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Post by mkay315 on Dec 17, 2020 16:40:26 GMT
Going on aesthetics, pretty much anything by ELC/Darwen. Hard choice, but I would choose an Olympus body on a Scania chassis. I find ELC/Darwen bodywork becomes very rattly after a few years, but they do look great. Northern Counties deserve a shout as well. The Palatine I body is a timeless classic. That front grill screams of power and dominance. My current favourite is ADL’s E400 MMC. The Darwen olympus bus for me is underrated. It's a shame that not a lot of those were seen in London as much. I get what you mean when you say those buses rattle as I remembered sitting on one SOE on the 364 somewhere last year and it hurt my ears so much sitting on that bus and I kept saying to myself that I hope this bus doesn't break into pieces. I'm split between which Palatine body vehicle I like more as they're pretty much both the same bus with an excellent build quality. The only different between 1 and 2 is upstairs 1 has the stopping sign on the left hand side and whereas 2 has the stopping sign in the middle. I like them both the same. Some good mix you have there.
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Post by busoccultation on Dec 17, 2020 17:07:40 GMT
Going on aesthetics, pretty much anything by ELC/Darwen. Hard choice, but I would choose an Olympus body on a Scania chassis. I find ELC/Darwen bodywork becomes very rattly after a few years, but they do look great. Northern Counties deserve a shout as well. The Palatine I body is a timeless classic. That front grill screams of power and dominance. My current favourite is ADL’s E400 MMC. The Darwen olympus bus for me is underrated. It's a shame that not a lot of those were seen in London as much. I get what you mean when you say those buses rattle as I remembered sitting on one SOE on the 364 somewhere last year and it hurt my ears so much sitting on that bus and I kept saying to myself that I hope this bus doesn't break into pieces. The Enviro400 variant of the Olympus doesn't rattle as much from my experience on the Sutton's DOE batch and they are popular with many enthusiasts (including myself) these days whether they are local to the DOE's or not for their striking exterior looks, the beasty Euro 4 E400 engine they use and the huge upper deck front window giving better views than any other buses out there.
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Post by COBO on Dec 17, 2020 17:21:10 GMT
Plaxton President or Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TLs or Dennis Tridents, Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TLs and Marshall Capital or Plaxton Pointer 2 or Caetano Nimbus bodied Dennis Dart SLFs.
My favourite batches are: X/Y/51/04/54 reg VPLs 51/02 reg TPLs 02/52/53 reg TPs 52/03/53/04/54 reg VPs 05 reg TAs 55 reg DLDs Y/51/02/52/03 reg TNs 51/02 reg TNLs 02 reg VNs 52/03 VNLs (both ALX400s and Plaxton Presidents) 51/02 reg DMLs Y/51/02 reg DPs 52 reg DTs 52 reg VAs 51/53 reg VLPs Y/51/02/03 reg TAs 53 reg TLAs 55 reg VLAs 05/06/56 reg PDLs 03 reg DMCs 02/52/03/53/06 reg WVLs 54 reg PVLs 03 reg PDLs
Yes I have so many. I have just been very nostalgic recently.
