TRIVIA: Can you get a really hard worked bus now?

[Egg Centric]

Cards on the table - I've always loved every form of transport, apart from buses which I grudgingly accept. I have however recently been trying to see if I can persuade myself to enjoy them though. So in that spirit:

What are the best services, preferably in the North East, where I can get some "thrash" (or whatever the bus equivalent term is) or otherwise mechanically interesting (e.g. hypothetically a bus that lowered its suspension to go under a bridge or something) action? I was on a heritage bus (not sure what tbh but from piecing things together I think a Leyland Titan PD2) on the Manchester transport museum about a month ago which was quite good tbh, driver having to go into 2nd to keep to 30 up one of the hills and even then losing speed.

Or am I on a hiding to nothing and are modern buses just too capable? If that is the case, where's the best place to get a heritage one thrashed? I don't consider the obvious ones near me, the Beamish buses (the real ones - I know the oldest are fake) to be worked anything like hard enough for what I'm looking for, if that helps.

 

[Pit_buzzer]

Last bus I experienced being thrashed to within an inch of its life was an Arriva wright pulsar on the X93 from Whitby to Scarborough. Not to far from you if they still show up regularly. The hills on that route are quite something

 

[BuhSnarf]

So, you're actively looking for buses that struggle? I'd suggest any of Arriva's NE buses when they encounter any hilly route.

 

[Spsf3232]

Only thing I have driven in recent years that you can give it a bit of a ragging is any sort of Volvo coach with the ishift.

The days of buses with kickdown and powerful engines are gone in favour of eco driving though I do tend to change my driving style for them and don't slow for corners as much as I should as you want to keep as much speed as possible when your running to a timetable, caught in delays, it's finishing time or it's break time

 

[Egg Centric]

So, you're actively looking for buses that struggle? I'd suggest any of Arriva's NE buses when they encounter any hilly route.

Struggle is not quite how I'd put it! Basically I'm wanting a mechanical "show".

Usually that show is going to come in the form of the engine being worked hard, yes (and ideally sounding and smelling nice). To use a rail analogy, I typically find ex-industrial or narrow gauge type heritage railways more fun than the ones with ex mainline stock because in both cases they're almost always limited to 25mph but in the former that might actually be close to or beyond their capability and you really feel the locomotive work while say a Black 5 the regulator might only be a quarter open!

But the show could take some other form, such as my hypothetical example about a variable suspension bus (I'm aware of course about loading wheelchairs) or maybe if there is a very twisty road somewhere that they're routinely chucked around (I find this highly unlikely) or a6x6 unimog bus that goes up a dirt track or a dukw in revenue service or something else I've not thought of.

 

[Galactic142]

Is Stagecoach CNL's 16943 still around? That's a Volvo B7TL 1st generation Wright Eclipse Gemini and they can make quite a noise. That one's also open-top and has been used on the 78 (Keswick-Seatoller) which can be a roller-coaster of a route.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Struggle is not quite how I'd put it! Basically I'm wanting a mechanical "show".

X93 from Middlesbrough to Whitby or the X10 from Newcastle to Middlesbrough are good starts for a mechanical show. The X93 especially on the climb out of Guisborough is always a bit of fun.

 

[NorthOxonian]

X93 from Middlesbrough to Whitby or the X10 from Newcastle to Middlesbrough are good starts for a mechanical show. The X93 especially on the climb out of Guisborough is always a bit of fun.

The X4 along the coast from Middlesbrough to Whitby might also be worth an honorable mention? There aren't the same fast runs as you'd get on (say) the X10 but there are multiple steep banks, and while I don't think necessary what the question is getting at, a certain level of driver skill is needed to negotiate some of them (which can get somewhat twisty).

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

A personal favourite used to be Keighley Bus Company's Aireline between Keighley and Leeds, particularly the bits along the A650 dual carriageway between Keighley and Crossflatts and on the Bingley bypass.
However nowadays it is mainly operated by Volvo B5TLs with about as much thrash as a paper aeroplane.
If you can catch an older B9tl or even a B7tl on it then it would be worthwhile, I believe they do still appear.

Andrews 257 from Sheffield to Bakewell is a decent run for thrash, but again avoid the modern Enviro 200MMCs.... nice buses, but not much noise.

