On The (Old) Buses

[Yorkshire 53 10]

Most on this bus thread will be retired I suspect and, with retirement, nostalgia takes a big hold, visiting museums etc.. Transport museums in particular seem full of the over 60's. I recently attended the Manchester Bus Museum's Spring Transport Festival where they run a free, classic old bus from Victoria Rail Station up to the museum ( on Boyle Street ).

 

Apart from the many interesting old buses, there were around 50 stalls selling transport memorabilia, photos, models, former driver/ conductor badges, old ticket machines and such. The last time I bought a model bus, reliving my Dinky days, it was a model of a Sheffield Atlantean, and I thought how good it was. That was a few years ago. On this visit I was stunned at the improvements to the Corgi / EFE etc. models now available, they are works of super accuracy and detail, now correcting the former problem of non-flush windows even. They can all be seen on the 'Model Bus Zone' Home Page. However, don't let the family know or you'll be accused of going into your second childhood !

[bracken 10]

Hi Yorkshire 53 - this should be a great day for you then with many local models of all scales and a ride on a real old Sheffield bus as well !! ...***SUNDAY 11 JUNE***...

http://sytm.co.uk/models/index.html

Edited April 7, 2017 by bracken

[Yorkshire 53 10]

Thanks Bracken, I was unaware. I'll be there, 'all being well' as we say in Yorkshire.

 

The picture on the Sheffield bus museum web site you give should be studied, It's from a model tram layout called 'Grime Street', the full video can be seen on You Tube if you put in 'Grime Street Model Trams 2015'. The model buildings alone are absolutely stunning in their fine detail, note for example the remains of a demolished house with the fire places still in place, exposed on the surviving house wall next door.

 

The model buildings ( don't know about the rest of the layout ) are by the brilliant modeller Geoff Taylor. For his site, put in GT Building Models by Geoff Taylor. He's as much a true artist in his field as any great painter in my opinion.

 

I don't have a model rail/tram layout, but often thought of doing one ( Frank Sinatra and Herman Goering, among other notables, had the bug !), but seeing Taylor's work, I could never match it and would end up dispirited.

Best thing would be a Lottery win to commission him to do one for me !

 

---------- Post added 08-04-2017 at 16:24 ----------

 

Any old drivers remember how the bonnet cover on the Regent 5's used to lift up in high winds ? I was once on that last, exposed stretch of the 95 Walkley route and had to drive with my left hand out through the side window holding it down. That reversing terminus being part of the driver training back then. I see the terminus has been placed higher up the lane now, but still requires reversing into the new lay by.

[bracken 10]

Thanks Bracken, I was unaware. I'll be there, 'all being well' as we say in Yorkshire.

 

The picture on the Sheffield bus museum web site you give should be studied, It's from a model tram layout called 'Grime Street', the full video can be seen on You Tube if you put in 'Grime Street Model Trams 2015'. The model buildings alone are absolutely stunning in their fine detail, note for example the remains of a demolished house with the fire places still in place, exposed on the surviving house wall next door.

 

The model buildings ( don't know about the rest of the layout ) are by the brilliant modeller Geoff Taylor. For his site, put in GT Building Models by Geoff Taylor. He's as much a true artist in his field as any great painter in my opinion.

 

I don't have a model rail/tram layout, but often thought of doing one ( Frank Sinatra and Herman Goering, among other notables, had the bug !), but seeing Taylor's work, I could never match it and would end up dispirited.

Best thing would be a Lottery win to commission him to do one for me !

 

---------- Post added 08-04-2017 at 16:24 ----------

 

Any old drivers remember how the bonnet cover on the Regent 5's used to lift up in high winds ? I was once on that last, exposed stretch of the 95 Walkley route and had to drive with my left hand out through the side window holding it down. That reversing terminus being part of the driver training back then. I see the terminus has been placed higher up the lane now, but still requires reversing into the new lay by.

 

Hi Yorkshire53 - yes i know Mark (Grime St) very well !- he is currently advising me on motorising some 40's-50's Sheffield model buses and i worked his GS layout over the weekend at the recent Doncaster model Rail exhibition !.He will be coming to the SYTM exhibition again this year , along with 'O' gauge Chesfield layout which features superb local tram models .

I rode on the last rear loader farewell tour (878) in December '76 , and more recently did the 40th Anniversary tour (using SYTM 904) in December '16 !

[Yorkshire 53 10]

Well, talk about co-incidences ! I look forward to meeting the man, and yourself, at the event.

