Memories of your fastest buses

[MotCO]

Following on from this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/what-was-your-favourite-bus-type-as-a-kid.258746/#post-6525900 , several posters referred to their fastest bus. So as not to derail that thread, what are your memories of your fastest bus, in terms of acceleration rather than top speed. I'm not interested in lists of data showing which bus goes fastest, I'm more interested in those buses which felt fast.

May I nominate two? Metrobus bought a trio of Bedford YMTs with B53F Wadham Stringer body (D21-23 CTR), and their acceleration pinned you back in your seat. They operated on a route which was tightly-timetabled, so their acceleration was appreciated.
The other nomination is the Volvo B10M Citibus with Alexander bodies as used on route 24 in London. Their acceleration was also very brisk.

 

[ashley84]

Leyland Lynx

 

[SteveM70]

JHA217L

(One of the benefits of being very OCD with numbers means I’m good at remembering crap like registration plates)

Leyland Leopard with coach seats, used on the X66/X67 by Midland Red in the early 1980s. Noticeably quicker than its nominally identical classmates especially hammering down the M69

https://www.midlandred.net/vehicles...operator=mre&type=leopard&fleet=212&image=1is the closest I could find to a photo - shows 212L after being sold on by Midland Red

 

[Devon Sunset]

The Scania L113 was quick of the mark as was the Leyland Lion. Could definitely give car drivers a fright.

 

[Ken H]

Bristol RE's. Remember them thrashing between Leeds and Harrogate. And they seemed so long compared to the MWs that went before.

But there was the coach version they got for the new Yorkshire - London express service via the M1. This one is 1968. I rode this at the Skipton bus running day in Oct 2022.

Mod note: photos have been removed because it's not clear whether they have been posted with permission. Please respect copyright.

 

[RELL6L]

Scania MCW Metropolitan
They accelerated fast, sounded the part with their two speed gearboxes and really had a good top speed. Best was Charles Cook from Stevenage to Biggleswade, I suspect the drivers had a competition for the quickest run.

 

[randyrippley]

CYA181J
H&C's AEC Reliance 6MU3R with Plaxton Derwent body

Normally ran the "early & late" split shift South Petherton - Yeovil
With the right driver it was a road rocket.........

as-new photo at https://www.flickr.com/photos/tarquinius_superbus/6905823874

passed through several subsequent hands, some of whom seem to have been surprised by its speed.

Most recent photo I can find of it dates back five years or so, partially stripped with the bodywork timber rotting. Anyone know if it ever got restored?

 

[station_road]

Derby City Transport had 8 Scania single deck buses in 1988 when the rest of the fleet were double deck (mixture of mostly Fleetlines, Ailsas and Volvo CitiBuses). The Volvos were impressive but the Scanias felt like being in a grand Prix car when accelerating. Google tells me they were Scania K92CRBs, which means nothing to me!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jncarter1962/16636070391

Credit to the photographer on Flickr, not my picture

 

[Stan Drews]

Scania MCW Metropolitan
They accelerated fast, sounded the part with their two speed gearboxes and really had a good top speed. Best was Charles Cook from Stevenage to Biggleswade, I suspect the drivers had a competition for the quickest run.

I’ll second that!
Loved flooring it down the A14 with Whippet, and leaving the Gardner engined Olympians and VRTs of United Counties/Huntingdon&District/Premier behind!

 

[185]

Dennis Javelin, M Reg, Red White and Blue livery. Out of gear. Downhill on the A404 near Maidenhead. Faster than a 158? Urban Myth?

*and no, the prop shaft didn't fall off

 

[LiviCrazy]

The Mercedes Benz Mini-buses used around Livingston late 2000s early 2010s by various companies could fair fly, can remember doing the Passenger Travel 800 journey from Livingston to Bathgate (an already tightly scheduled route) in about 15mins by a now long retired driver. Speed bumps could be fun at times as they weren’t quite wide enough to avoid completely but wide enough to not slow down, which often involved a huge bounce at the back.

The other ones that always seemed incredibly fast for their type when new was Scania Omnidekkas, it was fairly common for First to allocate them on the X15 Livingston-Glasgow, and the drivers would regularly have them overtaking comfortably.