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Post by paulo on Dec 17, 2020 17:21:59 GMT
If i really had to narrow it down it would be the Cummin engined mk1 Metrobus batch¹ originally based at BN in which i first saw on the 118. Will never forget the first time i heard those engines and thought there was an issue with the engine/exhaust, this being after years of hearing the Gardener units on the model. It wasn't until the second or third time among the batch that i then realised they were different engines....a bit reminisant of how the early DMSs (with the headlights closer to the middle) sounded a bit different to the slightly later ones that followed with the headlights further apart....the earlier examples to me sounding more like the Leyland Titans in that they were 'deeper' sounding. I've loved the Metros from day one with their then unusual gear changes, to me then reminisant of the Fishbowl² buses in the USA, plus their air suspension which was a relatively new concept on British buses. Like the DMS the engine sounds from the early Ms differed from later variants, the early ones having a bit of a background hum. The axle whines was also different throughout London Transport's 1440 mk1 Metros. From around M680 (give or take liberally) the whines were higher pitched a lot sooner during acceleration, ie 3rd gear whine pitch in the later Ms sounded like 2nd gear whine pitch in the earlier Ms. Loved the general bodywork of the Ms. Although they're just as boxy-looking as the DMS i loved how for example their rear lower deck windows were located further back, the top of the engine bay effectively inside the bus. The original front grill look was especially an eye catcher in general exterior cosmetics, which was a shame that never remained over the years that followed upon repaints and local in-house redesigns. I was never really keen on London General's 1990's variant regarding that but got use to it. The Cummins ones i especially loved for their more aggressive sounds, even though performance-wise they weren't much different to their Gardner sisters. In fact i found that it's the B reg models regardless of engines that were the nippiest of the batch, particularly on pullaway. This would be from personal experience of me driving M1125, M1177, M1180 and M1196.which were some of the favourites with Stockwell's night drivers. M1104 however was supped up with unbelievable acceleration for a bus built in the 80s, literally able to leave the average car still standing at the just-turned-green lights...the driver temporarily stuck in a daze of 'scooby-doo sound' confusion as M1104's already well ahead along the A23. I emmensly enjoyed riding that bus in the day and was the one bus i often would track down during my occasion one day bus rides. It's only a pity we didn't have the internet back then where examples of her performances would've surely been on YouTube. Ah well, still got the memories. EDIT: I just remember either M205 or M214 having a temporarily fitted experimental turbo fitted which made this Gardner unit bus a lot more faster and powerful over the other Metros, though still not quite as much as M1104, which eventually got toned down herself towards the end of her (and her sister's) London days...by then based at TC. ¹ - M1084 to M1105 ² - the model used in the 1994 movie Speed, except that would've more likely been Allison boxed as they were capable of about 70mph The metrobuses were decent vehicles. They did sound similar to the dennis dominators. I remembered being in Rainham getting the 165 and it used to be a double decker those times and boy did it used to move especially around the Elm Park area. Another area I remembered that was dominated by MCW Metrobuses was Tottenham. Bar the 123, 230 and 318 pretty much every bus in that area was a metrobus. Sitting on the 41 from West Green Road to Crouch End on was my fondest memory of a metrobus. That was M205 with the Turbo.
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Post by rebbelhead on Dec 17, 2020 17:22:49 GMT
Oh yes. I also forgot. The dennis arrows that used to be on the 259 and 369. My goodness those buses used to fly. Those legendary East Lancs Pyoneer buses. That's what my display picture is based on Oh yes, absolutely - these were great buses, amongst the very best. I believe they were also very fuel-efficient as a result of the simple driveline and relatively light chassis. Such a shame they came so late before low-floor swept everything away that they had only a short production run. I have particularly fond memories of a run to Barnet on the N20 after a night in town celebrating our youngest's 18th birthday!
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Post by mkay315 on Dec 17, 2020 17:47:28 GMT
The Darwen olympus bus for me is underrated. It's a shame that not a lot of those were seen in London as much. I get what you mean when you say those buses rattle as I remembered sitting on one SOE on the 364 somewhere last year and it hurt my ears so much sitting on that bus and I kept saying to myself that I hope this bus doesn't break into pieces. The Enviro400 variant of the Olympus doesn't rattle as much from my experience on the Sutton's DOE batch and they are popular with many enthusiasts (including myself) these days whether they are local to the DOE's or not for their striking exterior looks, the beasty Euro 4 E400 engine they use and the huge upper deck front window giving better views than any other buses out there. Fair enough. I'm guessing Sutton maintains their DOEs very well. It's a shame Go Ahead only ordered one batch of that bus and I did like the way it thrashed on the 37 in 2017 when A and PM did their vehicle emissions swap.
