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What was your favourite bus type as a kid?
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MasterSpenny
Member
I liked the Dennis Trident as a kid: yes I know they still exist but I can’t get them anymore since they have all been withdrawn from London service. Top notch bus type!
Martin2012
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Initially Routemasters I'd say. As a very young child I was fascinated by the fact they had an open rear entrance with a pole.
Coaches rather than buses but I was always fond of those rear engined Daf Plaxtons as we often had them on school trips and the weekly swimming/sports excursion. Very rarely made it to the raised seat right at the back sadly.
Always had a soft spot for Van Hools too. Particularly the older style.
Coaches rather than buses but I was always fond of those rear engined Daf Plaxtons as we often had them on school trips and the weekly swimming/sports excursion. Very rarely made it to the raised seat right at the back sadly.
Always had a soft spot for Van Hools too. Particularly the older style.
Statto
Established Member
Leyland Olympian, i liked the Eastern Coach Works (ECW) bodied Olympians that were new to Crosville, but my favourite ones were the Northern Counties bodied Olympians new to GM Buses, that were fitted out to GM Buses Express standard, like this one.
busesrusuk
Member
A big fan of MCW products from the 70's and 80's especially the Metropolitan, Metroliner and the superb Jumbo Metrobuses in Hong Kong:
Plenty of others that have struck a chord over the years including Olympians, Leyland Royal Tigers (1980's) and the more recent tri-axle deckers in Hong Kong such as the Enviro 500's and tri-axle Olympians but for real character the Volvo Ailsa was hard to beat:
Plenty of others that have struck a chord over the years including Olympians, Leyland Royal Tigers (1980's) and the more recent tri-axle deckers in Hong Kong such as the Enviro 500's and tri-axle Olympians but for real character the Volvo Ailsa was hard to beat:
Flange Squeal
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Sad as it sounds, the Mercedes-Benz 709D and later Plaxton Beaver 2-bodied Mercedes-Benz Varios that we had round my way. Used to like the way they whizzed round the estate roads, and in particular the 709Ds I like the engine and transmission sounds. Yes, I know, I’m a weirdo!
Enthusiast
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Double deckers: The four Routemaster prototypes (in their original form). This photograph shows all four assembled together:
www.flickr.com
Unfortunately RM1 is shown in its later form after it was modified to match the production models, so here's a photo of it in its original form:
www.reddit.com
Single deckers: London's RF:
purenostalgia.org.uk
Prototype Routemasters
All four London Transport Prototypes reunited at the London Bus Museum Brooklands. From the left RM1-RM2-RML3-CRL4.
www.flickr.com
Unfortunately RM1 is shown in its later form after it was modified to match the production models, so here's a photo of it in its original form:
https://i.redd.it/0ejbgcthgxs61.jpg
www.reddit.com
Single deckers: London's RF:
RF buses – Pure Nostalgia
It was PMT Atlanteans for me. They didn't run on our local services, we had Leyland Titan front entrance on 1 route and a variety of AEC single deckers on the other. When we visited my Grandma or Auntie, I got to go on these "strange" and exotic buses, with strange seats! I was also very fond of the old Blackpool Titan rear entance deckers, I don't think that I knew that they were basically the same bus I was so used to!
pdq
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We had mostly Leyland Leopards, and mainly on Duple Dominant bodies. Before I could properly read, I loved the word Dominant in big letters by the front door. I was fascinated by the hisses and chirps of the pneumocyclic gearbox: still sometimes make them when I'm changing down in the car.
#InnerKid
#InnerKid
IPreferVeCarNw
New Member
For me, being from the Midlands, it's much of the buses which were around from 1990s to 2000 era. There's a lot to name so I'll include just the top 3.
3rd Wright Endurance bodied Volvo B10B
www.flickr.com
2nd Alexander Strider Bodied Volvo B10B
www.flickr.com
1st MCW Metrobus MK2
Sounds to my childhood days.
