Drove this one a few times. Trouble is the onboard computer used to light up like a xmas tree at times with supposed faults. Plus, the b****r locked me out while I was in Battersea Park once. 
Was frantically searching around under the coach for the air release valve to the front door, getting my crisp, white, Travellers shirt filthy dirty before finally managing to get back in and rush off to pick up my group !!
channel4.com/programmes/geor … od#3712019
If you’ve got a spare hour sometime, this program features an engineer/sports motorcyclist, who transforms a wreck of a Neoplan Skyliner into a travelling hotel for him and his mates when he travels to motorbike races. Interesting to see the result.
My old depot, anyone guess where 
80’s picture
Drift:
My old depot, anyone guess where
Did you not say you worked in Liverpool
stagedriver:
Without exaggerating in the slightest - I would never consider going back to wagon driving, even part time. Maybe just the odd agency shift a couple of times a year.The coaching industry is the best job I’ve ever had - Since I joined it I have never had to worry about money. Don’t get me wrong, I’m on very good work and I’m very lucky indeed and it is VERY hard work at times, I’m away from home 20 or so days a month - But the money is beyond comfortable (You make your money in tips)
The problem with coach driving is that you are relying on hand outs to make up your money. Yes sir. Or course sir. Please sir. All in the hopes that your punters will give you a decent tip at the end of their holiday. And then there’s keeping the coach clean of all the debris people leave behind.
I went from a van to a bus to a coach to a lorry but so tempted to go back to the bus … at least the crap loads and unloads itself and less mileage
Anyway here is the first model bus i drove ( happy days ) 
I feel old as 5 years ago at a transport show at RAF Woodvale the bus I passed my test in was on show in the vintage category 
thetastytrucker, That looks like a Leyland Olympian, semi auto, gears on the right?
Drift:
I feel old as 5 years ago at a transport show at RAF Woodvale the bus I passed my test in was on show in the vintage categorythetastytrucker, That looks like a Leyland Olympian, semi auto, gears on the right?
lol drift i know how you feel … no the picture i posted was a leyland titan
you are thinking of a 
pretty much the same bus but with a more rounded look… bu the titan was much better to drive
Drift:
I feel old as 5 years ago at a transport show at RAF Woodvale the bus I passed my test in was on show in the vintage categorythetastytrucker, That looks like a Leyland Olympian, semi auto, gears on the right?
That most of been a sad day 
It was
Its in the St Helens Transport Museum now I think
irish lorries:
Drift:
I feel old as 5 years ago at a transport show at RAF Woodvale the bus I passed my test in was on show in the vintage categorythetastytrucker, That looks like a Leyland Olympian, semi auto, gears on the right?
That most of been a sad day
Found it, I remembered the Mrs snapped it (notice the drip tray )
And I did that L3 later to become the 53 route for years
Drift:
My old depot, anyone guess where
At the side of the Florin Hotel opposite Lime Street station, Liverpool.
Yep Skelhorn Street depot, some good giggles there, one driver, turned off Brownlow hill to the depot (shortcut) went through the wash in a 20 seater mini bus, then he heard some one ask “is this as far as you go drive” he looked in the mirror and saw 7 bemused passengers He should have went to the old old Paradise Street Bus Station 
And the other driver Kenny who came in on his moped and told all the passengers in the bus station to get a taxi to be paid by North Western as the driver of their bus was not coming in today as he was not well…he was the driver 
Until his accident 3 and half years ago, my hubby was happy driving a truck. Now he is back into coach driving again which he had done for many years too. The school runs he was not keen with, but goes with the job. Now he is doing tours he is very happy and is good at his job as well as being a people person, he gets on with most passengers and his work mates. He is 70 yrs young next month and has no intention of retiring. He is very happy. 
LIBERTY_GUY:
As someone with a license to drive both, I wouldn’t decorate, or adorn any vehicle that I was driving for a living with all the tacky bling. It is like a big sign saying “driver is a council estate chav”…Don’t do it guys, it just makes you look common…
I am common, and up here we’re not council estate chavs, we’re Neds from the Scheme lol 
irish lorries:
Drift:
For the big companies about £10 to £11 and hour usually straight through no overtime rate unless a local agreement, unions still have a shout on the big companies.
You will be working 5 over 7 including earlies, lates and splits, same rate but usually tons of overtime and Bank Holidays are usually part of your rotas.
You may start on a new starter rate about 20% lower for a short time and you WILL get all the rubbish duties for a year or so.I think its still the same bus drivers had 5.30hs in the cab before a 30 minute break was due but worth checking as I am out of touch with the hours now.
Yes it’s changed its now 4.50 hours driving and 45 min break and 56 hours driving time per week 9 hours per day with 10 hours driving time two days per week I think that’s right
Not correct, domestic rules still apply for stage carriage work. 5 and a half hour maximum pieces 30 mins ( although ours is 35) break 10 hours driving max.
