Preserved Buses

[Trident 4609]

This past me in Lichfield St in Wolverhampton a few Sundays back:

http://wmbusphotos.com/preserved/twm1037.html

[2900]

I regularly pass tiles r us on Dudley rd east in the yard on the left is a mark one metrobus in wmpte colours looking a bit sorry , does any one know its story , it appears to have been restored in the past .

[winston]

I regularly pass tiles r us on Dudley rd east in the yard on the left is a mark one metrobus in wmpte colours looking a bit sorry , does any one know its story , it appears to have been restored in the past .

It's 6832 SDA832S

More info in the thread below:
http://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=2845.0

[2900]

Thanks for pointing me to the relevant thread, so sad to read about Ron and his collection of old skool buses. Get well soon chap.  Loved driving the mark one metrobuses up and down Portland road.

[winston]

Thanks for pointing me to the relevant thread, so sad to read about Ron and his collection of old skool buses. Get well soon chap.  Loved driving the mark one metrobuses up and down Portland road.

Didn't they drive you nuts with the folding doors slamming every time they were opened?

Were you at Hockley garage 5 years prior to its closure? It's a shame that it had to close.... it always seemed similar to Quinton I assume both being ex BCT garages

[2900]

I transferred a couple of years before closure , the doors slamming open I just thought it was part of the charm of these old deckers ,  some had really smooth brakes , gearboxes and strong engines, ok they smelt bad when it was wet.  2090 I remember as a fast one and I think it was 2003 felt like the gearbox was gona drop out at any time. Each one had its own personality no two were ever the same.

[winston]

I transferred a couple of years before closure , the doors slamming open I just thought it was part of the charm of these old deckers ,  some had really smooth brakes , gearboxes and strong engines, ok they smelt bad when it was wet.  2090 I remember as a fast one and I think it was 2003 felt like the gearbox was gona drop out at any time. Each one had its own personality no two were ever the same.

I remember the jolt of the gear changes on the MK1's. Were the Lynx's still at Hockley when you started there?

[2900]

Yes the jolt on some metrobuses  were bad , a real nightmare if you were doing a straight through duty all that banging . Passengers would complain don't you know how to change gears son , better go back to the training school . Yes the lynx bus were about in numbers when i started at Hockley  garage , there were only two vehicle types there most types of metrobuses and the Lynx. 1312 , 1313 were the good ones , I remember very smooth and fast vehicles 70 mph no problem , most drivers would raise a smile when these came in at our relief point at snow hill . 1296 I think was one of first refurbed lynx,s not bad I thought. When West Bromwich received brand new 0405n,s Hockley received there old lynx,s these were simply awfull sheds should have gone straight to Pvs .

[2900]

Does any one know the whereabouts of metrobus 3088 it use to where the bct heritage colours at Hockley  , colourfull past I remember a new driver taking this bus under Hockley fly over where the cars park and smashing the roof in , when they pulled it out the roof rested on the front seats just as well it was out of service. There used to be major bus jams at Hockley flyover  this driver was trying to take a short cut which didn't work out . I did see 3088 on ebay a few years back now appeared to be in good condition.

[winston]

Does any one know the whereabouts of metrobus 3088 it use to where the bct heritage colours at Hockley  , colourfull past I remember a new driver taking this bus under Hockley fly over where the cars park and smashing the roof in , when they pulled it out the roof rested on the front seats just as well it was out of service. There used to be major bus jams at Hockley flyover  this driver was trying to take a short cut which didn't work out . I did see 3088 on ebay a few years back now appeared to be in good condition.

There's a few HY garage photos on here that may be of interest to you/bring back some memories:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wda2t/page10/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wda4t/page3/

[2900]

Thanks winston for the pictures , seeing the drivers mess room brought back memories , I remember the ailsa open top ,  an ex oldbury garage engineer who became a driver introduced me to this bus , in his words A PROPER BUS engine up front.  The charter alexander volvo  buses  I recall when private charter transferred from miller street , engineers use  to say these are real volvos buses with 10 litre engines.

[winston]

Thanks winston for the pictures , seeing the drivers mess room brought back memories , I remember the ailsa open top ,  an ex oldbury garage engineer who became a driver introduced me to this bus , in his words A PROPER BUS engine up front.  The charter alexander volvo  buses  I recall when private charter transferred from miller street , engineers use  to say these are real volvos buses with 10 litre engines.

No worries, thought you may have been interested. HY's fleet was even more interesting with the Private Charter department being based there.

Those ex London United 'Airbus' Volvo Olympians did look smart when they were used to upgrade the Private Charter unit, 9 of the same batch are still in use for First Devon & Cornwall @ Camborne 

[James4368]

parked outside meadway coaches small heath depot
Coachleasing MCW Metrobus A724UOE (EX TWM 2724)

[Trident 4609]

A Leicester City Transport Leyland seen heading down Lichfield Rd about 08:55 going towards Park Lane.

[James4368]

1266 and 3053 were parked at de courcey Coventry today

1266-https://www.flickr.com/photos/115199517@N06/14771081966/

3053-https://www.flickr.com/photos/115199517@N06/14793656262/