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Post by mkay315 on Dec 17, 2020 17:50:41 GMT
Plaxton President or Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TLs or Dennis Tridents, Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TLs and Marshall Capital or Plaxton Pointer 2 or Caetano Nimbus bodied Dennis Dart SLFs. My favourite batches are: X/Y/51/04/54 reg VPLs 51/02 reg TPLs 02/52/53 reg TPs 52/03/53/04/54 reg VPs 05 reg TAs 55 reg DLDs Y/51/02/52/03 reg TNs 51/02 reg TNLs 02 reg VNs 52/03 VNLs (both ALX400s and Plaxton Presidents) 51/02 reg DMLs Y/51/02 reg DPs 52 reg DTs 52 reg VAs 51/53 reg VLPs Y/51/02/03 reg TAs 53 reg TLAs 55 reg VLAs 06 reg PDLs 03 reg DMCs 02/52/03/53/06 reg WVLs 54 reg PVLs 03 reg PDLs Yes I have so many. I have just been very nostalgic recently. The Caetano Nimbus. You're really taking it back to the early 2000s. I think the 153 if I remembered correctly was the first bus in london to get those vehicles from CT Plus (or Hackney Community Transport as it was once known as) followed by the 368 in March 2001 from Blue Triangle. The 167 batch from docklands buses didn't last that long in London strangely enough. A good mix you have there.
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Post by mkay315 on Dec 17, 2020 17:54:44 GMT
Oh yes. I also forgot. The dennis arrows that used to be on the 259 and 369. My goodness those buses used to fly. Those legendary East Lancs Pyoneer buses. That's what my display picture is based on Oh yes, absolutely - these were great buses, amongst the very best. I believe they were also very fuel-efficient as a result of the simple driveline and relatively light chassis. Such a shame they came so late before low-floor swept everything away that they had only a short production run. I have particularly fond memories of a run to Barnet on the N20 after a night in town celebrating our youngest's 18th birthday! Those buses were mostly reliable. Even growing up I'd sit at the bus stop with my family hoping one would turn up on the 296 and 123 and when it did I was in joy because I knew it will be a worthwhile journey.
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Post by wirewiper on Dec 17, 2020 18:16:54 GMT
Plaxton President or Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TLs or Dennis Tridents, Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TLs and Marshall Capital or Plaxton Pointer 2 or Caetano Nimbus bodied Dennis Dart SLFs. My favourite batches are: X/Y/51/04/54 reg VPLs 51/02 reg TPLs 02/52/53 reg TPs 52/03/53/04/54 reg VPs 05 reg TAs 55 reg DLDs Y/51/02/52/03 reg TNs 51/02 reg TNLs 02 reg VNs 52/03 VNLs (both ALX400s and Plaxton Presidents) 51/02 reg DMLs Y/51/02 reg DPs 52 reg DTs 52 reg VAs 51/53 reg VLPs Y/51/02/03 reg TAs 53 reg TLAs 55 reg VLAs 06 reg PDLs 03 reg DMCs 02/52/03/53/06 reg WVLs 54 reg PVLs 03 reg PDLs Yes I have so many. I have just been very nostalgic recently. The Caetano Nimbus. You're really taking it back to the early 2000s. I think the 153 if I remembered correctly was the first bus in london to get those vehicles from CT Plus (or Hackney Community Transport as it was once known as) followed by the 368 in March 2001 from Blue Triangle. The 167 batch from docklands buses didn't last that long in London strangely enough. A good mix you have there. Just a small point: the 153 was always operated by CT Plus, which was set up as a commercial arm of Hackney Community Transport to bid for and operate Transport for London contracts. The 153 was its first route and was taken on from 3rd February 2001. The Nimbuses were replaced by new E200s in late 2012 just before the start of a new contract. Slimline Caetano Nimbus-bodied Dennis Dart midibuses were also operated on route 394 from 3rd March 2003 (when the route became a TfL contract) until new E200 MMCs replaced them in 2017. Another operator that had Caetano Nimbus-bodied Dennis Darts was Ealing Community Transport, which operated them on the 195 from April 2003 until March 2009 when the route was reassigned to First. I believe the 195 was ECT's only TfL operation.
