Spot on throttle blip on the upshift @ 3:04, perfectly matched and synchronised to road speed going up that hill. Love listening to the lovely whine coming from the transmission
Gardner engines perform better at low revs but in lorries they were always flat out because the low power to weight ratio but they still have long life, reliable running and exceptional fuel consumption.
As a bus driver of today, I am only able to drive horrible Enviro 300s. I wish I was a bus driver in the 70s/80s as I would be driving these VRs, not having to deal with annoying free pass holders and having to deal with less traffic on the roads. I got my PSV in August 2001 and drove a VR just after I passed my test as part of the vehicle familiarisation regime. Back then, I actually enjoyed the job, but even over the last couple of years, the job has got progressively worse.
The usual gearbox is a self changing gears (SCG) gearbox. They;re usually semi-automatic transmission and the fleetline/VR drive axles gives out the screams in 3rd and 4th gear. SCG gearboxes do sound different on Atlanteans as it tend to have a different drive axle and a leyland engine too.
@fgh456pc Gardner engines were built to last. We had an '90 H reg Leyland Olympian with the Gardner and it just touched a million miles before she went. The interesting thing is, the engine never needed any attention whatsoever. A 58 plate Enviro200 we have, has already had the pistons removed and a new crankshaft fitted. A lot to be said for modern crap. Don't make them like they use to and it breaks my heart.
You are right about the quality of the Gardner engine, I've ran them for a million and a half miles (not km's) with original parts , they do perform better at lower revs the driver in the video wasn't showing it any mercy but they still take it, we've lost our way with this new engine crap.
Hard not to have a soft spot for the old VR with the clunky Gardner engines and whiny gearboxes. I can't see myself sitting here with a shawl in 20 years time getting excited over a video clip of an Optare Solo. Can anyone tell me why they have alternating sliding/pull back windows?
I am guessing that when it's a hot day and it's raining, the pop out windows are most effective. I have had a sliding window open in the rain and sometimes the rain does come in, refreshing but slightly inconvenient!
Clunky Gardners no built to last. Leyland 510 is the click clackiest of them all. Worst engine ever. Best sounding got to be in Bristol re the leyland 680.
Following on from my previous comment, us bus drivers have to deal with large numbers of free passes, and many of these types of passengers are the worst. 99% of problem passengers have been free pass holders. Video cameras watch our every move and now we have microphones recording what we say. Soon a device will be fitted monitoring our driving and I fear we will be forced into driving so sedately it will become agonising. The job has changed so much to the point I dislike the job. I hate it.
Good old beast from Eccles under the bonnet the Garnder 6LXB engine. On many buses from 1970s to 1988 in the UK. Fleetline, VR, Metrobus, Dominator, and Olympian.
@1100HondaCB As a passenger on buses I have noticed that it is also mainly free pass holders who don't say thank you to the driver, and also drop the issued tickets. The younger generation are mainly better mannered. I always will thank the driver when I get off, they are people and deserve respect. Also here in the North West we have eco driving monitors on how fuel efficient you are, that is recorded.
Drivers here in Hull never let the revs drop before changing up or down, giving everyone whiplash lol. I heard doing this can really knacker the gear box up. They did it on Nationals too.
@video47 Bus driving isn't getting any easier with the likes of traffic and now stupid ideas such as eco rubbish. Many people I work with were bus drivers long before privatisation and say it was far better then. Bus drivers like myself work long hours (I'm at work for nearly 13 hours a day and only get paid for 10) and get treated like dirt by the management. The pay is okay, but not brilliant and I will never have a decent standard of living from being a bus driver, just reasonable.