Finally if you fancy a day at the seaside Stagecoach East Midlands 16962 "Lolly" can be found on Cleethorpes seafront in school holidays and at weekends until the end of September. It is LOUD!!
16965 "Splash "is the other open-topper but is a lot less vocal.

 

[BULLSAREMAGIC]

The Versas that Trentbarton used, and still occasionally do. on the Derby to Bakewell service provide a challenging journey for the passengers and a cacophony of engine noise and rattles as they struggle up Cromford hill. Equally the Volvos on the xprss38 swift and comet appear to need foot to the floor throughout what can be envigorating journies.

 

[YorkRailFan]

If you get a B9TL on a Coastliner 840 to Whitby, that provides a fun journey with mixtures of fast running on the A64 and then lots of inclines on the A169 over the moors! Unfortunately, a B9TL on a Whitby run isn't that common, it's usually operated by a B5TL that doesn't provide such noise as mentioned in other posts.

DalesBus 875 is usually operated by a B9TL with some amazing noise heading over Kidstones.

Arriva usually send a VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar on Moorsbus M3, which is perfect for some thrash heading over the moors from Guisborough to Pickering via Danby & Hutton-le-Hole. The bus continues as a M7 to Helmsley and then as the M8 to Castle Howard. The M8 is also a great route for some thrash as the bus heads over the Howardian Hills, especially the arrival into Castle Howard from Slingsby!

 

[Arriva Fan]

Cards on the table - I've always loved every form of transport, apart from buses which I grudgingly accept. I have however recently been trying to see if I can persuade myself to enjoy them though. So in that spirit:

What are the best services, preferably in the North East, where I can get some "thrash" (or whatever the bus equivalent term is) or otherwise mechanically interesting (e.g. hypothetically a bus that lowered its suspension to go under a bridge or something) action? I was on a heritage bus (not sure what tbh but from piecing things together I think a Leyland Titan PD2) on the Manchester transport museum about a month ago which was quite good tbh, driver having to go into 2nd to keep to 30 up one of the hills and even then losing speed.

Or am I on a hiding to nothing and are modern buses just too capable? If that is the case, where's the best place to get a heritage one thrashed? I don't consider the obvious ones near me, the Beamish buses (the real ones - I know the oldest are fake) to be worked anything like hard enough for what I'm looking for, if that helps.

Get over to Isle Of Man.

Highspeed Running on Citaros, Volvo B9TL & WrightBus StreetDecks (Cummins & Daimler) on the Interurban Services.

You'll get some mechanical excitement on the 1/2/3/4/5/6/8/11/12/14 and the X3 will take you over the Mountain Road, with the climb that involves.

The best is the Citaro O530, of which there aren't many left. They roar, especially climbing.

 

[Forty29]

I witnessed the best bus thrash ever at the Cotswolds bus rally on 23/8. Bristol VR's of all different ages from numerous preservationist's winding up the steep Fish Hill to walking pace near Broadway in a cavalcade of 13 vehicles. Sat at the back on the lower deck for full audio entertainment, the driver of the vehicle l was on said the temperature gauge hardly moved.
Try the rally next year.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

X93 from Middlesbrough to Whitby or the X10 from Newcastle to Middlesbrough are good starts for a mechanical show. The X93 especially on the climb out of Guisborough is always a bit of fun.

The X4 along the coast from Middlesbrough to Whitby might also be worth an honorable mention? There aren't the same fast runs as you'd get on (say) the X10 but there are multiple steep banks, and while I don't think necessary what the question is getting at, a certain level of driver skill is needed to negotiate some of them (which can get somewhat twisty).

The X93 is a good shout with a blast along the A171 into Guisborough, then the climb up Charltons Bank and a good blast across the moors, traffic permitting. However, the bit that really punishes buses is the climb out of Robin Hoods Bay towards Scarborough; did that on an e400 when they did the route for a few years and it really struggled.

The X4 is another top route with Lythe Bank being the killer climb**. There's then plenty of rolling hills and especially heading north with the open bit near Boulby Mine and the climb into Easington. Then you have the notable drop into Saltburn and the ascent of Saltburn Bank - it's definitely a "thrash" route (and I've done it on a Bristol LH which was... exciting).

