Trivia: What things don't you see on buses these days?

[PG]

Three things you don't see anymore are:

• Seats with double top rails
• Glazed roof panels
• Centre rear emergency door and consequently no bench seat across the rear

With thanks to @TheGrandWazoo for post #117 as it was the photo of the Bristol RELL interior that prompted my recollection.

 

[Stan Drews]

Sign written notice indicating “Children travelling with half fare tickets must give up their seats if adults are standing.” 1960s Newcastle.

That seems like a rather silly policy to me - I'm glad that kind of thing is gone!

It shouldn’t really need a policy, as it’s simply good manners ...or at least it used to be!

 

[Jordan Adam]

Three things you don't see anymore are:

• Glazed roof panels

I'd somewhat disagree there, glazed roof panels are gaining popularity again.

 

[delt1c]

Dipped beam meaning only 1 headlight on and 1 rear brake light as per the original RM's

 

[DorkingMain]

Now London has done away with paper tickets and cash, we don't get ticket bins anymore.

 

[py_megapixel]

It shouldn’t really need a policy, as it’s simply good manners ...or at least it used to be!

Yes, it would probably be against someone’s “rights” nowadays...

I view it as one of those things that really doesn't need a policy at all.

Yes, some children might consider it good manners, so if they would like to give up their seat then of course they may do so. But making it a rule that they must do so just seems petty, especially when you consider that a good number of adults don't actually want to feel like they're shoving a child out of a seat... in fact often it works the other way, with adults offering children a seat.

It's a problem that doesn't need solving.

 

[swt_passenger]

I view it as one of those things that really doesn't need a policy at all.

Yes, some children might consider it good manners, so if they would like to give up their seat then of course they may do so. But making it a rule that they must do so just seems petty, especially when you consider that a good number of adults don't actually want to shove a child out of a seat... in fact often it works the other way, with adults offering children a seat. It's a problem that doesn't need solving.

You noticed I said it was in the 1960s? Completely different times. No one‘s suggesting bringing it back...

 

[py_megapixel]

You noticed I said it was in the 1960s? Completely different times. No one‘s suggesting bringing it back...

Yes, fair enough.

(I have seen people elsewhere advocating the reinstatement of this type of rule though, so I just thought I'd chime in with my thoughts!).

 

[cnjb8]

Windows that you have to slide across to open, instead of pull.

 

[MackTen]

Anything identifiably metal in appearance, especially things essential to the structural integrity of the body, as opposed to say, trim, seats or handrails. It's like designers these days think the public (or customer) will see an unpainted rivet, and think OMG, THIS BUS ISN'T FINISHED.

Also, anachronistic signage. The average passenger obviously never noticed, but I always laughed when seeing a sign or notice or even a promotional item that referred to the vehicle's previous owner. Usually happened on public concerns, presumably as the private companies are all about branding and their company identity these days.

 

[PG]

Windows that you have to slide across to open, instead of pull.

Already mentioned, they go by the 'technical term' of

Sliding ventilators - all hopper windows nowadays.

 

[py_megapixel]

Also, anachronistic signage. The average passenger obviously never noticed, but I always laughed when seeing a sign or notice or even a promotional item that referred to the vehicle's previous owner. Usually happened on public concerns, presumably as the private companies are all about branding and their company identity these days.

A bit OT, but if you happen to live near a Northern station it can be fun to play "spot the old branding!"
Serco-Abellio Northern Rail made a huge deal of getting their logo removed from the network, but they did so mostly with poor quality stickers, many of which have fallen off now, revealing the obsolete brand.

 

[Skutter]

Sign written notice indicating “Children travelling with half fare tickets must give up their seats if adults are standing.” 1960s Newcastle.

Related, "3 to a seat" instruction from the driver or supervisor on school runs, so three kids cram onto a bench seat and you can get 50% more than the stated capacity of passengers onboard. Never knew if that was legal or not.

 

[Simon75]

It shouldn’t really need a policy, as it’s simply good manners ...or at least it used to be!

