Bus nostalgia

[Seth]

The Nimbus was probably a bit too 'lightweight' in reality.

There were head gasket failures galore, and whilst the engine block studding arrangement contributed to this, Albion soon introduced a revised gasket. This didn't entirely rectify this problem, though the cylinder heads stayed in place for much higher mileages.

The second point concerned the rear axle, which was of BMC build and quite reliable except for the half-shaft sealing surface becoming grooved by the oil seals themselves. When a leak occurred, it took some rectification.

There were also instances of chassis bracketry failures along with quite rapid wear of the gear-change linkage joints and pins.

Little wonder then, that Western Welsh generally found that Leyland's Tiger Cub was perfectly adequate for most of it's needs.

[splott]

No.27 became the subject of an interesting experiment a few years later, but that too is another story ..................


Is this the bus that you were talking about Mr Sethsmate........................................

[/img]

[splott]

Can anyone remember the 1957 film that this Bedford lorry stared in?..............................

[/img]

[Lizzie_Zoom]

This has been, and still is, a wonderful, highly interesting (for us transport enthusiasts anyway!) thread.  But I note one thing that greatly saddens me, and I hope I am wrong on:

The thread has highlighted the lovely, well designed, and treasured historic buses built by British craftsmen.  But also the thread seems to reveal how all that tradition has now passed away, with all new buses and coaches foriegn built, on chassis's with engines manufactured by the likes of Volvo, bodies by Van Hool

Am I right, or wrong (I hope so!!) ??

Is there no-one who can answer my question PLEASE?

[splott]

This has been, and still is, a wonderful, highly interesting (for us transport enthusiasts anyway!) thread.  But I note one thing that greatly saddens me, and I hope I am wrong on:

The thread has highlighted the lovely, well designed, and treasured historic buses built by British craftsmen.  But also the thread seems to reveal how all that tradition has now passed away, with all new buses and coaches foriegn built, on chassis's with engines manufactured by the likes of Volvo, bodies by Van Hool

Am I right, or wrong (I hope so!!) ??

Is there no-one who can answer my question PLEASE?

I can't answer your question re Volvos etc.
I saw your post last night and asked Sethsmate, last night, if he had any input.

My personal opinion is:-
its they way of this country, we were the best and sat back on our laurels and the rest of the world overtook us. Eg. the car industry 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

This has been, and still is, a wonderful, highly interesting (for us transport enthusiasts anyway!) thread.  But I note one thing that greatly saddens me, and I hope I am wrong on:

The thread has highlighted the lovely, well designed, and treasured historic buses built by British craftsmen.  But also the thread seems to reveal how all that tradition has now passed away, with all new buses and coaches foriegn built, on chassis's with engines manufactured by the likes of Volvo, bodies by Van Hool

Am I right, or wrong (I hope so!!) ??

Is there no-one who can answer my question PLEASE?

I can't answer your question re Volvos etc.
I saw your post last night and asked Sethsmate, last night, if he had any input.

My personal opinion is:-
its they way of this country, we were the best and sat back on our laurels and the rest of the world overtook us. Eg. the car industry 

Thanks Splott!

I feared that could be the answer!

[splott]

This has been, and still is, a wonderful, highly interesting (for us transport enthusiasts anyway!) thread.  But I note one thing that greatly saddens me, and I hope I am wrong on:

The thread has highlighted the lovely, well designed, and treasured historic buses built by British craftsmen.  But also the thread seems to reveal how all that tradition has now passed away, with all new buses and coaches foriegn built, on chassis's with engines manufactured by the likes of Volvo, bodies by Van Hool

Am I right, or wrong (I hope so!!) ??

Is there no-one who can answer my question PLEASE?

I can't answer your question re Volvos etc.
I saw your post last night and asked Sethsmate, last night, if he had any input.

My personal opinion is:-
its they way of this country, we were the best and sat back on our laurels and the rest of the world overtook us. Eg. the car industry 

Thanks Splott!

I feared that could be the answer!

Sad, isn't it

[The Red Baron]

Ow, what about the ones in the depot?

I know one is a tow truck conversion..

Is this the Barton's tow truck that you were talking about, DTM ?   :-? :-? :-?


[/img]

this is i think a converted AEC matador. 

[Seth]

This has been, and still is, a wonderful, highly interesting (for us transport enthusiasts anyway!) thread.  But I note one thing that greatly saddens me, and I hope I am wrong on:

The thread has highlighted the lovely, well designed, and treasured historic buses built by British craftsmen.  But also the thread seems to reveal how all that tradition has now passed away, with all new buses and coaches foriegn built, on chassis's with engines manufactured by the likes of Volvo, bodies by Van Hool

Am I right, or wrong (I hope so!!) ??

The reasons are many, there's no doubt about it.

My own view suggests that the British motor industry generally rested on it's laurels.
The PSV manufacturers failed to take heed of changing circumstances, such as the expanding motorway network and the likes of Volvo who were slowly but surely getting a firm foothold in the marketplace.

