Rapido to announce 1/76 UK bus at scan party

[The Johnster]

MCN 30K in the photo was one of two experimental buses converted by Northern.  This vehicle, despite the bonnet, is actually a Leyland Titan PD3, and I seem to recall reading at one time it had been an accident victim and was rebuilt in this way to see if the still mechanically sound but operationally increasingly obsolescent half cab fleet could be made suitable for one person operation.  The vehicle was dubbed the NGT "Tynesider", and was later joined by a Routemaster (Northern was the only operator outside London to buy Rotmasters, albeit with front doors) called the "Wearsider". RCN 685.  On RCN 685 the Routmaster cab was set back to allow the driver to sit opposite the front door to take fares.  There's a photo on Flickr of the two side by side:

 

3000. MCN 30K + 3069. RCN 685: Northern General by chucklebuster, on Flickr

 

Cardiff had some Bridgemasters, the Routemaster equivalent of a Lowdekka, and AFAIK mechanically idenctical.  These also had front doors IIRC. and were the first Cardiff buses to have flourescent lights, again IIRC.  

[coachmann]

Oldham had a Daimler CVD6 with flourescent lighting just after the war. Half an hour on the road and the batteries were flat. So they put bulbs upstairs.

[mikeharvey22]

Cardiff had some Bridgemasters, the Routemaster equivalent of a Lowdekka, and AFAIK mechanically idenctical.  These also had front doors IIRC. and were the first Cardiff buses to have flourescent lights, again IIRC.  

 

I do not recall Cardiff City Transport having AEC/Park Royal Bridgemasters from new though they may have acquired some of the South Wales examples, or the similar looking, but variously bodied, AEC Renown which was new to South Wales (Park Royal) and Western Welsh (NCME), and West Wales (Willowbrook), all of which had front entrance versions. Cardiff did have some similar looking AEC Regent Vs.

Edited May 6, 2017 by mikeharvey22

[brushman47544]

Think I prefer the looks of the Leland National behind them to those two.

[Dave47549]

I do not recall Cardiff City Transport having AEC/Park Royal Bridgemasters from new

361–6 - TUH361-6 (H41/27RD), new in 1960.

[Dave47549]

But not around here. You won't find anything other than front door buses, whoever the operator is and there hasn't been for a long time.

Ermm...

 

 

These are still in daily use in the region.

[melmerby]

MCN 30K in the photo was one of two experimental buses converted by Northern.  This vehicle, despite the bonnet, is actually a Leyland Titan PD3, and I seem to recall reading at one time it had been an accident victim and was rebuilt in this way to see if the still mechanically sound but operationally increasingly obsolescent half cab fleet could be made suitable for one person operation.  The vehicle was dubbed the NGT "Tynesider", and was later joined by a Routemaster (Northern was the only operator outside London to buy Rotmasters, albeit with front doors) called the "Wearsider". RCN 685.  On RCN 685 the Routmaster cab was set back to allow the driver to sit opposite the front door to take fares.  There's a photo on Flickr of the two side by side:

 

 

An original Northern General PD3 was in my link in post #69+

According to other sources the Tynesider was originally a PD3/4 with an Orion body (NNL 49) and no 49 in the fleet before it got smashed up and was rebuilt in that form for OMO.

 

To me the problem is the short top deck which just doesn't sit well on that arrangement.

It started life like this which is the same chassis/body combo:

http://www.old-bus-photos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/AFT-935_lr_thumb.jpg

 

Keith

Edited May 6, 2017 by melmerby

[melmerby]

Ermm...

 

TWM 6019.JPG

 

These are still in daily use in the region.

I don't count those, which used to ply the streets of Brum before they were banished!

There used to be some Scanias as well.

 

Keith

Edited May 6, 2017 by melmerby

[TheSignalEngineer]

Ermm...

 

 TWM 6019.JPG

 

These are still in daily use in the region.