I've had to ask people to move there shopping, so I can sit down

 

[cnjb8]

Already mentioned, they go by the 'technical term' of

Ah my apologies

 

[MackTen]

Nicotine stained interiors maybe?

Don't actually even see that many cigarette burns these days, come to think of it.

 

[PG]

Related, "3 to a seat" instruction from the driver or supervisor on school runs, so three kids cram onto a bench seat and you can get 50% more than the stated capacity of passengers onboard. Never knew if that was legal or not.

It was definitely legal on a bus which didn't have seat belts.

The move by most (all?) local authorities to mandate seat belted vehicles on contracts has effectively killed off the practice as a belt is required for each occupant.

I'm struggling to ascertain if it is still legal on non-belted buses - does anyone know?

 

[GusB]

It was definitely legal on a bus which didn't have seat belts.

The move by most (all?) local authorities to mandate seat belted vehicles on contracts has effectively killed off the practice as a belt is required for each occupant.

I'm struggling to ascertain if it is still legal on non-belted buses - does anyone know?

This is better off having its own thread, but surely anything above the stated seating/standing capacity was illegal? A few of our Leopards were transferred to a neighbouring company and up-seated from B53F to B61F in order to cater for this sort of thing. If it says 53 seated, 8 standing (or whatever combination) and you're pulled over, you'd get your knuckles rapped for being over-capacity regardless of whether it's school kids or not.

 

[Geordie driver]

I have never heard of a service driver being prosecuted or even disciplined for being overloaded, many late night services were massively oversubscribed but all the police were interested in was emptying the city centre and the company weren't interested at all. We were told under 14s could sit 3 in a row, in reality school runs were more like feeding time at the chimps enclosure, loadings were elastic.

I suppose cctv has changed everything, as they can no longer turn a blind eye?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'd somewhat disagree there, glazed roof panels are gaining popularity again.

Seem to recall that Transdev have specified them on many of their new buses over the last 3/4 years

The engine bustle is a feature that seemed to disappear from the end of the Atlantean production.

 

[Ken H]

1960s buses had a seat frame made out of chrome plated steel. The seat and the back dropped in and were screwed down. so there was a tight cap between the frame and the seat back. So people slid their ticket into that gap. Quite often there were quite a few along the seat back. Spose it saves losing your ticket.

 

[Deerfold]

It was definitely legal on a bus which didn't have seat belts.

The move by most (all?) local authorities to mandate seat belted vehicles on contracts has effectively killed off the practice as a belt is required for each occupant.

I'm struggling to ascertain if it is still legal on non-belted buses - does anyone know?

Until recently West Yorkshire Metro's "Generation M" buses were fitted with 3-across seats with 3 seatbelts. They were only used for school runs and for other journeys transporting schoolchildren.

I'm not sure if there's any left, but they certainly existed into the 2010s.

 

[py_megapixel]

Until recently West Yorkshire Metro's "Generation M" buses were fitted with 3-across seats with 3 seatbelts. They were only used for school runs and for other journeys transporting schoolchildren.

I'm not sure if there's any left, but they certainly existed into the 2010s.

There are some TfGM Optare Versas similarly equipped:

a total passenger capacity of 57, achieved by using a 3 + 2 seating configuration, with all passengers on Rescroft CT Lite seats fitted with full 3-point safety belts.

Quote from http://www.optare.com/news/2014/7/9/optare-supplies-39-hybrid-school-buses-to-tfgm

 

[AY1975]

There's another now-closed thread on things you saw on buses and coaches that you don't see today at https://railforums.co.uk/threads/tr...-bus-or-coach-that-you-dont-see-today.178654/

And Lothian. First introduced in ECT days, in 1973 on two services, the 30 and the 43, as a trial before being rolled out across the network from the following year. I remember the machine gun-like noise that the Autofare machines made when issuing tickets.

And National Express West Midlands (formerly Travel West Midlands).

