Vision bus - students fall from upper deck window.

[mayneway]

Well he's correct. It wasn't a Bee Network branded service. It is, however, a Bee Network school bus service.

He implied it wasn’t a bee network service so didn’t want to comment when In reality it is.
Typical politician!

 

[M60lad]

Regarding Mayneway's comment about Maynes I obviously don't know which School he went too but I have a rough idea of a few that it could have been as I got to know quite a few of Mayne's drivers and there were certain Schools that they dreaded picking up due to the kids behaviour, Littlemoss was one and I know there was a few others I think St Damian's and Hartshead High School in Ashton were a couple of others.

One of the things I remember kids doing on Maynes vehicles especially DMS's was picking the seat cushions up and placing them on top of the seats longways on the metal seat tops to make it easier for them to hang out the windows which was something kids liked to do quite frequently back in the day whether it be on a School or service bus.

From what I remember when Stagecoach had the ex Hong Kong Tri-Axle Olympians on Magicbus work instead of starting service at Parrs Wood terminus they would start service a couple of stops away to try and avoid both Parrs Wood and Barlow High School Kids as they knew what the behaviour of some of the kids at both Schools was like, it wasn't unheard of for the kids to let a standard Magicbus go by so they could catch a Tri-Axle so they could hang out the windows.

 

[GusB]

He implied it wasn’t a bee network service so didn’t want to comment when In reality it is.
Typical politician!

Whether or not it was a Bee Network service is completely irrelevant. Accidents happen and they can happen to any operator.

 

[mayneway]

Whether or not it was a Bee Network service is completely irrelevant. Accidents happen and they can happen to any operator.

It’s not irrelevant at all. He was asked about it and completely dismissed it then 24 hours later Bee Network TSO’s are seen on that school service and a number of other school services.

This whole incident highlights the issues that occur on school services every single day, i myself drive school services and some are an absolute nightmare.

 

[citybus2500]

Whether or not it was a Bee Network service is completely irrelevant. Accidents happen and they can happen to any operator.

And not an accident. It was vandalism.

 

[M60lad]

Do any Schoolbuses still have regular drivers that drive the same route day in day out? As I know when I was younger this used to happen and this used to help with the behaviour of the kids as they knew what they could and couldn't get away with.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Do any Schoolbuses still have regular drivers that drive the same route day in day out? As I know when I was younger this used to happen and this used to help with the behaviour of the kids as they knew what they could and couldn't get away with.

Depends on the operator but yes, some of my local coach firms do

 

[Tetchytyke]

It’s not irrelevant at all. He was asked about it and completely dismissed it then 24 hours later Bee Network TSO’s are seen on that school service and a number of other school services.

I think it’s fairly obvious that what he meant was that it wasn’t a Bee Network service bus.

Are TfGM schools services closed services? I know they’re technically Bee Network in that they’re funded by TfGM and awarded under franchising, but they’re not really what you think of when you think of Bee Network.

 

[The exile]

Back in the late 80s, CityLine in Bristol kept one conductor operated bus in service long after the withdrawal of the rest to cope with the influx of school kids somewhere in South Bristol. Great for the lovers of vintage transport elsewhere on the route!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Of course it will hurt their parents, or perhaps the kids themselves if parents porn their phones....

I have emboldened a specific word above that I most sincerely hope the writer of this posting did not mean in the sense conveyed...

 

[mangad]

Are TfGM schools services closed services? I know they’re technically Bee Network in that they’re funded by TfGM and awarded under franchising, but they’re not really what you think of when you think of Bee Network.

They're not closed services, and anyone can get them should they wish.

The TfGM website says the following

All school bus services operate as local bus services. This means that they are open for everyone to use. Most of the time services are not used by anyone other than students, but it is possible.

From the TfGM page: Frequently asked questions on school bus services

 

[Snow1964]

I have emboldened a specific word above that I most sincerely hope the writer of this posting did not mean in the sense conveyed...

corrected, auto correct does do silly things sometimes

 

[BULLSAREMAGIC]

Do any Schoolbuses still have regular drivers that drive the same route day in day out? As I know when I was younger this used to happen and this used to help with the behaviour of the kids as they knew what they could and couldn't get away with.

This is certainly the case in Nottinghamshire with Skills Coaches. Drivers get on first name terms with pupils/students and have contact with schools.

 

[Snow1964]

Do any Schoolbuses still have regular drivers that drive the same route day in day out? As I know when I was younger this used to happen and this used to help with the behaviour of the kids as they knew what they could and couldn't get away with.

