Buses in Nottingham

[jonab 1,644]

That story has even made the news down here.

It really is beyond belief - and even worse than what you have portrayed, denshaw:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-45561937

[plantfit 7,597]

This is one of the problems of scrapping the retirement age,I'm not aying everyone should retire at 60 or 65 but in certain jobs reactive time should be taken into consideration

 

Rog

[jonab 1,644]

It's not so much as retirement age but the ability to do the job. His record shows that he was, to most normal observers, incompetent and had a number of crashes and warnings about his (in)ability to drive a bus. He should have been stopped many years prior to this unhappy occurrence.

 

[catfan 14,793]

The annual D4 medical for drivers over 65 should have spotted something wasn't right with drivers in that state.

That medical is quite tough, not a quick 5 minute job.

[FLY2 10,108]

He'd averaged over 70 working hours for three consecutive weeks. Definitely management should have clamped down on that. Who checked his taco if ever there was one. A ridiculous situation turned into a tragedy.

[catfan 14,793]

I'm fully in favour of compulsory retirement at retirement age. This would free up a lot of jobs for those poor EU immigrants who congregate on street corners every day drinking cans of Polish lager & trying to eke out a living on selling illegal imported tobacco products from Poland & their benefit top up. Besides we have enough of our very own dossers, scumbags & no hopers who would relish the opportunity to do a honest days living  for a change & paying their way in society instead of trekking to the job centre plus fortnight to sign on.

The world would be such a nicer place in one go.

[catfan 14,793]

3 hours ago, FLY2 said:

He'd averaged over 70 working hours for three consecutive weeks. Definitely management should have clamped down on that. Who checked his taco if ever there was one. A ridiculous situation turned into a tragedy.

The trouble is FLY  the drivers hours regulations are quite difficult to work out some times. With UK regulations & the EU working time directive to confuse things even more a driver could slip under the radar as far as driving hours are concerned, if his company are not pro active in enforcing regular tachograph checks. Then again not all EU countries sign up to the WTD anyway. The German Govt like to invent new EU rules but they themselves don't always sign up to them ! But daft old GB does every time. If he had averaged over 70 hours over 3 consecutive weeks then he has certainly not acted legally.

Under international law a commercial pilot HAS to retire at 65 regardless, I think this should be adopted for all commercial & public service drivers too.

 

[jonab 1,644]

It's his safety record that would be of most concern to me (as well as his age). He had been disciplined several times for crashing his vehicle and been reported by passengers as being unsafe and incompetent - missing stops, overshooting stops and more. What more could his employer have needed to stop this activity?

[catfan 14,793]

Nothing at all, they are just as culpable as he is. Should have been put out to grass years ago.

[plantfit 7,597]

If he had been retired from the driving job and maybe given a job in another role within the company with less hours, this problem wouldn't have happened

 

It's very difficult to get rid of an employee these days thanks to many EU rules which in some cases is a good thing but surely his own concience should have told him it's time to call it a day

 

Rog

[catfan 14,793]

I reached early '60s & suffered a HA & couldn't do the treadmill test (compulsory) for my vocational licenses to be restored. My vocational licenses were thus revoked.

I surrendered my ordinary driving license when I realised my eyesight wasn't up to a safe standard for driving. This was before I was advised by my GP & hospital consultant btw. to give up driving.

The trouble is too many older drivers won't accept that they are not fit to drive anymore. It's certainly nothing to be ashamed about.

I like to think of the financial benefits of not owning a car anymore which can be quite considerable even with a modest car. plus the ongoing upkeep as well. Living in Bulwell with excellent public transport connections I really manage quite easily to get about on a good day. My 2 kids live in Nottm & both have cars at my disposal anytime I need a ride somewhere if they are not at work. I don't usually ask my daughter for a lift cos she takes after her mum for driving ! 

 

[catfan 14,793]

13 minutes ago, IAN123. said:

SO!! Is Driving a young persons game??

( only asking!)

I don't think so Ian, more of eyesight & general medical conditions that are more at risk.

Like vocational license holders having a five yearly medical exam after 45 years then yearly at 65 years. I think the same rules should apply to all drivers, but is the infrastructure in place to handle such a task ? I don't think it is at present.

