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Post by vjaska on Sept 7, 2016 12:14:27 GMT
I would love to get my hands on G315YHJ - one of the earliest DAF Optare Deltas, new to Harris Bus in West Thurrock, in it's original livery of blue and white. I remember being taken aback by seeing it going down the road at the back of my house, when the staple buses on the route that went past at that time at the start of the 90's was Leyland Atlantean and Nationals on the 370. Harris Bus started a new route, the 303 from Chadwell St Mary to Romford and they bought two of the Deltas specifically for it. G314YHJ was the other one. www.flickr.com/photos/46341292@N05/6596258885On the Optare theme, I'd also like to have Stagecoach Optare Versa 25302 and preserve it in it's training bus guise, as that's what I passed my test in (the first person to ever take and pass a test in any of the Versa training buses). Lastly, a London Country Leyland Atlantean, one of the KPJ***W batch that was new to GY as I rode on them more times than I care to remember. In it's as new livery of course. That would be nice seeing a Delta & Versa side by side. I've never rode a Delta but seen videos of them and they sound quite nice whilst I quite like Versas too.
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Post by nickfreckle on Sept 7, 2016 12:25:59 GMT
I remember when I first rode on the Delta after spending a lifetime on Nationals and Atlanteans and was amazed as how quick it pulled away and how smooth it was. No doubt compared to today's buses it wouldn't even compare, but compared to what I was used to it was something else.
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Post by snoggle on Sept 7, 2016 14:01:09 GMT
I remember when I first rode on the Delta after spending a lifetime on Nationals and Atlanteans and was amazed as how quick it pulled away and how smooth it was. No doubt compared to today's buses it wouldn't even compare, but compared to what I was used to it was something else. ISTR there was a general view, at the time, that the Optare Delta represented quite a swish step change in quality for a bus. I think people were really surprised how different they were to other more standardised vehicles. I'm sure I've travelled on them in the North East and in London but I'm struggling to recall a specific journey (brain fade!) - possibly on the X66 Gateshead to Metrocentre "super shuttle" that GNE ran. Northern 4752 4713 X66 Gateshead Metro by plcd1, on Flickr
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Post by danorak on Sept 7, 2016 14:49:14 GMT
I remember when I first rode on the Delta after spending a lifetime on Nationals and Atlanteans and was amazed as how quick it pulled away and how smooth it was. No doubt compared to today's buses it wouldn't even compare, but compared to what I was used to it was something else. ISTR there was a general view, at the time, that the Optare Delta represented quite a swish step change in quality for a bus. I think people were really surprised how different they were to other more standardised vehicles. I'm sure I've travelled on them in the North East and in London but I'm struggling to recall a specific journey (brain fade!) - possibly on the X66 Gateshead to Metrocentre "super shuttle" that GNE ran. Still looks stylish today: I remember being very impressed by the Westlink examples.
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Post by LX09FBJ on Sept 7, 2016 15:28:23 GMT
I would chose an ALX400, ideally one with each with Volvo and DAF chasiss plus two Tridents, one each on ZF and Voith. This bus I rode on the 269 about a month or so ago, was very sprightly for a vehicle which was a decade old, it managed to hit 35mph uphill in Chiselhurst, hence it would be my candidate for preservation 18490, photo by Bexleybus on Flickr
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Post by twobellstogo on Sept 7, 2016 21:01:57 GMT
ISTR there was a general view, at the time, that the Optare Delta represented quite a swish step change in quality for a bus. I think people were really surprised how different they were to other more standardised vehicles. I'm sure I've travelled on them in the North East and in London but I'm struggling to recall a specific journey (brain fade!) - possibly on the X66 Gateshead to Metrocentre "super shuttle" that GNE ran. Still looks stylish today: I remember being very impressed by the Westlink examples. I was at university in Reading, and regularly travelled on their Deltas : very nice vehicles. Not sure if any of Reading's avoided the scrapyard.
