Reg Varney R.I.P.

[BillShipton]

Excuse me....bringing steam trains into a thread about buses, how dare you!

The AEC Regent is of course a classic (the real Summer Holiday bus - it wasn't a Routemaster) and one I was brought up riding along with the RF. I associate Lodekkas with holidays (I also recouperated from an childhood operation in East Anglia when the Lodekka was around). What were the open topped Southdown ones from day trips to Brighton? See I'm no expert, just like the ones I know.

As for steam engines...I could refer you to numerous Mayfair features I've written about both locos and traction engines but that would be egotistical - and dangerous as they are probably full of mistakes.

[dirtydids]

we talking about this Bill, or was it before your time?

[Invicta]

What were the open topped Southdown ones from day trips to Brighton? See I'm no expert, just like the ones I know.

Something like this?



Leyland PD3s- known to Southdown enthusiasts as 'Queen Marys'

[BillShipton]

The PD3 is the one. The Maidstone & District next to it was working in Hastings last year as part of Hastings Tramways centenary.

Thanks for answering that.

[Richard]

Excuse me....bringing steam trains into a thread about buses, how dare you!

Nearly missed that one.

[Lizzie_Claymore]

.
I remember travelling to school on Ribble PD3s like this one:



They had one giant pneumatically-operated sliding door, controlled by the driver, whose position forward of the entrance made it tricky for him to see it clearly. Sometimes, a quick glance over his shoulder would fail to reveal little old ladies half way through the door which he would then try to shut. The door used to fly forwards at speed and with some considerable force, hence the sometimes-used nickname for these - 'The Granny Chopper'! (There's no way it would be allowed as a new design nowadays!)

I'm also quite fond of PD2s as well as I used to drive a vintage one to shows after we restored it.

For locos, yes I think the Black Five is pretty universal, actually. I mean I've not actually met anyone who doesn't like it!

[mr angry]

Those in the background look very much like Manchester's in the 36xx and 37x series, they were the last ones with open rear platforms. I used to travel on those when I was at school.

[Dick Custardly]

Mrs. C works for a bus and coach hire company... she recons that 'On The Buses' is actualy a documentary!!

[BillShipton]

Yes the open topped PD3s I recall had the 'granny-chopper' door and single headlights and used to go along the front at Brighton. My childhood was spent, as I said, on London Transport AEC RTs and RFs and I just caught the end of the open back buses with conductors in Birmingham. I was most disgusted as a student cos they would put rope up on the rear platform (like a nightclub!) to prevent people jumping on and off between stops. In London that was the whole point of open-backed buses...

[andy250]

I hate say this 'god I feel old' the picture Claymore has put up is the bus I remember being used by Lancashire United Transport' when I use to visit Leigh as a child.

regards

Andy

[BillShipton]

Just spoken to my Dad and even he remembers the Ribble Lodekkers! So how old do we all feel now?

[RexBeans]

That's what I love about Splosh.

how many other fetish sites have a 3 page thread about buses?

[BillShipton]

I have just joined another forum (I won't mention which) where the merest hint of drifting off topic is not merely reprimanded but actually removed without explanation (as is anything that looks even slightly like advertising). If you ask why your post has been removed you get severely told-off. Personally I prefer our more pub chat style...I hope others agree.

[mr angry]

Er, Bill, sorry to be a pedant but Ribble did'nt have any Bristol Lodekkas. The reason for this was that Bristol Commercial Vehicles were subject to a market agreement that they could only supply buses and trucks to nationalised companies under the British Transport Commision control, which was The Tilling Group bus fleets.

The other large group at the time was BET, which was privately owned and Ribble, also Southdown, were part of this.

This was a problem to operators outside Tilling control who needed low height buses as the only other option was low bridge bodies with a sunken gangway on the offside which were not particularly satisfactory.

What was done was to licence the Lodekka to Dennis who sold it as the Loline, which was more or less identical and could be sold on the open market. Ribble had some of these, as did North Western and Leigh Corporation, close to home for me.

After the 1968 Transport Act BET and Tilling were merged as National Bus Company.

Trust this helps, and as has been said, this is what I like about this site!!!

Must get round to some fetish posts shortly...

Now where was I...
i he uptoc

[BillShipton]

Must have been a Loline then or something. My Dad is 87 so his memory is nearly as bad as mine.