The dominant heavyweight coach at this time was the Leyland Leopard - a rugged and dependable workhorse, which was getting 'long in the tooth' - literally.
Volvo's B58, whilst being a more expensive option was a far superior vehicle. Operators quickly found that all that was required was regular and concientious routine maintenance. Drivers loved 'em too - power steering as standard, and a smooth quiet turbocharged diesel allowed effortless and sustained motorway cruising. The later B10M simply improved things further for the Swedes reputation.
By the time Leyland introduced it's Tiger chassis, the writing was on the wall, so to speak!

And talking of bodies, the Van Hool offerings are something of a 'class act' believe me.
Forget the British offerings, a Van Hool body simply oozes quality throughout, and I've yet to hear of any structural failures with the framing either.

Get yourself a Van Hool-bodied Volvo B10M and you really can't go wrong. Trust me!

[Lizzie_Zoom]

This has been, and still is, a wonderful, highly interesting (for us transport enthusiasts anyway!) thread.  But I note one thing that greatly saddens me, and I hope I am wrong on:

The thread has highlighted the lovely, well designed, and treasured historic buses built by British craftsmen.  But also the thread seems to reveal how all that tradition has now passed away, with all new buses and coaches foriegn built, on chassis's with engines manufactured by the likes of Volvo, bodies by Van Hool

Am I right, or wrong (I hope so!!) ??

The reasons are many, there's no doubt about it.

My own view suggests that the British motor industry generally rested on it's laurels.
The PSV manufacturers failed to take heed of changing circumstances, such as the expanding motorway network and the likes of Volvo who were slowly but surely getting a firm foothold in the marketplace.

The dominant heavyweight coach at this time was the Leyland Leopard - a rugged and dependable workhorse, which was getting 'long in the tooth' - literally.
Volvo's B58, whilst being a more expensive option was a far superior vehicle. Operators quickly found that all that was required was regular and concientious routine maintenance. Drivers loved 'em too - power steering as standard, and a smooth quiet turbocharged diesel allowed effortless and sustained motorway cruising. The later B10M simply improved things further for the Swedes reputation.
By the time Leyland introduced it's Tiger chassis, the writing was on the wall, so to speak!

And talking of bodies, the Van Hool offerings are something of a 'class act' believe me.
Forget the British offerings, a Van Hool body simply oozes quality throughout.

Get yourself a Van Hool-bodied Volvo B10M and you really can't go wrong. Trust me!

Thanks for that!   Sad story then, with no British builder left!!

[Seth]

Can anyone remember the 1957 film that this Bedford lorry stared in?..............................

[/img]

Oooer ....... 'tis not a Bedford dear boy ........... 

No sir, it's a Perkins-engined Dodge 'Kew' - note the chrome-plated 'square & four circles' emblem on the grille.
This signified Perkins' motto: "an all-round square deal"

Oh, the film was indeed 'Hell Drivers'

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Can anyone remember the 1957 film that this Bedford lorry stared in?..............................

[/img]

Oooer ....... 'tis not a Bedford dear boy ........... 

No sir, it's a Perkins-engined Dodge 'Kew' - note the chrome-plated 'square & four circles' emblem on the grille.
This signified Perkins' motto: "all round square deal"

Oh, the film was indeed 'Hell Drivers'

A great film and still worth watching now 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

The scenes at the beginning of  this film about the Hell Drivers is worth a watch for the transport visable:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rxdn8n1Vsw[/media]

and then a trailer for the film itself (black & white paradise!!):

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8qFD2s0Fwg[/media]

8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

[Vamps]

Can anyone remember the 1957 film that this Bedford lorry stared in?..............................

[/img]

Oooer ....... 'tis not a Bedford dear boy ........... 

No sir, it's a Perkins-engined Dodge 'Kew' - note the chrome-plated 'square & four circles' emblem on the grille.
This signified Perkins' motto: "all round square deal"

Oh, the film was indeed 'Hell Drivers'

I remember that film, just about....   Has much changed about the Job, in 1985 I was driving Tippers for a while in Poole and remember Sub Contractors telling me off for doing too many runs, showing them up. Guess that is the other way around   but I was not thinking about fuel or breaking anything

[Seth]

No.27 became the subject of an interesting experiment a few years later, but that too is another story ..................


Is this the bus that you were talking about Mr Sethsmate........................................

[/img]


Withdrawals of the unhappy Albion Nimbuses were in full swing during the mid 1960s, and here's (the former) No.27 in it's new guise wearing that lovely Peacock Blue/Royal Ivory livery.

Western Welsh purchased a Bristol LHS chassis in December 1967, and married it with the body off No.27 at the Central Workshops at Cardiff (Ely).

The little Bristol was powered by a Leyland 0.401 engine, a familiar unit which was already in service in the hordes of Tiger Cubs across the company. The chassis also featured a Turner 5-speed all-synchromesh 'box, BMC-sourced axles, full air brakes, and a front-mounted radiator.
Little wonder then, that it was christened 'The Flying Pig" by the staff.

Given fleetnumber 1, it was registered MBO 1F, and allocated to Cardiff (Penarth Road) depot - primarily for use on the (then Rhoose) Airport service.
No further conversions ensued, and No.1 remained a solitary type within the WW fleet.
 

[Seth]

Is this the Barton's tow truck that you were talking about, DTM ?   :-? :-? :-?


[/img]
this is i think a converted AEC matador. 

'Twas actually Trent's AEC Militant that was mentioned Jon!

You're spot on though, regarding the Barton wrecker!