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Post by nickfreckle on Sept 8, 2016 0:20:45 GMT
Speaking of bus preservation, this is kind of to do with the topic in hand (very loosely I may add) - preserving the engine and gear box. I was having one of those random bull sh*te conversations at the smoking shed today with another driver and engineer, and we were discussing the feasibility of mounting an engine and a gear box in to the back of say, something like a Transit, and wondering, just whether A) The transit would go like a rocket, or B) The weight of the engine and the strengthening of the Transit would make it too heavy to go like a rocket. I was/am convinced that it would go like a rocket despite the extra weight. The engineer was dubious but could see the poential. The other driver just couldn't wait to get back to moaning about the job. If a derestricted TA is capable of what, 70? What must a Transit modified with a TA engine be capable of...
Yes, we have waaaaay to much time on our hands...
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Post by John tuthill on Sept 8, 2016 8:23:03 GMT
Speaking of bus preservation, this is kind of to do with the topic in hand (very loosely I may add) - preserving the engine and gear box. I was having one of those random bull sh*te conversations at the smoking shed today with another driver and engineer, and we were discussing the feasibility of mounting an engine and a gear box in to the back of say, something like a Transit, and wondering, just whether A) The transit would go like a rocket, or B) The weight of the engine and the strengthening of the Transit would make it too heavy to go like a rocket. I was/am convinced that it would go like a rocket despite the extra weight. The engineer was dubious but could see the poential. The other driver just couldn't wait to get back to moaning about the job. If a derestricted TA is capable of what, 70? What must a Transit modified with a TA engine be capable of... Yes, we have waaaaay to much time on our hands... I remember a few years ago, someone putting a V8 Cosworth engine in the back of a Transit, so there's your bench mark. One of the things that will be of concern in the future regarding preserving modern buses, is access to the mechanicals. Your RT/RM types have separate mechanicals, but when I've soon the 'boot' open on modern buses, I dread to think what accessibility is like
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Post by vjaska on Sept 8, 2016 12:04:17 GMT
Speaking of bus preservation, this is kind of to do with the topic in hand (very loosely I may add) - preserving the engine and gear box. I was having one of those random bull sh*te conversations at the smoking shed today with another driver and engineer, and we were discussing the feasibility of mounting an engine and a gear box in to the back of say, something like a Transit, and wondering, just whether A) The transit would go like a rocket, or B) The weight of the engine and the strengthening of the Transit would make it too heavy to go like a rocket. I was/am convinced that it would go like a rocket despite the extra weight. The engineer was dubious but could see the poential. The other driver just couldn't wait to get back to moaning about the job. If a derestricted TA is capable of what, 70? What must a Transit modified with a TA engine be capable of... Yes, we have waaaaay to much time on our hands... I remember a few years ago, someone putting a V8 Cosworth engine in the back of a Transit, so there's your bench mark. One of the things that will be of concern in the future regarding preserving modern buses, is access to the mechanicals. Your RT/RM types have separate mechanicals, but when I've soon the 'boot' open on modern buses, I dread to think what accessibility is like Some modern buses are better than others - the accessibility in an Enviro 400's engine bay is good when compared to a B9TL where a lot of components are hidden or are in awkward places.
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Post by RT3062 on Sept 10, 2016 18:07:43 GMT
I would like a GS to join the many in preservation already. If money was no object i would have a tunnel STL replica built as there arent any of them preserved better get a euro millions ticket
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 13, 2016 17:20:53 GMT
Speaking of bus preservation, this is kind of to do with the topic in hand (very loosely I may add) - preserving the engine and gear box. I was having one of those random bull sh*te conversations at the smoking shed today with another driver and engineer, and we were discussing the feasibility of mounting an engine and a gear box in to the back of say, something like a Transit, and wondering, just whether A) The transit would go like a rocket, or B) The weight of the engine and the strengthening of the Transit would make it too heavy to go like a rocket. I was/am convinced that it would go like a rocket despite the extra weight. The engineer was dubious but could see the poential. The other driver just couldn't wait to get back to moaning about the job. If a derestricted TA is capable of what, 70? What must a Transit modified with a TA engine be capable of... Yes, we have waaaaay to much time on our hands... I remember a few years ago, someone putting a V8 Cosworth engine in the back of a Transit, so there's your bench mark. One of the things that will be of concern in the future regarding preserving modern buses, is access to the mechanicals. Your RT/RM types have separate mechanicals, but when I've soon the 'boot' open on modern buses, I dread to think what accessibility is like There was SuperVan, it was extremely fast. There was been about 3 versions over the years. People have done Scorpio V6 Cosworth conversions and also Sierra Cosworth conversions to Transits which were also fast.
