Buses and Coaches!

 Disabled Access?

We tend to think and lump together the disabled to specialist vehicles, rather than the ordinary fleets that serve towns and cities across the U.K., because of lack of investment!

Most vehicles are designed for the able bodied and they are up to day with technology and comfort, but they are limited to wheelchair access and other to deal or share with those who are disabled?

We want and claim from time to time that we live in an equal society, but that is not true if you are in a wheelchair or struggle to walk or move in a able way!

The lack of investment is common in all forms of transport and yet crossing into Europe it is a different attitude, with provision being made for all on a equal basis and an ever improving set of vehicles and fleets of all type of transport!

Bus and Coaches. Part-Two.

Internet Access.

The history of the Coach and bus has progressed from moving just people from A to B/Z? Over the years comfort has been one consideration from curtains to smoking facilities? Ventilation to on board toilets and adaptions for sleeping and television.

Today both the single and double-deckers have internet facilities and chargers for all our electronic needs or demands? The coffee bar has been bi-passed and what the future holds is perhaps speed, because there is not much more that one can do with a coach or bus that has not been thought of?

Automated driving may be one course for the years ahead since many vehicles can access toll-gates without the need to stop.  Both the concept of the trailer and the bendy bus has come and gone, trolley buses of the 1950's were advanced for their time, perhaps a double decker bendy bus might be the next idea?

Coaching Stock. Part-Two.

Mark.1 Improvements.

In 1964 a new improved body stock was introduced, known as the XP64. Many improvements were made with new seat designs, ventilation, corridor partitions and the introduction of aluminium. This class only survives today in preservation, but in 1963 it was the basis for the Mark.2 stock.

The Mark.2 stock had fluorescent lighting and pedal bin toilets with all of what the XP64 had. These were built between 1964-66 and laid the way for the Mark.2A-2C stock, these were similar but they again made improved changes in seating layouts now moving away from the old to the new types that are used today.

Again Mark two coaches were passed on to N-Ireland railways and some sold to CIE-Ireland.

Vehicles and Bodies.

Using variety.

It never fails to amaze me how many different types of bodies can be fitted to certain vans such as the Ford Transit and to various, if not all truck models. The plethora and ideas of the human mind to conceive almost every practical use of a vehicle has now been achieved.

When the mass production of the Thorny Croft truck for World-War I (1914-18) was demanded, it only came to fruition in the surplus of the after war years. 

The 1920's saw these trucks appearing as buses, charrabangs, coaches, recovery vehicles and many other weird and wonderful concepts.

Today the pick-up has deliberately been designed to be adapted and is another platform added to what is already established.

 I hope to get up a few more little films of various types of vehicles and their uses of the next few months.

Many Thanks  for watching.

Buses and Coaches. Part-One.

From the Charrabang.

It all started from some rich and well too do people wanting to go out for the day. With the introduction of the Charrabang a open coach based on a lorry, so began modern coaching and that is how it stayed up to at least the 1960's.

The Bus has a different history in that it developed from the horse drawn tram and was more of a Metropolitan mass mover of people, light goods and animals. With the advent of the 1920's and a surplus fleet of vehicles, after World War-I (1914-18) the motor engine bus came to the fore. Early vehicles like their cousins the Electric trams started with open roofs on the top deck.