 

Another of my concerns is the fact that teenage drivers expect a driving license by right. The driving test in it's present form is too easy. Novice drivers are taught to pass the test, not taught to drive. Big difference, watch any supermarket car park & look at the performance some (mostly) women have trying to park a car, absolutely embarrassing to watch at times.

[notty ash 371]

I wonder why they had to fit such big bumpers on NCT buses. You don't see them on buses belonging to other fleets

[Willow wilson 894]

Arriving in the Square 10:00am

Where the driver works, that brake lever is about an inch from the seat. Don't know how they get in/out

Familiar vehicles.

[catfan 14,793]

The AEC Reknown was very similar WW. It was quite common for a few drivers to climb in the cab & lose the gear lever up their trouser leg ! Not a lot of gear travel either if I remember correctly.

[Deepdene Boy 642]

21 hours ago, IAN123. said:

Thanks Deepdene..i found the photo..relating to either Hull or Wigan.

A link..not about Nottm!

The Wigan link would that the bodies were built at Wigan, by Northern Counties Motor Engineering.

[catfan 14,793]

Bus deregulation occured in October '86 & was the beginning of the free for all on the buses. Fly by night operators buying clapped out buses & running on a shoe string budget hoping to make a quick killing soon trealised differently !

That bus pictured was 17 years old by then & had been around the clock a few times.

[plantfit 7,597]

I used to catch the 68 from the old Broad Marsh after another session at the Peoples college, in them days there were the NCT 68,South Notts to Gotham or East Leake or the WBUDC that was numbered the same as NCT,68, NCT always went down Queens Drive and over Clifton bridge while South Notts and WBUDC went down Wilford lane I think the reason was the low bridge on Wilford lane between the Chateau and Wilford village, if I missed any of those it would be the 67 which I think terminated near the Peacock pub,what we called "Big shops"

 

Rog

 

Edit, forgot to add some of the WBUDC and South Notts buses ran from Huntingdon street as well as Broad marsh, I used to catch them near the bus depot on Parliament street when going home from the garage at the bottom of Sneinton road when I wasn't goint to work on me bike

[Beekay 5,149]

Once, when I was a conductor I was working on the 39 out of parliament St. Up derby rd. to canning circus and don't know what happened but instead of going onto Ilkeston road we went on alfreton rd !! Went as far as boden St. and removed poles and went on boden to Ronald St. And back on to Ilkeston rd.(on batteries !). Nobody said a word. Funny what you remember when prompted. B.

[The Pianoman 1,535]

Been there, done it, etc. (Not trolley buses I might add).  It just amused me how the passengers just sat there like dummies making out they didn't notice!

[loppylugs 8,429]

Just out of curiosity BK how far could you run one of those trolley buses on batteries?  It would be a lot of weight to move far.

[mary1947 2,082]

Best thing about Trolley Buses was you could hop on and hop off when ever you pleased.

 

The best buses though were? 

You were running to catch the bus and the conductor  waited till you was almost there, then he/she would ring the bell and the bus was gone, you were left puffing and panting knowing you would be late for work, yet again.

[Beekay 5,149]

Hi L.L., in reply to your question is in truth i dont know. They had a huge array of batteries underneath though. Where we came adrift, Boden st. is downhill so we virtually coasted down and on to Ronald st. We crossed over Ilkeston rd. and i put the poles back on and we carried on to Wollaton park terminus, behind the one we should have been following ! The batteries would be charged up during running. Beekay.

7 hours ago, loppylugs said:

Just out of curiosity BK how far could you run one of those trolley buses on batteries?  It would be a lot of weight to move far.

Can I add a belated comment on buses, 56, 60 and 13. As an ex driver on these services out of bilborough depot, I seem to recall that the 56 ran every twenty minutes, on the hour, twenty past and twenty to. The 60 was ten past, half past and ten to the hour. The 13 was not a works service but a regular. Why the powers that be chose that route to bilborough I've no idea, but then why do they choose any route. I once was on a 13 route and forgot to turn at western boulevard and carried on aspley lane !! Realised my error was able to turn round and correct my mistake. Whoops !

[IAN123. 9,325]

208 ...PSD bound?..outside M&S..dig jolleys Mk2 Cortina.

[IAN123. 9,325]

When i'm over ..i get the bus here to the Elwes..not sure of the date..but that Crown Paint Centre was there when i was jobbing.The 39 to Carlton..there was another Golden Egg Cafe along here.