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Post by mbs474 on Aug 18, 2018 20:02:56 GMT
I’d love to find a Bluebird LT or a Strachans Merlin in a barn somewhere. Perhaps more realistically I hope there’s still one of the SP class Spectra’s surviving and waiting to be restored.
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Post by rj131 on Aug 18, 2018 20:20:38 GMT
I would love to see an AC 04-reg ML Volvo President preserved, they’re brilliant buses and made the very dry and slow 260 very interesting. I also wish the 330 or 241 could have been retained with preserved/heavily restored ALX400s. Surely restoring them to showroom condition would have costed less than new vehicles? Another one I’d love to see (slightly biased) is one of the RATP 02-reg 131 tridents. I’d refurbish them will of the many different moquettes RATP have had over the years, starting at the back with the old graffiti-style patterned dark blue moquette at the back (still found on the old tridents and some old darts) and go chronologically forwards with the current gren S-Stock rip off moquette at the front
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Post by VWH1414 on Aug 18, 2018 21:00:06 GMT
I would love to see an AC 04-reg ML Volvo President preserved, they’re brilliant buses and made the very dry and slow 260 very interesting. I also wish the 330 or 241 could have been retained with preserved/heavily restored ALX400s. Surely restoring them to showroom condition would have costed less than new vehicles? Another one I’d love to see (slightly biased) is one of the RATP 02-reg 131 tridents. I’d refurbish them will of the many different moquettes RATP have had over the years, starting at the back with the old graffiti-style patterned dark blue moquette at the back (still found on the old tridents and some old darts) and go chronologically forwards with the current gren S-Stock rip off moquette at the front I have to agree on the 04 reg ML VPs, I'm hoping that one of VP544/545/549 will be preserved when they finish service, I'd also like to see a 53 reg preserved, either VP500 (Hence the username ), VP501, VP504 or VP505, I'm hoping they don't suffer the same fate as VP503/509/511 which have already been scrapped Shame as the ex ML VPs are disappearing scrap, many not being resold - however a few have survived (VP513/516/520/530/532/533/547/566 - with Southdown PSV, VP527/539 - with The London Bus Group, VP521/531/537 - Jerry Nolan Coaches Dublin, VP514 - Bear Buses Feltham, VP495 - Privately Owned, VP484 - MP Travel, VP482 - Watersons Coaches, VP477 - Exported) <iframe width="25.539999999999964" height="4.5800000000000125" style="position: absolute; width: 25.539999999999964px; height: 4.5800000000000125px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none;left: 15px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_69394311" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.539999999999964" height="4.5800000000000125" style="position: absolute; width: 25.54px; height: 4.58px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1215px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_57603427" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.539999999999964" height="4.5800000000000125" style="position: absolute; width: 25.54px; height: 4.58px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 15px; top: 168px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_56495920" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.539999999999964" height="4.5800000000000125" style="position: absolute; width: 25.54px; height: 4.58px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1215px; top: 168px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_90182631" scrolling="no"></iframe> Other vehicles I'd like to see preserved are one of the ex LS 54 reg VLEs, one of the ex LS 53 reg VLPs, one of the ex ML X/Y/51 reg VPLs and VLW95, seeing as this is the last B7TL VLW with Arriva London now.
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Post by busoccultation on Aug 18, 2018 21:30:39 GMT
I would go for 18499 as it was the last Trident that isn't on a E400 body and ALX400 bodied bus ever to be delivered to any operator across London, plus it was also the last bus to have the square front blinds with two via points as well. Also, 19000 should definitely be preserved as well seeing it was the first ever Enviro 400 to be built plus one from 19131-19140 batch at TB seeing not many 10.8m E400's are London.
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