Birmingham Central Garage

[John]

Has 4624 gained a front LED display, or is there nothing on the dot matrix display in Tony's latest picture

To answer my own question, no!

[Tony]

I've got 4163 today. What a superb bus.  Drives like a brand new one. Only let down is the really rattling body work.

What's the brake pedal feedback like?

It's quite stiff but brakes are excellent once you realise you have to press hard.  Really smooth stops with no jerking

[Liverpool Street]

I've got 4163 today. What a superb bus.  Drives like a brand new one. Only let down is the really rattling body work.

What's the brake pedal feedback like?

It's quite stiff but brakes are excellent once you realise you have to press hard.  Really smooth stops with no jerking

Regarding jerking when braking, I found out it was down to the gearbox engaging 'neutral' too soon and then the diff distributes the power unevenly thus making the gear box change 'up' into 1st making the driver press the brake even harder to make the vehicle stationary. And would you believe it can be remedied by a ECU software update?

I'd be sure to try and travel on 4163 after your review, Tony.

Also, if you remember, was it happy to sit at 30mph without constantly changing gears? Its the one memory in had of early Tridents, its as if the retarder was constantly being applied - even when on the gas.

[Tony]

I've got 4163 today. What a superb bus.  Drives like a brand new one. Only let down is the really rattling body work.

What's the brake pedal feedback like?

It's quite stiff but brakes are excellent once you realise you have to press hard.  Really smooth stops with no jerking

Regarding jerking when braking, I found out it was down to the gearbox engaging 'neutral' too soon and then the diff distributes the power unevenly thus making the gear box change 'up' into 1st making the driver press the brake even harder to make the vehicle stationary. And would you believe it can be remedied by a ECU software update?

I'd be sure to try and travel on 4163 after your review, Tony.

Also, if you remember, was it happy to sit at 30mph without constantly changing gears? Its the one memory in had of early Tridents, its as if the retarder was constantly being applied - even when on the gas.

It had absolutely none of the usual trident 'problems'.
No gears slipping when pulling away
No annoying up/down changes when sitting at a set speed.
No jerk when changing down when braking
Loads of power, was soon back up to 30mph when pulling away from stops.

I have done 3 complete trips and a Stechford dodger in it and never been more than 1 minute late at any point from 13:31 until 20:08. I overtook 4432 the bus in front on two different trips with a different driver both times.

[Liverpool Street]

So drivers are making a mountain out of a molehill with those 41 hundreds then. (In will admit I did my fair share of moaning)

And it is impressive to see that it is possible to stay on time - providing you have a decent bus.

P.s. it was a large portion, that one. Decent balancing time?

[Tony]

So drivers are making a mountain out of a molehill with those 41 hundreds then. (In will admit I did my fair share of moaning)

And it is impressive to see that it is possible to stay on time - providing you have a decent bus.

P.s. it was a large portion, that one. Decent balancing time?

4175 I had on Monday on the 90 was a complete heap, so i can see why they get moaned about. That was the complete duty, not just a portion. I had 24 minutes at Pine Square on one trip and a total of over an hour layover time to make the duty legal. Nice turn actually.

I have taken a duty on 900 and 957 on Friday, so that will be 10 of the 19 main routes at BC driven this month, just the 24, 29, 45, 47, 58, 59, 98 & 99 to do. (along with silly bits like the 56 etc)

[wilmotm (Matt Wilmot)]

Was it the 14's your on today Tony? going to have a run out to Chelmsley Wood today to distract from work! I'll see if I spot you

[Tony]

Was it the 14's your on today Tony? going to have a run out to Chelmsley Wood today to distract from work! I'll see if I spot you

Think I have 4431 this afternoon

[wilmotm (Matt Wilmot)]

Was it the 14's your on today Tony? going to have a run out to Chelmsley Wood today to distract from work! I'll see if I spot you

Think I have 4431 this afternoon

Oh right, have you not been out yet today? As I'm sure I saw you with 4171 heading into Brum about an hour ago

[Ex BC driver]

So drivers are making a mountain out of a molehill with those 41 hundreds then. (In will admit I did my fair share of moaning)

And it is impressive to see that it is possible to stay on time - providing you have a decent bus.

P.s. it was a large portion, that one. Decent balancing time?

4175 I had on Monday on the 90 was a complete heap, so i can see why they get moaned about. That was the complete duty, not just a portion. I had 24 minutes at Pine Square on one trip and a total of over an hour layover time to make the duty legal. Nice turn actually.

