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How Ugly! (photos of ugly buses)

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TRN481V

TRN481V

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WillPS

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NCT are the kings of ugly buses, I think!
666:
ARC-666T.Nottingham.jpg
 
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Anon Mouse

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madannie77 said:
They were indeed. If I recall correctly the Dart came from Rhondda and the B10 from Red & White.

I would like to add the CVE Omni (not my photo)

http://www.adbig.co.uk/aldervalley/images/whipp3.jpg
Click to expand...

I think that 'thing' has won the ugly bus contest! :lol:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
TRN481V said:
I love the Leyland National, but this looks plain wrong:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22455491@N02/5805672323/
Click to expand...

I kind of like it :D
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
WillPS said:
NCT are the kings of ugly buses, I think!
666:
ARC-666T.Nottingham.jpg
Click to expand...

ach, I think that looks pretty stylish too....
 
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Anon Mouse

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The top half looks like a Go-ahead Northern Olympian that I remember fondly from my childhood. The bottom looks like those ugly Dennis 'things'.....
 
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Anon Mouse

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KendalKing said:
I could not agree more about Wright Handybus, being an ugly bus!!!
Closely followed by the Optare Solo.
Click to expand...

That does look weird. Looks like a cross between a standard Dennis Dart & a Leyland Lynx. Very odd looking thing
 
90019

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Anon Mouse said:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chilebuss/8473197227/in/contacts/

What about this beast, can't imagine it in the UK mind, I think its in the Phillpines...
Click to expand...

I think that must be up there with the North Koreans for the award of worst photoshop job ever. :lol:

TRN481V said:
However, I claim the prize for 'Ugliest Bus' with this abomination:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeupstairs/4013235579/

*All photos not mine*
Click to expand...

See, I don't think that's ugly, as such, it's just that it hasn't really been designed in any way.
As something that's totally function over form, I actually like it.
 
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overthewater

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What do you think of this ?

Hyndburn Spacecars
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewood_eddie1968/4121079494/

Dodge S56*
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewood_eddie1968/4576072727/

Leicester Marshall bodied Dennis Dominator
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48252636@N07/5270290219/

Dennis Dominator.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22455491@N02/2775303461/

PTE Locomotors
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51738247@N03/7403868494/

First Glasgow Volvo Olympian 30107: rebuilt
http://www.flickr.com/photos/david_92/4009764850/
 
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DunsBus

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Willowbrook body on an Atlantean for Tyne & Wear PTE:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/6180795679/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16819691@N08/7597091888/in/photostream/

and in later Busways colours:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16819691@N08/7597090242/

And a Willowbrook rebody on an Atlantean for Trent:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/martin65/7425283778/

The TWPTE Atlanteans were a diverted order from Alexander; they lasted into the Busways era but not for very long, with withdrawals commencing in late-1987 and concluding in early-1990. Most were scrapped with a handful finding use in non-PSV roles.
 
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Anon Mouse

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overthewater said:
What do you think of this ?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewood_eddie1968/4576072727/

Now that is one hell of an ugly bus! yuk!!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewood_eddie1968/4121079494/
Click to expand...

The last one however is beautiful!!!!! :)
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DunsBus said:
Willowbrook body on an Atlantean for Tyne & Wear PTE:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/6180795679/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16819691@N08/7597091888/in/photostream/

and in later Busways colours:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16819691@N08/7597090242/

And a Willowbrook rebody on an Atlantean for Trent:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/martin65/7425283778/

The TWPTE Atlanteans were a diverted order from Alexander; they lasted into the Busways era but not for very long, with withdrawals commencing in late-1987 and concluding in early-1990. Most were scrapped with a handful finding use in non-PSV roles.
Click to expand...

I disagree with those Atlanteans being ugly, I kind of liked them although I prefered the Go Ahead Northern coach seated Atlanteans that Percy Main depot had (I think they were built for the PTE too??)
 
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Anon Mouse

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90019 said:
They're based on real vehicles, but they've all been chopped (surely the wheels are a bit of a giveaway?).
Click to expand...

I've took another look at the Fillipino ones and I see what you mean. The ones in the DPRK seem pretty genuine though and there are plenty of similar photo's of similar vehicles in pretty bad state of repair :)
 
90019

90019

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Anon Mouse said:
I've took another look at the Fillipino ones and I see what you mean. The ones in the DPRK seem pretty genuine though and there are plenty of similar photo's of similar vehicles in pretty bad state of repair :)
Click to expand...

Sorry, missed that part of your post somehow, was just referring to the ones with loads of wheels, and in some cases articulation, added to them.
 
madannie77

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And another from decades past. A Neoplan N416 with a less than sympathetic rebuild.

sheafline101_25jul91.jpg

And I find these things very unappealing:
 

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DunsBus

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Anon Mouse said:
The last one however is beautiful!!!!! :)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I disagree with those Atlanteans being ugly, I kind of liked them although I prefered the Go Ahead Northern coach seated Atlanteans that Percy Main depot had (I think they were built for the PTE too??)
Click to expand...

