|
|
Post by portman227 on Aug 9, 2016 12:44:17 GMT
^^^^ He's the bloke I took over from at Plumstead Common. You had a narrow escape  You didn't happen to spot what running number 12370 was did you? *please be 117, please be 117, please be 117* EDIT: I start at The Common at 1437 Orpington bound if you fancy saying hello I'm gonna have to route learn the route then. And I did see 12370 today blinded for 51, 116 or 117 I'm not sure. As with the 122, I was told TA's are a last resort for use on the route. 17861 was Avaialble and free to use but there was a gazilion hybrids and MMCs that were unused. Not everyday hybrids, sometimes diesels, scanias and TA's are a man's best friend |
|
|
|
Post by nickfreckle on Aug 9, 2016 13:04:25 GMT
You didn't happen to spot what running number 12370 was did you? *please be 117, please be 117, please be 117* It was just leaving Orpington Station as I pulled up just now. I'm afraid it's 116  Just seen it now at the common. Bugger. You on the 51 or there for other business? |
|
|
|
Post by Paul on Aug 9, 2016 13:32:46 GMT
It was just leaving Orpington Station as I pulled up just now. I'm afraid it's 116 Just seen it now at the common. Bugger. You on the 51 or there for other business? I'm on the R5/R10 - until 1700-ish anyway  |
|
|
|
Post by nickfreckle on Aug 9, 2016 16:23:05 GMT
I've probably seen you. It's now back plated to 101 as the driver taking it over wasn't type trained. Got a nice Scania today. Quick.
|
|
|
|
Post by Steve09 on Aug 10, 2016 14:31:12 GMT
I noticed a disappointingly bunchy service on the 51 today. Noticed a 36 minute gap in between northbound buses at Welling! Then 4 buses turned up within less than 10 minutes. I had a 25 minute wait for a 51, there was a short turned Plumstead Common 51 (17860) that never turned up, eventually 2 51's turned up together, a Scania in front and a Trident (17861) behind. Obviously, I snubbed the Scania in favour of the Trident, for running late/allowing 17861 to catch up to it, and anyway, the Tridents are much nicer buses to be on. By the next stop, Wickham Street, we overtook and left the Scania for dust.   Not sure if it was you driving 17861 when I got the 51 today after 1. I sat on the lower deck (no I did not throw up  ) just to hear the lovely whistly engine notes. Was a nice swift journey into Woolwich. There was a lot of early running yesterday as it was so quiet - although my leader was extremely slow on way to Orpington and on way out. I wanted to pass him, but they wouldn't let me as I was running a couple of minutes early. Controller said to me, so long as I leave two bars on the MDT and I'm running to time, stay behind - but if I start running behind time THEN go around him. I never did start running late. Two extremely easy runs as I was almost empty. I was on 17861 from 1435 until I got to the garage at 1735. If you was on it between those times and the driver was a balding bloke with sunglasses on, then that was me. 17818 i did report it for being very slow and emission lights going on. Spent time in the garage for a certain times and now I'm glad it's back to being a rocket as it should be. I saw that bus today and it was moving quick, I need to take that bus out on the 122's but I may be refused I was driving it from 1745 to 2015, so if it was between those time, it was definitely me. I've seen TA's on 122 within the past couple of weeks, so I don't know why they wouldn't let you have it if it's free. As an aside, 13003 and 13008 where out on 51's yesterday. I wish they'd make their bloody minds up... I love driving a good TA, never have got round to driving 17564, 748 or 18219 but have had all the others - my favourites being 17818, 17833 and 17861. 17749 I remember having extremely heavy steering which was heavier than heritage buses I've driven! Now I am on 53 rota I doubt I'll get many chances to drive them  I took 17863 out on the 122 the other week and got permission from the GS beforehand, so it is possible! |
|
|
|
Post by portman227 on Aug 10, 2016 21:12:23 GMT
There was a lot of early running yesterday as it was so quiet - although my leader was extremely slow on way to Orpington and on way out. I wanted to pass him, but they wouldn't let me as I was running a couple of minutes early. Controller said to me, so long as I leave two bars on the MDT and I'm running to time, stay behind - but if I start running behind time THEN go around him. I never did start running late. Two extremely easy runs as I was almost empty. I was on 17861 from 1435 until I got to the garage at 1735. If you was on it between those times and the driver was a balding bloke with sunglasses on, then that was me. I was driving it from 1745 to 2015, so if it was between those time, it was definitely me. I've seen TA's on 122 within the past couple of weeks, so I don't know why they wouldn't let you have it if it's free. As an aside, 13003 and 13008 where out on 51's yesterday. I wish they'd make their bloody minds up... I love driving a good TA, never have got round to driving 17564, 748 or 18219 but have had all the others - my favourites being 17818, 17833 and 17861. 17749 I remember having extremely heavy steering which was heavier than heritage buses I've driven! Now I am on 53 rota I doubt I'll get many chances to drive them I took 17863 out on the 122 the other week and got permission from the GS beforehand, so it is possible! I'm also on the 53 Rota and on 12384. My word this bus is quick! I thought it would be as fast as the euro 6 E40H's old style we have but they are a lot nippier. I left my driver who was on a 64plate for dust. Anyways it's not good driving I know but I can't help to realise a couple enviro diesel sneaking out on to the route. Are they not prohibited? And safe to say it is awkward to me why an enviro diesel would be a preferred choice to take out on the 53. I'd have taken out a scania |
