SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Then 43 come at once through Temple Newsam . http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -trip.html    

uncle mick wrote: Then 43 come at once through Temple Newsam . http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -trip.html     I bet they're all full though and you'll still be late for work!JD

A rise in bus fares is on the books then?

Chrism wrote: A rise in bus fares is on the books then? 43 x bus drivers hourly rate for starters to recoup isn't there?Price of helicopter e.t.c.. I'd rather they ran a cheap and reliable bus service rather than what horrid garish colours they run in. I still think we should have L.C.T back and our old livery with coat of arms! Not impressed in the slightest Arriva......sorry!         

They are fascinating images. I can easily see in some years to come they will be used as a 'What and when was this' question in quizzes.

Would've been a fine insurance claim if the guy at the front braked sharply in that snow, or if 2,3,4, etc all slid gracefully into t'other. Ultimately tail end charlie would be to blame.I still think 'Tom Cowie' when I hear Arriva.'Pparently:- "...Arriva gradually shed its motor-trade interests to concentrate on buses and trains, and is now owned by the German state rail operator Deutsche Bahn..."

I'll bet someone had a fun job reversing all those buses back up that narrow path and out of the park - or did they drive them forwards, off through the woods to Bullerthorpe Lane? Or did they wreck the grassed areas with a series of reckless three-point turns (although they'd have probably got stuck if they tried that)?What a waste of time and effort.I can't wait to see Blakey's take on all this...    

I don't know about Blakey but you can have the view of an Arriva Yorkshire driver if you like Ravey, and a couple of comments two, although I will have to carefully censor those.Having just suffered a pay cut starting in January of this year imagine how "pleased" we were when we heard the company were planning to put this launch plan together.Not only were there 41 ( not 43 ) drivers who were recruited from rest days to be paid a days wage for around 5 hours work, there was also the cost of hiring the helicopter for half a day and also the hire of the land the shots were taken on from Leeds City council, add to this the cost of flying in high ranking management from Germany and also train travel for top brass from Sunderland and hotel costs for all these people - well you can imagine just how thrilled we were cant you ?Arriva is indeed now owned by D.B. and has been for over two years now.Of course the buses weren't driven through Temple Newsam in that fashion, they were brought in one at a time and carefully positioned for the shoot before being carefully removed again.As for the drivers that took them up there they were well thought of, being told to bring a flask and food would be provided, this proved to be one cold sandwich a piece at the companys expense while they sat around in the freezing conditions watching the top brass taking turns to go off for pleasure flights in the helicopter, perhaps the least they could have done considering the expense already shelled out would have been to hire in a hot dog van providing bacon butties etc - at their expense.Its fair to say that the vast majority of drivers within the compan have been disgusted with this weeks stunt and indeed many of us at our depot couldn't stop laughing yesterday when one of those lovely new deckers were seriously damaged when a shunter reversed an older bus into it - oops, bit of an own goal there.

That was very well written Big N, I enjoyed reading that. No wonder the British workforce seems highly motivated, the men in suits with hands in pockets clearly enjoying the fruits of their labour workforce!    “In revolution there are two types of people:those who make it, and those who profit from it.”(Napoleon)    

BIG N wrote: I don't know about Blakey but you can have the view of an Arriva Yorkshire driver if you like Ravey, and a couple of comments two, although I will have to carefully censor those. I can well imagine BIG N just how you and your workmates feel. I retired nearly eleven years ago and, after a lifetime happily working in the Industry, I was quite relieved to "be out."Much is written in scoffing terms about politicians and "spin", but the Westminster gang can't hold a candle to the transport industry for self satisfied "own trumpet blowing" which drives me up the wall. Even now as a passenger (I decline to be a bus or train "customer") I am sick of riding in inferior machinery with understandably fed up staff while surrounded with empty "Welcome aboard" and "First, transforming travel" tripe everywhere.The marketing fraternity have lulled or drugged operators into shelling out fortunes, which would be better spent elsewhere, on zany gaudy meaningless vynils and way out colour schemes - notice I decline to use the term "liveries" as there is/was usually some dignity attached to the latter. My last personal experience of this was when we received three nearly new big Dennis Darts at our depot for the service between Pontefract and Tadcaster - the route passes through Barkston Ash - I suppose you've guessed it already ?? - yes, they had full size diagrammatic maps of the route on each side, enclosed in a huge diagrammatic image of an ash tree !! . The route took in some really atrocious country lanes and concealed bends etc and the round trip running time of two hours was totally unachievable with safe driving and an acceptable level of passenger comfort - the vinyl and paint money would have been far better spent on more reasonable vehicle provision . I believe that the running time has now been considerably increased and I should think so too.In fairness I must say that the Arriva colours are more reserved, "logical", and attractive than most, both inside the vehicles and externally - very pleasant in fact. Anyone though who really wants to see tradtional superiority brought right into the twenty first century need look no further than the magnificent long established Family Firm "Delaine" of Bourne in Lincolnshire. Their latest brand new double decker is a real breath of fresh air and dignified in the extreme - delightful in fact. It is a Volvo B9TL with Wrights bodywork - in all over majestic deep blue and with a beautiful interior in deep red - floors, moquette, staircase and the lot !! Passengers boarding are greeted with this discreet and modest little notice on the cab door - "We're here to get you there" - simple, but it says it all and they do mean it !! I took pictures of it at the November LVVS rally and would put them on here, but haven't been able to post pictures for years now for some reason. If anyone would like me to send them by e mail attachment for inclusion in this reply I'll gladly do so.