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Post by LJ17THF on Dec 17, 2020 18:36:42 GMT
Another operator that had Caetano Nimbus-bodied Dennis Darts was Ealing Community Transport, which operated them on the 195 from April 2003 until March 2009 when the route was reassigned to First. I believe the 195 was ECT's only TfL operation. Why did the 195 get a 6 year contract that time? Usually routes get 5 or 7 year contracts, so why was this one excluded? Did Ealing Community Transport no longer want the route?
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Post by COBO on Dec 17, 2020 18:41:53 GMT
Another operator that had Caetano Nimbus-bodied Dennis Darts was Ealing Community Transport, which operated them on the 195 from April 2003 until March 2009 when the route was reassigned to First. I believe the 195 was ECT's only TfL operation. Why did the 195 get a 6 year contract that time? Usually routes get 5 or 7 year contracts, so why was this one excluded? Did Ealing Community Transport no longer want the route? The reason why ECT had a 9 year contract is because apparently TfL did not like how they were running things and had to quickly take the 195 off there hands and give them to First. The original contract was 5 years then it gained a 2 year extension but in 2009 TfL had to quickly step in take the 195 of there hands because TfL didn’t like how they running things and give the 195 to First on a 1 year emergency contract. Well that’s what I have heard. But according to Wikipedia ECT wanted to stop trading as a bus operator and ECT had to surrender the 195 and TFL had to step and give the 195 on a emergency 1 year contract.
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Post by mkay315 on Dec 17, 2020 19:32:26 GMT
It's some good list of bodyworks that have come up. On a personal note the one thing that will always get to me was the fact I didn't get to sit on those Alexander Royale volvo olympians on the 57 or 131.
Or the palatine 2 buses with metroline that originally came from London Surburban.
I've seen a few YouTube videos with those ones getting a proper thrashing.
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Post by mkay315 on Dec 17, 2020 19:32:55 GMT
Why did the 195 get a 6 year contract that time? Usually routes get 5 or 7 year contracts, so why was this one excluded? Did Ealing Community Transport no longer want the route? The reason why ECT had a 9 year contract is because apparently TfL did not like how they were running things and had to quickly take the 195 off there hands and give them to First. The original contract was 5 years then it gained a 2 year extension but in 2009 TfL had to quickly step in take the 195 of there hands because TfL didn’t like how they running things and give the 195 to First on a 1 year emergency contract. Well that’s what I have heard. But according to Wikipedia ECT wanted to stop trading as a bus operator and ECT had to surrender the 195 and TFL had to step and give the 195 on a emergency 1 year contract. It's interesting that happened.
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Post by COBO on Dec 17, 2020 20:55:42 GMT
Plaxton President or Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TLs or Dennis Tridents, Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TLs and Marshall Capital or Plaxton Pointer 2 or Caetano Nimbus bodied Dennis Dart SLFs. My favourite batches are: X/Y/51/04/54 reg VPLs 51/02 reg TPLs 02/52/53 reg TPs 52/03/53/04/54 reg VPs 05 reg TAs 55 reg DLDs Y/51/02/52/03 reg TNs 51/02 reg TNLs 02 reg VNs 52/03 VNLs (both ALX400s and Plaxton Presidents) 51/02 reg DMLs Y/51/02 reg DPs 52 reg DTs 52 reg VAs 51/53 reg VLPs Y/51/02/03 reg TAs 53 reg TLAs 55 reg VLAs 06 reg PDLs 03 reg DMCs 02/52/03/53/06 reg WVLs 54 reg PVLs 03 reg PDLs Yes I have so many. I have just been very nostalgic recently. The Caetano Nimbus. You're really taking it back to the early 2000s. I think the 153 if I remembered correctly was the first bus in london to get those vehicles from CT Plus (or Hackney Community Transport as it was once known as) followed by the 368 in March 2001 from Blue Triangle. The 167 batch from docklands buses didn't last that long in London strangely enough. A good mix you have there. Thanks 🙏
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Post by LK65EBO on Dec 17, 2020 20:58:09 GMT
Scania OmniCity Caetano Nimbus Wrightbus Gemini 3
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