Super rare! I drive TWO Atkinson buses. I still ache...
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- Atkinson only made 118 buses, and barely any survive. We found two at Hooton Park Hangars and they were both very hard to drive! Enormously heavy manual steering and one still has a manual gearbox. Hard work!
An amazing driving experience though. Huge thanks to all involved.
XLG 477 is a 1956 Atkinson Alpha with Northern Counties bodywork. It served with SHMD Electricity and Transport board.
WBR 246 is a 1963 Atkinson Alpha with Marshall bodywork, serving with Sunderland Corporation. Initially a 5 speed manual, it is now a 4 speed pneumcyclic semi-automatic.
HubNut merchandise is located at hubnut.org
#busdriver #classicbus #onboard
![Not Bedford VAL: Obscure Twin-Steer Buses and Coaches of the UK [UK Bus History]](/img/n.gif)
As a bus enthusiast, I can’t help but notice that it doesn’t matter the year or country of origin, all interiors rattle the same. Buses aren’t a single moving object, they are more like a collection of loose parts that travel at roughly the same speed.
I love that description. As a school bus driver in the US, I can attest to this.
Rather akin to the Avro Shackleton, once described as "a million rivets flying in formation".
I'd say that's a fair description of even some newer buses.
I'm watching Ian driving old buses. What am I doing with my life 😂😂
Your also watching someone with a Mullet.
He is simply very entertaining.
That's an rv in Carlys mind.... watch this space 😂
How was the manual 🤔
Let's face it. Ian is living the good life and we're all just passengers.
You've definitely un-earthed a star in David. He's an absolute natural orator - please get him 'on-board'.....more often! Fascinating stories, to two fascinating vehicles. I think the folk at Hooton Park Hangers might need to make sure they have plenty of buses available for use at the next running day, as - due to these excellent videos - I think they could be quite busy!
The David Attenborough of busses 🤗👍🇮🇪
He and Hubnut are getting bus preservation out to the people and it might get some to take it seriously.
I could listen to David, and watch footage of his and his friend’s buses, until the cows come home! Another charming video, expertly taken by Ms Hubnut! Top work.
Came here to say the exact same thing…David and his passion is fantastic.
Absolutely, his knowledge and obvious love of these wonderful machines is a joy to behold.
Yet there are plenty of arrogant people who's heads are up their own rears who scoff at these preservation efforts.
Ultra-geeky history point - the leather straps were made by Clayton of Chesterfield. They also made the straps for tube trains. I miss hanging from a leather strap - much better than a cold metal handle.
Some tube trains had handles like very long versions of those spring doorstops (the ones that go doyyynnnggg) with a black snooker ball on the bottom.
My local independant bus company, Venture Transport (Consett) bought 24 of these Atkinson Alphas in four batches of 6 between 1955 & 1957, sadly, none survive
Ps Sunderland's three Alphas were the last to enter service. Number 47 sat in a scrapyard for many and only succumbed to the breakers torch around 10 years ago
The local bus operator near where I live ran a few Atkinson Alphas the fully seated type were always on the Aspull to Westhoughton, via Hindley run. Known locally as the "Flyer" , The other version with fewer seats were known as "standees" and mainly used on worker services in and out of Trafford Park, A relative of mine used to live on the route of these 5 cylinder single deckers and I can still remember the sound as they rounded the corner by my Aunties house. Thank you for refreshing good memories when things were much simpler (I am quite old) and happiness was a bag of chips as we walked home.😋
Lancashire United would have been that Bus Company
@@johndyson7026 Correct! the employers of my late father in law, he worked there through LUT to the GMT years as both a conductor then a driver
By the sound of 'em, all they did was cut one cylinder off a 6, and kept the original timing! That's the worst knock I've ever heard from a supposedly healthy engine!
@@ianhelyar6383 A little more complex than that, but not much: the Gardner engine was modular, with two cylinder and three cylinder blocks assembled into engines, so for the LW range there were 2LW, 3LW 4LW (two twos) 6LW (two threes) 5LW (one two, one three) and 8LW (four twos) This contibuted to the cool running they were noted for.
Love the thro flow ventilation with the shaft.
I note the, "Spitting Strictly Prohibited" sign, reminds me of a limerick.
There was a young man from Ealing
Who caught a bus to Dealing
It said on the door
Don't spit on the floor
So he stood up and spat on the ceiling.
Yes, on French buses, trams and trains,, the notice read, 'Défense de cracher!' When the word came up in an item we were discussing in a French class recently, out of 7 of us, I was surprised to know I was the only student who knew what 'cracher' meant. Also the French for a 'spittoon' is 'un cracheur', which at one time were to be found in streets in France and Belgium. Strange people, the French and their near neighbours.
