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Post by moz on Feb 9, 2011 16:43:23 GMT
Your best bet for passing a test is to put yourself at ease. Consider yourself to have failed from kick-off and that the whole drive is simply you returning the examiner to the Test Centre. I did both my car and bus tests in the same way and passed both first time. I can't remember if I was told of any faults as this was in the far-off days before Theory and Hazard tests were invented!
Moz
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Post by moz on Feb 9, 2011 16:27:42 GMT
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Post by moz on Jan 27, 2011 12:25:43 GMT
Oh well done, however I shall point out that none of my entries in the Curtailment boxes involved "WTI", they were either "T" or "MCH"! Moz How did you manage that - a nasty set of roadworks? I assume T is Traffic and MCH is Mechanical, please correct me if I'm wrong. Correct. I started the day with a Mechanical so got a starting turn, then got stuck in traffic so second turn on same trip. On return got caught again so third turn and same again for the fourth and fifth (the traffic was annoying in that it would suddenly clear then come to a stop again). Sixth entry was a mechanical caused by a schoolboy error by the garage staff. Moz
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Post by moz on Jan 26, 2011 21:44:11 GMT
Bit of trumpet blowing I know, but for the first time in a long time I managed to fill all six curtailment boxes on my Log Card......and I finished early. Oh, and I'm now on a long weekend. Not trying to gloat or anything.... Moz Well done that man ;D I managed that and an afternoon of WTI on the 150 once and got out half hour early Oh well done, however I shall point out that none of my entries in the Curtailment boxes involved "WTI", they were either "T" or "MCH"! Moz
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Post by moz on Jan 26, 2011 16:23:41 GMT
Bit of trumpet blowing I know, but for the first time in a long time I managed to fill all six curtailment boxes on my Log Card......and I finished early. Oh, and I'm now on a long weekend. Not trying to gloat or anything....
Moz
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Post by moz on Sept 23, 2010 20:45:21 GMT
Are they still storing heritage fleet routemasters there does anyone know?? I believe so, although a member here called 'Moz' may be able to confirm since he works as a driver at Norwood. I recall spotting the Golden Jubilee example by the pits just a few weeks ago. Yup, loads of RMs in Norwood not sure how many. I think these could easily be shoved out to Beddington or North London to create space for some BN motors. Moz
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Post by moz on Sept 13, 2010 12:13:59 GMT
One for the other drivers on here. How long do your modules generally last? Mine seem to corrupt after 7-8 months, usually as I'm trying to sign it off. The longest I've managed to keep the same module is about a year, but that was one of the old Wayfarer modules that didn't fit in your cash tray and weighed the same as a brick. Moz Us drivers at Abellio do not keep the same modules. Everytime we sign on, we get given a duty pack which consists of the duty and log cards, module and emergency tickets pack. We must hand all back in when we sign off. Whether its a better way of doing things or not, at least I don't have to worry about leaving it at home or in the locker. But there was one time when I signed the module on and left the whole pack on the table and when I got on the ferry to depart the garage, I completely forgot about it. Luckly, I realiased my mistake and rang up the garage, and the next ferry van turned up with my pack before I started driving. Sounds like the old London Buses way where you signed on, went to the counter and shouted "Box!" to get the boxhands attention. Tell him your duty number and you'd get the fibreglass box with module, e-pack, spare ticket rolls and timecard. You only got a Log Card if you were taking a bus out of the garage as at the time you'd leave the card with the bus rather than each individual driver having their own. Moz
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Post by moz on Sept 12, 2010 18:30:31 GMT
One for the other drivers on here. How long do your modules generally last? Mine seem to corrupt after 7-8 months, usually as I'm trying to sign it off. The longest I've managed to keep the same module is about a year, but that was one of the old Wayfarer modules that didn't fit in your cash tray and weighed the same as a brick. Moz Mine has lasted over 5 years and is still going strong The only problem I have is mine resets the wayfarer at 04:31 EVERY morning, however I was told it wasn't worth changing it for it as it's bound to develope a more serious fault. It's not just your module, any module I've used has gone through the 04:31 reset and knocks the Lobster reader out for a couple of minutes. Moz
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Post by moz on Sept 12, 2010 12:08:20 GMT
One for the other drivers on here. How long do your modules generally last? Mine seem to corrupt after 7-8 months, usually as I'm trying to sign it off. The longest I've managed to keep the same module is about a year, but that was one of the old Wayfarer modules that didn't fit in your cash tray and weighed the same as a brick.