Yep, the ten Northern EJR-W coach-seated Atlanteans were part of a PTE order for 30, and in fact were originally delivered to them. While the majority of the batch entered service with the PTE soon after delivery, the last ten, 124-133, were placed in store at Byker and sat unused for around a year before being transferred to Northern as their 3524-3533 in late-1981. The ones kept by the PTE, less EJR120W which was an early accident victim, were reseated with bus seats by its successor Busways in 1989-90. The Northern examples kept the coach seats throughout their lives and one of them, 3529 (EJR129W) has returned to its native North East for preservation.

As for the Willowbrook Atlanteans, they could perhaps be described as quirky rather than attractive, especially when viewed from the rear. The Busways livery that some of them received late in their life did help to soothe the rather severe (IMO) appearance of the bodies. The reason for their early dismissal from the Busways fleet was severe body corrosion on the lower-deck body strctures. When looking up pictures of them on Flickr I came across this one which didn't even last ten years in service:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/busfreakbrian/7529704682/

- withdrawn just short of its tenth birthday and sold for scrap early in 1989.
 
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Anon Mouse

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DunsBus said:
Yep, the ten Northern EJR-W coach-seated Atlanteans were part of a PTE order for 30, and in fact were originally delivered to them. While the majority of the batch entered service with the PTE soon after delivery, the last ten, 124-133, were placed in store at Byker and sat unused for around a year before being transferred to Northern as their 3524-3533 in late-1981. The ones kept by the PTE, less EJR120W which was an early accident victim, were reseated with bus seats by its successor Busways in 1989-90. The Northern examples kept the coach seats throughout their lives and one of them, 3529 (EJR129W) has returned to its native North East for preservation.

As for the Willowbrook Atlanteans, they could perhaps be described as quirky rather than attractive, especially when viewed from the rear. The Busways livery that some of them received late in their life did help to soothe the rather severe (IMO) appearance of the bodies. The reason for their early dismissal from the Busways fleet was severe body corrosion on the lower-deck body strctures. When looking up pictures of them on Flickr I came across this one which didn't even last ten years in service:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/busfreakbrian/7529704682/

- withdrawn just short of its tenth birthday and sold for scrap early in 1989.
Click to expand...

I never realised they were as 'new' as that, I always presumed them to have been built in the late 60's/early 70's! :lol:

Lovely looking vehicles though!
 
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DunsBus

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Anon Mouse said:
I never realised they were as 'new' as that, I always presumed them to have been built in the late 60's/early 70's! :lol:

Lovely looking vehicles though!
Click to expand...

IIRC the Tyne & Wear PTE Willowbrook-bodied Atlanteans were loosely based on the 'Nottingham Standard' body but with the TWPTE quirks of the time with nearside staircase and dual doors. They didn't have an easy entry into service as they failed the tilt test when first built, which was put down to the nearside staircase.

From a personal point of view the PTE livery didn't really suit them all that well whereas the later Sunderland Busways livery, which was more sympathetic to the body lines, did. In the end it was corrosion which proved to be their undoing. Had they been better built then they would probably have lasted the full 18-20 year life that was clocked up by their Alexander-bodied compratiots.
 
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Anon Mouse

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DunsBus said:
IIRC the Tyne & Wear PTE Willowbrook-bodied Atlanteans were loosely based on the 'Nottingham Standard' body but with the TWPTE quirks of the time with nearside staircase and dual doors. They didn't have an easy entry into service as they failed the tilt test when first built, which was put down to the nearside staircase.

From a personal point of view the PTE livery didn't really suit them all that well whereas the later Sunderland Busways livery, which was more sympathetic to the body lines, did. In the end it was corrosion which proved to be their undoing. Had they been better built then they would probably have lasted the full 18-20 year life that was clocked up by their Alexander-bodied compratiots.
Click to expand...

They were very handsome vehicles too, I have fond memories of using the Northern Coach seated ones. Good to hear one has made it in preservation it must be said!
 
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DunsBus

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Anon Mouse said:
They were very handsome vehicles too, I have fond memories of using the Northern Coach seated ones. Good to hear one has made it in preservation it must be said!
Click to expand...

Alexanders certainly knew how to do coach seats - the design fitted to the EJR-W batch of Atlanteans was a variant of their then-standard coach seat, with a handrail attached to the seat back. They were extremely comfortable and no design has matched it since for comfort.

IIRC the EJR-W Atlantean/Alexanders were delivered for a planned express network that never materialed - instead, they were used principally on existing express services and on normal service with both the PTE and Northern.
 
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DunsBus

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daikilo

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Trainbasher said:
Those are beautiful.



Nothing wrong with the Wright Borismaster
Click to expand...

The Borismaster is a truly remarkable and bespoke design as it is supposed to marry the recognition of the 50-yr old routemaster with modern styiling pratices, and it does that with excellence.

The real questions are whether it has any relevance, whether London needed that and whether, after the novelty has worn off, even 1 additional passenger will travel on a Borismaster as a result of that styling and features?

The same applies to the proposed "ugly" buses, did anyone not travel on one because they didn't like the styling? I cannot imagine standing at a stop and then not boarding an East Lancs Millenium because I didn't like the front end.

When I was young I travelled on Bristol Ls and Ks and the occasional Leyland Olympic. I also rode in a Ford Angular then a Cortina. They had seats, were warmer inside than outside and got me where I wanted to be.

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder, efficiency is in the bottom line of the accountants and fleet engineers.
 
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