 

I take it that you'll be using the Faller magnetic steering system for the motorised buses. The modeller who used that to great acclaim was the late Tony Chlad with his superb 'Waltham Arches' motorised London trolleybus layout. Particularly difficult must have been the unique 'Chinese 6' trolleybus ( 4 steered wheels at the front and two rear wheels, instead of the usual reverse order ). Tony sadly died young, but 'Waltham Arches' was granted to some railway club by his widow I believe and is still around.

 

" This thread supposed to be about real buses, not bloody toys; grow up you two !"

[bracken 10]

Well, talk about co-incidences ! I look forward to meeting the man, and yourself, at the event.

 

I take it that you'll be using the Faller magnetic steering system for the motorised buses. The modeller who used that to great acclaim was the late Tony Chlad with his superb 'Waltham Arches' motorised London trolleybus layout. Particularly difficult must have been the unique 'Chinese 6' trolleybus ( 4 steered wheels at the front and two rear wheels, instead of the usual reverse order ). Tony sadly died young, but 'Waltham Arches' was granted to some railway club by his widow I believe and is still around.

 

" This thread supposed to be about real buses, not bloody toys; grow up you two !"

Yep - Walford Arches should be making its re-appearance at the SYTM exhibition also !!! now in the capable hands of the membership secretary of the MBF who is organising the exhibition !!! He is currently renovating the whole layout and vehicles as we speak , and a fitting tribute in Tony's memory !

Mark and myself are also using the Faller driving system but with Marks knowledge and contacts, we have managed to motorise for about 1/2 the price plus operate at a more believable scale speed . All good fun !

[Yorkshire 53 10]

It just gets better, two of the gold standard layouts in one room ! I'd encourage anyone mildly interested to attend, they'll marvel at the ingenuity and detail.

 

Many thanks Bracken.

[greenlandman 10]

the machines used in Sheffield where t.i.m. machines all the name

meant was ticket issuing machine and on one man buses there was an electric drive instead of a handle to turn ,one thing to watch was leaving the 10p lever up so otherewise a 5p ticket became 15 pence If you don't notice It gets expensive to pay back,no excuse accepted .

 

---------- Post added 05-05-2017 at 20:49 ----------

 

Thank you Mr.H !

 

I left the buses in 1989 and the 56 route ran from pond st (cbs) 10 mins up 10mins down and 20 minutes stack before next trip some times when you got to the Windsor pub ona hot day someone would have a free pint when you got there not supposed to but heyho.

Edited May 5, 2017 by greenlandman
spelling mistakes

[Guest busdriver1]

To follow on, there is an open day scheduled for 23rd July at the new premises of the South Yorkshire Transport Trust at their new premises in Eastwood, Rotherham.

For anyone who is not familiar with this group, until recently their collection was housed in the old Tinsley Tram Sheds but was never opened to the public due to the fragile state of the building.

There are about 50 vehicles resident and there will be vehicles visiting from groups from several locations around the country.

On top of that there will be a large selection of sales stands selling bus related items.

Details here

[Yorkshire 53 10]

I passed out from conducting to driving in 1968, anyone else the same from back then ? Reason I ask is for your views on the standard of driver instruction.

 

We were told we'd passed and given our driver badges at the top of P.o.Wales Rd. and then thrown to the lions ! I was instructed to take over the next service bus down PoW Rd which was a Daimler Fleetline, a type I don't recall having had a go on during training. The service driver got out to supervise and off I went, sweating like a pig with a full load,at least 4 standing.

 

Coming to the first down-hill stop and applying the brakes normally, the brakes grabbed and threw everyone forward with loud complaints. The service driver explained what we certainly hadn't been told in driving school, that, with the Daimlers, you had to do an up-down performance, gradually pressing the pedal further down in sections in order to achieve a smooth stop. Difficult to explain : you'd press the pedal say 1/4 way and wait for the braking effect when you quickly came off to avoid the brake-grab, then down a little more and off again about 4 times until you got a smooth stop, this was all done in a quick way to avoided any increase in downhill speed during the 'coming-off' parts. Spongy braking indeed.

 

So I learned the technique the hard way, but once on your own, you soon became competent and could do a good stop, coming down steep Duke Street, say, on the 95's with a full load, or leaving Commonside for the Big Dipper !

 

So, given Sheffield's hilly routes, I always considered the training not quite up to scratch; just my experience unless others can confirm.

[Jim Hardie 527]

Could anyone tell me which year the first one man buses operated in Sheffield or Rotherham please?

[Padders 2,863]

Could anyone tell me which year the first one man buses operated in Sheffield or Rotherham please?

 

I"ll have a guess at 1969, Jim. (Sheffield) I drove the first one man bus out of herries rd bus garage, sunday morning 4 30am, but can"t remember the precise date.