Messages

4211 on 4 1043 to HP

I hadn't planned to go out anywhere today, but thanks to the heads up on here from forum member JoNi, informing us of 4211 being out in service today, what else could i do for possibly one last time, than to head off out and go for a trip on it ?  The Driver of it was great and with a 7 minute break at the Hospital terminus, he got off the Bus to have a quick fag and happily just left me to get on with photographing 4211 from all angles ?  The light was starting to fade a bit at the time, so i was having to take a large amount of photo's (both with and without the camera flash !), so that i'd got a large back up of photo's, just in case some of them didn't turn out too good ? (ie: Slightly Blurred, or a bit Off-Centre etc, etc...).  I did one round trip and was gonna call it a day then and go back home, but then my good friend "JoNi", the Bus Spotting God (and former East Kent heartthrob !) jumps on the Bus in Pool Meadow and so that was it, i ended up staying on it and doing a second round trip with him !!!lol.  He eventually abandoned the Bus at the Hospital terminus, but as it was the last run of the day (going just as far then as "HEN LANE" only !), i decided that i might as well stay on it until it comes out of service, finally getting off it then in Hen Lane itself, 3 and half hours after i'd first got on it !!!! ("What a sad life i live hey" ?lol).  By this time though, it had obviously gone dark outside, with the only light available coming from the street lamps !  Thought i might have a split second when i got off, to take one last photo of 4211 before it pulled away, but fortunately for me, the Driver got off it as well to have another fag (lol), so with the flash fully in use this time, i was able to have a couple of minutes taking yet more pics, although this time with the Bus displaying "NOT IN SERVICE" on its destination display ! (God only knows what the passing motorists and local residents must have thought, with my camera flash lighting up the road ???lol).  Once his fag was finished and the Bus had been checked for any lost property, or any P*ssed up passengers sound asleep on the back seat (lol), the Driver then switched off all its interior lights and off he went back to the Garage !  I really hope it won't be the last time that i see 4211 on the road again and would love for JoNi, Tony (or anyone really ?) to post something on here on Monday, saying that it's out on the road once again, but i won't hold my breath on that, as we all know that its days are numbered now !!!!  The Driver did tell me that it was a good Bus to drive and that a lot of Drivers do prefer the old Tridents to the new Platinum's, much to my surprise there ?  I myself was very impressed with the heating in 4211, as i sat upstairs on my very last run on it and that top deck was literally like an oven inside !!!  I personally can't recall going on any other Coventry Bus, with heating as good as what 4211's was today ??? ("Brilliant it was" !).

I was talking to someone on Platinum 6963 earlier and they told me that two of these new Platinum Buses have received slight damage / scratches on them already ???  Sadly i've no idea which ones they are, but one was said to have been hit in its rear end by a Stagecoach Bus over in Leamington Spa !  Another one was scratched when someone decided to open a Car Door, just as the Bus was passing by it !!!!

4403 broke down in Town (at the back of Primark !) earlier tonight, at around about 5.45pm - 6.00pm time ?  When i later went back into Town this evening, it had been towed towards Wheatley Street Garage, but not actually into it and was just left in the lane outside the Garage entrance (directly underneath the Ring Road flyover !), with its front bumper panel missing and its hazard lights on !!!!!

When i saw advert Bus 4881 going up Trinity Street early this afternoon, it sounded like its exhaust on it was completely knackered and was just making a dreadful sound ? (Like a Rally Car with a straight through Exhaust !).  It was still out on the road tonight and appeared to sound even worse still ???lol.

4832 & 4833 were both on the 23 / 23A route today !

Managed to do a round trip on all three of these remaining "Y" reg Tridents this afternoon and glad that i did, as the Driver on each of them, all had 5+ minutes waiting time at the terminus and so that was more than enough time for me to take some photo's of them, doing both external and internal shots !!!!!!

