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Post by rmz19 on Sept 1, 2016 10:47:44 GMT
As others have said, nothing more dull than Central London right now with the sheer amount of LTs around. I was in Brighton for a few days recently and I was envious of how diverse their bus network is. I pretty much spent my whole time riding buses when I really should've been basking in the sunshine and walking along the beach   |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 30, 2016 14:04:37 GMT
If anything an extra journey or 2 on the 2 and 185 would probably be more useful. Many people travelling between Vauxhall & Victoria use the Underground. So, I think the answer is to extend route 185 from Victoria to Paddington to cover the loss of route 436 in the area is the answer, with no change needed to route 36. Extending the 185 is out of the question. The 185 would be longer than the current 436 as the former diverges between Lewisham and Camberwell via Forest Hill, whereas the 436 is direct along the A202 and is already long enough as it is. The real answer is to leave everything the way it is, unfortunately we all know that won't happen. |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 29, 2016 16:30:50 GMT
Wow, on my way home tonight I saw what could have been very nasty. At Craven Park an empty TE came flying down from the Harlesden direction and jumped the new crossing hump so violently the front end came smashing down onto the road surface, caused a spark and smoke with a huge, audible bang. Was genuinely quite alarming, I wonder if the driver was unfamiliar with the area (perhaps the bus was on carnival duty) or hadn't been around that area since the speed bumps were put in but it was a shocking lack of attention to not see that (I have a 4x4 and that hump is testy even on my suspension) The worst thing was the rattle the bus made after impact. I suspect someone may have questions to answer to! On Enviro 200s the front shock absorbers/ towers (The part that links the airbag and shock absorber to the axle) are prone to breaking when driven over bumps in the road too fast and believe me driving with broken shocks/ towers is horrible, especially when braking. IMO if a driver drives too fast over a bump and breaks the suspension they should be dismissed as its incompetence and they are breaking the number one rule of a bus driver- the care and comfort of their passengers. Personally, dismissing a driver for going over bumps too fast is a bit harsh if it's their first time. There could be a number of reasons why this could happen i.e. low visibilty, misjudging hump height etc. However this all stems from being unfamiliar with a particular route, hence why it's paramount to familiarise with routes that run along roads with speed humps. Dismissal would only be fair if this happens continuously. |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 29, 2016 11:38:51 GMT
Even though the Notting Hill Carnival routes are temporary, I think starting from next year (I know too little too late but) 2X, 36X, 205X and 436X every year from now on they can have special services with LTs I think. Because every year those routes get crowded so quickly, on the way there and on the way back, it's so unreal. Also it could fit well because the current operators could put them on loan for those two days. 2X - LTs from perhaps 59/137 from BN. 36X - LTs from 21s or 453s from NX and MW. 205X - LTs from 8/15 from BW. 436X - (again same from 36X, also 436X might not run next year due to the Battersea Park consultation but should still be able to.) Thoughts. I don't see that happening as I don't think the 36 can take LTs in the first place and the 205X would probably already have started using them. The 36X would be able to accommodate LTs in this instance as it's rerouted away from Paddington, runs via the 18 and terminates at Harrow Road/Elgin Avenue. |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 28, 2016 9:54:50 GMT
Woman playing a ukelele and singing on the packed top deck of the 109 yesterday continuously from Croydon to Streatham where I got off. What makes someone think that it is acceptable to inflict this on the other passengers? If you want to listen to music use headphones. If you want to hear live music go to a concert. If you want to play an instrument and sing along do it at home. The top deck of a busy bus is not the best place for it. I'm surprised the driver didn't do anything about it. If it was me I would've stopped the bus and politely request the woman to get off or I'd take the bus out of service. |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 25, 2016 19:44:33 GMT
I will have to disagree with this point. When it's hot in the UK it is hot and I personally believe that this does not negate the fact that passengers still have the right to bask within a chilled and pleasant environment on these arguably few and far between hot days. Passengers (and tourists) pay for the services they use, therefore they should make full use of what they pay for, however if this means having to avoid hot and stuffy buses which could be arguably detrimental to their health and wellbeing then something really needs to be done about this, especially given the fact that most Underground lines don't have Air Conditioning either. Fitting London buses with Air Conditioning units should be the way forward regardless of the extra costs this may incur be it due to weight, fuel consumption etc. I would have no objection to paying tax towards something benefiting the society, unlike certain areas within the transport sector which are not worthy whatsoever. It's easy to forget that Air Conditioning can also be beneficial during winter as they double up as heaters in cold conditions too. There really is little excuse for not having Air Conditioning. Now if only sliding windows were fitted on all buses other than LT's........... In all seriousness though, I don't think air-con is needed in on buses in this country. If buses were all fitted with the cooling system in Gemini2's & Gemini3's plus with sliding windows, you'd have a considerably cool bus without having to pack on extra weight or increase fuel consumption at the same time  The problem is the effectiveness of some of the Air Cooling systems themselves. I'm unsure as to how they function, I assume they consist of fans blowing out chilled air emitted by a refrigerant that is thermostatically controlled. If this is true then perhaps the temperature of the thermostat is not low enough to provide sufficiently chilled air to erradicate heat within buses. Otherwise, if they're effective enough to be an alternative to Air Conditioning in hot conditions then I suppose Air Conditioning wouldn't be needed. |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 25, 2016 11:41:47 GMT
