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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 17:12:23 GMT
Celebrating these wonderful machines of the 70's and 80's , which had character unlike many modern buses , how about sharing our memories and knowledge of these fine vehicles that graced London's roads...
I grew up around West London so was a fan of the Metrobus.
FW was my nearest shed.
Most memorable buses were -
M7 for its ground breaking anti vandal upper seats. You think the SP's have hard seats, should have tried M7 out on a 90B from Kew to Northolt !!
M43 for being possibly the slowest bus imaginable. Not a frequent visitor to the 290 , with its fast runs down the A316
M199 for the reason it broke down so often it was frequently on the former 270 because it could be subbed easily when passing FW.
M366 , 415 & 828 for some reason seemed particularly fast.
And my favourite M1251 , for many years FW's sole B reg bus , which was later treated to coach upper seats along with M1003. Although really it was just high backed seats.
LS6 , M reg , soldiered on at AV for a long time which made a somewhat unwelcome sight on the 111.
AV seemed to get the worst vehicles, they missed out on any batch of new M's , only receiving M967. Later changed with the closure of NB and the transfer of M1439.
M1439 was a bus despite its age, seemed prone to breakdowns and really wasn't a smooth ride at all.
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Post by ThinLizzy on Oct 9, 2014 17:29:45 GMT
Celebrating these wonderful machines of the 70's and 80's , which had character unlike many modern buses , how about sharing our memories and knowledge of these fine vehicles that graced London's roads... I grew up around West London so was a fan of the Metrobus. FW was my nearest shed. Most memorable buses were - M7 for its ground breaking anti vandal upper seats. You think the SP's have hard seats, should have tried M7 out on a 90B from Kew to Northolt !! M43 for being possibly the slowest bus imaginable. Not a frequent visitor to the 290 , with its fast runs down the A316 M199 for the reason it broke down so often it was frequently on the former 270 because it could be subbed easily when passing FW. M366 , 415 & 828 for some reason seemed particularly fast. And my favourite M1251 , for many years FW's sole B reg bus , which was later treated to coach upper seats along with M1003. Although really it was just high backed seats. LS6 , M reg , soldiered on at AV for a long time which made a somewhat unwelcome sight on the 111. AV seemed to get the worst vehicles, they missed out on any batch of new M's , only receiving M967. Later changed with the closure of NB and the transfer of M1439. M1439 was a bus despite its age, seemed prone to breakdowns and really wasn't a smooth ride at all. I grew up in Barking and only really started to know what bus was what towards the end of the 80s, so was lucky enough to have such a rich history and variety of vehicles around me. My favourite Titans were: T169 for no particular reason other than it used to often appear as BK169 on the 169 which was my favorite route T214 didn't have a advertising frame on its rear boot lid (I've got no idea how i still remember that!) Most of the Titans were fantastic, often getting up to speed on the 287 along the old A13 and even past Barking Station up to Marks Gate. We used to have Leyland Nationals pass the bottom of our road on the 173 and from Barking Town Centre on the 179 but don't remember much about them- apart from sometimes the 173 would see a strange Leyland National without many seats at the front- turns out it was one of the vehicles used on the Mobility Routes. Away from Titans and Nationals, we had all sorts of vehicles with Grey Green on the 173 and 179, Ensign/Capital Citybus on the 62 and 62A and Leyland Nationals on the Capital Citybus mobility routes. I was never a fan of the Metrobus, and to this day, I've never really understood the fascination with the old London Transport ones. However, the Capital Citybus Metrobus MK1s used at NP were fantastic |
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Post by M1104 on Oct 9, 2014 17:30:52 GMT
M202 - The training bus used to type train us drivers prior to part of the 49 transferring to BB (sharing it with SW). Was also ungoverned and capable of about 65 mph
M214 - The first bus I drove on the 133
M265 was the first Metrobus I drove in service, and was most distinctive in that the kickdown was stuck. Had to go up to 25 mph before it would change into 2nd gear and past 35 mph before engaging 3rd. It was the same effect in reverse when slowing down
M268 - had a weird whining noise from the axle in addition to the regular noises those Metrobuses axles make
M477 - The only bus I have driven from two different bus companies in two different liveries; London General red and Limebourne green
M845 - The only known Metrobus to have been used on the 345 out of stock well
M873 - my first bus I drove on the 295 after double deck conversion from DRLs to Ms
M1104 - dangerously fast bus at the time that put many cars to shame. The Cummin L10 engine is probably my most favorite bus engine. This bus by the way was based at BN, but was eventually (sadly) governed by the time TC got it
M1177/80/96 - very fast pullaway, equivalent to a good DB 250 chassied DW.
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Post by wivenswold on Oct 9, 2014 18:31:52 GMT
Ah yes, I remember T169 as BK 169 on the 169. I remember getting T87 when it was on the old 87 too.
I remember a day in 1985 when, for some reason BK borrowed T1. It was a normal weekday and it was in service on South Park Drive (I was playing football in the school next to the bus stop). It must have been on the 148 service which temporarily serviced that road before the 145 was rerouted down there.
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Post by snoggle on Oct 9, 2014 18:33:06 GMT
Don't forget the Hornchurch mini running day this weekend. Opportunity to relive some of those Titan memories. Running day Timetables |
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Post by vjaska on Oct 9, 2014 18:53:38 GMT
I can't remember certain fleetnumbers but I can remember having many excellent rides on Titans & Metrobuses growing up in the 90's - I rode Metrobuses on the 37, 109, 118, 133, 159, 196 & 337 and Titans on the 35, 37, 45, 196, 345 & one ride on the P3. Both vehicles are excellent machines and along with the 263 ECW L class Olympians, make up my three all time favourite bus types.