Lots in rural routes, although they are often single decks, or even minibuses. Some even pick up at villages or even near isolated farms. But of course many of these are where lanes have no footpath and no street lights so are not deemed safe walking routes.

 

[Andyh82]

I think it’s fairly obvious that what he meant was that it wasn’t a Bee Network service bus.

Are TfGM schools services closed services? I know they’re technically Bee Network in that they’re funded by TfGM and awarded under franchising, but they’re not really what you think of when you think of Bee Network.

It sounded to me like he was expecting it to be a vehicle fault or an operator fault so quickly tried to distance himself from the whole thing so as to not damage his or the Bee Network’s reputation

 

[mayneway]

I think it’s fairly obvious that what he meant was that it wasn’t a Bee Network service bus.

Are TfGM schools services closed services? I know they’re technically Bee Network in that they’re funded by TfGM and awarded under franchising, but they’re not really what you think of when you think of Bee Network.

No they are open services and run to the same contract stipulations as regular Bee network services.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jan 2026 ==

It sounded to me like he was expecting it to be a vehicle fault or an operator fault so quickly tried to distance himself from the whole thing so as to not damage his or the Bee Network’s reputation

This is exactly how it was. He was asked a question and his reply threw Vision under the bus -so to speak!

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is exactly how it was. He was asked a question and his reply threw Vision under the bus -so to speak!

It was a bit odd a thing to do, because I'm not sure in what way a bunch of idiot kids pushing each other through a bus window could be seen to count against him. There hasn't even been much "think of the children" on this one - it's been reported everywhere as serious misconduct. OK, some argue the window shouldn't have pushed out, but with the force of 8 kids thrown against it it could have well broken in this case instead, glass isn't (and isn't meant to be) strong enough to resist everything.

 

[mayneway]

It was a bit odd a thing to do, because I'm not sure in what way a bunch of idiot kids pushing each other through a bus window could be seen to count against him. There hasn't even been much "think of the children" on this one - it's been reported everywhere as serious misconduct. OK, some argue the window shouldn't have pushed out, but with the force of 8 kids thrown against it it could have well broken in this case instead, glass isn't (and isn't meant to be) strong enough to resist everything.

I think the correct thing would have been for him to say it’s under urgent investigation and leave it at that.

It would seem some of the blame has been put down to driver/operator error as we have all been sent messages presumably on order of TFGM stating that when operating school services or we have large numbers of school kids on board a regular service we must ensure they are all sat upstairs and not congregating around the top of the stairs.

 

[harz99]

I think the correct thing would have been for him to say it’s under urgent investigation and leave it at that.

It would seem some of the blame has been put down to driver/operator error as we have all been sent messages presumably on order of TFGM stating that when operating school services or we have large numbers of school kids on board a regular service we must ensure they are all sat upstairs and not congregating around the top of the stairs.

Hmm, when the bus is in motion the driver's job is to drive, not police the goings on inside the bus, but anyway, to comply with these instructions you would have to be able to both instruct the passengers to sit down before moving the bus, and be prepared to remain stationary if they don't comply.

The problem is, as a driver operator you are on your own, and once they are all seated, as soon as you move the bus the kids can pretty much do as they want until you stop again...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Hmm, when the bus is in motion the driver's job is to drive, not police the goings on inside the bus, but anyway, to comply with these instructions you would have to be able to both instruct the passengers to sit down before moving the bus, and be prepared to remain stationary if they don't comply.

The problem is, as a driver operator you are on your own, and once they are all seated, as soon as you move the bus the kids can pretty much do as they want until you stop again...

And the "newspaper method" won't work on kids because they are quite happy to be late for school!

 

[pokemonsuper9]

And the "newspaper method" won't work on kids because they are quite happy to be late for school!

And some don't want to be home either

 

[mayneway]

Hmm, when the bus is in motion the driver's job is to drive, not police the goings on inside the bus, but anyway, to comply with these instructions you would have to be able to both instruct the passengers to sit down before moving the bus, and be prepared to remain stationary if they don't comply.

The problem is, as a driver operator you are on your own, and once they are all seated, as soon as you move the bus the kids can pretty much do as they want until you stop again...

Exactly.
Ironically I had issues with school kids the day of the incident itself where a group of around 30 kids upstairs ran riot. In the end they all got odd at one stop because a member of the public sat upstairs and was horrified at their behaviour so sat filming them with the intention of sending to the headteacher - when they all twigged they immediately got off.

