Buses in Nottingham

[catfan 14,793]

Watch the film if you can DDB & see if he gives you a wave as he goes by !

[trogg 2,016]

I do have an original VHS copy of The Ragmans Daughter if anyone wants to borrow it and copy it to DVD.

[catfan 14,793]

Like the British wagon industry these days, almost gone with most wagons on our roads now are foreign built.

Britain these days Martyn has very little manufacturing left.

[trogg 2,016]

Catfan should remember this City transport depot.

[Willow wilson 894]

A feast of red buses. A very business-like 2 door Yeates VAL 3rd in line.

 

[catfan 14,793]

"YOU EVER DRIVE A COACH THEN CATFAN?"   Part 2.

 

Well the mourners trooped out of the church behind the coffin. Also a chap with what looked like a hurricane lamp billowing awful pungent smelling smoke from said implement. this was a RC funeral, all done with no expense spared, one of the stretched limo's was just for the priest, all to himself. The mourners piled on the coach along with the bloke with the "Hurricane Lamp" absolutely stinking the coach out, I think it was some sort of incense burner & was waved side to side.

Eventually we set off & with the amount of traffic we soon got separated from each other, the hearse pulled into the Forest entrance allowing me to catch up the convoy, again we set off & headed to Forest Fields.

 

Pulling off Gregory Blvd in to FF was the start of a frustrating adventure, being unable to get around tight corners & trying to squeeze between double parked cars. A few doors were knocked on & irate motorists moved their cars allowing me to pass after realising we were part of a funeral procession. We soon reached the deceased fella's house I welcomed a big sigh of relief. Now setting off to Wilford Hill we were running about 15 minutes late. Undertakers don't like being late as their day is timed to the minute & a small delay can cause major problems  for the rest of the day.

 

We quickly reached the ring road & sped along, remember this was before the speed cameras every few hundred yards & as we approached Dunkirk flyover we were touching 60 mph with the hearse & limo's leaving me behind, I'd never since seen a funeral procession move so quickly ! Arriving at Wilford Hill cemetery I was told to drop the mourners off, hurricane lamp man too & go & turn around ready to collect the mourners again for our final trip back to the Palm Tree pub on Gladstone Street  for the Wake / Bunfight.

 

The final leg passed without incident making good time keeping the undertaker happy too. When we reached the Palm Tree I was glad it was over. To finish the day off I went for a ride around Bulwell playing with this new toy. Reluctantly eventually returning it back to Parliament Street Depot, much to the relief of the bus allocator when the coach was delivered intact without the slightest scratch ! If this was "Coaching" they can keep it I thought, give me stage work carriage anytime !  There was more occasion when I took a coach out & that was a day trip to Blackpool, that really put me off coach driving for life  ! I'll leave that for another day.

[loppylugs 8,429]

You didn't scratch it but I bet they couldn't get rid of that pong for long time.  

[katyjay 5,091]

You have reminded me c f, of a coach ride in the mid 60's. I was in the Nottingham Ice Racing supporter's club and was on the coach to a London ice rink. We also had a tight corner to get round and there was no way the bus would make it. All the lads jumped out, went to the back and bounced the bus around the corner. Result.

[The Pianoman 1,535]

Actually it was the other way around for me. Service bus really wound me up, which is why I left it - that and rubbish pay at that time. Give me private hire any day!

[The Pianoman 1,535]

Possibly. I was doing PH with various private coach companies.

[The Pianoman 1,535]

45 minutes ago, IAN123. said:

Must say Malcolm the 141 was driven very professionally!

How do you know?

[DAVIDW 1,683]

Sorry to crash in on the conversation but at the last meet-up , Mary 1947 wanted this image uploading . Unfortunately as its been nearly a week since I have been able to get on my laptop , I have forgotten the details so hopefully Mary will come on and explain what it shows !

 

[notty ash 371]

51 minutes ago, DAVIDW said:

Had a PM from Mary 1947 who gave the following about this photo :

 

 I think this could have been one of the first trolley buses , as in the back ground there are still trams running. The photo/picture was taken I think on Parliament St. Unless any member's think's it's somewhere else. The Trolley bus also has on it The Wells Road and it doe's not have Number 40 on the front. Which later on , the trolley's had both number and where they were going.

The number is at the top of the windows on the upper deck - route 40

[DAVIDW 1,683]

Well spotted !

[mary1947 2,082]

Not sure where the photo of this bus was taken but it could be King street, looking at the top of the photo could that be the Gomount (not sure of spelling) or looking at the clock right is that where Wagon and Horses used to be? 

 

[DAVIDW 1,683]

With ref to Mary 1947's trolley bus picture it would appear that the number 5 was the first trolleybus into service in 1927.

 

First horse-drawn tram ran in Nottingham from 1877 to April 3rd, 1902.

Electric trams were run from January lst, 1901, to September sth, 1936. 

First trolleybus was run on April 10th, 1927 .(Number 5 from King Street to Vernon Rd ).

[denshaw 2,872]

I did a Skeggy trip once using a Leyland Lion, they could do 80 mph and leave a few coaches standing.

[jonab 1,644]

Hope you weren't carrying passengers when doing 80!!!!

[denshaw 2,872]

Of course not, I think they are all governed now to 62 mph.

[Brew 5,418]

Fastest double deckers I've ever seen were Standerwyks (?) London to Blackpool night service. Our trucks speedos only went to 70 and they would go way past that (not sure about late 70s accuracy) but those buses would easily overtake them.

They always took a break at the Blue Boar, as was, and chatting to the drivers we could never get them to admit just how fast they were when flat out.

[denshaw 2,872]

I think they had a Leyland coach  Royal Tiger in the late fifties that could do a ton.

[Brew 5,418]

Apparently I misspelled the name, it was Standerwick and they ran Bristol buses.

Found a pic, the rear section had a toilet and a small galley. They stopped at the Blue Boar for the drivers break and to refill the tea urn.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lva45/5059327465

 

[catfan 14,793]

I remember seeing those buses 

Nothing could touch em !

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

Heard a big bang outside on a Sunday night some years back, went to investigate an empty Camms collapsible lost its parking brake, rolled down the hill through an hedge and into some ones front door.

[notty ash 371]

2 hours ago, Mess said:

On reflection I think I've probably got this the wrong way round.

It's more logical if passengers that wanted to get into town alighted at that stop whilst those who wanted to board for Trent Bridge should do so at the stop by the toilets in the square.

 

That's definitely how I remember it