I had one duty this week with a booked 36 min break, to me this is wrong, if you are late in it means you then have to leave late on your 2nd piece.
Also you don`t get paid at our company for up to 60 mins of your break, very few dutys now with any part of your break paid.
The pay rates at our place is now 3 tier, cant remember off hand what the lower rates are but it takes you 3 years to get to top rate £10.57 (i think it is) .
Pay rate is the same no matter what time, day or vehicle.
Had my first go in one of the AS Tronic buses yesterday too, they do make you have to think more! lol.
jon boy 100:
irish lorries:
Drift:
For the big companies about £10 to £11 and hour usually straight through no overtime rate unless a local agreement, unions still have a shout on the big companies.
You will be working 5 over 7 including earlies, lates and splits, same rate but usually tons of overtime and Bank Holidays are usually part of your rotas.
You may start on a new starter rate about 20% lower for a short time and you WILL get all the rubbish duties for a year or so.I think its still the same bus drivers had 5.30hs in the cab before a 30 minute break was due but worth checking as I am out of touch with the hours now.
Yes it’s changed its now 4.50 hours driving and 45 min break and 56 hours driving time per week 9 hours per day with 10 hours driving time two days per week I think that’s right
Not correct, domestic rules still apply for stage carriage work. 5 and a half hour maximum pieces 30 mins ( although ours is 35) break 10 hours driving max.
I had one duty this week with a booked 36 min break, to me this is wrong, if you are late in it means you then have to leave late on your 2nd piece.
Also you don`t get paid at our company for up to 60 mins of your break, very few dutys now with any part of your break paid.
The pay rates at our place is now 3 tier, cant remember off hand what the lower rates are but it takes you 3 years to get to top rate £10.57 (i think it is) .
Pay rate is the same no matter what time, day or vehicle.
Had my first go in one of the AS Tronic buses yesterday too, they do make you have to think more! lol.
Yep, domestic rules still apply to local service buses.
3 things I hated about PSV work (both buses and coaches).
1: Passengers, 99% of people are great, 1% ■■■■■■■■ increase the number of people you deal with then you increase the number of ■■■■■■■■ simple maths.
2: Those crappy mirrors, you can’t see bugger all and then they send you into the busiest of places, I drove a bendy bus in London for a short while and how I didn’t kill people is still a fluke
3: That vibration, brrr brrr brrr brrr. Those squeeky jumpy crappy wipers, screeech judder judder judder - still can’t see ■■■■. Useless heaters.
Oops, went over 3 and could’ve carried on but I felt my blood pressure rising just thinking back to those days.
waynedl:
jon boy 100:
irish lorries:
Drift:
For the big companies about £10 to £11 and hour usually straight through no overtime rate unless a local agreement, unions still have a shout on the big companies.
You will be working 5 over 7 including earlies, lates and splits, same rate but usually tons of overtime and Bank Holidays are usually part of your rotas.
You may start on a new starter rate about 20% lower for a short time and you WILL get all the rubbish duties for a year or so.I think its still the same bus drivers had 5.30hs in the cab before a 30 minute break was due but worth checking as I am out of touch with the hours now.
Yes it’s changed its now 4.50 hours driving and 45 min break and 56 hours driving time per week 9 hours per day with 10 hours driving time two days per week I think that’s right
Not correct, domestic rules still apply for stage carriage work. 5 and a half hour maximum pieces 30 mins ( although ours is 35) break 10 hours driving max.
I had one duty this week with a booked 36 min break, to me this is wrong, if you are late in it means you then have to leave late on your 2nd piece.
Also you don`t get paid at our company for up to 60 mins of your break, very few dutys now with any part of your break paid.
The pay rates at our place is now 3 tier, cant remember off hand what the lower rates are but it takes you 3 years to get to top rate £10.57 (i think it is) .
Pay rate is the same no matter what time, day or vehicle.
Had my first go in one of the AS Tronic buses yesterday too, they do make you have to think more! lol.Yep, domestic rules still apply to local service buses.
3 things I hated about PSV work (both buses and coaches).
1: Passengers, 99% of people are great, 1% [zb], increase the number of people you deal with then you increase the number of [zb], simple maths.
2: Those crappy mirrors, you can’t see bugger all and then they send you into the busiest of places, I drove a bendy bus in London for a short while and how I didn’t kill people is still a fluke
3: That vibration, brrr brrr brrr brrr. Those squeeky jumpy crappy wipers, screeech judder judder judder - still can’t see [zb]. Useless heaters.Oops, went over 3 and could’ve carried on but I felt my blood pressure rising just thinking back to those days.
And rattling windows and cab doors stuffed with ticket rolls to keep the noise down and crappy demisters, I believe they banned the bendy buses in London and our company sent them to Malta, they are sneaking into other cities though.
I used to love the ministry being at the bus station as you knew you would be sent back the depot with a minor ticket
I was in Glasgow a few weeks ago and saw a bendy bus working away,dont think I have noticed any for a while.