we, the travelling public have to use, this was an omnibus developed by a coach bulider in Leeds for Leeds roads and Leeds people. With a front engine and gearbox the noise was insulated from the passengers. http://www.sct61.org.uk/ixoldth.htm Well Loiner, if you'd like to see a picture of one of your favourites freshly arrived from the Southall factory have a look at my website - chrisblakey.fotopic.net - in the Wallace Arnold collection. The chassis was to become 972, DUM 972 C, and was one of the penultimate batch of that model. The final ten (all new at Headingley Depot) were to be 974 - 983, ENW 974 -983 D, entering service on 1st January 1966.

BIG N · Post by **BIG N** » Sun 30 Aug, 2009 2:11 am

Oh please dont start me on this subject, I can rant for hours lol.At Heckmondwyke (Arriva Yorkshire West) we were told last year that we were due some new vehicles to replace a lot of our life expired motors.We all waited with anticipation for the new arrivals and sure enough we got a fleet of 13 Volvo/wrights eclipse's.Almost immediatly faults were being logged on a daily basis with these buses - everything from the ticket machine wont stay upright, (they keep falling over on the post they are mounted on), to things like the saloon floor being full of water.The emergency exit on these buses only serves to allow water in at the top when its raining and then send it flowing down the salloon floor, they rattle, bang, squeek and grind at the slightest of bumps in the road and the onboard diagnostis system often tells you that you have a major fault when in fact there is nothing wrong at all.Having said that the Eclipse's are a good bus to drive from the point of view of having a good gearbox and an engine that will pull.Worse was to come -We later recieved a fleet of twelve (I think) Dennis Enviro 400 double deckers for the 268 Dewsbury - Bradford run.Talk about a nightmare bus to drive, there is no head room in the cab, offside visability is virtually zero with the small quarter light window being obstructed on the out side by the mirror arm and on the inside by the radio mike and a cable run for the fan etc.The offside mirror is located above the quarter light window so if your a tall driver who needs the seat reasonably high you can virtually discount being able to see in this mirror without having to duck down every time.The drivers assult screen has a bar across it that obscures your ability to look at passes and tickets and during the hours of darkness the cab lighting is so poor you have no chance of checking tickets and passes unless you take each one off the passenger as they board.Worst still is the fact that these buses have a serious problem with leaks when it rains, letting in water both down the inside of the windscreen and also through the overhead panels in the cab and pouring it on to the driver.Yesterday (SATURDAY) we withdrew our last volvo olypian (520) and became an all low floor depot, quite a few drivers were sad to see 520 taken out of service and would, in all honesty, prefer to drive that bus in place of the modern new ones we have now - myself included.

Terrym · Post by **Terrym** » Sun 30 Aug, 2009 7:41 am

Really interesting topic.I had the pleasure of driving the L.C.T. Regents in the 70's and apart from the very keen brakes they were a total pleasure to drive.At that time you would walk into the garage to check your vehicle allocation, would it be a Regent, A PD3, Atlantean?Nowadays our drivers walk in and see a line of the same buses.I suppose it is down to standard parts and body panels etc but it does mean we just see the same old buses day after day.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sun 30 Aug, 2009 10:02 am

Terrym wrote: Really interesting topic.I had the pleasure of driving the L.C.T. Regents in the 70's and apart from the very keen brakes they were a total pleasure to drive. Terry do you remember the big difference in the two braking systems ?? All the Mk 3 Regents (preselectors) and the first of the Mk 5s (exposed radiators) had superb brakes which didn't snatch - only one air tank and gauge. It was when the bigger ones with the "tin fronts" came, with twin air tanks for "safety" and "front and rear" gauges that the awful uncontrollable snatching reared its head.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sun 30 Aug, 2009 10:17 am

BIG N WROTE :-"Oh please dont start me on this subject, I can rant for hours lol."Don't worry about that Big N - I can rant equally about this subject, as you may have noticed above. Nobody - manufacturers, operators, Traffic Commissioners, passengers - NOBODY seems to realise how atrocious things have become - I give up, I really do.I read with sadness about the withdrawal of 520 as the Olympian is without the finest model of recent times, with superb suspension and second to none road holding. Of course the 520 you mention is the second Olymoian to ber that number. I have had many happy miles in the original Selby and District 520 (CWR 520 Y). After being withdrawn at Selby fairly recently (before you got your "cascaded" - hate that word - Olympians) it was sold to a private operator in the Midlands somewhere and I've no doubt is still giving sterling service - QUIETLY.As regards service 268, do you remember the incredible and inexplicable thing which happened just after WR took over our South Yorkshire family firm in Pontefract. One of our Olympians 103, renumbered by Caldaire to 568 spent several weeks at Dewsbury working on the 268 service to Bradford. with no destination blind installed and "plastic" numbers for 268. While this was a fascinating performance, I could never understand why a WR Olympian wasn't lent to "the west" and our blue one kept local inthe Pontefract area.My mate took a priceless picture of it leaving Bradford Interchange which you can see on my website:- chrisblakey.fotopic.net under the section "SY OLYMPIANS AFTER SALE TO CALDAIRE."

trophy · Post by **trophy** » Sun 30 Aug, 2009 6:39 pm

i think leyland went downhill with the awful national.i remember atrip to bradford years ago on a 12 year old bristol re it was quiet smooth and comfortable,the return trip was on a brand new national, engine noise was horrendous everything that could rattle did rattle and it bounced and bumped all the way back.