Club Arnage

I have read that the Bendy Bus in London has been given the boot, (well done Boris) and now they want to bring back an updated version on the good ol Routemaster.

There is even a compition for the design - £25k up for grabs. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/projectsandschemes/technologyandequipment/anewbusforlondon/default.aspx

The only good thing I heard about the bendy bus, was when there was a problem of London not being viewed as a friendly city. Someone came up with the idea of when the bendy bus went around a corner, it made a sound like an accordion to make people smile.

Found this on the web, think this one is on its way back from HA (where's BobU & SteveB)

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39970000/jpg/_39970653_bednybus.jpg)

Can we have the old routemasters back or have they all been scrapped/sold off?
 Well done to Boris by the way, scrap the congestion charge next! Oh and can we have Concorde and the Hovercraft back too whilst we're at it?

Bloody Luddites.

What's wrong with Bendy Buses?  They are used very successfully in most major European cities. Whilst a Routemaster only has a seating capacity of 70 plus 8 allowed standing passengers, a Bendybus can accomodate 140 plus 20 standing. A routemaster needs a driver and conducter whereas a bendy is a one man opperation which saves money and obviously leads to lower fares.

It's called progress. I have nothing against Routemasters being used for sightseeing tours etc but as a means of mass public transport in the 21st century they are as outdated as horsedrawn buses and hansom cabs.

Scrap them, burn them, give them to Cliff Richard but don't bring them or a similar design back

There's the problem.

Those bendy-buses are foreign and unloved as a result.

The Routemaster is as British as fish & chips.

We tried to export doubdle deckers to the world for years & they were unwanted.

It's just a British thing - accept it and build the modern version.

I saw one last week driving past the High Court in London, then I noticed that everyone was looking at it!

Those bendy bus things have caused more deaths than they're worth

Landman

"Obviously leads to lower fares"

Did it Bob?

are bus fares on bendy buses lower than they used to be?

I suspect several "LAWS" of finance will have been broken if so..

instant electronic ticketing from your Chippinpin cards is the answer to multiple crewing questions, I'd be very surprised if that isnt on the cards.

As a recently instated OldDuffer (Known as Twirleys in Brum, buses start to be free at 9.30 in the morning and the constant cry from US OLDIES is are we twirly? to the 9.30 bus drivers...) I am happy to step out of the traffic queue into the "hey let's go to town on the buzz!" queue.

I doubt if there was an uproar to get rid of motor buses and keep the horse drawn ones

Bob - Do you use public transport ??

Bendy buses are not good for inner city london.

The bendy buses have, in some cases, made traffic congestion worse in London.  Drivers were blocking cross roads and box junctions in slow moving traffic.
Also, they have had a pre-disposition to catching fire!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3563279.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3563279.stm)

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23414664-details/New+bendy+bus+blaze+scare/article.do (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23414664-details/New+bendy+bus+blaze+scare/article.do)

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article85627.ece (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article85627.ece)

Did you know, when you watch a film/TV program, when they want to show that the action is taken in London, they always have a routemaster going past in the back ground. Regardless if it is actually London. Look at the Austin Powers film. It is an ICON.

One year at Le Mans, got talking to one of the guys on the RS Escort stand, he worked for London Transport. The Routemaster were easy to work on and easy to get parts for. He told me the bendy bus, before you take any part off, you check on how long to get a new part, it could range from 3 days to 3 weeks. The were a nightmare to work on.

If you search the web, you can find a list of all the accidents the Bendy Buses have had by certain routes. Most of them are caused by lane changing, by the bus.

If London is congested, why did we go from Double deckers, which use space wisely to these bloody long buses. I think it was Uncle Kens ego that changed them.

Bring back an updated Routemaster.


The other think is, you see the old Routemaster at Le Mans each year. Can't see people will be running down to Le Mans in a Bendy Bus. Unless its to set fire ot it on HA.  ;D

Are you having a f**king giraffe????