Just the sound of those Gardners was evocative enough to take me back decades. I'd never have thought as a child that years later I would be looking at video of old buses and reminiscing about the different engine noises!
These old school bus drives take me back to my youth when things like these were not unusual
I drive one time Seddon-Attkinson bus with Gartner engine in Greece at 1986... it was nice...😊
Those wipers that look like they came off a Land Rover are definitely fitted to tick the box of being there rather than serve much functional use. Presumably the gutless 1950’s motor would be overworked with a longer blade, though at least they are both located at the points of the screen the driver probably wants the least rain present on. Guess that fits the overall theme of making driving possible not easy.
I’ve ridden on that bus many a times the 24 seaburn to Thornley close close. Magic
I think i may have seen that one in a few old photos of sunderland funny enough. I know OK travel had one similar, that used to do the 160 etc run on the durham road.
David is so easy on the ear....great listening to him with his vast knowledge.
I know nothing about buses, but in my childhood seeing all these beautiful buses make me smile. Please look after our heritage.
Wonderful tour of oldskool bussage. Lovely of Hooton to share (and Miss Hubnut for filming so expertly). These were the era of buses my 80 year old parents used. Ergonomics have come a long way, the earlier bus looks so awkward to pilot.
I think I've enjoyed these recent bus videos of yours more than the car ones, if I'm honest - they've been great fun and your host is just so informative I could listen to him for ages. More,please! One small point though: on the later bus, was that gauge with the randomly-flailing needle the speedometer?! If so - EEEK! If you ever head over to the East Midlands again, do try and get to the Delaine Heritage Trust Museum in Bourne. They also do bus rides.
That speedometer wants to be a windscreen wiper when it grows up.
@@cmjones01 I've just spat my tea over my keyboard!
A few made it to Australia with local bodies and the A badge.
The newer one sounded like a muffled Leyland Leopard or Royal Tiger Worldmaster and even had the square dials.
I notice they have three bolt holes to fit an AEC style nut guard ring if you want. It would look good.
Years ago there was a twin steer four axle Atkinson flatbed truck I used to see sitting on a compound next to a train line in Sydney. It looked to be late 60s early 70s vintage.
Owner has AEC Nut Guard to fit or even a real Atkinson example to fit soon
@@johndyson7026 stick the AEC ones on the 33ft Marshal bodied one, and the Atkinson version on the older one that has no badge.
London Transport used them on their RTLs and Metrobuses, so not outlandish and painted matching green will look great.
Excellent video and listening to David is a real pleasure.
I thought you drove those two old buses very well. I know how hard they could be. I was possible to do clutchless gear changes, with a bit of practice, this actually made the workload a little less. Kind regards Dave Barnes from Southend on sea
In his book about North Western, Peter Caunt describes the Atkinson Alpha as the fastest Coal lorry on the road.
I really enjoyed this - thank you all the Hubnuts! As someone who went to school on Gardener powered busses I must say the 5 is rather gnarly, but the 6 is so sonorous. I’ve always liked 6es.
In Africa definitely in Zimbabwe what was Rhodesia, many Bus operators still have and operate the old AVM Bedford busses. I think they were from the 70s
Watching you handle that bus and how it was vibrating the bones out of you. Reminded me
Of those busses.
Unfortunately I don’t know their actual model names/ numbers…
Here in the North East the slogan "Shop at Binns" always sounded more like a command than an advert.
Did a tour of Atkinson's from school in 1969. They had some unusual products, including an airport fire tender which could do 0-60, fully loaded, in 11 seconds. 😀
Great video and amazing to see two Atkinsons of that era side by side. Full marks to the owner for their superb condition - and to you for being brave enough to take the hot seat. A lot of drivers in those days had probably been in the army so were used to heavy vehicles and dodgy road surfaces!
Hi from Preston, the home of Atkis, didn't know they made bus chassis, now I do. Know a few old bods that worked there, another big employer that went in the early 80's.
My father worked there from 1967 until the bitter end - I was even born within sight of the factory!
"Do you know how fast you were going there sir?"
"Er..."
Not very.
"Shop at Binns" brings back fond memories. Although I would rather walk where possible than suffer the foetid, smoke-laden air of public transport vehicles of the time, I have probably been a passenger in that bus.
ah, happy memories, we called it the little green bus, Ashton to Mossley.
