BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

My regret is that I never got to (first hand) experience the original "slant back" RTS; to this day, they remain my favorite of the "Torpedo" family (back in the 1980s, "HOT WHEELS" offered two versions of the "slant back", one as a transit bus, and the other as a school bus-----I have both versions!)

Of course, when "slant back" buses were later retrofitted with the new a/c units at the rear, that distinctive look was lost.

Since the retirement of the last "En-Jay-Tee" RTS (NOVA) a number of years back, I also lost all interest in the "Joisey" fleet.

Ahhhh, if only the "powers That Be" at the "Em-Tee-Yay" had purchased "Torpedoes" from the start, instead of putting all of their corprate eggs into one baket, with the ill-fated "Borough Bomber" GRUMMANS...............

"NYO"

["Rapid Transit Series"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Right on the mark, for sure:

In the excellent little book, "THE BUS WE LOVED" (London's Love Affair with The Routemaster) by travis Elborough, used this less-than-flattering description for the then-current London buses, that, indeed, indeed hot home here in the States, regarding modern transit buses.....

".......modern buses are depressing and oftimes bizarre. Their designs indicate trouble minds: seats on different levels, lurid playpen fabrics and color schemes, seats back to front, straps at unusable heights, and extruded plastic at every turn,........."

"......the 'Bendys' have all the appeal of the inside of a HOOVER attachment......"

"........many modern buses looked deformed and bulked-out, as though pumped up on steroids......."

Right on target, Mr. Elborough......

"NYO"

["2 HAMMERSMITH-VICTORIA STN"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B;

Good one!

The WORST modern-era London buses (in particular the double-deckers) are those whose front ends (from top deck to bottom) is all glass, and gives the front end of these hideous buses the look of a transparent loo seat (WC)

Beginning in the 1960's, LT saw many boxy double-deckers enter the fleet; they might not have had the "elegance" and "dignity" of the classic "RT" and "RM", but they at least LOOKED like buses, and NOT mutant spawn from another solar system...........

BTW:

In London, the infamous "Bendy" buses, like our "Borough Bombers" were not in service for long; they were all removed from service, as (sounds familiar?) a number were either breaking down while running a route, or catching fire.

Not surprisingly, when a number of "new age" double-deckers were performing miserably back in the later 1980s/early 1990s, London ended up buying back a number of old "RMs" that had been sold off to operators outside of London.

Recall, also, the convoy of Fishbowls and "Dangerfields" heading north from "Dee-Cee", to fill in for the ailing "Borough Bombers", back in the early 1980s...........the old tried-and-true to the rescue (again!).......

"NYO"

["28A CHELSEA-UXBRIDGE STN"]