 

I don't count those, which used to ply the streets of Brum before they were banished!

There used to be some Scanias as well.

 

Keith

Caused mayhem in the rush hour when they tried to take one round Stephenson Street. Didn't quite make it and took about three hours of shunting to release it.

Edited May 6, 2017 by TheSignalEngineer

[RThompson]

I reckon its this beast, a mid engined Volvo Citybus.

 

 

This one was new to London buses, carried the registration 23 CLT then was sold to petes travel in Birmingham, then onto beaverbus in Leicester before joining me for full restoration including re-installing it's centre doors.

 

I will point out it has never run in service with me and is currently at the back of the queue.

Edited May 6, 2017 by RThompson

[melmerby]

Caused mayhem in the rush hour when they tried to take one round Stephenson Street. Didn't quite make it and took about three hours of shunting to release it.

Popular in Europe but less so in the UK, maybe it's the roads?

The ones in London got banished supposedly because too many non payers were using the rear entrance to board, they were popular with passengers due to the large amount of single deck seating.

 

Keith

 

EDIT

Here is a picture of one of the now stored Scanias:

http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/5001-9959/6031.html

Edited May 6, 2017 by melmerby

[RThompson]

Well there's all sorts of reasons politically why the bendibuses in London was withdrawn,

 

On the red arrow routes they was the perfect bus at shifting 149 passengers in the rush hour with quick boarding and alighting compared to a double decker and being in zone 1 the likeliness of someone not having a ticket was slim.

 

Outside of zone on other routes outside of zone 1, there was probably fare issues.

 

Unfortunately despite its 18 metre length there was only 49 seats.

 

Popular in Europe but less so in the UK, maybe it's the roads?

The ones in London got banished supposedly because too many non payers were using the rear entrance to board, they were popular with passengers due to the large amount of single deck seating.

 

Keith

 

EDIT

Here is a picture of one of the now stored Scanias:

http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/5001-9959/6031.html

[Hippel]

Those bendi-buses; never saw one in the flesh and it always puzzled me as to where the engine was and which axle did it drive?

 

Can anyone enlighten me please?

 

Thanks,

Paul.

[MarkSG]

Those bendi-buses; never saw one in the flesh and it always puzzled me as to where the engine was and which axle did it drive?

 

Can anyone enlighten me please?

 

 

It can be any axle. The most common design is a "puller", where the engine is under the floor of the front section and drives the rear axle of the front section, with the rear section essentially just being a trailer. However, "pusher" designs are also used, with the engine in the rear section and driving the rear axle.

 

"Pullers" are cheaper and simpler to build, and can share more components with non-articulated buses of the same basic design (because the rear section is just an articulated trailer attached to what can be otherwise a standard chassis). But "pushers" have the advantage of allowing a lower floor throughout, because there's no need to have the engine under the floor - pushers can be rear-engined with the engine behind the back seat. It's a more complicated design to build, though.

[melmerby]

Unfortunately despite its 18 metre length there was only 49 seats.

 

That's a bit mean!

IIRC The three series' of Bendis in the West Midlands had between 56 and 59 seats

 

AFAIK The first ones from 1999 (MB) were all scrapped, most of the second series of MB (as has pointed out) still work around Coventry, the Scanias from the same period are apparently in store as part of a reserve (Miller Street I assume)

 

 

The first of the line:

http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/5001-9959/6001.html

One of the second series still in use:

http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/5001-9959/6013.html

A couple of the now stored Scanias:

http://wmbusphotos.com/NXWM/5001-9959/6022.html

 

Keith

Edited May 7, 2017 by melmerby

[mikeharvey22]

361–6 - TUH361-6 (H41/27RD), new in 1960.

 

Apologies. I was thinking of the front entrance ones referred to in the original post.

Edited May 7, 2017 by mikeharvey22

[Dave47549]

On the red arrow routes they was the perfect bus at shifting 149 passengers in the rush hour with quick boarding and alighting compared to a double decker and being in zone 1 the likeliness of someone not having a ticket was slim.