They are sh*t.
They catch fire.
They are cumbersome.
They smell and attract rats and tramps.
Tourists want Double Deckers.
They are made abroad and spares parts take time (it says above).
They take up too much space on the road increasing congestion.
They are too big for many London roads, esp in the City; essentially medieval streets.
They have been the cause of several deaths to pedestrians/cyclists.
They are dangerous and cause accidents when changing lane.
They have no soul, just like the Red c**t who introduced them; that twat doesnt drive.
They make our fine unique capital look like any other nondescript Euro-city.
They have poor fuel consumption compared to a modern double decker due to increased rolling resisitance on the road.


What was that phrase about the cost of everything and the value of nothing?  ;) f**k the bendy buses, let's burn them with Red Ken and the politically motivated Board of TfL inside. Failing that sell them to Rochdale Bus Corporation and let's design a fantastic new Routemaster.

What about a Club Arnage Routemaster? Top deck would be a lounge bar area with the one and only "Pub Landlord" dispensing perfectly chilled Stella and a selection of real ales. The only food available would be Walkers crisps, pickled eggs and Ginsters pasties.
The juke box would be well stocked with Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and such like.
Downstairs would be converted into a large storage area for camping gear together with a built in generator to power all the anciliaries (aka fridges).
Anybody got one we can convert to a LeMansMobile par excellence.

Party starts the minute we all get on board.

Tickets please!

Steve

Good idea Steve. 
Us East Anglians have been having fairly serious thoughts about a team bus for a couple of years now.  The current idea is an old coach capable of carrying a car within the rear.  We have someone licensed to drive it, a place to store it and convert it, now all we need is a suitable vehicle and some dosh.  Maybe LM 2009?

Methinks he means one of those "Italian Job" type coaches?

Now that would be a laugh  ;D

What a frigging brialiant idea.

Routemaster Charity Fund needed urgently.

Crates of beer and pallet of bullion.

What, no seats?

Forget the bullion, more beer  ;D

An few ideas of the CA bus.

(http://www.thebusbusiness.co.uk/pictures/Pimms%202/pimms2_1_250pix.gif)(http://www.thebusbusiness.co.uk/pictures/Pimms%202/pimms2_2_250pix.gif)

(http://www.thebusbusiness.co.uk/pictures/Pimms/Pimms_2_web.jpg)(http://www.thebusbusiness.co.uk/pictures/Pimms/Pimms_3_web.jpg)

just need a respray, but a start

How much?

Isn't that a line from the Whos "Magic Bus"

As somebody who works in London, those bendy buses are a pain in the @r$e.  The take ages to walk round when they stop on a zebra crossing.  They're part of Ken's Oyster card miracle.  It fails as all the yobs just get in the rear section and don't pay.

Routemasters failed the first time as the driver can't sell tickets.  Well thats all over now.  The rear platform is dangerous, compared with doors, but it was dead handy for jumping on between stops.

The Routemaster was built by the bus company to work well and to be easy to maintain, quite unlike anything else since.  They cut most of them in half, and put another section in so that they could take another row of seats - and we think that stretched limo's are something new.  And its built of rivetted aluminium, like a Spitfire or a D Type.  I rest my case.

And the £25 congestion charge has gone already.  Perhaps Boris isn't as daft as we think

I looked at this some time back, but found the idea very expensive. £5k to get an old coach - very old. £400 a year for MOT, then 10 mpg. Plus comercial rates on ferry, as it was designed for that purpose. Plus getting it re-plated as a heavy motor car from psv.....
then getting it kitted out.....

We've also considered all those things Phil. 
Ferry isn't a problem as we have an ex-P&O employee / retiree in our mob who is entitled to special rates.
£3-5k spilt across 4 'investors' is probably dooable.
Between us, we have the stills / tools / facilities to carry out a conversion.
We have two drivers with HGV licences.  If we find a small coach / bus over 30 years old and under 7.5 tonnes, carrying around 4 people, a PSV licence is not required (car licence will do).

Design outline:


Looks like they are going back to the good old days, service over cost. i.e second crew member - Good old "Clippy"

Next they will be remaking "On the Buses" - may be a big hollywood block buster.

I just loved them. They are iconic and an integral part of London.

http://routemasterbus.home.att.net/history.htm (http://routemasterbus.home.att.net/history.htm)

OK if you want to get a Routemaster, the one to get is one of the old BEA ones. (http://www.countrybus.org/RMA/RMA_BEA1.gif)

THe reason listed below, the 2nd one is the best.