Occasionally drove for a coach operator based in Wembley who had an Atkinson coach, a 1972 experiment. A Ford chassis, Cummins engine coupled to a 10 speed Allinson auto box, a Plaxton body for a Ford with a slightly higher floor at the front so didn't need a dome over the engine and angled steps gaining an extra seat row but 4 steep steps. Had numerous issues as had the Ford air over hydraulic brakes not designed for an auto box, overheating and fade a problem, a 12/24v electric system resulting in often only half the batteries fully charging if the 12v interior lights on for a long time. The auto box designed for US trucks had various settings such as missing out alternate gears or just using a set range. It was a one-off thankfully that Atkinson had sold off as not a viable coach chassis. The operator got it for Peanuts 1 year old.
Atkinson Bus & Coaches chassis ceased production in 1964. Both SHMD & Sunderland would have bought more if they could.
@@johndyson7026 As I said an experiment to attempt to counter the rise of Mercedes and Scania but front engined (more space for side lockers than an underfloor and a boot). Not properly thought through as was common with many UK manufacturers at the time leading to the collapse of all but the specialist vehicle manufacturers.
@@tonys1636 I'm almost sure you're taking about DNM167D, new to Bob Janes' Whitefriars Coaches. It was nothing to do with Atkinson at all. The Cummins engine and Allison gearbox were as used in the Dodge K (although the engine was also used in the Ford D1000), The front axle was to the pattern used on Guy Big J wagons and the whole thing was to Bob Janes' specification. I have a scan of the road test when new if you'd like it.
Brilliant ,two rare Atkinson buses,there is also a haif cab Atkinson decker based at the Manchester transport museum
I remember back in the 90s when I drove an MAN 19.240 dump truck with Eaton Fuller tranny. No syncromesh, double clutching as well and hard to operate. My knees are still aching ! 😂😂
👍 for Miss HubNut's moving soliloquy.
Brilliant Video
Ian and Carly and thanks to David and John for allowing you to drive these two rare buses.
I do enjoy these bus reviews and in the 1950s the bus drivers must have been fit but people were tougher back then
Great to see.
When you want to show what a bus is like - a suggestion, please, when on board, show us a start from rest or two, so we can appreciate the sounds nicely - WBR bowling along on an A-road doesn't really convey that.
Nice video, thanks for sharing.
Thanks. We filmed WBR in rather a hurry, so it was a bit of a truncated test.
Absolutely brilliant video Ian miss hubnut ❤👍what a beautiful piece of history brilliant
Your videos just keep on giving, I hope you soon see 200k subs and well beyond. The down-to-earth, easy-going approach you take to mechanics, engines and the fact that you prominently also feature a woman Miss HubNut makes this content even more enjoyable and relatable. Keep it up team!
Used to love the old style Pnemocyclic gear changes on the old Midland Red Leopards.
Hooton not far from me. I'll have to go and see them. when the rain stops.
It's only the next village from me but I still haven't been!
Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley, Dukinfield...Manchester's answer to the Bermuda Triangle. With an extra side.
One feature on buses of this era which seems verey odd now is that they don't have front indicators - just extra-large indicators on the side panels, which shine forward as well as sideways. But from some angles they can't be seen, so in certain situations there's no way other road users can tell which way the bus is going to go. And aren't the rear lights teeny-weeny little things! These features were pretty much standard on buses - most of them seemed to use the same off-the-shelf components - until the Leyland National came along, which finally moved the thinking into the same sort of territory car design had occupied for a few decades.
Yes, indicators were rather woeful!
Good mirror observation but you'd probably fail your PCV on 'palming' the steering when straightening up.😀
I can't understand why anybody wants to drive them either. The Sunderland bus was very similar to the ones we had in Blackpool right up to the late 80's at least thanks to Blackpool's tight-arsed council - that's as well as a few Leyland PD3's which were just as bad, no thanks to poor maintenance at the time.
I think the single deckers were AEC Swifts, honestly can't remember now but If you think the steering was heavy on those try driving them around tight back streets with a full passenger load. I have suffered with lower back pain for years since and I'm convinced they are the cause of it. I won't be happy until every single one is scrapped.
I drove the Commer with the engine in front. That was heavy too. But it has a pre-select gearbox. I have also driven a modern Volvo, what a difference! Thanks for the video it brings back a lot of memories.
Hooton station is a good point to turn a bus with no power steering. Loving these bus videos Ian ☺
Love the random speedo on the second bus !!! 😂
As a kid I would have ridden all the SHMD buses you have featured, especially this XLG which ran along the end of my road. Thank you.