There is no point in fitting Hong Kong style air con because it will only be needed for 3 to 4 months of the year. So for 8 or 9 months of the year the bus will have to carry all that extra weight about for doing nothing. Just as I left the air con job for pastures new they were introducing systems that did both heating and cooling but these systems were about 25% more than just cooling systems in terms of cost. If the technology was worked for buses then great but it would be extra cost to buy, service and run. Vehicle weight will be increased, fuel consumption will increase. I will have to disagree with this point. When it's hot in the UK it is hot and I personally believe that this does not negate the fact that passengers still have the right to bask within a chilled and pleasant environment on these arguably few and far between hot days. Passengers (and tourists) pay for the services they use, therefore they should make full use of what they pay for, however if this means having to avoid hot and stuffy buses which could be arguably detrimental to their health and wellbeing then something really needs to be done about this, especially given the fact that most Underground lines don't have Air Conditioning either. Fitting London buses with Air Conditioning units should be the way forward regardless of the extra costs this may incur be it due to weight, fuel consumption etc. I would have no objection to paying tax towards something benefiting the society, unlike certain areas within the transport sector which are not worthy whatsoever. It's easy to forget that Air Conditioning can also be beneficial during winter as they double up as heaters in cold conditions too. There really is little excuse for not having Air Conditioning. |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 24, 2016 10:33:49 GMT
To be fair someone may have been leaning on a stopping button without knowing, which is indeed annoying. For all we know the driver may have already given a warning a few times before this video was recorded, possibly leading to his 'rage' and defensive tone. I can understand the driver's frustration, however if he just yelled without giving a sensible warning beforehand then perhaps he could've been a little more considerate in this respect.
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 24, 2016 10:16:51 GMT
I just beat a 440 from West Acton playing fields to Park Royal Asda... by walking 😁 This is a perfect quote for Alec Baldwin's dramatic delivery  |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 23, 2016 10:50:42 GMT
Not so much an error or fault (arguably), I believe the blame should be placed on Volvo. Several B5LH buses have a dent or a scratch somehwere along the rear bumper and offside skirts due to the rear overhang. Such a shame as some MMCs/MHVs/Gemini 3 and 2s have been affected pretty much from the get go! They shouldn't have to be ruined as such shortly after their introduction. Let's see how the VHRs fare...
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 22, 2016 15:53:23 GMT
Better than an A4 sheet!:  Oh dear... |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 22, 2016 11:40:41 GMT
Currently on a 55 from hackney central to work and i boarded the bus at 7.31am. I am currently at clerkenwell green and its 8.15am. What i find especially disturbing is that at 7.52 i was at shoreditch town hall and at 8.09 i was at goswell road. Thats 18mins to go from shoreditch town hall to essentially barbican? Bad enough its an LT. Why does this route have so much running time? Can someone please let me know?!. Btw there is no traffic! As a route, the 55 is average in length at around 9 miles. The obvious reason for the route's fairly generous max running time of 99 mins (but by all means not excessive) is due to the several congested hotspots it has to contend with during busy periods i.e. New Oxford Street/TCR/Holborn/Old Street/Hackney/Clapton. Otherwise, the 55 can manage about 40 mins end-to-end when it's quiet. It's not uncommon for buses to take their time between two areas in close proximity in the absence of traffic due to slow driving, long dwelling times, large volume of passengers boarding etc. |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 20, 2016 21:17:11 GMT
I can't say I like the outcome, it doesn't look right without the black headlight surrounds. HD Trim did a much better job with the TT Gemini 2s. It's good that they retained the bonded window design and black headlight surrounds, what I particularly like is how they repainted the panel between the upper rear and side windows red, a clever idea as this contrasts perfectly with the bonded windows and makes the VNs look very smart. They were never in a million years going to change the window design from bonded to gasket, might as well purchase a new bus lol! Lol you got a point. Bonded windows look great on any bus IMO, you can never go wrong with a bit of Black on Red, it's always a perfect combo  |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 18, 2016 22:27:20 GMT
I quite liked the C stock for some reason but I'm not fussed regarding the D stock - much prefer the S stock. Suspension was better on C's and you could throw them about more... optional Westinghouse braking to make life interesting 😂 I think the Ds have some sort of means that enable for a relatively smoother ride in comparison to previous stocks, which is evident by its soft and airy ride. This was somewhat considered as a breakthrough in the early 80s when they were introduced. This, in addition to their longer carriage length, roomy cab and notorious single door mechanism is what adds to their charm and makes them unique. I personally dislike the Cs and glad they've gone. |
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Post by rmz19 on Aug 18, 2016 9:19:51 GMT
I was just on the D Stock last night, then I saw this! Not many of them left now, they will certainly be missed. |
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