Just a quick question, what was the fleet number of the Fleetline that lost its roof and was made into a single decker. Sure it worked out of Quinton for a while.
Quote from: Stuharris 6360 on November 29, 2013, 02:03:53 PM
Just a quick question, what was the fleet number of the Fleetline that lost its roof and was made into a single decker. Sure it worked out of Quinton for a while.
6956 was the fleetline converted into 1956, It was not caused by a roof loss incident though.
Quote from: Tony on November 29, 2013, 02:07:22 PM
Quote from: Stuharris 6360 on November 29, 2013, 02:03:53 PM
Just a quick question, what was the fleet number of the Fleetline that lost its roof and was made into a single decker. Sure it worked out of Quinton for a while.
6956 was the fleetline converted into 1956, It was not caused by a roof loss incident though.
Thanks Tony, just googled it and found a pic. I always remember it because it used to be used quite often on the 294/5. I always thought it had lost its roof and was converted to Single Decker from there, but the article that accompanies the picture says it was a prototype conversion of double to single decker, however no other buses were ever converted.
That's correct. There was to be a whole fleet of them. West Midlands Travel could pay the drivers less for driving smaller buses. But the conversion cost (around £25,000 on 1956) would outweigh any savings in wage costs.
For those interested, 1956 quite often does the car park shuttle on running days at Wythall bus museum.
Quote from: Gareth on November 29, 2013, 02:23:11 PM
That's correct. There was to be a whole fleet of them. West Midlands Travel could pay the drivers less for driving smaller buses. But the conversion cost (around £25,000 on 1956) would outweigh any savings in wage costs.
For those interested, 1956 quite often does the car park shuttle on running days at Wythall bus museum.
The calculations changed after 1956 was converted. When it was done drivers who drove vehicles with 40 seats or less were paid less (minibus rate) against others on 'full rate', hence the saving, but before any more were done the pay rates changed where all new drivers were on 'Market Rate' whatever bus they drove so the savings were lost.
TWM were comparing the cost of conversion against that of buying new darts, so it still was a considerable saving and a much better vehicle was achieved.
Thanks Tony, that's a side to the story I'd not heard before.
Quote from: Gareth on November 29, 2013, 02:23:11 PM
That's correct. There was to be a whole fleet of them. West Midlands Travel could pay the drivers less for driving smaller buses. But the conversion cost (around £25,000 on 1956) would outweigh any savings in wage costs.
For those interested, 1956 quite often does the car park shuttle on running days at Wythall bus museum.
Also appeared at Aston Manor.
Who actually owns it? Wythall, Aston Manor, National Express or another private owner?
You can see it on the Showbus.com website, along with one of the WMPTE along with one of the Ford Transits that were used on the MiniBuzz services.
Twm never bought any new darts in the end did they?
Still think darts would have been better than this/b6s
Which bodywork on the dart was twm looking at? The crusader?
Quote from: DiamondDart on November 29, 2013, 08:25:09 PM
Still think darts would have been better than this/b6s
Which bodywork on the dart was twm looking at? The crusader?
WMT originally bought a trial batch of 5 x Wright Handybus Darts back in the early 1991 (801-805 KDZ5801-5), I assume if they were to have purchased any Dart SLF's in later years, Wrightbus would have been the preferred bodywork
Quote from: Winston on November 29, 2013, 10:44:06 PM
Quote from: DiamondDart on November 29, 2013, 08:25:09 PM
Still think darts would have been better than this/b6s
Which bodywork on the dart was twm looking at? The crusader?
WMT originally bought a trial batch of 5 x Wright Handybus Darts back in the early 1991 (801-805 KDZ5801-5), I assume if they were to have purchased any Dart SLF's in later years, Wrightbus would have been the preferred bodywork
It would have been fascinating as maybe wrightbus wouldn't then have ditched bodying dennis chassis had there been the 193 bus order for them. For some reason not many crusader darts were sold. Best bodywork for the dart by far though in my opinion...
Quote from: bob on November 29, 2013, 08:17:53 PM
Twm never bought any new darts in the end did they?
R84-7GNW, with Wright Crusader bodies & S742/3JRX, a pair of Plaxton SPD's
Quote from: dave47549 (no longer NEL111P) on November 29, 2013, 11:14:16 PM
Quote from: bob on November 29, 2013, 08:17:53 PM
Twm never bought any new darts in the end did they?
