Buses in Nottingham

[Willow wilson 563]

Bus is late again

[The Pianoman 1,359]

I used to drive that bus for John Clarke. He sold it after he retired. Don't know if anyone knows the story but that is the bus that the engine fell out of while he was under it. The engine on those Bedfords is mounted in the middle of the floor and is fitted from underneath. Put the engine in the pit, push the bus over the pit and lift the engine in from underneath with a crane inside the bus working through the access hole in the floor of the bus. Clarkey was working on his own with the engine approx. in place (over his head) suspended on the crane by chains. He was busy putting the engine mounts in place when the chains weakest link broke. He was under the engine at the time and he ended up in the bottom of the pit with the engine on top of him. His daughter found him in the pit as she was alerted to the incident by his even bluer than usual language. Ambulance etc. were duly called. The engine had to be cut off him as one of the engine mounts had gone right through his hip. Obviously he survived this. The bus was left in this state until he was fit enough to finish the job himself. He always walked with a bit of a limp after that!

 

Incidentally John Clarke Coaches was on Dovecote Road, Newthorpe although it is still Eastwood to me. His wife is still alive and still lives at the same address.

[IAN123. 9,295]

Roger would have ironed all them problems out. Ace Mechanic!696?..bit sketchy on this one..Valley rd..or is that Basford bridge leading to Vernon Rd?

[FLY2 10,095]

The bus is coming off Nottingham Rd, with the bridge over the railway in the distance. It's about to cross Valley Rd.

The large building behind the front of the bus is the St John Ambulance HQ.

The current state of this junction is now 'controlled' by traffic lights. 

[roger peatman 260]

1 hour ago, The Pianoman said:

I used to drive that bus for John Clarke. He sold it after he retired. Don't know if anyone knows the story but that is the bus that the engine fell out of while he was under it. The engine on those Bedfords is mounted in the middle of the floor and is fitted from underneath. Put the engine in the pit, push the bus over the pit and lift the engine in from underneath with a crane inside the bus working through the access hole in the floor of the bus. Clarkey was working on his own with the engine approx. in place (over his head) suspended on the crane by chains. He was busy putting the engine mounts in place when the chains weakest link broke. He was under the engine at the time and he ended up in the bottom of the pit with the engine on top of him. His daughter found him in the pit as she was alerted to the incident by his even bluer than usual language. Ambulance etc. were duly called. The engine had to be cut off him as one of the engine mounts had gone right through his hip. Obviously he survived this. The bus was left in this state until he was fit enough to finish the job himself. He always walked with a bit of a limp after that!

 

Incidentally John Clarke Coaches was on Dovecote Road, Newthorpe although it is still Eastwood to me. His wife is still alive and still lives at the same address.

 

I bought it directly from John Clarke - I remember him telling me at the time that he had replaced the engine, but he didn't tell me about the incident mentioned above.

I sold it to a young fella who took it to Ireland as his mobile home.

[benjamin1945 12,781]

Aye official title was ''Van lad''.............6 months based at Midland station........taking parcels from the Trains (steam) over to Parcels office on Station street........then onto the Vans,,delivering all over Nottingham city.........all the shops and Lace Market ,,, girls everywhere,,,,,,,,,,,happy days,, but then came the call of Marsdens,, more girls and travel to exotic places.......Arnold,,Netherfield,,West Bridgford,,Stapleford,,Long Eaton,,Beeston,,Chilwell,,Mansfield,,Sutton,,Kirkby,,Blidu'th,,Renu'th and many more...........lol

[benjamin1945 12,781]

15 minutes ago, benjamin1945 said:

Aye official title was ''Van lad''.............6 months based at Midland station........taking parcels from the Trains (steam) over to Parcels office on Station street........

Just out of interest what was the Parcels office is now the NHS walk in centre,,,went a few months ago,,seemed strange,,

[Oztalgian 1,954]

2 hours ago, benjamin1945 said:

.Arnold,,Netherfield,,West Bridgford,,Stapleford,,Long Eaton,,Beeston,,Chilwell,,Mansfield,,Sutton,,Kirkby,,Blidu'th,,Renu'th and many more...