3rd Wright Endurance bodied Volvo B10B
TWM 1327
Heading for Merry Hill and Warstones, TWM Volvo B10B 1327 hits the Merridale Road at Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton on 14th August 1996. The Rover dealer to the right of picture (out of shot), was Charles Clark's, who's dealership stood on the site of the former United Presbyterian Church, which was...
www.flickr.com
2nd Alexander Strider Bodied Volvo B10B
Travel West Midlands Volvo B10B/Alexander Strider 1322 (M322 LJW)
Travel West Midlands Volvo B10B/Alexander Strider 1322 (M322 LJW) seen here loading in Dudley on the 261 to Wolverhampton. This livery suited both body types of B10B with TWM, rather than the low floor livery that they were withdrawn in.
www.flickr.com
1st MCW Metrobus MK2
Sounds to my childhood days.
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Both of those would definitely make my top five!
I suppose I was 7 or 8 at the time, but I always remember hearing an RT go past the end of the road on the Kingston-Bypass on route 152 at around 9pm just before I went to sleep. Their AEC engines sounded like nothing else.
I also remember Leyland Atlanteans on seafronts, and used to call them 'Seaside Buses'!
I also remember Leyland Atlanteans on seafronts, and used to call them 'Seaside Buses'!
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Got to be Atlanteans, specifically the WYPTE, later Yorkshire Rider ones running in Huddersfield in the 80s and 90s. Even more specifically, 6300 (PUA300W) which spent most of my childhood in a heritage livery based on Huddersfield Tramways (and is preserved in that livery, I believe).
A close second goes to the Bristol VRs and assorted early Olympians of Yorkshire Traction and County Motors.
A close second goes to the Bristol VRs and assorted early Olympians of Yorkshire Traction and County Motors.
Lewisham2221
Established Member
This. I guess I'm a weirdo too
Also liked the Leyland Lynx. Quick, comfortable and enjoyed the engine and transmission sounds on those too!
AEC Regent V MD3RVs of St Helens Corporation, initially H134-139 (GDJ 434-9) and K164-171 (KDJ 364-71) of 1959. H135 is the only survivor but the last time I saw it in the NW Transport Museum in St Helens it had no engine or bonnet If I liked a bus type it would be withdrawn first!
I liked Crosville Bristol Lodekkas with the Bristol BVW engine, DFB class consisting of FS6Bs, FSF6B and FLF6B. They seemed to have more gusto than the whiney Gardner engined ones. Childhood holidays in Rhyl produced DKB class Bristol K6B/KS6B and KSW6B with the melodic gearbox plus the Bristol AVW engine, a quality lacking in the similarly powered LD6B Lodekkas which seemed to gasp between gears.
Although not necessarily a childhood favourite being an AEC "fan", Liverpool Corporations Leyland Titan PD2s with bonnets gave off a "galloping" sound whereas other PD2 Titans gave off a gurgling sound. In fact most PD2/PD3 were gurglers but Liverpool's always galloped. They are not a separate type being PD2/20 or PD2/30s. Did Edge Lane tinker with them?
Anyway, life being unfair, my favourite buses always got scrapped early!
I liked Crosville Bristol Lodekkas with the Bristol BVW engine, DFB class consisting of FS6Bs, FSF6B and FLF6B. They seemed to have more gusto than the whiney Gardner engined ones. Childhood holidays in Rhyl produced DKB class Bristol K6B/KS6B and KSW6B with the melodic gearbox plus the Bristol AVW engine, a quality lacking in the similarly powered LD6B Lodekkas which seemed to gasp between gears.
Although not necessarily a childhood favourite being an AEC "fan", Liverpool Corporations Leyland Titan PD2s with bonnets gave off a "galloping" sound whereas other PD2 Titans gave off a gurgling sound. In fact most PD2/PD3 were gurglers but Liverpool's always galloped. They are not a separate type being PD2/20 or PD2/30s. Did Edge Lane tinker with them?