 

[JD2168]

Yorkshire Terrier Leyland National RKA879T was possibly the fastest bus I have been on, was on a service along the Sheffield Parkway comfortably running in the outside lane & felt like it could have gone faster.

Stagecoach Worksop Optare Excel’s once caught one on Sherwood Arrow towards Worksop from the roundabout near Ollerton to Worksop along the B6034 road, it was constantly bouncing off the limiter.

 

[Geeves]

The B10 Alexander Striders that First Calderdale had could absolutely fly. The Scanias could, too. GM buses and then First Manchester had some mid-engined Volvo Citybuses too that were flying machines. Definitely the fastest buses I've ever been on.

 

[jp4712]

In 1985, before I owned a car, on a Wednesday evening I’d meet a friend in Manchester for a drink; and our plan would be that he’d intercept the last Greater Manchester Transport 26 service (to Leigh) at a place called Irlams o’th’ Heights.

If that last bus was being operated by a Fleetline, we’d meet it there. If it was an Atlantean, it’d be a half mile further on. If it was an Olympian it’d be a further mile on; and if it was one of the three fast but temperamental Merc-engined Dennis Falcons, it would take him to Worsley Court House or even Boothstown. But! If it was one of the two Scania N113 buses, GMT 1461 or 1462, forget it - he was giving me a lift home. Those things went like the wind, they weren’t just fast but - on a last run at night - flying machines…

 

[Zamracene749]

The small batch of C registered 6LXDT engined MCW metrobuses that Northern bought for Expresslink duties, otherwise known as the 'white Metros'. Ridiculously fast off the mark, with a respectable top speed too. Also the most comfortable DP seats that I've ever had the pleasure of riding on.

 

[M60lad]

2 Buses I remember especially for their turn of speed on Motorway were Bluebus 70 CSF160W Alexander Y Type Leopard which would fly down Motorways and any fast bits of route.

Also Shearings/Timeline Alexander (Belfast) Leyland Tigers were known to be quick machines and apparently some if not all of them didn't have speed limiters fitted as found out when South Lancs (Atherton) bought some and used them on their services to Trafford Centre when it opened.

 

[Strathclyder]

Quoting a post in a since-locked thread here:

One - admittedly short - ride that's stuck with me long after the operator concerned went under was a white-knuckle run from Kilbowie Fire Station to Clydebank Business Park on a McKindless Mini Pointer Dart SLF on their 62 in 2008-09 (the exact year escapes me, but it was definitely in McKindless' last 2 or so years of operation).

Must have been a particularly quick Dart, a lead-footed driver or a combination of both of those - in addition to a clear run (green lights at every junction and no-one flagging us down) - because as result, a section of the route that on average takes between 5-10 minutes to cover was behind us in less than 2 minutes, if that. I'm more than likely exaggerating there, but that Dart, out of all members of the breed I've ridden since, is by a significant margin the quickest.

 

[randyrippley]

CYA181J
H&C's AEC Reliance 6MU3R with Plaxton Derwent body

Normally ran the "early & late" split shift South Petherton - Yeovil
With the right driver it was a road rocket.........

as-new photo at https://www.flickr.com/photos/tarquinius_superbus/6905823874

passed through several subsequent hands, some of whom seem to have been surprised by its speed.

Most recent photo I can find of it dates back five years or so, partially stripped with the bodywork timber rotting. Anyone know if it ever got restored?

CYA181J spent some time with Knotty Buses

They seem to have had a habit of buying quick machines as another one they had was ANA8T.
This one was another AEC Reliance, this time with Plaxton Supreme III body. It was sold to Lonsdale Coaches (pre takeover by LCT) as part of a batch in the ANA*T series, most of which were Leopards.
Lonsdale, sited in the middle of the UK were perfectly placed to have coaches on emergency standby for National Express and ANA8T was often the on-call vehicle. It was quick. So much so that I've been at Lancaster Bus Station and overheard NE drivers doing a bus swap remarking (if not complaining) about how fast it went. Seems it was well known for its ability to make up lost time.

some photos found online (none are mine)

In Londsdale coaches livery http://www.busphoto.co.uk/media.details.php?mediaID=51510

In the later LCT/Lonsdale livery, but without fleet branding (after sale to Knotty)

ANA 8T and me.