R84-7GNW, with Wright Crusader bodies & S742/3JRX, a pair of Plaxton SPD's
Dave, were they not just from dealer stock acquired for Yourbus? As the B6LE deliveries were well on by the time those arrived
Quote from: Winston on November 29, 2013, 11:20:03 PM
Quote from: dave47549 (no longer NEL111P) on November 29, 2013, 11:14:16 PM
Quote from: bob on November 29, 2013, 08:17:53 PM
Twm never bought any new darts in the end did they?
R84-7GNW, with Wright Crusader bodies & S742/3JRX, a pair of Plaxton SPD's
Dave, were they not just from dealer stock acquired for Yourbus? As the B6LE deliveries were well on by the time those arrived
Yeah, they were for Yourbus, but they were new!
Quote from: Winston on November 29, 2013, 10:44:06 PM
Quote from: DiamondDart on November 29, 2013, 08:25:09 PM
Still think darts would have been better than this/b6s
Which bodywork on the dart was twm looking at? The crusader?
WMT originally bought a trial batch of 5 x Wright Handybus Darts back in the early 1991 (801-805 KDZ5801-5), I assume if they were to have purchased any Dart SLF's in later years, Wrightbus would have been the preferred bodywork
They were at Walsall for the 330/331 Bentley service ISTR.
Remember seeing one on the way to work.
Later heard all 5 had broken down in service on their first day, so Lynxs had took over the workings.
They later got used as replacements for Walsall's Metroriders, then when the 301 was started to compete with Choice 171, they were on there too.
On a sad note, one was involved in the death of a local tramp in Park Street (Gordon, I believe? )
I seem to remember wolverhampton having some step entry pointer darts arpund 1998? They werent new to nx though I dont think. And they didn't last long. I thought step entry darts were ok but the legroom was ridiculous on 40 seater pointers even for a shortarse! Im 6ft and pretty thin and could no way get my legs behind the seatsnationals/metrobuses fleetlines etc had plenty
Quote from: bob on November 30, 2013, 12:01:09 PM
I seem to remember wolverhampton having some step entry pointer darts arpund 1998? They werent new to nx though I dont think. And they didn't last long. I thought step entry darts were ok but the legroom was ridiculous on 40 seater pointers even for a shortarse! Im 6ft and pretty thin and could no way get my legs behind the seatsnationals/metrobuses fleetlines etc had plenty
They were new to Yourbus before the WMT takeover. They were transferred 3 each to WN & AG, I think they may have gone to one of the Stevensons garages when WMT first took them over. My memory banks are struggling that far back these days, things were much more exciting on the West Midlands bus scene back then than now!
The KDZ darts ended up at PL, with 805 now preserved at Wythall.
Here is one of the step entrance ones
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44483738@N05/4385233381/in/set-72157623123493963
But I don't ever remember seeing this device.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44483738@N05/4404305203/in/set-72157623123493963
KDZ 8505 ended up with Midland Rider, coming from A-Line, Bedworth I think.
Fleetline single-deck conversion 1956 passed to West Bromwich on the closure of Quinton and mainly worked on the Stourbridge routes.
Quote from: fleetline6477 on December 01, 2013, 03:26:08 PM
KDZ 8505 ended up with Midland Rider, coming from A-Line, Bedworth I think.
Fleetline single-deck conversion 1956 passed to West Bromwich on the closure of Quinton and mainly worked on the Stourbridge routes.
All 5 darts went from Park Lane, to Merry Hill minibuses, then to Smiths (Yourbus) and were then sold to Universal of Chadderton. Universal were then bought out by Greater Manchester (South) so amzingly all 5 ended up in Stagecoach ownership after TWM.
I remember 1956 on the 11 at AG it was on chaser duties against serverse. The driver asked if we could slow down a bit as although he could easily keep up with the national it was quite a bumpy ride.
Quote from: Steveminor on December 03, 2013, 07:47:50 AM
I remember 1956 on the 11 at AG it was on chaser duties against serverse. The driver asked if we could slow down a bit as although he could easily keep up with the national it was quite a bumpy ride.
That's my overriding memory of 1956 when it was at QN. I recall a trip on the 20 once when the driver was giving it a proper thrash going past the Botanical Gardens. It was like riding on a bucking bronco!