Visiting Buses at Worcester

Vehicle and Fleet discussions for First Midland Red Buses Limited or its predecessor, Midland Red West Limited.
DD12
Posts: 1650
Joined: 19:49 Monday 4th July 2016

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by DD12 » 16:21 Thursday 1st September 2022

Just seen 37486 being towed (at speed) up the Bath Road by a "Sparrow" truck, -- possibly not the best route home if he was in a hurry (but he may have known of a delay on the London Road - ?)

In it's place, on the patch is 69463.

TimBrown
Posts: 1280
Joined: 05:59 Monday 4th July 2016
Location: Worcester

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by TimBrown » 15:42 Friday 2nd September 2022

I am just guessing, but seem to recall something in the past about the pedestrian foot overbridge on the London Road dual carriageway close to the College for the Blind being a tight fit for any vehicle close to 16 feet tall. How high is a double decker at the front when on suspended tow? Also, are there any low trees in London Road?

Alternatively, the driver may have been using his satnav.

One other question is about the Southern Link Road as I don't very often drive in the St Peter's area, is this reasonably free-flowing now the dual-carriageway has been opened; I guess it ought to be OK off-peak, but what about the morning and afternoon 'rush' when the schools are back next week?

DD12
Posts: 1650
Joined: 19:49 Monday 4th July 2016

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by DD12 » 16:36 Friday 2nd September 2022

..... Very good point about the bridge Tim -- -- I was walking by it a few years ago when a laden car transporter stopped on the approach to it and the driver asked me if I'd "watch it through for him" -- which I did, but it was awfully tight, and the car drivers behind were furious ( - something to do with NOT wanting cars to fall on them !!)

So I should have remembered !!

Also a few years ago, one of our extra tall Volvo Citybus DDs was being towed on the Bath Road, -- it's rear-end was swaying (too much) and it somehow managed to pass under a low, very strong, tree branch ( - SOMEHOW !!)

DD12
Posts: 1650
Joined: 19:49 Monday 4th July 2016

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by DD12 » 16:39 Friday 2nd September 2022

TimBrown wrote:
15:42 Friday 2nd September 2022


One other question is about the Southern Link Road as I don't very often drive in the St Peter's area, is this reasonably free-flowing now the dual-carriageway has been opened; I guess it ought to be OK off-peak, but what about the morning and afternoon 'rush' when the schools are back next week?
So far (school holiday) the modified roundabouts at the Ketch and at Powick seem to be working well, but I shall be interested to see how they cope during Malvern and Upton show days and Motorway closures, Mon- Fri, -- --
I am hoping they will help towards a revival of route 44 !!

TimBrown
Posts: 1280
Joined: 05:59 Monday 4th July 2016
Location: Worcester

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by TimBrown » 17:29 Friday 2nd September 2022

Keep fingers crossed that all the £millions spent over the years on the Southern Link make it work at last. I always thought it should have been built to 'motorway' standards with slip roads in the same way as the A449 Northern Link, pity the Western link was never constructed as this would have relieved the Southern one!

Mechwr26
Posts: 114
Joined: 22:30 Sunday 7th August 2016

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by Mechwr26 » 10:50 Saturday 1st October 2022

37486 returned home after having a new set of timing gears fitted. It's back breaking work on a decker due to the limited height of the area where I do them. Started instantly and ran really well on its road test.
69463 arrived as a runner but had huge crankcase pressure problems. I ended up replacing the turbo, compressor, water pump, oil pump, pistons, liners and crankshaft bearings. There's another one due next week from Leicester with a hole through the side of the cylinder block.. I'll try and remember to get some pictures as I do this one.

bmmoboy
Posts: 549
Joined: 20:02 Tuesday 5th July 2016

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by bmmoboy » 21:41 Saturday 1st October 2022

Don’t forget to charge double for this work as we are now part of West and Wales and not Midlands!

Mechwr26
Posts: 114
Joined: 22:30 Sunday 7th August 2016

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by Mechwr26 » 00:55 Sunday 16th October 2022

Here's one that came last week from Leicester. 69381 landed here with 2 big holes in the cylinder block due to no4 conrod throwing itself out of the game. I've got a spare block hidden away but due to time restraints ( I'm leaving again to spend winter in Portugal the first week of November) it was decided to fit a used engine from a volvo FE7 truck. Easy enough to get out but there is a huge amount of parts to swap over to make it bus spec. Runs quite well after another set of injectors and one of my Italian tune up road tests.
Attachments
FB_IMG_1665877612768.jpg
FB_IMG_1665872770707.jpg
FB_IMG_1665872761397.jpg
FB_IMG_1665872791787.jpg
FB_IMG_1665872795967.jpg

DD12
Posts: 1650
Joined: 19:49 Monday 4th July 2016

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by DD12 » 11:24 Sunday 16th October 2022

Great info and photos, thanks Mechwr26 !!

I hope you have a splendid time in Portugal, and is there any chance you could get yourself cloned before you go, so we have someone to keep up the good work ??

Also, now that First Midland Red / WR is in a different management structure or division, will the engineering management change too ??

Mechwr26
Posts: 114
Joined: 22:30 Sunday 7th August 2016

Re: Visiting Buses at Worcester

Post by Mechwr26 » 14:39 Sunday 16th October 2022

Hi DD... there's a bit of a staff shortage at the moment and it's not going to get any better next month.. We've no idea who our new engineering director us going to be. I'm hoping Carl Woolley stays but it's unlikely.
I'm assuming things are going to be a bit different next year when I come back to the UK. I'm hoping there's going to be a position for me but there are lots of other jobs around at the moment that pay a lot better...

Post Reply

Return to “Fleet Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests