Bendy Bus sheffield

[Plain Talker 11]

...are we talking new "old" SYT bendys or new "today" bendys ,like at Leeds, York and London (Wright ftr's and Merc Citaro's)

 

To my knowledge, we were mainly discussing our memories of the old bendibuses, with the odd comment about how we thought they compared with the new Wright FTRs.

 

In l**ds and York, I think the FTR's are in a standard purple livery. I keep meaning to try and have a trip on one, to see what they are like.

 

I know that first were testing the FTRs for Sheffield, about 3 years or so ago, but I think they were rejected, (Sheffield's hills too hard on them, perhaps?)

[Vague_Boy 10]

To my knowledge, we were mainly discussing our memories of the old bendibuses, with the odd comment about how we thought they compared with the new Wright FTRs.

 

Indeed. bracken came up with a great link although it was sad to see the state of some of the buses these days.

 

I always thought that the first batch were entirely MAN buses, just goes to show how the memory plays tricks.

 

My first sight of a Bendy was probably on TV. Maybe not Tomorrow's World but some sort of transport show presented by one of the TW presenters (Michael Rod?).

 

The Bendys have certainly had a chequered history in this country. They're currently in the process of being withdrawn from London due to a mixture of public antipathy, problems with some engines catching fire and a higher than average accident rate.

[Plain Talker 11]

Indeed. bracken came up with a great link although it was sad to see the state of some of the buses these days.

 

I always thought that the first batch were entirely MAN buses, just goes to show how the memory plays tricks.

 

My first sight of a Bendy was probably on TV. Maybe not Tomorrow's World but some sort of transport show presented by one of the TW presenters (Michael Rod?).

 

The Bendys have certainly had a chequered history in this country. They're currently in the process of being withdrawn from London due to a mixture of public antipathy, problems with some engines catching fire and a higher than average accident rate.

 

I remember one of the Sheffield bendibuses "jack-knifing" at the bottom of West Street and causing more than a bit of a blockage, as it took ages to get it straightened out and taken away(!)

 

This is from The Independent on Saturday, 6th December 2008 which is not a very good indictment of how good the London bendibuses are:-

Calls for the removal of the bendy bus escalated this summer after a series of accidents, including one in which Lee Beckwith, 21, was killed when he was trapped by a bus door in Essex and dragged for a mile.

 

TfL figures suggest bendy buses are more likely to be involved in an accident. It is estimated that they cause 5.6 pedestrian injuries per million miles operated, compared with 0.97 per million for all other buses.

 

Bendy buses, manufactured by Mercedes-Benz, are also involved in 2.62 collisions with cyclists per million miles, compared with 0.97 for other buses, and have 153 accidents per million miles, compared with 87 per million on non-bendy routes. Critics say that because passengers don't have to board at the front, many avoid paying.

 

"Many Londoners, particularly cyclists, see the awkward elongated bulk of the bendy bus as unsuitable for the city's streets," Mr Johnson said. "I am making sure the buses are removed in the most cost-effective way and today's new contract marks the beginning of the end for bendy buses in London."

 

Bendy buses make up 5 per cent of the London bus fleet but the 350 vehicles are responsible for about 20 per cent of bus-related deaths.

[Vague_Boy 10]

I remember one of the Sheffield bendibuses "jack-knifing" at the bottom of West Street and causing more than a bit of a blockage, as it took ages to get it straightened out and taken away(!)

 

I remember that being in The Star. Wasn't it around that tiny little roundabout that formerly joined West Street, Church Street and Leopold Street? I think this locking-up problem occurred a few times but that was the most famous incident by far.

 

That story about poor Lee Beckwith is a terrible one isn't it? I first saw it posted on a different forum and it was my first indication that there was any kind of ill-feeling towards the London Bendies. I'd seen them in action on occasional visits but I had no idea of the problems they were having.

[shelby46 10]

I've seen some bendibuses in Leeds but I haven't a clue where they are from or what type - sorry.

[bus man 10]

..................... but I think they were rejected, (Sheffield's hills too hard on them, perhaps?).........

 

Nothing to do with seffield hills whatsoever, it is purley practicle what do you get in return for using a massive long bus which needs a lot of room for garaging and on the highway, the only depot that can fit them in ie the pits etc are big enough is Rothehram (OG never had them based there ) the answer is : very few seats , there as also been problems with relaibility elsewhere its very rare that i go to york and see the bendi bus route with a full allocation of bendis on it .

[bus man 10]

The incdent at the little roundabout at the junction of Chruch St, Leopold St,West ST etc was a man the driver over steered and got stuck in the railings it iwas human error allegadly - but not his - its a long story - the bus concerned was a MAN in order to get the bus out a mechanic had to climb underneath and take the "stop blocks" off to allow the bus to move. The Leyland Nationals were fitted with a over ride if this occued you undid a flap in cab and pressed a button

 

One of the second batch (2013) had a slight problem one saturday afternoon when the brakes got a bit hot and the fire brigade were called , the incident happened on shef st near the junction of pond hill

Edited August 30, 2009 by bus man

[Plain Talker 11]

I remember that being in The Star. Wasn't it around that tiny little roundabout that formerly joined West Street, Church Street and Leopold Street? I think this locking-up problem occurred a few times but that was the most famous incident by far.

 

That story about poor Lee Beckwith is a terrible one isn't it? I first saw it posted on a different forum and it was my first indication that there was any kind of ill-feeling towards the London Bendies. I'd seen them in action on occasional visits but I had no idea of the problems they were having.

 

Do you know, I thought my memory was deceiving me. I thought there was a roundabout there, and when I typed the comment, I put "roundabout" in, and then took it back out, as I wasn't sure.

 

That young chap, being killed, by being dragged for a mile, trapped in a bendibus door is just awful. It's so scary that the driver wasn't able to see him and this was the result! I have to say that this is something I worry about on the tram, as the rear doors are so far from the driver, I have often had them close on me as I'm halfway onto the tram.

 

Nothing to do with seffield hills whatsoever, it is purley practicle what do you get in return for using a massive long bus which needs a lot of room for garaging and on the highway, the only depot that can fit them in ie the pits etc are big enough is Rothehram (OG never had them based there ) the answer is : very few seats , there as also been problems with relaibility elsewhere its very rare that i go to york and see the bendi bus route with a full allocation of bendis on it .

 

Ah! thank you for that information. The hills issue was what I'd heard. I hadn't thought of the practicalities of the size of inspection pits and housing such long vehicles. must have been a "blonde" moment.

 

(are the FTRs much longer than the old MANs? Was there the same difficulties with the MANs with regard to the pits etc? And were they housed at Rotherham?)

 

The incdent at the little roundabout at the junction of Chruch St, Leopold St,West ST etc was a man the driver over steered and got stuck in the railings it iwas human error allegadly - but not his - its a long story - the bus concerned was a MAN in order to get the bus out a mechanic had to climb underneath and take the "stop blocks" off to allow the bus to move. The Leyland Nationals were fitted with a over ride if this occued you undid a flap in cab and pressed a button

 

One of the second batch (2013) had a slight problem one saturday afternoon when the brakes got a bit hot and the fire brigade were called , the incident happened on shef st near the junction of pond hill

 

I seem to remember you mentioning the difficulty with getting the "stop blocks" off, in the jack knife incident, in a previous discussion about bendies. it sounds like the Nationals had the better idea, with the switch in the cab.

 

I have vague memories of 2013's brake malfunction, and them overheating. (I also remember the numbers assigned to the bendies were all 20--, 2001, 2002, etc, etc, where all the other fleet numbers were either just 3-digits, or four-digits beginning with a 1)

[bus man 10]

To clarify the situation regarding pits , when the bendis were introduced (2nd batch) the pits were updated at greenland road as they already had the long pits in for artics the pits at rotherham were extended to take the coach seated mans that were used on the Goldthrope (ex Dearneways ) service I suspect the new FTRs are slightly longer , howeverm the problem is not the length in comparison with the old batches of bendis its the exctra length compared with a "modern" bus.

 

The other thing to remember is that you need space to get the bendi bus in garage - start with - and then into the pit

[bracken 10]

To clarify the situation regarding pits , when the bendis were introduced (2nd batch) the pits were updated at greenland road as they already had the long pits in for artics the pits at rotherham were extended to take the coach seated mans that were used on the Goldthrope (ex Dearneways ) service I suspect the new FTRs are slightly longer , howeverm the problem is not the length in comparison with the old batches of bendis its the exctra length compared with a "modern" bus.

 

The other thing to remember is that you need space to get the bendi bus in garage - start with - and then into the pit

 

..as much as you would like it Busman , i am sure you mean OVER the pit ? ...tut ,tut:hihi:

[Vague_Boy 10]

..as much as you would like it Busman , i am sure you mean OVER the pit ? ...tut ,tut:hihi:

 

I get the feeling that bus man thinks that they are the pits.

 

Back on topic, what happend to the original Bendy's once they left service in Sheffield? I seem to recall seeing something not long after about some of them being used in Glasgow.

[bus man 10]

The origional batches went :

midland red, oxford, glasgow and basinstoke area