13:15 Ahh the old Lucas lighting, with its three positions of off, dim or blown.
buses buses buses. old buses. I love old buses.
having spent 2004-2013 in Thailand I can tell you the Hino equivalent of these old gems were the backbone of cheap transport around Bangkok. many a night with the wife just riding around on them going nowhere enjoying the ride.
and I remember buses like these in the 70s run by the Provincial Bus Company down here on the South Coast. real nostalgia trip Ian.
As a rule of thumb, for bus passenger carrying purposes, 15 people with shopping bags weigh an average of 1 tonne. Son60 passengers are a 4 tonne payload.
Wouldn't fancy that with that steering!
@@HubNut Yes. I have full respect for bus and lorry drivers of past generations. Imagine driving one of those, perhaps with a crash gearbox too, for 12 hours every day. No thanks. Even modern bus drivers work hard enough.
Thank you both for the video.Thanks to David and John for the history and allowing you to drive them. Bet you were tired afterwards
Cracking video. The old SHMD bus would be the bus of my dad's childhood, travelling regularly to Ashton, having grown up in Mossley before moving to Blackpool in 1960. The Sunderland bus is very reminiscent of the Marshall bodied AEC Swifts of my own childhood, owned by Blackpool Corporation Transport, along with their Metro Cammell bodied Leyland PD3 Titans and East Lancs bodied Atlanteans
Most of Blackpools Swifts had identical glazing and a very similar outline. Marshall had developed the style for the BET group and it featured on many chassis, with bodies also by WIllowbrook, Park Royal, Weymann and Metro-Cammell, with some lookalikes by Strachan, Pennine and Plaxton.
David's passion is infectious. That five-pot Gardner has a gorgeous warble!
Synchronistically, of course I was just watching a 1969 episode of On the Buses. Love these examples and respect the work that has gone into preserving them. Also realised one should never cross the road in front of a Bus when it's raining. Wiper deficient.
Ian was obviously too exhausted to bother with wiper tests.
I think On the Buses used mainly Bristols! I always thought there was scope for some bawdy humour, but it never seemed to happen! Jack and Stan missed a trick there!😂
I’m so loving these bus videos Ian and total respect for your driving which looked very tough. Also great camerawork from Miss Hubnut!
Looks like hard work. Imagine having to drive that and deal with passengers all day too! In 1990, my school bus was some sort of early 70s Bedford. It had a manual gearbox and no power steering. It looked a very physical thing to drive.
Fascinating stories and driving experience videos as always with these old buses 👍🏻
lovely old busses .
As a bus enthusiast and a driver in the West Midlands Ian it's about time you made a new channel called BusNut I think
Entirely happy to keep dropping bus content into the main channel on an occasional basis. I love how popular the bus videos always are though.
So to get fit all you need is a old bus with a manual transmission and no power steering. Those buses are lovely old things and beautifully restored.
Fabulous to see, some work out, brilliant to see these machines surviving, being well cared for and running on the road
Excellent video, its great these busses are kept in driving condition and looking so tidy. Top stuff, best wishes.
The Gardiner engines sound so lovely, and so very nice to see you driving around our beautiful Wirral, even if it's the Cheshire bit! Thanks for the oainful experience, love to see these old buses.
With a mechanical throttle (rod operated) or hydraulic throttle Gardner throttles were extremely heavy as you are in essence directly compressing an extremely heavy spring in the fuel pumps all speed governor, “ Gardner knee” was definitely a thing. Matters didn’t improve until until air throttles were specified, before then the trick was to jam your foot under the brake pedal to keep the engine speed up. And yes, the old school bus drivers were built like Popeye, and I suspect they needed their spinach
That's still a creditable survivor rate when you consider there are just two out of two hundred ex WMPTE (MCW bodied) Bristol VR's preserved - and those are 20 years younger!
Lovely old buses Ian. Remind me of when I was a lad.
What a great video again 😄
Yes, powersteering is nice thing to have in heavier stuff like buses and trucks... 😅
Brilliant, really enjoy these bus videos 👍
The speedi on the second bus was dancing a bit!
David is a natural and his passion just oozes out of every word. A great video and what could be the makings of a new channel!
I love the old Sunderland one as I’m from there
Great that these buses are kept alive.
You wouldn't say that if you'd had to drive them for 8 or more hours a day with passengers, which made them even heavier. Hated the sight of them ever since.
Those Atkinson engines sound so delicious.
I learned to drive I the army on Bedford RLs with no syncromesh gears, manual steering and air brakes, I was a 17 year old kid who had to wear lead boots in windy weather.
The wagons were classed as HGV3 back then. The licence was a black passbook sized book, in 1972.