** I've quoted it before but I was on a Leyland National (nearly 40 years ago ) that refused to climb that Lythe Bank. Did the first section and then just didn't have the power for the steep 1:4 bit.

 

[JonathanH]

I witnessed the best bus thrash ever at the Cotswolds bus rally on 23/8. Bristol VR's of all different ages from numerous preservationist's winding up the steep Fish Hill to walking pace near Broadway in a cavalcade of 13 vehicles. Sat at the back on the lower deck for full audio entertainment, the driver of the vehicle l was on said the temperature gauge hardly moved.
Try the rally next year.

Two of the VRs avoided Fish Hill on the return. FRB211H didn't make it up Kingcombe Hill on the alternative route without some of its passengers having to travel on foot.

The line up of VRs in Broadway was a great feature of the event though, and VRs do make a good noise.

 

[TR673]

Stunning views to a tasty mechanical soundtrack can be had on Stagecoach Yorkshire's Peak Sightseer - particularly the Blue route which does a lot of high-ish speed climbing and falling, with the gruelling climb up Winnats Pass at the very end (which is a proper full throttle 10mph crawl). For a more lively audio experience make sure to catch one of the Dennis Trident open toppers rather than a Scania one. 19105 is particularly good; don't be fooled by it having Enviro 400 bodywork, it's a Trident underneath and really knows how to shift!

Though I know that's not very near the North East, and the ticket price is rather steep just for a bit of bus thrash.

 

[Segedunum]

Arriva's 777 from Kingston Park to Morpeth is primarily on country roads after Newcastle Airport. Depending on how keen the driver is some will absolutely rag it particularly between Ponteland and the Morpeth outskirts.

 

[BuhSnarf]

Struggle is not quite how I'd put it! Basically I'm wanting a mechanical "show".

Usually that show is going to come in the form of the engine being worked hard, yes (and ideally sounding and smelling nice). To use a rail analogy, I typically find ex-industrial or narrow gauge type heritage railways more fun than the ones with ex mainline stock because in both cases they're almost always limited to 25mph but in the former that might actually be close to or beyond their capability and you really feel the locomotive work while say a Black 5 the regulator might only be a quarter open!

But the show could take some other form, such as my hypothetical example about a variable suspension bus (I'm aware of course about loading wheelchairs) or maybe if there is a very twisty road somewhere that they're routinely chucked around (I find this highly unlikely) or a6x6 unimog bus that goes up a dirt track or a dukw in revenue service or something else I've not thought of.

So, the X6 Leicester to Coventry is usually worked by coaches but fairly often Arriva will throw a Pulsar on the route and the portion where it runs down the full M69 can be quite loud!

Also, I'd say the Skylink Derby up the A6 bypass stretches the Enviro 200s.

 

[Forty29]

Two of the VRs avoided Fish Hill on the return. FRB211H didn't make it up Kingcombe Hill on the alternative route without some of its passengers having to travel on foot.

The line up of VRs in Broadway was a great feature of the event though, and VRs do make a good noise.

Yes was in the leading VR and the one behind us dropped behind about half way up and did eventually make it. On the first journey from Broadway we went via the alternative route and seemed steeper than fish hill albeit a shorter distance.

 

[RELL6L]

Sadly old buses were by far the best for this. I did recently take a ride on Carousel's last remaining 09-plate Citaro which happened to be 20 minutes late with a press-on driver and this was most enjoyable. There's not much else that's good any more. Lynx were particularly good with Cummins engines, indeed late model Olympians with Cummins engines were brilliant too. Going back further the best buses for a thrash were Metropolitans and, of course, Leyland engined REs!

 

[The exile]

Not exactly thrash but a loaded peak service 2 from Bath Bus station often seems as if it’s not going to make it to the top of the hill - and I’ve been on one not that long ago that didn’t.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Transdev sometimes uses a B7RLE on their 31X journeys. Last Saturday, I had a 09 plate which had come to York after a life in Harrogate on the intensive 1 among other services. The hilly nature of the 31X, especially near Ampleforth, combined with the fast run down the A19 made for a loud journey.

 

[D6130]

Some of TLC's older (pre-13/63 reg.) Optare Solos really struggle with the steep hills out of Hebden Bridge and Todmorden....particularly on the 594/5 going up Birchcliffe Road and Wadsworth Lane towards the sharp turn at Mount Skip and the 596 climbing up to Heptonstall.

