Early Risers.

[leopardml2341]

With all this talk about Western SMT buses, please indulge me a while?

 

Here's one I prepared earlier

 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/98464140@N06/9772998241

 

 

And the same vehicle before its 'incident'

 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/125226770@N03/14904129521/

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Good to hear from almost everybody here, and again a hope that no news is good news from our Clacton correspondent.

 

Got my blood test results this morning from my young lady GP, and she's pleased that my haemoglobin levels are getting nearer to normal, but now she's concerned about my cholesterol level as apparently that was tested as well.  It never rains.....

 

Generic greetings are on offer from this quarter, but I have caught up all round - promise.

 

Had a most enjoyable trip to Sizergh Castle this afternoon, and spent a most pleasant few hours there - next time we'll go when the schools are not on holiday as there were rather more kids around than we'd have liked. 

 

Try to get another look in tomorrow.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[NGT6 1315]

I certainly agree with your thoughts on what characterises a well-designed product, Flavio. In fact, I found myself thinking of the Bauhaus goal of unifying art, craft and technology, which in my opinion remains absolutely worth aiming for.

[Coombe Barton]

Having completed a commute by rail I now know what true horror is. Nuneaton to Birmingham and return - standing all the way.

 

The car is back - water pump.

 

I suppose it's our fault for taking it to Wales - came back with a leek in it.

 

Coat - hat - gone.

[Purley Oaks]

Ah, Lodekka and (Big) Bristols, two almost forgotten names... can anyone help me out? Which was the double decker which had the corridor along the side and seats seating 4 on the upper deck? Always tricky for the one seated at the window to leave from on a busy bus. Think Southdown had some.

 

Been drizzling and dreich all day here, hope it's better where you are. Typical Easter holiday weather for the skoolkids, shame.

 

Final chemo pills at teatime tonight, so looking forward to higher energy levels in a week or two. Hope things are going well for Jock.

 

Mal

Edited April 4, 2016 by Purley Oaks

[leopardml2341]

Various buses had that configuration, it was more the body type than the chassis.

 

There are low height buses, where the chassis is generally closer to the ground and then there are lowbridge buses where the body is generally lower on both decks, sometimes the upper deck having the sunken side gangway to which you refer, Mal.

 

The AEC Bridgemaster is a typical example of both low chassis and low body, but without the side aisle.

 

http://www.brindale.co.uk/ach/prv_site/aec_bridgemaster.htm

 

As is the Bristol Lodekka.

 

See also here:

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowbridge_double-deck_bus

 

Particularly, the notable vehicle entry for Barton Dennis Loline

Edited April 4, 2016 by leopardml2341

[Oldddudders]

In London Transport speak, Mal is thinking of the Regent Low-Height, RLH. They felt like absolute heaps compared to the RT purchased in much larger numbers. 

 

Locum GP happy with my blood pressure but provided ongoing prescription. Listened to my heart etc and no fault found, apparently. 

 

Just got back from feeding dobbins when a hailstorm started. Lucky.

[petethemole]

Which was the double decker which had the corridor along the side and seats seating 4 on the upper deck? Always tricky for the one seated at the window to leave from on a busy bus.

 

Probably the Bristol KSW ECW body lowbridge type, common in the ex-Tilling companies. United Counties had loads, gradually replaced by Lodekkas, but they still appeared on duplicate, relief and school services up to about '66. When I left home I worked in Southend; the corporation buses included lowbridge Leylands.

[newbryford]

Which was the double decker which had the corridor along the side and seats seating 4 on the upper deck? Always tricky for the one seated at the window to leave from on a busy bus.

 

Probably the Bristol KSW ECW body lowbridge type, common in the ex-Tilling companies. United Counties had loads, gradually replaced by Lodekkas, but they still appeared on duplicate, relief and school services up to about '66. When I left home I worked in Southend; the corporation buses included lowbridge Leylands.

 

Standerwick White Ladies also had this format of corridor and 4 seats.