Moz
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Post by moz on Jul 11, 2010 11:51:03 GMT
I don't care what anyone says, I was bloody busy for a Sunday today! Moz
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Post by moz on Jun 7, 2010 14:29:53 GMT
Our tridents are the same in that you have to stand halfway up to speak on the mic or you have to shout. We used to have a microphone which we could pull towards us but this has been taken away as soon as the ibus system arrived. Still can't believe the regualte message has gone. If passengers were complaining about it being used inappropriately then maybe they could have worded it differently No point moaning about it now though I don't do standing up in the cab, or moving for that matter. If I need to use the PA I'll happily turn it on, but if the punters can't hear me from where I'm sitting (my workplace) then tough. Also, don't shout as it's rude, just mumble on in your own voice at normal speech level (which is what microphones are designed to pick up) and there'll be someone on who understands you. As for the 'regulate service' message, I never used this. Simply turn the PA on, say "The service controller has instructed that this bus wait here for x minutes to equalise frequencies" and you soon get an empty bus. Oh, and you get to blame somebody else for sitting there . Moz
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Post by moz on May 3, 2010 15:28:55 GMT
I think a lot depends on the length and running times of the route. When I was on the 19s, the average duty paid about 9½ hours a day but the 133s are mainly basic 8 hour jobs so my money has gone down a bit and I've had to postpone a few bits of home improvement I'd been planning. However, I'm glad I wasn't on the 19s in Kentish Bus days when staff were salaried (monthly) and some duties ran to five - yes FIVE - rounders a day! Moz Were those five rounders duties usually on Sundays when those dangerously fast G reg. Leyland Olympians were used? ;D I'm pretty sure they happened during the week as well. I've only heard about them from ex-Kentish staff, the most we ever did from N was three rounders and they used to tap ten hours long. Even before Kentish when I was conducting at GM the shifts were no more than about 3½-4 rounders tops, even less when it went through to the Junction. Moz
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Post by moz on May 1, 2010 20:19:20 GMT
You may notice the route 3 now has 3 sets of via point blinds - brixton/lambeth palace, westminster/brixton, and the first one which has all the major destination it serves including west dulwich and kennington. I route learned the 322 last wednesday in a ferry van with other drivers. I got to drive the van from clapham common to gipsy hill so Im now comfortable with the routing. Had a quick look at the duties for the 322 and the hours are longer meaning more work for us drivers ;D The duties I did on the G1 this week were only between 6-7 hours. I'm assuming the 'Brixton/Lambeth' via blinds are meant to be set for northbound journeys (or curtailments) and the same logic southbound for the 'Westminister/Brixton' via points. I wonder if other routes throughout London have multiple sets of via points or is it down to certain routes or company preference? I can't say i'm suprised the 322 duties would be long ones. Short routes with plenty of rounders tend to have more hours on their rotas. I think a lot depends on the length and running times of the route. When I was on the 19s, the average duty paid about 9½ hours a day but the 133s are mainly basic 8 hour jobs so my money has gone down a bit and I've had to postpone a few bits of home improvement I'd been planning. However, I'm glad I wasn't on the 19s in Kentish Bus days when staff were salaried (monthly) and some duties ran to five - yes FIVE - rounders a day! Moz
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Post by moz on Apr 4, 2010 13:42:39 GMT
Had a great time this afternoon following a 3 up Brixton Road. The guy was obviously late and was trying to pick some time up but he was so entertainingly bad at doing so it cheered me up immensely. To start with he cut across the front of me as I was leaving Ken. Church so he could serve his stop. I wasn't going too fast so stopped in good time. When he left the stop he almost took out a 59 that had overtaken me and got a 'stand screaming from the front doors' rollocking from the driver for two minutes. At Vassall he tried to cut out in front of a van but thought better of it right at the last minute and ended up bouncing the pavement. At the next stop he belted right up to it and then slammed the anchors on which only slows your alighting punters down so made me time to overtake. Or at least I almost did because I was halfway alongside him when he swung out on me and trapped himself between me and car parked in front of him. This was when he opened the cab window and tried to get me to move into the opposite lane so he could get out - Nope! He eventually squeezed through and brushed my mirror. I ended up hanging back simply for the entertainment of watching this guy get gradually more and more mental and by the time we got to Brixton Station I'd lost the five minutes I was up at Kennington, so he'd lost five minutes as well. As I left Brixton I was on the inside lane while a mate of mine was on a 2 alongside with the 3 nutter about an inch away from his tail. I told my mate what he'd been doing so, being consciencious drivers, we sat through most of the green phase, then my mate waved me across in front of him so I could get up Brixton Hill, he followed through on amber and left loopy-lugs flashing his headlights and banging his horn at us as he got caught on the red. Made my day that did - hope I see him again!
Moz
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Post by moz on Mar 29, 2010 19:09:32 GMT
What I find strange is why did it take 8 or 10 minutes doing cab awareness.... Let me break it down for you... Red buttons to open doors, green buttons to shut them, buttons marked wheelchair ramp are for the wheelchair ramp, (usually 1 for in 1 for out) there is the heater controls (trainer points to heater controls) Right pedal for go, Left pedal for stop, black lever for handbrake (usually marked handbrake or parking brake) back for on forward for off, big round thing for left and right, sticky out thing by the big round thing for indicators/wipers, soft spongy thing for sitting on, big see through bit in front of you for seeing where you are going, reflective things hanging on the side for seeing what you've just hit. Some of these thing there are minor variations I.E. some buses have a foot pedal for the front doors or enviro's have different controls altogether that I can't be bothered to explain but you know what i mean if you've driven one, they are just as easy to explain to someone and some of them if you don't know them then you shouldn't be driving in the first place. I mean how hard can it be. I've driven buses i've not been type trained and although I know you shouldn't IT'S NOT HARD!!! It's what I do for a living... Look at it this way. If the firm you work for carries out type training for different types, then they should be on top of having it carried out. I'm not prepared to put myself out owing a company shortcoming and although the 'new' type of bus is, as you say rightly say, probably no different to anything else I've driven, I won't risk my job by taking it. Why not? Well, quite simply because if I do happen to have an accident or incident, or even a mechanical with the bus I'm not trained on, I could be held accountable for breaching company policy having driven a bus I'm not trained on. So, either the firm keeps its drivers trained up on all types, or they remove all need for type training from their driving policy. Moz Who is also alleged to do what you do for a living.
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