A photograph taken by my late friend Alan Hall on one of the many transport related day trips my Knotty operation worked on behalf of a touring club which he and another friend once ran. It was a marriage made in heaven driving AEC's around the country the being paid to ride on steam trains...

www.flickr.com

after repaint by Knotty

Special 'K'

Perhaps one of the best coaches I ever owned was AEC Reliance Plaxton Supreme III, ANA 8T. It was a motor which was equally happy mooching around the local area on schools, baths or local bus service yet could be relied upon to undertake any UK private hire when the need arose. The 760 powered...

www.flickr.com

 

[matchmaker]

In the memoirs of a retired Glasgow Corporation driver called George Rountree he recalls getting a Royal Tiger Worldmaster which had a defective governor. On a 40 service from Cathcart it was practically airborne at one point when it hit a bump at a junction.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The small batch of C registered 6LXDT engined MCW metrobuses that Northern bought for Expresslink duties, otherwise known as the 'white Metros'. Ridiculously fast off the mark, with a respectable top speed too. Also the most comfortable DP seats that I've ever had the pleasure of riding on.

I travelled on the three that Chester le Street had on the X10 several times. Absolutely superb.

Also, United standardised on the Bristol RE for many years, eventually having over >320 vehicles of various types. All had Gardner engines except for the penultimate batch. A strike at the Gardner factory (it was the 1970s so not unknown) saw the last batch of bus shell, ECW bodied RELHs delivered with Leyland 0680 engines. Three of these worked from my dad's depot and they had a habit of appearing on the last bus! Tachograph fitted (but used on bus work), the speedo seemed to read a pretty accurate 80 mph on the A1.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/knoxr...qRaNQg-2nM91V2-iEngnU-Z5nAud-217keU7-215bSVW/

Photo from Knox Family on Flickr

 

[RacsoMoquette]

For me it has to be on a Metroline Optare Metrodecker EV on route 134 going up Highgate Hill. Those buses really do evoke a sense of pure speed and power while sounding comparable to a over- boiling kettle.

 

[johnw]

ECW B51 Leyland Leopard operated by United Counties would fly along the A45 between Wellingborough and Northampton on the A45 in the early 90s on Coachlinks X94.

 

[Simon75]

Leyland Lynx

Crosville Wales/Arriva used them on the X94 (now T3) Wrexham to Barmouth and I noticed they were fast, mainly on the Wrexham to Llangollen section.

 

[Pub]

Barton Transport had a batch of AEC Reliances. A driver once told me they could reach 90 with a light load, not bad for a 1968 coach. Could be a 'fishermans Tale' though

 

[GusB]

Barton Transport had a batch of AEC Reliances. A driver once told me they could reach 90 with a light load, not bad for a 1968 coach. Could be a 'fishermans Tale' though

They were certainly capable of reaching motorway speeds quite easily. Alan Townsin wrote in his book, Blue Triangle, about test-driving a Reliance chassis. I don't have the book immediately to hand and I can't recall which engine it had, but the author mentioned the experience of travelling at 70mph (I hope he was wearing goggles!)

I'd imagine that a Reliance with the 690 engine would be capable of 70+, and the later 760 would definitely have sufficient grunt to propel it past this.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

The B10 Alexander Striders that First Calderdale had could absolutely fly. The Scanias could, too. GM buses and then First Manchester had some mid-engined Volvo Citybuses too that were flying machines. Definitely the fastest buses I've ever been on.

SELNEC had a penchant for buying small batches of slightly unusual vehicles and this tendency continued right through the GMT era and on into GMB days. Those 10 Volvo deckers (7001-10) were just another example of this. Hot on their heels came 701 (J461OVU) a Volvo B10M with a Northern Counties single-deck body which was a real flyer. Drivers loved it on private hires. Too bad it had a nasty utilitarian interior with hard plastic individual "bucket" seats which had patches of moquette on bases and backs but no real padding. I believe it ended its days as a training vehicle in Leicester but may have eventually been preserved.

In 1985, before I owned a car, on a Wednesday evening I’d meet a friend in Manchester for a drink; and our plan would be that he’d intercept the last Greater Manchester Transport 26 service (to Leigh) at a place called Irlams o’th’ Heights.

