Fleetlines

[karl724223]

fleetlines cracking motors
wasnt very often a quinton driver overtook a hartshill driver i had one follow me into brum and back to stourbridge on the 9 thought he was on tow

[matt904102]

Yep. I have. Love the WM standards particularly 6311 which I travelled on at Wythall a few years back. Only wish Id been able to go on one when in service.....

Have you been for a ride on it since Wythall refitted it with a Leyland o680?

[matt904102]

Haha no it shouldnt xD. To be honest, I used to do the same with Diamond on the 64-wait for a lance etc. Tho I do think that fleetlines are great buses and the WM ones have good interiors which are practical with the seating upstairs etc. Tho on an unusual note, has anyone else been on 1956-the single deck fleetline. Somehow a strange to look at fleetline that is a single deck(I know that Bham and Darlington had some but still) with a first generation buggy zone and penny dot flooring doesnt seem quite right!!

BCT had some single deck Fleetlines with Marshall bodywork that looked very much like 1956. But 1956 itself was indeed a standard double deck that got decapitated in an accident. Orginally i believe 6956 WDA956T. It was converted by WMT

[matt904102]

Anyone remember 6787 SDA787S a DY bus and the only one fitted with an automatic Gearbox?

[hartshill busman 724210]

fleetlines cracking motors
wasnt very often a quinton driver overtook a hartshill driver i had one follow me into brum and back to stourbridge on the 9 thought he was on tow

Unless it was Electric Eric Who would leave both terminus`s early never to be seen again,and god help you if you were behind him.He was known to use the underpass at Five ways even though the route at the time was over the top with a stop on the other side of the roundabout.

[Bob]

Anyone know when walsalls last ones finally retired??

[Badger]

These were very nice buses but I think my favourite were the Green Bus Service's.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8050359@N07/2416210893/

[Gareth]

Haha no it shouldnt xD. To be honest, I used to do the same with Diamond on the 64-wait for a lance etc. Tho I do think that fleetlines are great buses and the WM ones have good interiors which are practical with the seating upstairs etc. Tho on an unusual note, has anyone else been on 1956-the single deck fleetline. Somehow a strange to look at fleetline that is a single deck(I know that Bham and Darlington had some but still) with a first generation buggy zone and penny dot flooring doesnt seem quite right!!

BCT had some single deck Fleetlines with Marshall bodywork that looked very much like 1956. But 1956 itself was indeed a standard double deck that got decapitated in an accident. Orginally i believe 6956 WDA956T. It was converted by WMT

1956 was not involved in any accident. 6956 had been withdrawn and was in store at Selly Oak and was used as a prototype to a possible fleet of single deck fleetlines. WMT paid less to 'small bus' drivers, so by converting double deckers to small single deckers they would spend less in wage costs. I believe the conversion cost was around £25,000 (or so I am told) therefore not really financially viable especially due to the Fleetlines age.

[Tony]

Haha no it shouldnt xD. To be honest, I used to do the same with Diamond on the 64-wait for a lance etc. Tho I do think that fleetlines are great buses and the WM ones have good interiors which are practical with the seating upstairs etc. Tho on an unusual note, has anyone else been on 1956-the single deck fleetline. Somehow a strange to look at fleetline that is a single deck(I know that Bham and Darlington had some but still) with a first generation buggy zone and penny dot flooring doesnt seem quite right!!

BCT had some single deck Fleetlines with Marshall bodywork that looked very much like 1956. But 1956 itself was indeed a standard double deck that got decapitated in an accident. Orginally i believe 6956 WDA956T. It was converted by WMT

1956 was not involved in any accident. 6956 had been withdrawn and was in store at Selly Oak and was used as a prototype to a possible fleet of single deck fleetlines. WMT paid less to 'small bus' drivers, so by converting double deckers to small single deckers they would spend less in wage costs. I believe the conversion cost was around £25,000 (or so I am told) therefore not really financially viable especially due to the Fleetlines age.

6956 was withdrawn with accident damage, but very minor damage to the front, nothing to cause the loss of the top deck, so both correct really

[hartshill busman 724210]

1956 was an idea of DON THE WM BUS (millionaire)COLSTON when the union was after a one class driver pay scale.Buses were standing because of shortages of full rate/licence drivers and the minibus rate drivers were`nt allowed to drive full size buses.(union insistence and minibus licenses also came into it)By the time 1956 was converted the management were on the verge of agreeing one class drivers,so along with the costs of conversion it all became a non starter.But to be fair did WMT really want a fleet of ugly duckings running around.As i remember it 1956 spent much of its days operating the old 242 Cradley Heath-Kinver route or 297.Brockmoor-Stourbridge

[Tony]

1956 was an idea of DON THE WM BUS (millionaire)COLSTON when the union was after a one class driver pay scale.Buses were standing because of shortages of full rate/licence drivers and the minibus rate drivers were`nt allowed to drive full size buses.(union insistence and minibus licenses also came into it)By the time 1956 was converted the management were on the verge of agreeing one class drivers,so along with the costs of conversion it all became a non starter.But to be fair did WMT really want a fleet of ugly duckings running around.As i remember it 1956 spent much of its days operating the old 242 Cradley Heath-Kinver route or 297.Brockmoor-Stourbridge

That was the reason behind wanting 37 seat buses, but the engineering department were never really happy with the dart which was the main drive behind converting the fleetline instead of buying new darts of the same capacity. With its large wheels and several other modern features added it was a much higher quality vehicle than the darts of the same era. One major change was it had the complete steering column removed and replaced by that from former LT DMS2137 which at the time was in the reserve fleet having been aquired with Tame Valley. This meant it was the only new to WMPTE fleetline ever to have proper power steering

[Gareth]

1956 was an idea of DON THE WM BUS (millionaire)COLSTON when the union was after a one class driver pay scale.Buses were standing because of shortages of full rate/licence drivers and the minibus rate drivers were`nt allowed to drive full size buses.(union insistence and minibus licenses also came into it)By the time 1956 was converted the management were on the verge of agreeing one class drivers,so along with the costs of conversion it all became a non starter.But to be fair did WMT really want a fleet of ugly duckings running around.As i remember it 1956 spent much of its days operating the old 242 Cradley Heath-Kinver route or 297.Brockmoor-Stourbridge

That was the reason behind wanting 37 seat buses, but the engineering department were never really happy with the dart which was the main drive behind converting the fleetline instead of buying new darts of the same capacity. With its large wheels and several other modern features added it was a much higher quality vehicle than the darts of the same era. One major change was it had the complete steering column removed and replaced by that from former LT DMS2137 which at the time was in the reserve fleet having been aquired with Tame Valley. This meant it was the only new to WMPTE fleetline ever to have proper power steering

And oddly, an Optare steering wheel! Looked most strange compared to the huge steering wheels that Fleetlines were used to.

[PM]

In reply to an earlier comment, I have been on 6311 since the retrofitting of the 680.

[settlerman]

Remember the nickname that WM Fleetlines got when they had power steering fitted. If I remember correctly the system was called Auto Steer but it soon got the nickname of "Auto Fear" They did take a little getting used to.

[Gareth]

Remember the nickname that WM Fleetlines got when they had power steering fitted. If I remember correctly the system was called Auto Steer but it soon got the nickname of "Auto Fear" They did take a little getting used to.

Or 'Auto-veer' as apparently they would veer off into a different direction.