Hello and welcome to my channel. My name is Jake and I've been a bus enthusiast since the age of 4! I've worked in the industry since 1997 and I'm currently the owner of several old preserved buses and London Metrocab taxis. I cover a variety of subjects in the videos from bus ownership to company and vehicle histories. Some people talk about but this channel is very hands on and my preserved buses feature heavily. In 2011 I formed the Southern Counties Omnibus Collection with a group of like minded friends. We are now a registered charity and all the money raised from this channel goes directly into looking after old British buses. Come with me on a journey back into the glory days of the bus and coach. Thanks for looking, hope you enjoy the videos.
I use to travel to many places in Britain and Ireland on Irish Transport Trust trips some over a long weekend on 1591 on a Leopard that was constructed from parts recovered from buses sadly destroyed in the troubles here in Northern Ireland. In 1978 Ulsterbus built two such buses and they were given Alexander X type bodies the standard UK body work. They built two complete chassis from the recovered components many a happy day i had in that vehicle i am a bit older now and suffer from a lot off pain now so I am not fit to in the time I did on those days traveling the way I use to. As far as I know the vehicle is still in preservation. A very good video i very much enjoyed it.
Devon General in red was based in Exeter with routes to Sidmouth, Exmouth, Torbay and to Plymouth and Okehampton. Western National in green was based in Plymouth operated in the whole of Cornwall, North Devon and to Torbay and Exeter.
There was also a DG garage on the Newton Road past Torre Station on the right hand side heading out of town. It looked after the open top Sea dogs and the single dockers that ran routes around the Warberries, Lincombes and Meadfoot Sea Road.
Harry Blundred ran Sunbus in Queensland using lots of minibuses, after aquiring existing bus companies there. He was somewhat controversial from memory.
I lived in Oxford for many years and went on his minibuses many times which he ran under the name Thames Transit,not to be confused with Thames Travel, but in the end normal sized buses dominate the Oxford streets again.
I thought National Holidays was the first NBC company to be privatised followed by Badgerline? It’s not often I’m right and I’m wrong again. Loved this episode Jake. Thank you. Safe travels.
@@smogmonster1876 Hi @smogmonster1876 Yes you are right. I should have said Devon General was the first bus company subsidiary to be provided. Off hand, I can't remember if any vehicles were involved in the National Holidays sale.
I thought National Holidays was the first NBC company to be privatised followed by Badgerline? It’s not often I’m right and I’m wrong again. Loved this episode Jake. Thank you. Safe travels.
Some of the Sea Dog Atlanteans passed to East Yorkshire. Former owner of East Yorkshire Peter Shipp also started his career at Devon General, moving to EY in 1980
A bit tangential, I know, but in 1969 4 Willowbrook bodied Atlanteans were diverted from Devon General to Yorkshire Traction. Resplendent in Devon General livery, but with "Tracky" fleetnames, they were an jnteresting sight in South and West Yorkshire until they were repainted into the duller local scheme some time later.
I was on the engineers at National Travel SE in the '70s. We had a part time driver who's nickname was "danglebadge" (like the example at the top of your images). Ha ! Ha ! 😊
Wonderful Jake ... you can never have enough versions of the National !!! Ps i love Pacers too ...being a Manchester resident ...bounced around everywhere on them over the years ....much missed
Always interested how do you scour parts for rebuilding older buses? Are the manufacturing parts or machine parts still around or is it a case of getting a company to build parts? Always interested but if it’s enthusiast secrets by all means!
@@NextSound170 I my experience a lot of the minor parts such as Air systems, fuel systems and cooling systems use standard parts which are still very much available. My Gardner engines have parts that are still available from Gardner in Canterbury. A lot of the bearings are out there and can be obtained too. Anything else we tend to make up ourselves or get made up by an engineering company
Conductors badge GG45758 issued April 1979, Drivers badge GG40110 issued August 1979. Still have them and wear them, nai ly when driving preserved vehicles these days.
@everyone Ahh, see I knew you'd all remember your numbers. Your badge numbers are a bit like a national insurance or military service number, and you have to write them on all the forms (normally!). I'm loving reading all your comments.
I've still got my driver's badge from the 60s and I still remember the number - HH39658! I also had a conductor's one but I can't find that one. I had a replacement badge after a while, HH45372 issued by the Western traffic commissioners, Gaunts House, Bristol. I worked for the Western National, Plymouth depot. Good times but long, long ago!
Dad said that being a engineer he passed his test as part of apprenticeship and had a PSV and a HGV but never a badge. And london country started to do enamel badges of vehicles.. Dad still has his National(LN/SNB's) badge. And said he's proud of you..