If that last bus was being operated by a Fleetline, we’d meet it there. If it was an Atlantean, it’d be a half mile further on. If it was an Olympian it’d be a further mile on; and if it was one of the three fast but temperamental Merc-engined Dennis Falcons, it would take him to Worsley Court House or even Boothstown. But! If it was one of the two Scania N113 buses, GMT 1461 or 1462, forget it - he was giving me a lift home. Those things went like the wind, they weren’t just fast but - on a last run at night - flying machines…

I never did catch up with those Scanias but did manage to track down the Falcons. They didn't get to Manchester too often as there was a nagging doubt that they would make the round trip. Putting a high powered V-engine under the floor was always going to cause cooling problems and those buses seemed to drink huge amounts of water. In practice they spent much of their time on local routes around Leigh which made attention/recovery a little easier. The best use of their relatively high capacity was probably on certain very busy school runs in the Atherton/Tyldesley area, not quite what had been envisaged for them.

As to late night fast buses I always had the impression in GMT days that on last buses so long as drivers waited until the designated departure time from the terminus that official timings subsequently were irrelevant. This could make catching services further along the route a little problematic but doubtless that's when the true capabilities of many a bus were fully explored!

 

[175mph]

The Optare Solos felt like a real road rocket, yet didn't feel uncomfortable when run at high speed, even when the road surface was of poor quality.

 

[Geeves]

SELNEC had a penchant for buying small batches of slightly unusual vehicles and this tendency continued right through the GMT era and on into GMB days. Those 10 Volvo deckers (7001-10) were just another example of this. Hot on their heels came 701 (J461OVU) a Volvo B10M with a Northern Counties single-deck body which was a real flyer. Drivers loved it on private hires. Too bad it had a nasty utilitarian interior with hard plastic individual "bucket" seats which had patches of moquette on bases and backs but no real padding. I believe it ended its days as a training vehicle in Leicester but may have eventually been preserved.

I had totally forgotten about 701. I remember at the time Bury had some very obscure buses like those Alexander Ultra's. Of course Bury was a sea of Northern Counties equipment like the Darts, now they were quick! From the front it looked not much different but like you say the interior was weird, plastic seats?! I think an Ultra also had plastic seats too. Also with a high floor it was weird looking beast

You'll be pleased to know 701 is back up here being fixed up at a garage in Staly.

 

[neilcobbe]

SELNEC had a penchant for buying small batches of slightly unusual vehicles and this tendency continued right through the GMT era and on into GMB days. Those 10 Volvo deckers (7001-10) were just another example of this. Hot on their heels came 701 (J461OVU) a Volvo B10M with a Northern Counties single-deck body which was a real flyer. Drivers loved it on private hires. Too bad it had a nasty utilitarian interior with hard plastic individual "bucket" seats which had patches of moquette on bases and backs but no real padding. I believe it ended its days as a training vehicle in Leicester but may have eventually been preserved.


I never did catch up with those Scanias but did manage to track down the Falcons. They didn't get to Manchester too often as there was a nagging doubt that they would make the round trip. Putting a high powered V-engine under the floor was always going to cause cooling problems and those buses seemed to drink huge amounts of water. In practice they spent much of their time on local routes around Leigh which made attention/recovery a little easier. The best use of their relatively high capacity was probably on certain very busy school runs in the Atherton/Tyldesley area, not quite what had been envisaged for them.

As to late night fast buses I always had the impression in GMT days that on last buses so long as drivers waited until the designated departure time from the terminus that official timings subsequently were irrelevant. This could make catching services further along the route a little problematic but doubtless that's when the true capabilities of many a bus were fully explored!

Once had 1 of the Falcons 1471-3 on a 32 from Wigan to Manchester when it used the East Lancs from Mosley Common. Sat over engine at the back you could feel the whole bus lurch when accelerating. Fastest bus I've been on.

 

[M60lad]

I had totally forgotten about 701. I remember at the time Bury had some very obscure buses like those Alexander Ultra's. Of course Bury was a sea of Northern Counties equipment like the Darts, now they were quick! From the front it looked not much different but like you say the interior was weird, plastic seats?! I think an Ultra also had plastic seats too. Also with a high floor it was weird looking beast

You'll be pleased to know 701 is back up here being fixed up at a garage in Staly.

Most of those Alexander (Belfast) Ultras were new to Timeline Travel then Firstgroup inherited them when they bought Timeline Travel, from what I remember they also inherited some from Northampton.