I have taken a duty on 900 and 957 on Friday, so that will be 10 of the 19 main routes at BC driven this month, just the 24, 29, 45, 47, 58, 59, 98 & 99 to do. (along with silly bits like the 56 etc)

Drivers used to say to me when I first started that the 24 was the easiest and shortest route at BC. I only learned the 24, 29/A, 45, 47, 61, 63. The last time I drove on the Pershore Road was on the 47, didn't realise they gave so much time from Upper Dean Street to High Street/Carrs Lane. That was also the last time I ever drove at BC as I was suspended when coming off at Upper Dean Street

[Tony]

Was it the 14's your on today Tony? going to have a run out to Chelmsley Wood today to distract from work! I'll see if I spot you

Think I have 4431 this afternoon

Oh right, have you not been out yet today? As I'm sure I saw you with 4171 heading into Brum about an hour ago

You did.  One trip on 4426,  one on 4171, now two more to do

[wilmotm (Matt Wilmot)]

Was it the 14's your on today Tony? going to have a run out to Chelmsley Wood today to distract from work! I'll see if I spot you

Think I have 4431 this afternoon

Oh right, have you not been out yet today? As I'm sure I saw you with 4171 heading into Brum about an hour ago

You did.  One trip on 4426,  one on 4171, now two more to do

Thought so! I waited in Chelmsley for 4171 to come back, it came back and you didn't! Not sure about the Alum rock section, its just one big car park, but Chelmsley seems a good terminus to me, plenty of space, toilets, McDonald's, KFC, Subway etc... everything a driver needs.

[Liverpool Street]

So drivers are making a mountain out of a molehill with those 41 hundreds then. (In will admit I did my fair share of moaning)

And it is impressive to see that it is possible to stay on time - providing you have a decent bus.

P.s. it was a large portion, that one. Decent balancing time?

4175 I had on Monday on the 90 was a complete heap, so i can see why they get moaned about. That was the complete duty, not just a portion. I had 24 minutes at Pine Square on one trip and a total of over an hour layover time to make the duty legal. Nice turn actually.

I have taken a duty on 900 and 957 on Friday, so that will be 10 of the 19 main routes at BC driven this month, just the 24, 29, 45, 47, 58, 59, 98 & 99 to do. (along with silly bits like the 56 etc)

Drivers used to say to me when I first started that the 24 was the easiest and shortest route at BC. I only learned the 24, 29/A, 45, 47, 61, 63. The last time I drove on the Pershore Road was on the 47, didn't realise they gave so much time from Upper Dean Street to High Street/Carrs Lane. That was also the last time I ever drove at BC as I was suspended when coming off at Upper Dean Street

Having said that, shame they don't give enough time from High Street to Belgrave/Mowbray Street. [Sp]

[Tony]

Was it the 14's your on today Tony? going to have a run out to Chelmsley Wood today to distract from work! I'll see if I spot you

Think I have 4431 this afternoon

Oh right, have you not been out yet today? As I'm sure I saw you with 4171 heading into Brum about an hour ago

You did.  One trip on 4426,  one on 4171, now two more to do

Thought so! I waited in Chelmsley for 4171 to come back, it came back and you didn't! Not sure about the Alum rock section, its just one big car park, but Chelmsley seems a good terminus to me, plenty of space, toilets, McDonald's, KFC, Subway etc... everything a driver needs.

Ended up with 4154 for the last 2 trips.

[nitromatt1]

So drivers are making a mountain out of a molehill with those 41 hundreds then. (In will admit I did my fair share of moaning)

And it is impressive to see that it is possible to stay on time - providing you have a decent bus.

P.s. it was a large portion, that one. Decent balancing time?

4175 I had on Monday on the 90 was a complete heap, so i can see why they get moaned about. That was the complete duty, not just a portion. I had 24 minutes at Pine Square on one trip and a total of over an hour layover time to make the duty legal. Nice turn actually.

I have taken a duty on 900 and 957 on Friday, so that will be 10 of the 19 main routes at BC driven this month, just the 24, 29, 45, 47, 58, 59, 98 & 99 to do. (along with silly bits like the 56 etc)

Drivers used to say to me when I first started that the 24 was the easiest and shortest route at BC. I only learned the 24, 29/A, 45, 47, 61, 63. The last time I drove on the Pershore Road was on the 47, didn't realise they gave so much time from Upper Dean Street to High Street/Carrs Lane. That was also the last time I ever drove at BC as I was suspended when coming off at Upper Dean Street

I would've thought the 22 would be the easiest route