Andy Louch Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 More on 'bus bashes'. We have a low bridge near us known locally as the 'Sun Arch'. At 3.1m max height it provides quite an obstruction for anything much bigger than a van - our campervan will fit at 2.9m high! The bridge is protected by warning signs which flash if an overheight vehicle approaches but only seem to ba about 75% reliable. The approaches have numerous warning signs but still suffers 'bashes' most by HGVs who are from outside the area. However, local buses are also caught out from time to time.... The other low bridge in Romsey at Greatbridge Road at 4.3m high seems to suffer a strike at least once a month - chaos then ensures including temporary closure of the Salisbury to Southampton railway whilst the bridge is inspected. The suspicion is that some GPS navigators don't highlight the low bridges although what the local bus was doing there is more puzzling! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Louch Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 Apologies, just noted previous comments about GPS navigators - you can get 'larger vehicle' navigators however they are more expensive that the standard sets... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted December 21, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2017 Going off at a tangent again but still GPS. I recall using one when out walking in The Lakes and it would come up with accurate to within 10' or something. In the fog on top of a mountain that can lead into the odd problem or two! In fact I seem to recall reading an article in a walking magazine entitled "Death by GPS". Needs to be used with a map and compass in those situations. Ideally in those weather situations I try to stick with just enough navigation to get to and from the pub instead of up the fells. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chriswright03 Posted December 21, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2017 I always used a map and compass as I am sure anyone with any sense would. The Lady I was with at the time on top of one mountain in the fog insisted that we should go one way when the GPS was saying go another. She insisted that the 12 satellites were wrong so I suggested she go her way and I would go mine which in any case we did not much longer after that! Little bit like when I put a shelf up and she insisted it wasn't level. So putting a spirit level on it and it being bang on she insisted the spirit level was wrong. I told her I would get another bubble for it. I will soon need a GPS to get back OT. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 I know far more about driving buses than how they are built but I can say there isn't a lot of strength in the upper deck. In fact even the slightest of knocks by any of the drivers always left great big damage as the outer skin peals back with ease. I do believe that most bridge strikes with deckers turn into open toppers for the seaside! I suspect making the upper deck strong and heavy might have other safety implications... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted December 21, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2017 I suspect making the upper deck strong and heavy might have other safety implications... Might not help pass the tilt test. I have been told that some of the double deck buses in these parts have concrete under the floor to keep the centre of mass low enough despite the air conditioning equipment up by the roof. Apparently it doesn't help much with acceleration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted December 21, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2017 I always used a map and compass as I am sure anyone with any sense would. The Lady I was with at the time on top of one mountain in the fog insisted that we should go one way when the GPS was saying go another. She insisted that the 12 satellites were wrong so I suggested she go her way and I would go mine which in any case we did not much longer after that! Little bit like when I put a shelf up and she insisted it wasn't level. So putting a spirit level on it and it being bang on she insisted the spirit level was wrong. I told her I would get another bubble for it. I will soon need a GPS to get back OT. Or you could get out a free running wagon or similar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted December 21, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2017 Or you could get out a free running wagon or similar. Ah but it might be faulty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 50mph for a lorry (road and type dependent) may not be illegal although you do say over 50. http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/changes-and-answers/new-higher-speed-limits-for-lorries-in-england-and-wales There is also a chance to try the Theory test on there as well but without the Hazard Perception test. Anyone brave enough to have a go and reveal their score? http://theory.1driver.co.uk/driving-test-by-DSA/free-demo-test 48. Got the level crossing lights one wrong! :-( 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 Apologies, just noted previous comments about GPS navigators - you can get 'larger vehicle' navigators however they are more expensive that the standard sets... And therein lies a problem... