Hey guys, does anyone know what the bars are on the top deck front windows (usually on the left)? Is it to stop trees bashing the windows?
Double decks that run on narrow country roads often have them (retro)fitted to the right side as well if not already present
I think its an area where only solicitors will gain anything! In theory the council/highways agency should remove the blockage to the highway but usually dont have the resources and have other priorities. I dont think bus companies can do it themselves now without agreement from the council or owner of the trees involved (partly for the conservation orders problem).Tree deflectors are relatively new. In the past, companies would indulge in tree lopping and might use a specific vehicle or an open topper out of season.
Various reasons such as H&S and conservation orders on specific trees make it more difficult to tree lop though IIRC, First Leeds borrowed a Weymouth open topper to do some trimming and chopping last winter
Tree deflectors are relatively new. In the past, companies would indulge in tree lopping and might use a specific vehicle or an open topper out of season.
Various reasons such as H&S and conservation orders on specific trees make it more difficult to tree lop though IIRC, First Leeds borrowed a Weymouth open topper to do some trimming and chopping last winter
Some bus companies have had them on their buses for many years, the original generation of Optare Spectras down this was have always had them. Wilts & Dorset have had their own tree lopper bus for a good few years, don't know if it gets loaned out to the other bus companies in the wider area also owned by Go-Ahead
Ive also been asking Bath & North East Somerset Council to cut overhanging trees on the 191 route for six months but they will not carry out this statutory duty and are happy for passengers to be placed at risk of injury.
At the same time vehicles are shaken to pieces by poorly maintained roads and have their roofs and paintwork damaged by overhanging trees and vegetation. Any concerns raised are brushed off as immaterial or inconsequential, yet they are the essentials that affect punctuality, reliability and safety on the road and the Traffic Commissioners will still have no powers over these root causes of delays to services.
This is a particularly concerning issue now, as the current generation of double deckers are sufficiently flimsy that the entire roof is likely to be ripped off if struck by a moderately sized tree branch. This has been demonstrated a number of times in London.
Relatively new to me is the last 25 years!
W&D had a bespoke tree lopper - a converted Bristol LH!!
Stagecoach does still have one in their South fleet - a former Southdown Bristol VR - JWV251W - Unfortunately it requires the driver to have a HGV license to drive it as opposed to a normal bus license (Bit of a shame as we've tried to hire it!).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29485695@N02/9079198600
At a guess the mods that they've made to it would mean it can no longer get a class VI MOT so it's been tested as a lorry. Because of it's age it could be driven on a car licence, however I suspect that Stagecoach's insurance wouldnt cover that usage.What is the reason behind that?!? Surely a bus is a bus, unless they removed every passenger seat and somehow...
At a guess the mods that they've made to it would mean it can no longer get a class VI MOT so it's been tested as a lorry. Because of it's age it could be driven on a car licence, however I suspect that Stagecoach's insurance wouldnt cover that usage.
Both Great Yarmouth and Isles of Wight buses have deflectors on both sides, due to abundance of narrow lanes their buses operate on.
I saw a right old banger of an open top bus in Ryde station that I think might have been a tree cutting bus. No pics I'm afraid.
I do remember First Huddersfield (possibly Halifax too) who once made their own deflectors and fitted them to pretty much all of the Leyland / Volvo 'boneshakers' they had.
After some six months of them being in use some were in good condition, some were bent, one was torn off just leaving two horizontal metal bars with absolutley no protection for the poor sod sat at the top left.
Even one of the Waterloo based Olympians had one which was also torn off after striking a branch, luckily the window wasn't smashed as the branch struck the deflector thus snapping it from its weld.
Arriva Yorkshire certainly had them as long as 10 years ago - that was probably when double deckers become the mainstay on our route so they may have been around before and I wouldn't have known. I am also sure they are to deflect trees - some have them only on the left whereas some have them on both sides
Seems like there are some trains that could do with them as recently I have been on a few that have given the lineside growth a good battering!
Apologies for the pedantry, but Waterloo was never a First/Yorkshire Rider depot: it was always the NBC/Yorkshire Traction/County Motors/Stagecoach/Centrebus/Yorkshire Tiger Base.
Think that may be him (or is it her?)South
The treelopper seen is probably 'Vlad the Impaler', an ex-Wilts & Dorset Olympian. Seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/richard_rka/13388909255/