West Bromwich Garage

[Ashley]

534 on 47/47A yesterday. Only first and second gears were working if thats useful to anybody from WB garage. Sounded rather good but thats just a spotter talking

On B6s it is possible for the driver to select just 1st & 2nd gears. Not good driving though if doing over 25mph

Is it just B6s in NX's fleet now that have the force 1st/2nd gears?

I asked the driver and he said he couldn't get it into 3rd gear. It sounded good but I did think, this will overheat very soon. Matt how do you mean by force 1st and 2nd gears, do you just mean the ability to over-rev. If so then no you can get any B6 to do it.

[John]

Some of the B10L Ultras also have this. It is to stop the bus going into 3rd, say if you are going up a long steep hill and only need lower gears

[nitromatt1]

534 on 47/47A yesterday. Only first and second gears were working if thats useful to anybody from WB garage. Sounded rather good but thats just a spotter talking

On B6s it is possible for the driver to select just 1st & 2nd gears. Not good driving though if doing over 25mph

Is it just B6s in NX's fleet now that have the force 1st/2nd gears?

I asked the driver and he said he couldn't get it into 3rd gear. It sounded good but I did think, this will overheat very soon. Matt how do you mean by force 1st and 2nd gears, do you just mean the ability to over-rev. If so then no you can get any B6 to do it.

No in some older buses such as B6s and Olympians the driver can manually select first and second gear, for steep hills etc. For example in this Leyland Olympian cab if you look at the gear selection panel, below the usual RND are the 1st/2nd gear selection buttons

[Tony]

534 on 47/47A yesterday. Only first and second gears were working if thats useful to anybody from WB garage. Sounded rather good but thats just a spotter talking

On B6s it is possible for the driver to select just 1st & 2nd gears. Not good driving though if doing over 25mph

Is it just B6s in NX's fleet now that have the force 1st/2nd gears?

I asked the driver and he said he couldn't get it into 3rd gear. It sounded good but I did think, this will overheat very soon. Matt how do you mean by force 1st and 2nd gears, do you just mean the ability to over-rev. If so then no you can get any B6 to do it.

B6s and B10s have gear selectors with buttons  1   2   3    D    N     R  (on vehicles with a 3 speed box there is no 3)

D (drive) N (neutral) & R (reverse) are the same as on any selector. 1 will hold the vehicle in 1st gear, 2 in 1st & 2nd, 3 in 1st 2nd & 3rd.

Supposed to be used for hill climbing to give you extra revs before allowing it to change up or to stop it going 2/3/2/3/2/3 (or similar) all the time when it is working hard and keeps trying to change up, struggles, changes down, again and again.

I have known drivers use it to over rev when out of garage on a cold morning just to get some heat through the demisters but this is not what it is meant for!

You can also do it accidentally with clumsy fingers and press D and catch the button next to it so they both stay depressed

[old50niner]

Am I right in thinking that a lower gear could be selected when driving down a steep hill?   By also using the footbrake to prevent overreving, wouldn't this aid control of speed ?

[j789]

Solos also have these extra selectors but on a lever rather than  push button. Some of the ones I drive at Worcester certainly need them to get up hills (Newtown Road is a particular hot spot) as dropping down a gear or two gives it some extra umph!! One or two of the Enviro 300s also have them as well but the majority don't for some reason.

[nitromatt1]

Solos also have these extra selectors but on a lever rather than  push button. Some of the ones I drive at Worcester certainly need them to get up hills (Newtown Road is a particular hot spot) as dropping down a gear or two gives it some extra umph!! One or two of the Enviro 300s also have them as well but the majority don't for some reason.

Are they the older 53 plates, or just seemingly random vehicles?

[j789]

I cant remember the exact fleet number as a while since I drove the vehicle so may be  67601-4 but I am 99% certain it was a 6765... vehicle (possibly 67653 which I think had a rebuilt front end after an accident).

[andy]

534 on 47/47A yesterday. Only first and second gears were working if thats useful to anybody from WB garage. Sounded rather good but thats just a spotter talking

On B6s it is possible for the driver to select just 1st & 2nd gears. Not good driving though if doing over 25mph

Is it just B6s in NX's fleet now that have the force 1st/2nd gears?

I asked the driver and he said he couldn't get it into 3rd gear. It sounded good but I did think, this will overheat very soon. Matt how do you mean by force 1st and 2nd gears, do you just mean the ability to over-rev. If so then no you can get any B6 to do it.

No in some older buses such as B6s and Olympians the driver can manually select first and second gear, for steep hills etc. For example in this Leyland Olympian cab if you look at the gear selection panel, below the usual RND are the 1st/2nd gear selection buttons

Cracking shot of my favourite cab, the old Olympian. Comfortable, perfect height, loads of space and excellent visibility. If you sat in a Gemini cab and then jumped in here, I know what you'd prefer. The gear selectors were fitted that way at a time when engines and auto transmission were far less compatable and durable with the varied driving conditions. The difference now is that a Scania Omnilink or a Volvo B9 don't struggle in a higher gear like their predecessors may have so there is no longer the need to try to limit them.

Personally though you can't beat a high gear ratio Olympian with a semi auto gear selector. Lovely to drive, until the gears started slipping.

[uniquicity]

I take it there are a couple of Darts off the road, as there have been B6LEs / Enviro200s on the 41/44 for the past 3 days

[Niall]

This morning a Gemini on the WB 241 (that should leave Halesowen at 10:05) was sat outside the swimming baths at 10:25, after the next (PE) 241 had already unloaded in the bus station. It was empty but still with Halesowen on the display. I wonder if it was broken down?

[tphi12000]

I take it there are a couple of Darts off the road, as there have been B6LEs / Enviro200s on the 41/44 for the past 3 days

3610 was parked at Miller Street this morning.

[Stuharris 6360]

This morning a Gemini on the WB 241 (that should leave Halesowen at 10:05) was sat outside the swimming baths at 10:25, after the next (PE) 241 had already unloaded in the bus station. It was empty but still with Halesowen on the display. I wonder if it was broken down?

strange you say that,i passed it at 1030 and the driver was sat reading his paper, no hazards on.

[nitromatt1]

This morning a Gemini on the WB 241 (that should leave Halesowen at 10:05) was sat outside the swimming baths at 10:25, after the next (PE) 241 had already unloaded in the bus station. It was empty but still with Halesowen on the display. I wonder if it was broken down?

strange you say that,i passed it at 1030 and the driver was sat reading his paper, no hazards on.

Was it the usual old bloke?

[Stuharris 6360]

This morning a Gemini on the WB 241 (that should leave Halesowen at 10:05) was sat outside the swimming baths at 10:25, after the next (PE) 241 had already unloaded in the bus station. It was empty but still with Halesowen on the display. I wonder if it was broken down?

strange you say that,i passed it at 1030 and the driver was sat reading his paper, no hazards on.

Was it the usual old bloke?

no matt it wasn't him, younger guy.