MM85719 . Scotland. Unfortunately, my ex-girlfriend binned my badge about 20 years ago. As a coach driver, it got us perks like a meal at the motorway service stations.
I use to travel all over the North East on United and they all had them and caps with the NBC symbol on it but not as many liked to wear their caps.Reg Varney and Stan had those badges.I don't recall Blakey having one but maybe Inspectors didn't need to wear them?
During and after deregulation of bus fleets up and down the country they certainly were passed around like hot potatoes lol, ive never known such a period of take overs and bus companies come and go like back in the 80s & 90s
@@JakeSCOCyes like London central they were a London buses coveting southwest London I was based at the brook (V) and bush (s) I was big bus OPO but done some RM/RML crew work on the 9/94
These were the buses of my youth - the East Yorkshire fleet was full of them. I remember them being incredibly drab inside. Their last day was in 2004 I think, running the 115 route in Hull.
I think the reason buses at bus companies are ok with open stabling is they're driven daily and don't sit in the sun for too long without moving. Washing is also essential. Sitting in the open for too long is the concern with open storage. Being in the shade of a large tree or trees keeping the sun away is an advantage as well, so long as you wash the bus and a thick layer of debris and sap doesn't form.
@@jamesfrench7299 Undercover is definitely preferable 100%. One of the issues with outside storage is you spend so much time washing and dealing with leaks that it's hard to find time to do other jobs.
@@JakeSCOC it's also preferable to find uses for the bus A to keep it active and B to try and claw some income to at least go towards upkeep. Any way you can.
The bus at 2:45 was one of 30 10.3m buses for M&MTB (Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board) delivered in 1975. They had ZF gearboxes. Later on an additional unit entered the fleet (10.9m I think) from an aquired private bus operator. This had a semi automatic box and the shorter roof pod. It was the only one painted in the rebranded government Melbourne MET livery of green and yellow. Hobart in Tasmania had about 60 10.3m units delivered in 1975/76 with a solitary 10.9m bus delivered as a warranty claim I think. The orange bus was one of ACTION Canberra's earliest batch of 10.9m Nationals built in 1974 and fully imported from the uk. The majority built in 1975 were assembed by Sydney bodybuilder PMC (Pressed Metal Corporation) a then Leyland owned subsidiary from CKD kits all with the newly introduced short roof pod. I think this was among the first to get the facelifted pod design. In my childhood suburb of Eastwood to the north west of Sydney, two of my local private bus companies ran Leyland Nationals. One was Deanes Coaches who had 8 ex Leyland stock and the other was Cumberland Coach Lines (Later rebranded Metro West Bus Lines) who had 3 ex Leyland stock built 1976 but purchased 1978. I have memories of Nationals from both companies going through Eastwood shops! Amazing memories. I no idea at the time these were everywhere in England. These were just local buses to me. Here's a superb pic of a Deanes Coaches example mo682. It's similarity to the ACTION livery is no coincidence. It was inspired by it. www.flickr.com/photos/25653307@N03/2689178764 Here's one in the Cumberland scheme. www.flickr.com/photos/41378227@N04/4116039027 A Metro West one. www.flickr.com/photos/25653307@N03/2689181460/in/photostream/lightbox/
“This Christmas instead of asking for socks and aftershave, ask for sealant and lubricant instead. Well maybe not lubricant as that might give the wrong impression” 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Now that was funny. Good advice Jake. Interesting video. Thank you. Safe travels.
@@smogmonster1876 Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it and no, don't ask for lube. I don't want to be responsible for marriage problems! I fix buses not relationships 😂
If you can use two pack on your restoration (pricey) then outdoor storage would be ok as far as paint is concerned ,I would love my own bus a nice metro or leyland Olympian. ECW bodywork ,now next video how to prepare and old bus driver (me) for winter and no jokes about underwear 😂😂 Cheers Mark 😊😊
What where the Northern General rebuilds? the only alterations I can think of were the removal of the centre door and the side lights/indicators been replace with a different type and an access hole for the ease of use of a tow bar
@@TheWacoKid1963 So Northern played a key part in the development of the phase 2 National. They moved the batteries to the front and made the pod small to aid weight distribution. They also modified the electrics too. I'm sure they did a few more other modifications too.
@@JakeSCOC Just watching a hat gave me chills Jake. Safe travels Jake and can’t wait for the Devon General video. Long long time yet before my area (United Automobile Services. Take care
As someone who had to suffer 141/2/3/44 as my daily rail journey to work, I REALLY hate them! They were a lousy replacement for the superior comfort & ride of the older DMUs. I did enjoy the LN2 though!
@@craigryan3069 I can see that on a daily basis they could be a bit of a bind. And nothing really compares to a proper comfy seat. But as I only saw them on occasional trips to the north I guess it was the novelty factor for me.