Anyway, life being unfair, my favourite buses always got scrapped early!
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jp4712
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I liked riding on Daimler Fleetlines on the back seat as this was always so warm, and the third/fourth gear whine was pleasing; but as a student in the early 1980s the pinnacle, for me, was the Bristol RE: preferably sitting on the offside, just forward of the rear wheels, with the window open getting the glorious exhaust sound effects. I little dreamed that one day I’d own one.
Strathclyder
Established Member
Volvo B10Ms are right at the top of my list. First Glasgow once had it in abundance in both single & decker form, inherited from Strathclyde/Kelvin Central upon their takeover in 1996 and with later transfers from South Yorkshire (PSes), Northampton & Manchester (Citybuses) throughout the 2000s. Smooth as silk power delivery, bullet-proof reliabilty, nice tuneful (re: screaming!) engines/gearboxes and, depending on the specific bus of course, able to leave cars standing at the lights in the hands of the right driver.
The seating was nothing to shout home about admittedly (all the native PSes and Citybuses had standard bus bench seating typical of the period they were new), but leauges ahead of anything fitted with Urban90 seating or First's dreaded 2000-2002 seating. The B10M formed the backbone of many of my local routes for years, perhaps most notably the Vale of Leven Expresses (204, 205, 215 & 216) for the PSes and the 11 (Parkhall - Robroyston) for the Citybuses and imho, very few if any types have come anywhere near close since their retirement.
It's something I never thought I'd miss as much as I do now.
The seating was nothing to shout home about admittedly (all the native PSes and Citybuses had standard bus bench seating typical of the period they were new), but leauges ahead of anything fitted with Urban90 seating or First's dreaded 2000-2002 seating. The B10M formed the backbone of many of my local routes for years, perhaps most notably the Vale of Leven Expresses (204, 205, 215 & 216) for the PSes and the 11 (Parkhall - Robroyston) for the Citybuses and imho, very few if any types have come anywhere near close since their retirement.
Guess I'm a weirdo too then lolThis. I guess I'm a weirdo too
It's something I never thought I'd miss as much as I do now.
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Harpers Tate
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Always had a liking for Bristol RE. We only saw them (in the EYMS area) on the through services from Leeds operated by West Yorkshire.
scotsgremlin
New Member
West Riding centre entrance AEC Regent III's
Local buses - WMPTE (ex Cov Corporation) Daimlers, they had some lovely J reg ones with double doors, I can stil vividly remember the noise of the doors opening and closing
Longer distance - Midland Red’s Leyland Leopards, especially when on the X69 to Leicester so they got to thrash down the motorway
Longer distance - Midland Red’s Leyland Leopards, especially when on the X69 to Leicester so they got to thrash down the motorway
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Bristol MW with ECW bodywork. One lingered at our local Western National bus garage until it shut in the early 80s.
Bantamzen
Established Member
My outstanding favourites were the WY PTE Scania Metropolitan & West Yorkshire Leyland National Mk2.
Decisions, decisions!
I'm finding it difficult to choose an absolute favourite because there was a much bigger variety of vehicles on the go when I was a kid. When I was really small, single-deckers were Albion Vikings, Ford R-series and Leyland Leopards. There was a small number of double-deckers, consisting of a few ex-National Bus Company Bristol FLFs and some ex-Central SMT Fleetlines, but these were mainly used on school work and were rare on service work.
Of the three single-deck types, it probably has to be the Viking that stood out. I didn't know what each type was at the time, but the Viking had a particular howl that I liked. We moved house in 1980 and I was able to walk to school after that, so travelling on them was no longer a regular occurrence. I remember seeing them bringing kids to school from the neighbouring village for a while, but their days were numbered by then. The T-type Leopard was also notable, probably because it was different from the usual Y-type and Duple Dominant vehicles that er... Dominated!