 

Outside of zone on other routes outside of zone 1, there was probably fare issues.

 

Unfortunately despite its 18 metre length there was only 49 seats.

After dropping our kid off at White Hart Lane (1-0 to Wolves, made his day!), I wandered off & made my only trip on an artic in the capital. It was immediately obvious to all and sundry that I wasn't a local, as I boarded via the front door, showing my one day travelcard.

 

... The other dozen or so locals just piled on via the other two doors!

 

Those bendi-buses; never saw one in the flesh and it always puzzled me as to where the engine was and which axle did it drive?

I'm not aware of any artic used in the uk that aren't 'pushers'. The chassis is normally modular, with a separate front & rear axle with the engine & drive train attached to the rear. Thus they're normally bodied as 'rigids', artics are built exactly the same, bar for the floppy bit in the middle.

[Dave47549]

Apologies. I was thinking of the front entrance ones referred to in the original post.

No problem, nothing to apologise for!

[melmerby]

If you want to see the Bendis in Coventry be quick, a couple more have recently been withdrawn. 6012 & 6016 have now gone.

Just 8 left.

 

Keith

Edited May 7, 2017 by melmerby

[Hippel]

Thanks to MarkSG and Dave47549 about my question - I'm sorry but now I've another question! If the drive is to the third axle, which is the 'trailer' axle, isn't there a risk that the vehicle could jack-knife with the 'trailer' pushing the front part of the combination?

 

Thanks

Paul.

[stewartingram]

Where is the OMG button when you need it?

 

Stewart

[melmerby]

I'll raise you!

This:

 

https://busmanjohn.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/tr6147-torquay-station.jpg?w=640&h=371

 

Started life as a Bristol single deck bus like this:

 

http://www.nwframpton.eu/?view=detail&id=65

 

Keith

Edited May 7, 2017 by melmerby

[coachmann]

I remember seeing the first tin-front Leyland with Met-Camm 'loaf-tin' body in service with Oldham. It was a real eye-opener at the time. Some seven years later when I joined the corporation, those original lightweight buses had been relegated to the 'we dont' want one' pack along with the late 1940's Daimlers and Crossleys. The bounce on the platform gave conductors a stitch and there was something about them that the drivers hated as well. 

 

Some bus conversions worked well, and some of Oldham's Daimlers ended up with engines removed from withdrawn Birmingham Corporation buses. All but one of these conversion also acquired the fluted chrome radiators so we could tell them from the unconverted (it took a bus enthusiast to come up with the idea!). They were so good that we ended up with them on all-day service on the expresses when pushed.....It takes a good bus to belt up Greenfield brew and over the Pennines!

Edited May 8, 2017 by coachmann

[Gerald Henriksen]

Thanks to MarkSG and Dave47549 about my question - I'm sorry but now I've another question! If the drive is to the third axle, which is the 'trailer' axle, isn't there a risk that the vehicle could jack-knife with the 'trailer' pushing the front part of the combination?

 

 

In slippery condition, usually bad snow, it can happen but the design of the bus limits how far they can bend.

 

But it is a very rare occurrence. 

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B-Y13I3IgAAABJ-.jpg

[SGP]

 

 

If the drive is to the third axle, which is the 'trailer' axle, isn't there a risk that the vehicle could jack-knife with the 'trailer' pushing the front part of the combination?

 

There used to be a law against articulated buses and riding in a trailer. Does this mean you can now travel legally in a towed caravan? 

Cart pushing the horse in the case of a bendy bus. Dangerous IMO. 

I never travel on trains being pushed from behind via TDM. That's an accident waiting to happen ... wait .... it already did. Polmont if I recall. 

Dead loco's hung onto the rear of a train was always a no-no until privatisation, then the rule book only applied if it suited management.