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 I recall being told by somebody who worked for one of the bus manufacturers that the roofs are deliberately designed to shear off at the base of the pillars to minimize injurys to Passengers in the case of a bridge strike as the roof effectively passes over their heads rather than crumpling on top of them. This change came on the back of an accident, possibly the Glasgow one refered to earlier. If you look at images of bridge strike from 1st gen rear engine buses such as a fleetline or Bristol Vr you will see the roof crumples up like a ball of paper, unlike the Trident in Birmingham today where the roof has come cleanly off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chriswright03 Posted December 21, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2017 That would make sense. Crumple zones absorb the energy in an impact and dissipate it so damage is minimal elsewhere. If the roof were to bend inwards it would intrude into the saloon and cause injury to anyone in there. A quick Google for images though has produced this which didn't do as described above. https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article6807117.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/JS76347871.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted December 21, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2017 48. Got the level crossing lights one wrong! :-( Some rather daft questions. Picture including a sign which, although in poor resolution, is clearly saying "Reduce speed". What should you do? And as for the option "close the windows and turn up the heat" as a possible answer to what you do when you're feeling tired on a motorway.... For a lot it's obvious what answer they want you to give, and also clear that some of the other answers are what almost everyone will actually do. I suspect the questions are randomly picked. I got one on level crossings - what to do when the lights carry on flashing after the train has passed. The correct answer is sit and wait...though if it carried on for more than a few more minutes I'd go for get out and call the signaller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chriswright03 Posted December 21, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2017 Some rather daft questions but we all know there will some extremely daft answers. Just as well it is multiple choice because otherwise I suspect a lot more would fail if they had to come up with an answer themselves . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 21, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2017 Ha ha, yes the good old 27 - me too!! Were you at Bournville Tech? Apologies for 'topic drift'... Yes. I was in the same class as Ian Lavender (Don't tell him Pike!) Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave47549 Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 (edited) . Edited October 4, 2021 by Dave47549 Removed pointless guff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted December 21, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2017 Ha ha, yes the good old 27 - me too!! Were you at Bournville Tech? Apologies for 'topic drift'...Dead easy for bus spotters. The BCT single deckers were basically captive to the 2B from Kings Heath to the Ivy Bush via the QE Hospital and the 27. They were all based at Selly Oak. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chriswright03 Posted December 21, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2017 I recall bus journeys from my days as a youngster in the early 60's around Chesterfield. Some of the deckers had all the seats on one side on the top deck to give a lower roof height for low bridges. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 We developed the rather simple innovative idea back in the day of having large banners printed with "LOW BRIDGE" in 900mm high letters which could be tied to the bridge parapet as a stark message to any approaching vehicle .............. dunno if it works but I would certainly think twice about the height of my vehicle if I saw that in front of me rather than the small mandatory height sign (which are there too). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 I recall bus journeys from my days as a youngster in the early 60's around Chesterfield. Some of the deckers had all the seats on one side on the top deck to give a lower roof height for low bridges. 'Bridgemaster', IIRC, for the AEC ones, and 'Lodekka' for the Bristol-based ones. South Wales went even further, and had some low-height single-deckers for use around the Morfa and Machynys areas of Llanelly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Louch Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 Yes. I was in the same class as Ian Lavender (Don't tell him Pike!) Keith ...Stupid Boy!!.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold rodent279 Posted December 22, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 22, 2017 Slightly off topic, as it's not related to bridge bashing as such, but it seems there's a lot of knowledgeable bus people on here. Has anyone tried fitting couplers & MU gear to buses & running pairs of single deckers with one driver? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted December 22, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 22, 2017 (edited) Slightly off topic, as it's not related to bridge bashing as such, but it seems there's a lot of knowledgeable bus people on here. Has anyone tried fitting couplers & MU gear to buses & running pairs of single deckers with one driver? Sounds like the infamous bendy buses. Edited December 22, 2017 by Reorte Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chriswright03 Posted December 22, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 22, 2017 Sounds like the infamous bendy buses. Flaming hell! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium HillsideDepot Posted December 22, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 22, 2017 And sometimes even single decks won't fit! As these press photos show. The driver, running dead (empty) to depot turned left one road too soon and instead of emerging from a "single deck only" bridge on the 5 route, failed to negotiate an even smaller arch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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