There is a now-closed thread on operators that use exact fare boxes, including a full list of such operators, at https://railforums.co.uk/threads/bus-operators-that-have-an-exact-fare-policy.175344/

 

[Skutter]

I forgot to say, the bus with us school kids crammed onto it was probably running with the destination blind "Duplicate". Several buses ran in the timetabled path but only one showed the normal destination. That afternoon service was the only time I saw it used, dont't know how common it was.

 

[PG]

There's another now-closed thread on things you saw on buses and coaches that you don't see today at https://railforums.co.uk/threads/tr...-bus-or-coach-that-you-dont-see-today.178654/

Yes indeed, thanks.

There seemed to be quite a discussion on whether disembarking passengers were required (or not) to ring the bell.
Upon passing my test with a city operator of dual door deckers it was drummed into me that no bell equalled no stop.
When I moved to driving for the country bus operator the bell was seen as just a decorative feature (some buses only had one bell push) and it was my responsibility to keep a look out for passengers wanting to alight.

 

[Ken H]

Yes indeed, thanks.

There seemed to be quite a discussion on whether disembarking passengers were required (or not) to ring the bell.
Upon passing my test with a city operator of dual door deckers it was drummed into me that no bell equalled no stop.
When I moved to driving for the country bus operator the bell was seen as just a decorative feature (some buses only had one bell push) and it was my responsibility to keep a look out for passengers wanting to alight.

my parents were londoners, then they moved to Leeds when I was little. In London the passengers ring the bell when they want to get off. In Leeds the conductor did it. Think they got in bother a couple of times till a conductor explained the leeds system

 

[AY1975]

my parents were londoners, then they moved to Leeds when I was little. In London the passengers ring the bell when they want to get off. In Leeds the conductor did it. Think they got in bother a couple of times till a conductor explained the leeds system

Does that mean that in Leeds you had to shout "next stop please" or words to that effect if you wanted the next stop, and the conductor would then ring the bell, or did the conductor simply have to keep an eye out for passengers wanting to get off at the next stop? If the latter, it could surely have been difficult for them to keep an eye on both decks at once on double deckers, unless you were expected to start making your way towards the exit in good time before the bus got to your stop so the conductor could see you. These days many buses actually have signs asking you to stay seated until the bus stops. How times have changed!

 

[py_megapixel]

Does that mean that in Leeds you had to shout "next stop please" or words to that effect if you wanted the next stop, and the conductor would then ring the bell, or did the conductor simply have to keep an eye out for passengers wanting to get off at the next stop? If the latter, it could surely have been difficult for them to keep an eye on both decks at once on double deckers, unless you were expected to start making your way towards the exit in good time before the bus got to your stop so the conductor could see you. These days many buses actually have signs asking you to stay seated until the bus stops. How times have changed!

I generally ignore advice to remain seated until it stops.

I don't usually have difficulty balancing on moving vehicles, and I'm paranoid that if I don't get down in time on a double decker, the driver will continue on without letting me off!
(Yes I know they have CCTV in the cab but still...)

 

[busesrusuk]

Metro newspapers, seen the racks on the buses but no papers or is it because of the coronavirus they're not on the buses.

Come to Morden tube station; every weekday a guy turns up and religiously unloads a van and puts stacks of papers on to each bus as they come into the bus station...

Might sound an odd one but surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet but what about groups of kids getting on buses and hanging out the sliding opening windows on the upper deck of buses, yes I know it was/is dangerous but I believe some of them took it to extremes and used to see how far they could get out the windows pretty harmless fun which is why some drivers never used to bother about it.

Generally harmless until one kid fell out of the upper deck of a DMS in London. the whole window went out with him and needless to say the kid didn't fare to well ending up in a coma for weeks and weeks.

Two more for consideration:

"Shop at Binn's" adverts on just about every bus in Newcastle and no doubt elsewhere
A seat cushion propped up against the rear of of a broken down bus to alert other bus drivers that they weren't going anywhere any time soon(!)