Farish buses start to arrive!

Newportnobby · December 12, 2011, 09:08:18 PM

Quote from: bluedepot on December 12, 2011, 08:57:27 PM
what's everyone's favourite bus then?!!!!!

The Who's "Magic Bus"

bluedepot · December 12, 2011, 09:12:36 PM

i'm not into buses (that's just sad!!!), and to be honest all the ones i've been on have been pretty rubbish and run down and given a bad ride and had yobs upstairs!!!

anyway... if i was pushed i would have to select the dennis dominator as my favourite!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Dominator

Adam1701D · December 12, 2011, 09:54:40 PM

Found a real gem - Atlantean AN7 in Rediffusion livery from around 1973.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/londoncountry/6303677753/#in/set-72157628022986424

I'm going to re-vinyl a Farish Atlantean when it appears

Oldman · December 12, 2011, 11:06:40 PM

Already got a model of mine.
Destination Board is correct with the places in the right order.. Used to go all sorts of places on them as a kid.
London Transport/London Country RT series

4x2 · December 12, 2011, 11:56:20 PM

Volvo B10 aka '113 - The beast' ! Any model of this bus in ANY gauge would be awesome !

This bus could do the kestle run in 12 parcecs... I know, i've driven it

and it sounds SOOOO good that even clarkson would enjoy it !

Pete Mc · December 13, 2011, 03:57:58 AM

We had some B10M's,absolutely awful to drive,brakes were too sharp,jiggly ride,good engines though but absolutely boiling hot in the summer months due to the radiator being at the front.Later ones had them in a side panel just behind the doors.

The B10BLE's were a lot better,engine at the back,nicer to drive,brakes were a lot smoother,ie not just off and full emergency stop,went like a train so to speak,these were the original barbies.

When I took my PSV,this was taken on an Iveco mini bus,it was 1990 and the rules said that anything over 12 seats qualified as a bus,I think,so we did this.As a company we were then called SYT,this was before First became interested in us and bought us out which came much later in 1998.Anyhow,SYT policy was when a vacancy came up to progress from mini bus to double deck,we had to retake our test in a double decker.The training fleet consisted of Leyland Atlantean AN68's.Although they were cold and draughty old things,they were great to drive,these were the last ones we had that had semi automatic gearboxes and you could either drive em like a manual,ie accelerate,into neutral,let the revs drop,select next gear,then accelerate or just keep the accelerater floored and select the next gear without lifting off.It didn't matter which way you did it.

We had B6's which were again,awful,some Dennis Superdarts,again awful with brakes that pulled this way then that,electronics that often shut down the engine at any speed and were as rattly as a rattly thing that rattles and the fleet as it is today consists of Volvo B7's,B9's and Dennis Dart SPD's.The B7's are getting a bit old now but the B9's are still fairly fresh,despite having around 250k miles on the clock and being of 2008 vintage.
Pete

BernardTPM · December 13, 2011, 09:09:58 AM

Quote from: captainelectra on December 12, 2011, 09:54:40 PM
Found a real gem - Atlantean AN7 in Rediffusion livery from around 1973.

Interestingly that was replaced by a different version in 1975, shown in the 1977 Ian Allan abc of London Buses. The Rediffusion band stayed the same, but all the pictures were changed. Of course, in both cases just the offside is shown. Quite likely the nearside would be different again.

Tank · December 13, 2011, 10:01:46 AM

Personally, I find the Daimler Fleetline to be the best buses....

Newportnobby · December 13, 2011, 06:15:04 PM

Gordon Bennett - is that thing for real

Fratton · December 13, 2011, 06:27:26 PM

Quote from: Tank on December 13, 2011, 10:01:46 AM
Personally, I find the Daimler Fleetline to be the best buses....

and i bet there was still someone come up to the driver and ask if it was the rail replacement bus lol,,,,,,,

moogle · December 13, 2011, 07:24:34 PM

Quote from: Pete Mc on December 13, 2011, 03:57:58 AM
We had some B10M's,absolutely awful to drive,brakes were too sharp,jiggly ride,good engines though but absolutely boiling hot in the summer months due to the radiator being at the front.Later ones had them in a side panel just behind the doors.

Quote from: 4x2 on December 12, 2011, 11:56:20 PMThis bus could do the kestle run in 12 parcecs... I know, i've driven it and it sounds SOOOO good that even clarkson would enjoy it !

So, the above to drive, need Jedi reflexes do you?

For me it would be a Leyland Atlantean in Maidstone and District colours.
Preferably with a 136 route code displayed.
These are the first buses I remember travelling on to visit my cousins in Chatham.
Boneshakingly good!

4x2 · December 13, 2011, 07:45:27 PM

Quote from: Pete Mc on December 13, 2011, 03:57:58 AM
We had some B10M's,absolutely awful to drive,brakes were too sharp,jiggly ride,good engines though but absolutely boiling hot in the summer months due to the radiator being at the front.Later ones had them in a side panel just behind the doors.

The B10BLE's were a lot better,engine at the back,nicer to drive,brakes were a lot smoother,ie not just off and full emergency stop,went like a train so to speak,these were the original barbies.

When I took my PSV,this was taken on an Iveco mini bus,it was 1990 and the rules said that anything over 12 seats qualified as a bus,I think,so we did this.As a company we were then called SYT,this was before First became interested in us and bought us out which came much later in 1998.Anyhow,SYT policy was when a vacancy came up to progress from mini bus to double deck,we had to retake our test in a double decker.The training fleet consisted of Leyland Atlantean AN68's.Although they were cold and draughty old things,they were great to drive,these were the last ones we had that had semi automatic gearboxes and you could either drive em like a manual,ie accelerate,into neutral,let the revs drop,select next gear,then accelerate or just keep the accelerater floored and select the next gear without lifting off.It didn't matter which way you did it.

We had B6's which were again,awful,some Dennis Superdarts,again awful with brakes that pulled this way then that,electronics that often shut down the engine at any speed and were as rattly as a rattly thing that rattles and the fleet as it is today consists of Volvo B7's,B9's and Dennis Dart SPD's.The B7's are getting a bit old now but the B9's are still fairly fresh,despite having around 250k miles on the clock and being of 2008 vintage.
Pete

To be honest most of the B10's were rubbish, except for 113 - this one drove great, brakes were fine and no limiter.... The double deck versions were the worst, i took one of those over the severn bridge on a windy day. That was the day when i discovered that the colour of fear is brown !!!

The other bus i miss is the good old Leyland Olympian... (aka Limpalong !) First service bus i ever drove, they just feel like a propper bus should.

Adam1701D · December 13, 2011, 08:24:40 PM

So, is anyone going to try to bash LEV1 from a couple of Leyland Nationals? tempting

Elvinley · December 13, 2011, 09:16:26 PM

Quote from: 4x2 on December 12, 2011, 11:56:20 PM
Volvo B10 aka '113 - The beast' ! Any model of this bus in ANY gauge would be awesome !

This bus could do the kestle run in 12 parcecs... I know, i've driven it and it sounds SOOOO good that even clarkson would enjoy it !

Great photo Mike! Brings back some memories.

4x2 · December 13, 2011, 09:38:00 PM

Quote from: captainelectra on December 13, 2011, 08:24:40 PM
So, is anyone going to try to bash LEV1 from a couple of Leyland Nationals? tempting

Good idea that - a couple of modded kato tram chassis and a bit of bodywork tweaking - job done !