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

That's not to say that there have never been any instances of windows falling out. As an example, in the early 1980s my local company was supplied with a batch of ECW-bodied Leyland Olympians that had hoppers in the upper deck front windows but:

The ECW Olympians had hoppers in the front windows that opened inwards, rather than outwards as on the previous (e.g. Bristol VR-style) body design.
They used to blow open by themselves in headwinds or when the road speed got above c.40 mph, and they would open with some force. The front windows themselves would often work loose (many operators had to reinforce them with ugly metal plates as time went on), so I can understand how the two things together could cause the window to drop out.

Regarding having School Staff on the bus how do they get home afterwards?

I believe they select staff who live on or near the route.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

A similar incident today, reported in The Times:

Two schoolboys were injured after they fell through a window while wrestling on the top deck of a moving bus.
Video captured the moment the two boys, in school uniform, fought each other at the back of the bus as other pupils egged them on. One of the boys then stepped on a seat to gain more leverage and the two boys backed up, eventually hitting the window and falling through it to the ground below. The entire window appeared to have given way easily.

Happened on a National Express West Midlands bus, on a school service from Barr Beacon to Walsall.

Full story is behind a paywall.

It goes on to mention:

There was a similar incident last month in Wigan, when three school boys, two 13 and one 14, fell through a window from the top deck of a stationary double decker bus. The boys’ school, St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, the police and transport body are investigating and the bus was taken out of service.

In May last year, another boy was injured when he fell out of the window from the top of a moving double-decker school bus in Derby. Hazel Boyce, the head teacher of his school, St Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy, told parents that some pupils on the bus had displayed “dangerous behaviour” and said the school would look at disciplinary measures to improve conduct on school buses. The bus company, Notts & Derby Buses, said there were no faults with its windows.

Having watched the video, they don't appear to apply a great deal of pressure to it, and it certainly isn't prolonged or repeated pressure. Rubber surround to the window.

 

[Leyland Bus]

A similar incident today, reported in The Times:

Happened on a National Express West Midlands bus, on a school service from Barr Beacon to Walsall.

Full story is behind a paywall.

It goes on to mention:




Having watched the video, they don't appear to apply a great deal of pressure to it, and it certainly isn't prolonged or repeated pressure. Rubber surround to the window.

Regardless, the common denominator is kids doing things they shouldn't do... If they were sat down like they should be, no windows or kids would fall out. Simple.

 

[Jimini]

Not sure if this video's on any of the other links in this thread, but spotted this article on the Beeb with footage from inside the bus:

School pupils fall through a top deck bus window in Walsall

A voice can be heard shouting "oh no" as the pupils fall against a window at the back of the bus.

www.bbc.com

School pupils fall through top deck bus window​

Two school pupils were taken to hospital after falling through the upstairs window of a moving bus.
A voice can be heard shouting "oh no" as the wrestling pupils, in school uniform, fall against a large side window at the back of the bus. The window appears to fall away and the pupils fall backwards through it.
Emergency services were called to Sutton Road, Walsall, at about 15:30 GMT on Monday. The boys were taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-changing, West Midlands Police said.
Witnesses to the incident and the school bus company have been contacted, the force added.

 

[172007]

Not sure if this video's on any of the other links in this thread, but spotted this article on the Beeb with footage from inside the bus:

School pupils fall through a top deck bus window in Walsall

A voice can be heard shouting "oh no" as the pupils fall against a window at the back of the bus.

www.bbc.com

Watched this video. I observed nothing that was not easily predictable force wise to the window so it should have been designed to withstand this incident. Wonder of it was weakened, seal cut or something.

Kids were doing this kind of thing in the 80's and 90's so the people responsible for the standards have no excuse.

 

[Mikw]

Not sure if this video's on any of the other links in this thread, but spotted this article on the Beeb with footage from inside the bus:

School pupils fall through a top deck bus window in Walsall

A voice can be heard shouting "oh no" as the pupils fall against a window at the back of the bus.

www.bbc.com

Is that an Enviro 400?

 

[Mwanesh]

Kids know drivers cant do anything so they misbehave.You cant leave the cab and you cant talk to them.If they get on a bus and behave these things wont happen. I feel sorry for the driver.

 

[Leyland Bus]

Watched this video. I observed nothing that was not easily predictable force wise to the window so it should have been designed to withstand this incident. Wonder of it was weakened, seal cut or something.

Kids were doing this kind of thing in the 80's and 90's so the people responsible for the standards have no excuse.

I'm sorry but that is exactly what you would expect to happen. Banging square in the middle, the flex/bow of the pane and it easily pops out. Its a rubber gasket, they're not nailed in and they're not meant to have kids throwing their body weight at them. I appreciate they are kids but if weren't doing what they were doing then this would not happen.

Put enough stress on a bonded window and that will give way too...