|
|
|
Post by Alex on Aug 10, 2016 23:45:12 GMT
I love driving a good TA, never have got round to driving 17564, 748 or 18219 but have had all the others - my favourites being 17818, 17833 and 17861. From an outsiders perspective, they do seem a good bus - if you get a good one , I recall a chat between two 472 drivers outside PD garage a while back where one was slating 17949, said it was painfully slow and generally no good. A little while later I see that 949 transferred off to BK, so that problem for PD was sorted....... The cabs seem ok, I have sat in the cabs of former 17386, 17400 and 17406 at Southern Transit's place in Sussex and they seemed roomier than they looked. I do think the bonded window versions as these did look a lot sleeker than the later versions. Steve were you at PD when the last of the bonded window buses were still there (I recall 404, 427, 466, 478, 485 and 506 as being amongst the last 'old look' TA's running out of PD)? Or do we have any forumers who would have driven these? Just wondering if from the drivers POV an 'old look' TA was that different to the later version. The same could be said for the C69/77 trains at work - if you had a good one it was an excellent machine, however if you had a bad one it could easily ruin the day. The funny thing about that was that generally the 1969 versions handled much better than the later 1977 version  , I'd still have these back in a flash over the S7's though  Going back to Dave and his garage moving, it makes perfect sense to me. I could tell from your posts you enjoyed T garage and the interaction/banter with the crew there. I would agree with the comments on PD though from other members, again from an outsiders perspective, PD does seem a good all round garage. There's the city run on the 53, the suburban run on the 122, the busy outer city stuff like 177, a trip out far SE on the 99 and the long faster run on the 96, with some short stuff like 291 (and the bendy round houses 386). Some east London garages seem hard going, just about everything at WH looks like traffic bound hard work  Again thanks for the updates and to the other posters for the interesting chat |
|
|
|
Post by nickfreckle on Aug 11, 2016 0:05:17 GMT
Had a nice drive on 12383 tonight. Well, it was nice until the engine fault light and coolant light came on coming through Orpington on my last run back. Was told to see how it goes, but when I got to Welling it started to smell very hot, and it seemed to lose quite a bit of power. Not good as it hasn't even done 750 miles.
I radioed up and told them, and asked them that as it was so new and with so few miles with these lights on, would it be an idea to curtail at Plumstead Common and run it straight back down the hill to the garage. Controller agreed, but told me to hang fire until he'd spoken to the garage. He called me back and said the engineers said carry on until the end - so I did.
It stank when I parked it up. If damage has been done, at least I'm in the clear because I did my bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alex on Aug 11, 2016 0:24:06 GMT
Had a nice drive on 12383 tonight. Well, it was nice until the engine fault light and coolant light came on coming through Orpington on my last run back. Was told to see how it goes, but when I got to Welling it started to smell very hot, and it seemed to lose quite a bit of power. Not good as it hasn't even done 750 miles. I radioed up and told them, and asked them that as it was so new and with so few miles with these lights on, would it be an idea to curtail at Plumstead Common and run it straight back down the hill to the garage. Controller agreed, but told me to hang fire until he'd spoken to the garage. He called me back and said the engineers said carry on until the end - so I did. It stank when I parked it up. If damage has been done, at least I'm in the clear because I did my bit. Are all these radio messages recorded? I'm no engineer but a mixture of heat and alarms doesn't seem very good....... Can you curtail yourself if you feel something is that unsafe? I'm guessing ultimately the driver has the last say as they are legally responsible for the vehicle out on the road - but can imagine companies make these situations rather awkward. At least you have the engineering bit recorded, I'm guessing the radio is indeed recorded, or I'm guessing the controller has a log book where all this would have been entered (or I'd hope so)...... 750 miles? Well, again from my outside viewpoint, looking at a long working (PD Mon to Fri 101) and Robert Munster's route details, a round trip is around 24 miles (not accounting for runs to stands, to from garage etc) and PD 101 does 8 rounders. So the bus has completed about 4 days full work so far , I would agree this is very low  |
|
|
|
Post by nickfreckle on Aug 11, 2016 0:28:54 GMT
They are usually on the 53, but I had a single rounder to do from PD stand this eve after my break, so took 12383. (With permission of course!).