Here's one on eBay in Alabama, USA.  A bit spendy, but it's already tastefully decorated and comes with a limosuine for those trips to Super U.

LINK (http://cgi.ebay.com/Coach-Charter-Limo-Double-Decker-Bristol-Bus-Company_W0QQitemZ120229692085QQihZ002QQcategoryZ46689QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Then there's the old Smoke City Wheeler's roof chopped party bus...
http://www.aspects.net/~aelliott/bus.htm (http://www.aspects.net/~aelliott/bus.htm)

Here's the ultimate party bus. Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters.

or ................

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers Whiteline Cannonball Express

Steve. You are getting less predictable as you get older. I would have bet money that you'd have posted your old standby magic bus picture by now ;D

I was just teasing you Bob  ;D

(http://angryhippie.com/images/Who_MagicBus2.jpg)

One for BobU and Steve - I'm sure one of you remind me of ones of the kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Etul2mGxU

(http://www.thedoubledeckers.com/ddgang1.jpg) (http://ukrarities.com/images/deckers.jpg)


Not sure which one.

(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/106/304391352_54bb36d348_o.jpg)

My place of work since 1990. But it's an RT (1959 I think) not an RM.

That should read 1949 ::)

You've worked there since 1949???  :o :o :o

 ;D ;) ;D ;)

fair do's Mark

Gary only says it is his place of work

he doesn't say whether he does any there

I rather suspect he does most of his work outside of there

 :)

Anyway Gary

Can we take it to the leafy acres next year?

Within the verdant treelined pastures she would be quite at home I'm sure, just as if she was still in leafy Camden.

 >:D

Blimey - if only I'd known!
I had a meeting with an architect just round the corner from you a few weeks ago.
Coming down for a second meeting shortly I think. I'll pop in a say hello!
Cheers

Steve

Steve,

Let me know in andvance and I'll make sure that I'm in.
Which architect, Shepphard Robson or Glynn perhaps?

I am overjoyed to hear of the end of the bendy.  I was badly injured after an emergency stop on one sent 70 people ploughing into my back.  If anyone can get a copy of the plans for the original R'master, can we submit and win the cash??

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Double-Decker-Bus_W0QQitemZ260258523572QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260258523572&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

Surely this is as close as you could buy to my "dream le-mans vehicle"?

Or this, but I think DFH have a better system

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BAR-BUS_W0QQitemZ120281131317QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120281131317&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

(http://i5.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/dd/97/dd4b_12.JPG) (http://i4.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/dd/97/e99a_12.JPG)

It's just a bus Brad  ???

Where's the bar, where's the toilet for Bob?

There's also very little exposed metalwork left to handcuff Rowena to. Poor show I'd say.

That looks just about what we need, but fitted with a trailer, cause the bus doesn't hold enough kegs to get us through the week ;D

what about the other 5?? dont just pick on little old me  ;)  :'(

So do I.  Mostly because it looks like this one has a price list in it meaning people actually have to pay for their drinks.  :o

Dx

They won't find me, I'm going MIA.  ;)

Dx

the other 5 4 fight harder than you do after a few beers.....
You just fall asleep....

I've got a load of big white cable ties in the Commer that Bill gave me. In fact there's enough for five. Hmmm...  :o ;)

And in the words of Elton John.... "Saturday night's alright for fighting, get a little action in"

How wasteful are you Andy???

I thought there'd be enough for forty five...

Let me know when you need a couple more

 >:D

Andy you could bring them to Queen Vics party and we could all have 3 legged races, how much fun would that be!!  ;D

i love 3 leg races....and if i break my ankle i can be off sick from work for ages  :D please bring them andy....

I thought you were gonna do some nice things to Stuart also, the cable ties might come in handy. ;D

Marius, I've been up for the last hour getting all the special equipment prepared and putting the finishing touches to the "costume". I know our friend The Gimp has some special plans too  :o

A nice length of silk is more traditional, but since they're in the van anyway...  I think there's some eggs and spoons in there too!

Sack race anyone?  :D