Ben, I can't remember a Marsdens in Bliduth or Renuth, CO-OP stores yes but not a Marsdens?

[bamber 120]

Until 1974 the City Council was responsible for allocating plates for all newly registered vehicles in the city. So they could provide sequentially numbered plates for the city transport and other departments. All City fire engines had 999 in their registration number.

 

In 1974 the DVLC took over responsibility and they didn't provide the same facility.

[Waddo 756]

Thanks bamber, that's cleared that up. Maybe you can answer my next one, what were the contacts made of at the end of trolley poles?. At first I thought carbon/graphite but surely that would wear away quickly if they're rubbing along wire!. Then I thought brass, but again, even though brass is self lubricating, they would wear just the same! Or were they changed on a regular basis?. 

[philmayfield 3,561]

My Googling comes up with ‘Morgan Avanced Materials’ - carbon trolley bus inserts. Various carbon compounds apparently.

[catfan 14,296]

2 hours ago, Waddo said:

Ok bus guy's (and gels) it might be answered here somewhere, but why were some of the buses numbered as per their reg, and others not? Just out of curiosity.

That changed when bus registration numbers were allocated differently, Nottm started to get Derby numbers etc. GRC series .eg.

So NCT just plodded on wjth fleet numbers having nowt to do with reg numbers !

Was a bit strange at times looking for a particular bus in the depot !

[denshaw 2,364]

We had Leopards, Lions, Lynx and Tigers.

[Waddo 756]

Were you a zookeeper Den?

[Mess 334]

On 2/6/2019 at 8:28 PM, Deepdene Boy said:

Hey up, Mess, glad to see there us another 'pies supporter in Northants. If I remember correctly the 44 was scheduled at 46 minutes end to end.

Yes Deepdene I've followed Notts for almost 60 years. My son and I were at Meadow Lane regularly last season and were gutted when Coventry were gifted the two games in the playoffs.

This season I've only been once when we played (and beat) Crawley in the week last year. I can’t commit to Saturdays at the moment but hope to go again before the end of the season.

BTW I still think we'll stay up but only just. When Akinde put his penalty wide on Saturday I felt that our luck had changed and we can go on and turn things around. COYP

[Deepdene Boy 602]

Mess, fingers crossed. I very rarely get to Meadow Lane as my Saturday afternoons are spent refereeing on the Northants Combination and the United Counties League.

[mitch1 5]

11 hours ago, catfan said:

Never was a bus route as far as i can remember. Bulwell fitters went for joy rides, on test they called it !!

 

Bestwood Road was the original route of the Bestwood Colliery service. In the 1980s NCT started running the Saturday afternoon service when Skills pulled out of certain journeys - but they were numbered 114. Google streetview shows a Bus Stop sign outside the terrace at the Carey Road end - put up when NCT joined in operating the service as Skills passengers knew where the unmarked stops were!

[catfan 14,296]

Mitch you are so correct, I almost forgot, even did a few !!

I left NCT in '86 so don't know how long they lasted, I think the midi buses do em nowadays !

[bamber 120]

When did NCT stop running Football Specials?

[Oztalgian 1,954]

1 hour ago, IAN123. said:

'Sherwood Rise on a Sunday'

The top one looks a bit battered below the front lights,  maintenance not up to the standard of MGO or MDT

Nice Morris? van just pulling out to overtake

[catfan 14,296]

They did Ian, Nottm City Coaches now owned but not used by Skills of all people.

South Notts Depot at Gotham  was used for the coaches.

[plantfit 6,648]

Did West Bridgeford (WBUDC) every have any single deckers?

 

Rog

[catfan 14,296]

Not as far as I know but Deepdene will be along soon to clarify !

[plantfit 6,648]

Just wondered because when I was a kid and living at Clifton the buses were NCT,South Notts and West bridgeford, NCT and South Notts had single deckers but can't remember any WBUDC,, I think all if not most West Bridgefords were low deckers because of the Wilford lane GCR bridge, can never remember any of them going over Clifton bridge

 

Rog

[catfan 14,296]

If I remember only NCT went via Clifton Bridge, where's Deepdene when you need him ?