 

edit:  a quick search - Leyland PD2s with Burlingham or East Lancs bodywork

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3777/14236326646_c0acce3cf4_b.jpg

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited April 4, 2016 by newbryford

[leopardml2341]

Standerwick White Ladies also had this format of corridor and 4 seats.

 

edit: a quick search - Leyland PD2s with Burlingham or East Lancs bodywork

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3777/14236326646_c0acce3cf4_b.jpg

 

Cheers,

Mick

IIRC, didn't Rubble (autocorrected from Ribble, but it nade me laugh so I left it in) also have some Atlanteans with the sunken gangway/bench seat upper deck too Mick? Edited April 4, 2016 by leopardml2341

[NGT6 1315]

I'm not that knowledgeable on British buses, so, I was wondering if there ever were semi-double deck ones like this Büssing example? https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Büssing-Anderthalbdecker_von_1965_Braunschweig_2015_%28Brunswyk%29.jpg

 

I always found this variant rather interesting.

[leopardml2341]

There are a few, e.g.

http://www.old-bus-photos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/EWH-195.jpg

 

But by no means as common as in Europe.

[petethemole]

BEA & BOAC had some buses like that to transport passengers between central London and Heathrow  http://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Trams-buses-trolleys/Road-transport-British/i-tsnZwL6/A. In the early 60s I knew a family that had converted one to a camper. There's also this http://www.old-bus-photos.co.uk/?cat=253  and this http://www.old-bus-photos.co.uk/?p=32967.

 

Help! I think I'm turning into a bus spotter!

 

Haven't posted lately as I've been grumpy and frazzled at the edges.  

 

Pete

 

PS Andy beat me to the Foden

Edited April 4, 2016 by petethemole

[leopardml2341]

Pete,

 

Rated as friendly supportive for two very different reasons against two very different symptoms.

 

Grumpy and frazzled, yep same ere.

 

Bus spotter, there could be no cure. Check the general state of cleanliness and sartorial (in) elegance.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. The coaches you are talking about are one-and-a-half deckers with a raised rear section for luggage. Usually used on airport services when airline passengers carried a lot of luggage. Bristol were the first to develope the low floor double decker, the Lodekka, other manufacturers followed suit, Dennis built the Loline which was basically a licence built Bristol some of which had the Bristol back axle supplied by Bristol. AEC followed suit with the Renown/Bridgemaster not a bad design but being such a specialised type  they were not very common. Leyland/Albion made the Lowlander which was an abonimation, basically the front end of a Leyland PD with a low floor back end, the first two rows of seats upstairs were on a box abot 18 inches higher than the rest of the floor with a maximum headroom of five feet. Southend had a few but got rid of them asap and replaced them with AEC's. Rear engined buses are easier of course to make low floor but the Leyland Atlanteans if a low height version was required still had the sunken gangway upstairs at the rear. Rather surprisingly these low height Atlanteans replaced some of the Hastings trolleybuses which were normal height.

Edited April 5, 2016 by PhilJ W

[PhilJ W]

Pete,

 

Rated as friendly supportive for two very different reasons against two very different symptoms.

 

Grumpy and frazzled, yep same ere.

 

Bus spotter, there could be no cure. Check the general state of cleanliness and sartorial (in) elegance.

Aren't they the same people who frequent model railway exhibitions with a rucksack and BO.

[NGT6 1315]

By the way, it just occurred to me that "Lodekka" sounds quite like something from chav speak...

[Tony_S]

By the way, it just occurred to me that "Lodekka" sounds quite like something from chav speak...

The Lodekka used to frequent our bus routes in Benfleet so Estuary English could well have been heard.

[emt_911]

An interesting day and far too many miles driven. At least I'm working from home tomorrow but I will still be an ER thanks to the report deadline I've been given.

 

Andy - I certainly hope that the extra work and targets don't get too much. In my experience there is a major shortage of good decent teachers.

 

Bob - Maybe we need to club together to hire an ambulance for when you're doing any work.

 

Flavio - I totally agree with your sentiments.

 

"And anyone who thinks that repair is cheaper than maintenance is an idiot"

 

One of these days some of my clients might discover this to be the truth.

 

Mal - I hope that the energy levels return a bit sooner.

