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9 minutes ago, Brew said:

I wonder what the grab handle is for?

 

I was looking all over at low level, then spotted it.

First thought, deflecting Tree branches maybe?

 

Or is that side front window an emergency exit.?

And I woner if there is one on the opposite side rear?

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1 hour ago, colly0410 said:

Read somewhere that flywheel powered buses where very efficient & the answer: You'd run up a flywheel at the terminus, the flywheel would then generate the electricity to power the wheels for the buses journey. If you got stuck in traffic & the flywheel ran down then you'd - er - uhm - well - wait for a special truck with a flywheel winder-up-gubbins-thingy powered by petrol or diesel..... Ahh-ah, I know, you could have a petrol or diesel engine in the bus to power the flywheel then if it runs down there's no problem. There I've sorted the problem out for the council...

 

I seem to remember that system back in the 70's. A big flywheel under the floor, a bit like a gyroscope. The bus had the usual diesel engine that spun the wheel up and the inertia was then used mainly for acceleration. The was also a system of regeneration whereby braking  fed energy back into the flywheel. The gyroscopic effect was supposed to help with stability as well but as anyone who has ever played with one knows there is some delay in reaction time.

The flywheel helped with acceleration it's true but was so heavy it became a system of diminishing returns and the end result on energy saved was saved little if anything. It was not a success.

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17 minutes ago, Stuart.C said:

Or is that side front window an emergency exit.?

And I woner if there is one on the opposite side rear?

 

I thought that at first but not convinced. Looking at it if the bus is on its side that window is over the stairwell, how would they reach it?

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Found it.  Quote from the specification for the new London Routemaster bus, provided to the manufacturer by TfL:

The front near-side corner of the upper deck shall incorporate a discrete tree guard, giving additional forward protection to the front seated passengers, exterior dome and near side corner window-pillar.

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