Going forward a few years, I developed a fondness for the Alexander P-type. I realise this is a divisive issue and that they're not everyone's cuppa, but they were new, more modern-looking and not Y-types! ND6 (A506FSS), a Dennis Lancet with the Perkins V8, almost became the dedicated bus on my route for a while. This one has actually been preserved, fortunately.
The other P-types were on Leyland Tiger chassis and, while they were a relatively rare sight in the beginning, they certainly made an impression. NBT16 (A116ESA), one of the TL11-engined examples, eventually became a fairly regular sight. If i was pushed to choose only one favourite, this would have to be it.
If I'm permitted a favourite coach, NCT1 (KSL41X/1412NE) has to be it; formerly a Dominant III Tiger which was obtained for the Aberdeen Football Club contract, it was rebuilt with larger windows and up-seated to become part of the regular fleet. It had a 6-speed ZF 'box and went like you-know-what off the proverbial shovel.
I'm finding it difficult to choose an absolute favourite because there was a much bigger variety of vehicles on the go when I was a kid. When I was really small, single-deckers were Albion Vikings, Ford R-series and Leyland Leopards. There was a small number of double-deckers, consisting of a few ex-National Bus Company Bristol FLFs and some ex-Central SMT Fleetlines, but these were mainly used on school work and were rare on service work.
Of the three single-deck types, it probably has to be the Viking that stood out. I didn't know what each type was at the time, but the Viking had a particular howl that I liked. We moved house in 1980 and I was able to walk to school after that, so travelling on them was no longer a regular occurrence. I remember seeing them bringing kids to school from the neighbouring village for a while, but their days were numbered by then. The T-type Leopard was also notable, probably because it was different from the usual Y-type and Duple Dominant vehicles that er... Dominated!
Going forward a few years, I developed a fondness for the Alexander P-type. I realise this is a divisive issue and that they're not everyone's cuppa, but they were new, more modern-looking and not Y-types! ND6 (A506FSS), a Dennis Lancet with the Perkins V8, almost became the dedicated bus on my route for a while. This one has actually been preserved, fortunately.
The other P-types were on Leyland Tiger chassis and, while they were a relatively rare sight in the beginning, they certainly made an impression. NBT16 (A116ESA), one of the TL11-engined examples, eventually became a fairly regular sight. If i was pushed to choose only one favourite, this would have to be it.
If I'm permitted a favourite coach, NCT1 (KSL41X/1412NE) has to be it; formerly a Dominant III Tiger which was obtained for the Aberdeen Football Club contract, it was rebuilt with larger windows and up-seated to become part of the regular fleet. It had a 6-speed ZF 'box and went like you-know-what off the proverbial shovel.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Absolutely this @richw. For me, it was a diet of ECW bodied Bristol LHs and Bristol REs, as summed up by this photo from John Carter (albeit not my home town). REs were more sophisticated but also more fragile.
1985-01-19 SHN 68L Bristol RELH-ECW, GHN 444J Bristol RESL-ECW, GUP 915N Bristol LH-ECW, JHN 564K Bristol RESL-ECW 6068, 2844, 1631, 2864 of United, Leyburn
Explore John Carter 1962's 68450 photos on Flickr!
www.flickr.com
Leyland Nationals used to run in from a nearby town to add a frisson of modernity, and deckers began to feature as they were drafted in following service revisions and more use on schools. As I've said before, there were trips to Newcastle and Middlesbrough where all sorts of exoticness then featured.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
ECW-bodied Bristol VR, or ECW-bodied Olympian. There was something about the 3+1 front row, especially if I got the 3 to myself.
Especially in Cumbria. Taking one on the 77 over Honister was always quite the experience.
The Alexander-bodied 709Ds were interesting. I don’t know if it was the bus or the driving, but they always felt like they changed gear through the power of Semtex.
Especially in Cumbria. Taking one on the 77 over Honister was always quite the experience.
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