Scruffiest bus in service.

[Beemer]

Is this the scruffiest bus in service N0. 85 operating the Runcorn to Northwich run. A Volvo of some type but I am sure our resident expert on buses, mtlnorth will tell me what it is. Regards Beemer.

[CloudWarrior]

I'm not suprised there's no passengers on it, it looks like it should be in a a scrapyard.

[Jonathan Gallagher]

ey up seen that in Manchester last year sometime
jonathan-gallagher.fotopic.net/p56725364.html

looks like things dont change regarding this volvo

Jonny

[Beemer]

That was a coincidence you taking a photo of the same bus last year. It looked a little better then with a few adverts down the side. Regards Beemer.

[calflier]

Aug 4, 2010 21:30:32 GMT 1 Beemer said:

That was a coincidence you taking a photo of the same bus last year. It looked a little better then with a few adverts down the side. Regards Beemer.

Not quite Runcorn but Malta in 2003,quite scruffy but very charming,but I like the advert on the side"use public transport for a safer ride"maybe your Volvo needs something similar,LOL.

[Biggles]

Talking of Maltese Buses, I well recall a holiday and return bus trip to the airport from Melhia Bay, anyone who knows the area also knows that a long large steep winding hill has to be climbed out of MB . Now after rains in Malta the roads become like ice rinks and people hate driving, our bus driver took a run at the hill and using the wrong gear he selected from his crash box, ended up stuck about half way up the climb, it became clear to me we would soon be going back down the hill as no matter which gear he chose and floored the pedal all we got was serious wheel spin forward but the vehicle continued backwards. I had told the missus we would grab the child and if I said we were leaving we would jump from the open door. Somehow one of the religious figures on the dash and hanging around the driver must have taken pity as we suddenly started to progress up the hill with a lot of burning tyre rubber.People actually applauded the sucess, but my thoughts had gone to the descent coming up on the other side. Not the best bus trip ever encountered.

[jd]

The Runcorn to Northwich bus is certainly scruffy but it has got nothing on some of the buses that I have seen in Bogota, Colombia. Some of them have to be seen to be believed and they are definitely not too good on the carbon emissions front - they belch out more smoke than the Titanic !

[Deleted]

A few points. I really think that bus should be reported to the local council. I cant seriously believe it's safe and we all know that if it was a passenger-carrying aircraft, it would have been condemned long ago, even in the third world!

If I remember correctly the E-prefix was used in 1987/88 which makes it 22 years old - on public transport service?

Secondly, I question why a double-decker is necessary on that route, even at peak times. It's hardly environmentally friendly to be running a huge bus like this around for a handful of passengers.
With regard to Biggles' experience, haven't suffered that fate, but I can empathise. I love the old buses in Malta, but the legroom is a bit restricted!
I've tried the buses in Bogota too, just for fun. They still have conductors, and the banter from them on the buses is part of the fun, but I agree re the emissions. Not exactly 'pushchair friendly' either, with three big steps to mount!

[buspilot]

Volvo Citybus (B10M-50), East Lancs H47/38D body, new to Nottingham City Transport as No: 320 in 1988.

Now operated by Ogden's of St. Helens.

[Beemer]

Thanks to buspilot for filling in the gaps. You forgot the driver's inside leg measurement ;D ;D Regards Beemer.

[RICEY]

Ogdens dont operate bus services no more bus pilot. it belongs to a company called fairway travel who under a previous name(A1 bus) had there licence revoked by the north wests Traffic Commisioner and it takes alot to upset her.
It does need to be in a scrapheap but then the company are a cowboy outfit and i for one wouldnt travel on one of there buses.

On the subject of Malta buses Arriva have won a contract to operate over there so aload of buses from Merseyside have been prepped to be sent over to start service

[owensy]

Funny but that bus was hired by my daughters Majorette troupe in Runcorn and they had this bus on four occasions. The comments when I showed her the pics wont be repeated on here!!

[RICEY]

ye fairway hire there vehicles out even though i wouldnt recomend getting one one without making sure your health insurance was upto date. they had a bus 2 years ago which the tyre exploded while it was in service in st.helens which in the end was repossed along with another 3

[Deleted]

Looks have nothing to do with road worthiness but people must be desperate to get any sort of large capacity bus for hire as there are so few companies left to choose from. The whole industry needs a good shake up as political interference has made it dam near impossible to make any money at this game and here you can see the results. Unfortunately, unless major changes occur the small bus operator is doomed on-mass and this is going to happen within a two to three year timescale. So, pictures like this will either be a thing of the past or indeed common place should the larger operator's struggle to cope.

From a legal point of view (save for the destination) the bus looks fine in Beemers picture but the earlier Manchester one looks a little suspect. From an aviation point, its not too dissimilar to the state of some aircraft arriving at Manchester for repaints and I would suspect that is all it needs.

In answer to Beemers question. It is a Volvo B10B with an East Lancs body and has a capacity for 85 (47 upper/38 lower) seated adults plus standing.

[Beemer]

My original posting was on the condition/scruffy and maybe with a decent paint job and replace that ridiculous bumper on the front it wouldn't look half bad. I would never hire it if need be in the present condition. Regards Beemer. Thanks for your comments.