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Post by M1104 on Oct 9, 2014 21:05:26 GMT
Ah yes, I remember T169 as BK 169 on the 169. I remember getting T87 when it was on the old 87 too. Reminds me of M888 as SW8 on the 88 |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2014 7:53:35 GMT
Ah yes, I remember T169 as BK 169 on the 169. I remember getting T87 when it was on the old 87 too. Reminds me of M888 as SW8 on the 88 Can currently get SP65 FW65 rt 65 |
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Post by ThinLizzy on Oct 10, 2014 9:12:17 GMT
Reminds me of M888 as SW8 on the 88 Can currently get SP65 FW65 rt 65 A few years ago, we were able to have Stagecoach 17169 as BK169 on the 169 |
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Post by vjaska on Oct 10, 2014 14:12:24 GMT
At BN, you can get DW59 on the 59 & VLA159 on the 159. A number of years ago you could have DLA159 on the 159 and until recently, DW50 on the 50.
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Post by M1199 on Oct 10, 2014 20:36:20 GMT
You can probably guess my favourite Metrobus, just by looking at my user name! The mighty B199 WUL. All because I spent the most time when on my work experience at UX on it, spent one morning fixing the rear doors to see it head off out on the 207, only for its alternator to give up later on that night whilst on the N207, so we spent most the following day replacing it! Following that, I always seemed to catch it and see it wherever it went! I was gutted when it went to X and was overjoyed to see it come back to UX and see out its final days. Always knew it was M1199 from a distance as it had black beading on the upper windows whereas the rest of UX's were silver. It was also a vehicle were everything hooked up perfectly, nice smooth gear changes, good turn of speed and an excellent sounding retarder and it was a rare UX example that kept its original yellow, brown, black and orange maquette. Never had a bad journey on her!
I hope she's still about, I've seen a pic of her on training duties in Poland dated 2012.
Other M's that stick out are M1246, always looked like it was winking at you cause it only had one opening upper window! And M1438, used to shunt itself into 3rd with a massive jolt, that made a few people look up! and the FW M's I've been on always seemed to make a funny whining noise whilst in 1st gear.
Memorable Metrobus journeys include waiting what felt like ages for a 207/607 in Ealing Bdy, M1400 on the 207 turned up and driver ripped the guts out the poor girl all the way to Uxbridge, I don't even think a 607 passed us on the way, that was the last time I rode M1400. Another on 207, it was a weeknight, pouring down with rain, and bus was jammed packed, the driver was rather heavy footed and had the retarder screaming with everyone falling into each other- that was a lively journey. My last was on the 71 going to Chessington, the driver looked like Errol Brown from Hot Chocolate! The way he drove round Copt Gilders felt like we was already at the amusement park!
Favourite stretch of road though for an M was between Hillingdon Heath and Uxbridge, drivers would gun it round coney green and down Hillingdon hill until the speed camera where they would slam the anchors on, the sound of those retarders screaming was excellent! How I miss that!
My last UX M was M1051 on the 207 and my last proper fare paying M was Carousel's M703 on the 1.
Don't really recall many National journeys although I do remember being on the 204 (U4) and the driver came charging down Kingston Lane, he swung the bus to the right to go round the bend and the ticket machine fell off its moorings, hit the front doors and ended up rolling round the front door footwell!
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Post by vjaska on Oct 10, 2014 20:54:50 GMT
Best Metrobus ride for me was on the 37 under London General when it was on diversion via Dulwich Village due to strengthening works on the bridge at North Dulwich Station - the drivers just floored it to death.
Another good one was on the 337 under London United especially between Putney & Richmond - back in the late 90's/very 00's, traffic was quite light along there so drivers could floor it.
Then there was the time I was on a M on the 196 and it broke down on Knights Hill - we then found ourself rolling back down the hill due to the driver not applying his handbrake. Thankfully, he stopped the bus before we reached the bottom of the hill.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2014 21:57:53 GMT
Yes UX looked after their Metrobuses. I remember when UX and AV shared the Sunday 223 when it went Hounslow - Ruislip over the mon-sat 202 route to Heathrow Central via T4 then to Ruislip via the old 223 route ( now U3 )
M976 was a favourite of mine.
GM Metrobuses , like M888 seemed not looked after very well, much like their RM's , always in a shabby state. M1346 was at GM and was no way near as good as her sister M1345 which ended up at AV and then FW.
The M's that Riverside Bus inherited for the 27 contract were probably the worst. Bit of a come down from HT's many A & B reg buses to find the likes of M13, M29 & M157 on it. The highest one they had was M204 !
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Post by vjaska on Oct 10, 2014 22:05:27 GMT
Forgot to mention, either BN or TH had a really dodgy sounding M that made a loud grinding noise when braking. For some reason, it was always on the 118.
I wonder how many actually remember the 118 under Cowie & Arriva?
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Post by Ice Prxnce on Oct 10, 2014 22:44:45 GMT
At BN, you can get DW59 on the 59 & VLA159 on the 159. A number of years ago you could have DLA159 on the 159 and until recently, DW50 on the 50. 10199 on Route 199 will also happen soon once the new E400s have been delivered to TL  |
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