With both parents fast asleep and sod all of interest to watch on TV tonight, i decided to pop back down into Town yet again for an hour or so, just to get me out the four walls !!!lol.  Am pleased that i did though, as 4218 happened to still be out on the road !  It caught me a bit by surprise to be honest, as i didn't expect it to still be out and so i missed going for a run out up to Tanyard Farm on it, but not being one to be defeated (lol), i jumped on 4376 and got off it not far from the bottom of Tile Hill Lane, ready then to jump on 4218 as it headed back towards Town.  When it did eventually arrive and i jumped on it, i'd only been on the thing for less than two minutes, when some boy racer (or as i like to call them: "MORONS" !) decided to come flying past us, but then suddenly slammed his brakes on and did a sharp left turn into the car park of the Standard Triumph Club.  The Bus Driver's quick reactions sure prevented an accident there, as he quickly slammed his brakes fully on, while at the same time blowing his horn as well !  Even when he'd completely stopped, he still kept his hand on the horn for a good few seconds afterwards !!!!lol.

Thinking yet again that it must surely be the last day in service for these old Tridents, i forced myself out the House to go down and chase after the bloomin' things (lol), even though i've got a stack of work here at home that i really need to be getting on with, but i might as well make the most of these old Buses while i still can ?  Tony giving us the heads up earlier on what route they were on, certainly made things a bit easier for me today, as i knew exactly then where to look out for 'em !!!  One thing that has got me puzzled tonight though, is that 4221 has been parked out up the side of the Garage and looks as if it may well be out in service again on January 2nd ?  Be nice if it is, but i don't think i'll be able to go chasing after it again next time, as my Family will crucify me if i do, although there's always the back door i can sneak out of ???lol. (Any idea at all when the "TAX" runs out on these old Tridents, as i thought it might have been today ?).

"WOW", i didn't expect that today, but "THANK YOU" Tony for your much appreciated reply !!! (Will pop down Town to photograph them !).

It's probably a long shot and i doubt it very much, but are any of the old Tridents out in service today at all please ? (I might pop into Town for an hour if they are !).

Platinum 6966 hasn't got its Fleet Number on it inside upstairs, above its front window !!!!!!!!

The black dome shaped glass / perspex ? casing (to protect the CCTV camera !) is missing downstairs on 4211, directly above where the disabled seating area is !  The Camera itself is still on it and looks to have been fitted onto a small piece of Aluminium, which has then been fitted onto the roof panel itself !

Managed a trip out on the three of them today JoNi and 4211 was still out and about on the 18A at gone 6.30pm tonight !  I don't know how long it stayed out for, but if it was doing its last trip when i last saw it earlier tonight, i doubt if it would have got back to the Garage before 7.30pm at the earliest ?

4190 was parked out at the side of the Garage (near the top end !) with 10E on its blinds, but i myself never actually saw it out on the road at all today ?

4217 was parked out at the Swanswell end of the Garage and although it appeared to still be fully intact (with hopefully no bits taken off it anywhere ?), i've a feeling that it could well be withdrawn from service ?

Thanks Tony, as that's good news to hear !!!!  I sadly think you could be right though about 4217, as i haven't seen it out on the road for well over a week now ?

Did any of the old "Y" registered Tridents venture out in service today at all ???

Just got off 4218, which is now on its way to Dolomite Avenue by Canley Station, where it is due to finish at 10.50pm !

4221 was also out late tonight, still on the 10 route and is just coming "OUT OF SERVICE" about now, at 10.38pm !

4190 - 10 (It came off the road for some reason, at around 2.30pm time ?).
4211 - 5
4218 - 5 (Its Driver told me that it's gonna be out on the road until 11.00pm tonight !).
4221 - 10 (The Driver of it took us all on a slight mystery tour today, after accidentally going the wrong way !!!lol).

Saw 4190 and 4221 parked up among all the other Buses in the yard at Wheatley Street Garage this afternoon !  Hopefully they may well be out on the road tomorrow, as they both looked as ready as ever to go out and do another days work ?