I haven't been able to go on many bus trips to events this Summer but the odd really good one makes up for some of them that have been predictable. I'm not a big preserved railway nut and nor do I like rows of static buses in a field somewhere for the people who collect perfect but not very authentic photos the way some collect numbers. I like lots of rides too and an interesting lively place and Weston super Mare was just the ticket especially in the lovely weather. Not many would cite Bristol Omnibus as their favourite BTC company but it is with preservationists and1952 Bristol KSW L8089 is an excellent example of the breed.
Ahh the Bristol K, an icon for my childhood holidays. Living in a BET highbridge area the lowbridge format was certainly a novel experience and added to my holiday adventure.
ReplyDeleteNowadays I make sure that I ride on one at at any running day that they appear. This year the ride "experience" was marred by the (youngish) driver being totally unable to cope the the "crash" gearbox and doing something that required waiting some time en route for roadside assistance.
Knightrider
Well Knightrider you might have been too young but when I was there in 1967 M&D had a pair of lowbridge Park-Royal bodied AEC Regents at Maidstone. But as you say the more inflexible BTC operators standardised mainly of lowbridge models whereas the more locally controlled BET subsiduaries didn't buy them when they were not required.
ReplyDeleteNot too young, just didn't live in a part of their territory where lowbridge vehicles operated. Family days out afforded the opportunity to "spot" them but not ride on them. Could never understand why I wasn't allowed to ride around on my own and meet up for the return journey home!
ReplyDeleteKnightrider
I was lucky as from a very young age I was allowed to go off on my own on the buses going out on Midland Red Day Anywhere tickets when I was eleven or twelve and even big bad strange London was no onstacle just one year later. I never hot murdered once or sexually abused but unfortunately as everyone at last admits boarding schools were far more dangerous places for the latter.
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