This time last year, I was on 3107 (09 reg, IIRC) heading for Blackshaw Head on the day of the annual village fête. We had a full load - seated and standing - and got slower and slower (and noisier and noisier!) until the bus finally ground to a halt about three-quarters of the way up Heptonstall Road. After three attempts to restart, the driver apologised and asked us all to alight. Those of us who were able to set off walking, but the driver obviously managed to get going again eventually, after things had had a chance to cool down a bit....and he stopped to pick a few of us up at the stop just before Draper Corner, about a mile beyond Heptonstall. The last steep climb, from Jack Bridge up to Blackshaw Head was approached with not a little trepidation....but we made it - somewhat noisily - with a reduced load at this stage.

 

[joieman]

So, the X6 Leicester to Coventry is usually worked by coaches but fairly often Arriva will throw a Pulsar on the route and the portion where it runs down the full M69 can be quite loud!

Also, I'd say the Skylink Derby up the A6 bypass stretches the Enviro 200s.

I don't think Pulsar 2s get used on the X6 very much these days as Hinckley depot lost all their SB200s earlier this year or so, so when there aren't any coaches left, it's usually a four-pot E200MMC that's deployed instead.

 

[EnviroExplorer]

The past weekend I travelled on First’s Jurassic Coaster X51, X52 and X53 services. These are all great examples to test a modern bus with the constant up and down hills. The Volvo B9TLs have no trouble, but many of the ADLs will struggle as I found with former Cornwall example 33464.

 

[adam rogan]

Transdevs Volvo B7RLE Plaxton Centros in Lancashire tend to hang on to dear life when moving off, and the noises they make when going fast on country lanes is unreal! I was on one to Bury a short while ago from Blackburn and it struggled on the Haslingden Grane Road. It skipped Belthorn due to roadworks.

 

[JD2168]

Sheffield & South Yorkshire has plenty of hills & diesel engined buses with them. Plenty of Tridents about, along with Various Volvo’s

 

[Devon Sunset]

A few months ago I got the Arriva X26 from Darlington to Richmond and back. Both ways it was a Daf SB200 with Wright bodywork and it was what is known as a spirited ride. I'm assuming the timetable is fairly tight because both drivers weren't hanging around to the point that on the way back the driver managed to rip the complete nearside wing mirror arm of the bus just outside Darlington station. Plenty engine noise up the back and a fast run through the countryside.

 

[RJ]

It mostly depends on the vehicle's capabilities and the attitude of the driver. There no guarantees of buses being worked hard on hilly or dual carriageway routes if the driver is economically minded.

There might be some very technical things that influence this. For example, some buses have load sensors / throttle pedals that have lost calibration and cause the bus to register 100% load regardless of throttle - this will cause the engine to work harder. There is a contingent of drivers who are minded to put the buses through their paces, and last runs before finishing a shift can sometimes be more spirited than average.

I own a bus operation (not in the North East) and strong vehicle performance is important as the vehicles can turn up anywhere - intensive urban routes, motorways or mountains. My policies include the buses having 6 button gear selectors, kickdown enabled and airtight boost pressure circuits. The servicing intervals are set accordingly to keep on top of them.

If there is one route I could recommend to hear buses being worked, it's the rail replacement route from East Croydon to Oxted that serves all stops - fairly short one with a mix of decent hills and dual carriageways. Sometimes also involving use of a ferry lift for ground clearance at one point. The gearhold buttons are used to enhance speed control / brake force control on some of the steeper hills.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Sadly old buses were by far the best for this. I did recently take a ride on Carousel's last remaining 09-plate Citaro which happened to be 20 minutes late with a press-on driver and this was most enjoyable. There's not much else that's good any more. Lynx were particularly good with Cummins engines, indeed late model Olympians with Cummins engines were brilliant too. Going back further the best buses for a thrash were Metropolitans and, of course, Leyland engined REs!

Don't get me all misty eyed for the past...oh, ok! There are specific journeys that will live with me with Lynxes, VRs and even Bristol LHs.

However, the most impressive machines were the Gardner turbocharged MCW Metrobuses that Northern had. They could catch pigeons down the A19!!