 

Unfortunately no news from Clapton yet

[JohnDMJ]

If it moves, and shouldn't - Duct tape

If it doesn't move and should - WD40

 

 

Ah! that old, well used phrase; how true.

 

Afternoon all,

How true.

 

When I was made redundant in the 80s, I read a very influential article during that period I was job hunting. It featured someone who had been a millionaire and had been as poor as a church mouse a number of times (alas I do not recall the name) and their philosophy was "when you have no money, you can only afford the very best". At first glance, this wouldn't seem to make sense. But the late Sir Terry Pratchett neatly explains this philosophy: "... A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars... But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet"

 

I have adopted this philosophy and try to only by quality items that will last (I say try to, as society seems to have moved away from creating items that last in favour of creating items that do not last or which become rapidly obsolescent and are no longer supported by their maker). As an example: Mrs iD and I (we both like classic design) bought some Artemide Tizio lamps (see: http://www.arredare.co.uk/Artemide-Tizio-Classic-Table-Light?gclid=CKqAsoyk9csCFYIW0wodXEoDIQ)for the bedside tables, the writing desk and the library. These are considered by many (including ourselves) as design classics (designed by Richard Sapper in 1972) and since we bought them 25 years ago I have only had to replace the low voltage halogen bulbs only once per lamp and - given that I sent it flying one day - we had to replace the floor lamp after only 25 years of use when the transformer burnt out... Still in production 43 years on, parts are easily available. Not bad going for about £8 per year of use per lamp.

 

I think that it is also important to clarify that "cheap" does not always translate as "inexpensive", it should rather be considered as a marker of quality rather than cost. I can think of a number of supposedly desirable and expensive items that I think are basically "cheap" and quickly out of fashion or obsolete, yet on the other hand some time ago I bought a £1 packet of bag clips (for sealing packets of crisps or nuts, etc.) which are still doing the job they were bought to do... Unfortunately, few nowadays seem to have mastered the art and philosophy of "saving up for..."

 

And anyone who thinks that repair is cheaper than maintenance is an idiot.

 

Have a splendid week, fellow Sophonts

 

Stay Frosty

 

iD

 

How well I relate to this philosophy. So often do I see my colleagues buying seemingly mundane items, such as trousers, every two months (because, usually, they've worn the knees out) at £5 per pair when if they 'splashed out' £25, they could get a pair designed for their use which would last 2 years at least in constant use.

 

2 years at £5 every 2 months = £60

 

2 years at £25 once off = £25

 

Overall saving of £35, i.e. a spare set and some towards the next.

 

Semi Rhetorical question: why do street beggars: a) seem to always have a good supply of booze, B) ditto nicotine, c) more often than not have a dog companion which also needs food & drink?

 

Wishes and thoughts with all as appropriate

Edited April 4, 2016 by JohnDMJ

[leopardml2341]

As I understand, though am quite likely to be wrong if past performance is owt to be judged, the dog owner also gets an allowance from the state to ensure the welfare of the dog.

 

Please tell me I'm wrong?

 

 

Edit: please don't get the impression that I think the dog should not be looked after, it just seems a bit skewed that it should be the route to extra payment to the 'owner'.

Edited April 4, 2016 by leopardml2341

[pH]

Yes, but the real airport was Renfrew. I flew from there in a Vanguard. 

Somewhere, I have a picture of a Vanguard on the tarmac at Renfrew airport. I'll see if I can dig it out for you.

[AndyID]

Uh-oh! Earwig.

 

"Bessie met a bus and the bus met Bessie.......

[pH]

Some Leyland PD3s had the long seats and sunken side gangway upstairs. Never mind the passengers' problems - think of the poor conductor/conductress working those if they were pressed into service on locals. Many still have the marks on their shins from being crushed against the edge of the raised floor by passengers squeezing past. 

[Barry O]

Aren't they the same people who frequent model railway exhibitions with a rucksack and BO.

Here.... I don't wear a rucksack to exhibitions and I am not, as far as I am aware, a bus spotter

 

Barry O

 

aka Baz