Love the flappy speedo.. oh you're doing about.... between 0 and 30 mph
The dials on the SHMD Board bus look like the Leyland binnacle arrangement.
The centre entrance would have made it difficult to subsequently convert that bus for OPO. Unless you added a door at the front.
Love it! Attempt at split screen, excellent comedy editing. I could smell those buses!
That's just what I sensed when they climbed aboard. That smell of years of old tobacco smoke, with a hint of hot oil and diesel. Lovely! 😀
What amazing buses!! It’s lovely to see people restoring these old buses, so that they can be seen, heard and driven!!! A lot more evolved than the modern buses I’ve been driving for the last 5yrs!!! Great video!! Keep up the great work!! Take care.. Loving the bus content!
Thoroughly enjoyed watching this Ian! Great to see you having to muster the demands of driving not one but two Atkinson buses in a day. Early in the video it was mentioned that Atkinsons were better known for making lorries...with that I was wandering whether you could make a video of driving an old lorry. Just an idea🙂
The 'rhotic'' Lancashire accent is sadly disappearing. I'm a generational example but it takes me back and feels homely.
Excellent and very well done. Plus many thanks to David and colleagues who keep these jems going.
Forcing poor Grannie up and down those steep steps with her shopping bags and all… what were the designers thinking?
Low floor thinking was a long way off sadly.
Lovely old buses they don't make them like that anymore
another great video has always Ian and Carly miss/mrs hubnut and hublets and hubmutt 👍
More content like this please 🙏
You should drive an old Seddon Atkinson truck, same as driving a bus but heavier when fully loaded, best eat ya Spinach beforehand 😂
Great video Ian - love your bus adventures
Loving the recent bus content 👍
Well done Ian, great bit of driving,I love those old buses....bet you enjoyed that. Carly great filming too.
Did anyone notice the massive 'Triangle of Doom' as a result of the oddly located neaside windscreen wiper on the SHMD bus?
The driving technique on the older bus 108 reminds me very much of the all-manual Leylands operated by Leicester Corporation. Very different from Midland Red buses which had pre-selector boxes with a stubby little gear selector and I think they had power steering and a brake servo as well.
The red and black moquette seat covering on the Sunderland bus does look rather like that used on LT buses from the same period. And the slatted hardwood floor covering looks very similar to that used on LT RT and RM buses and older tube trains built up to the fifties.
Great videos of these old buses, explaining about their history and then driving off in them. Love it !!
Excellent, I really loved the industrial sound of the five cylinder - especially on the downshift😁
This is fabulous! Thank you for giving us a tour and drive of both buses. They're fascinating.
Wonderful video and buses. Exhausted me watching you drive though 😂😂
"Shop at Binns", I remember seeing that on many buses in Newcastle at one time😎
I briefly remember that to the late 80s Darlington Corporation transport had a fleet of Atkinson buses too with Gardner engines in the rear sadly now all gone but I think a few from the former Darlington Corporation transport survive in private ownership 😊
Perhaps you're thinking of Daimler or Dennis? Darlington had no Atkinsons, and no Atkinson PSV was rear-engined.
@@chrisg6086 yes I think they were Daimler fleet line buses I think I was in error saying that they were Atkinson buses thanks
As well as Daimler Fleetlines and Roadliners Darlington had a dozen Seddon Pennine RU on M plate. These were made after the merger with Atkinson, but were produced complete in Oldham.
You need to get in touch with the people trying to reopen the Wirral Transport Museum in Birkenhead and do a visit and report…..
Well I found a 1948 Reel Mower in the bin and said, "Well this will clean up nice!" After one or two runs up through the grass I was knackered and said the same thing. Men were men.
Micklehurst, near Mossley, Tameside, Greater Manchester, on the Destination Board. The vehicle has a Cheshire number plate (LG), the badge confirms it to be one of the SMHD (Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield) fleet. Yet another SHMD bus with a central entrance/exit, similar to the SHMD Daimler double decker featured previously by Ian and David. Most single deckers of the 50s and 60s had a front entrace.exit, meaning the vehicle could be one man operated. Until an Act of Parliament was passed in 1966, prior to that it was illegal for a double decker bus in the UK to be one man operated. After the Act was passed, the first double decker bus specifically designed for one man operation was the Mancunian, introduced in 1968 in Manchester, it featured separate entrance and exit doors similar to the Sunderland bus featured
I could feel your pain there, driving position on the older one looked horrible, I'd have wanted to be much closer to the wheel, at least no triangle of doom (but possibly a desert of disappointment?), thanks so much for a classic piece of Hub Nuttery !!!!