iBus calls are recorded, and I also made sure I put it on the BCR card, put the BCR in the red box and told the GS when I signed off.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alex on Aug 11, 2016 0:35:24 GMT
They are usually on the 53, but I had a single rounder to do from PD stand this eve after my break, so took 12383. (With permission of course!). iBus calls are recorded, and I also made sure I put it on the BCR card, put the BCR in the red box and told the GS when I signed off. Ah....shame 17818 wasn't knocking about (the word's out! There's probably some secret PD lurkers on here who nicked it first) |
|
|
|
Post by nickfreckle on Aug 11, 2016 1:09:15 GMT
Last seen at 14:40 on 10th August. Hope nobody has buggered it up |
|
|
|
Post by john on Aug 11, 2016 6:06:12 GMT
They are usually on the 53, but I had a single rounder to do from PD stand this eve after my break, so took 12383. (With permission of course!). iBus calls are recorded, and I also made sure I put it on the BCR card, put the BCR in the red box and told the GS when I signed off. Any issues I get I call ibus. Had a dodgy fuel gauge on an E200 the other day, when running was showing a quarter full yet when engine was off was full. Rung ibus and said I'd already put it on the BCR, he said he'd ring the garage and find out. Ended up with the bus out until it went back in. The way I look at it is if I'm told to carry on ill carry on. Unless I think the bus is an issue then I'll pressure for something to be done. Saying that, this is a question for the more experienced, if there's a bus at the garage that you know is unsuitable for a route, say is too slow, can you refuse to take that bus? |
|
|
|
Post by sid on Aug 11, 2016 6:36:45 GMT
They are usually on the 53, but I had a single rounder to do from PD stand this eve after my break, so took 12383. (With permission of course!). iBus calls are recorded, and I also made sure I put it on the BCR card, put the BCR in the red box and told the GS when I signed off. Any issues I get I call ibus. Had a dodgy fuel gauge on an E200 the other day, when running was showing a quarter full yet when engine was off was full. Rung ibus and said I'd already put it on the BCR, he said he'd ring the garage and find out. Ended up with the bus out until it went back in. The way I look at it is if I'm told to carry on ill carry on. Unless I think the bus is an issue then I'll pressure for something to be done. Saying that, this is a question for the more experienced, if there's a bus at the garage that you know is unsuitable for a route, say is too slow, can you refuse to take that bus? I don't think there is a definitive answer to that, a bus being allegedly 'too slow' doesn't normally make it unroadworthy so it would depend on what exactly the problem was. |
|
|
|
Post by john on Aug 11, 2016 8:33:41 GMT
Any issues I get I call ibus. Had a dodgy fuel gauge on an E200 the other day, when running was showing a quarter full yet when engine was off was full. Rung ibus and said I'd already put it on the BCR, he said he'd ring the garage and find out. Ended up with the bus out until it went back in. The way I look at it is if I'm told to carry on ill carry on. Unless I think the bus is an issue then I'll pressure for something to be done. Saying that, this is a question for the more experienced, if there's a bus at the garage that you know is unsuitable for a route, say is too slow, can you refuse to take that bus? I don't think there is a definitive answer to that, a bus being allegedly 'too slow' doesn't normally make it unroadworthy so it would depend on what exactly the problem was. That pretty much answers it for me. It's more a case of route suitability tbh in comparison to vehicle performance. The way I look at it, if you're consistently losing headway because the vehicle isn't allowing you the chance to, then that's an issue. Saying that, I know a bus is better than no bus so I just gotta suck it up and deal with it!! |
|
, I'd still have these back in a flash over the S7's though 
