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God, it takes me back....

TEMPL4R

TEMPL4R

Posting Guru
Heather got two Books for me, the Story of Trent Buses by John Banks and pictures by GHF Atkins.:) I put 2 pictures here to show you, all rights the property of messrs Banks and Atkins.

The Tow Truck I used to drive when I turned 21, Milly, a 6x4 AEC MILITANT and 2 AEC MANDATORS, ex Artic Tractors that Myself and Stewart Ross initially overhauled before going to Central Works for bodying. They went to Langley Mill and Nottingham, to replace 2 AEC MATADORS.

Milly did 32 MPH in 10th gear. The noise was intense.

Chris :sobbing:
 

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I remember seeing them and you were probably driving Chris, but I don't remember you waving;)

Funny thing is I do love catching a Trent bus and I will be using them next weekend on my visit to Derby:) I suppose I will have to suffer them blue/green buses in the city at some stage too:(

cheers, Tim
 
There was on old Trent double decker parked in the Belper bus garage for ages, and it was only moved about 6-8 months ago. I used to see it regularly as I was working in Belper until september last year. It was parked in the far right hand corner (looking from the A6) I remember going to work on the bus one day and an old boy was talking to the driver about Trent buses (he was obviously a retired driver) and as we pulled into Belper bus station he was well pleased to see one of the old buses he used to drive:)

cheers, Tim
 
Often going to Belper and Matlock up the A6, Tim.:)

Milly was painted Red and Cream last time I saw her. Probably been scrapped now. She wa Obsolete when we had her. She had a change of lifting gear and Air Assisted steering fitted.

We had an ERF with a Cummins later on.

Chris
 
Well, a quick search shows Milly is in Private hands, she was at the AEC Show in 2001 and 2002. I wonder where she is now?

Militant GSU 841 1958 The former Trent recovery vehicle with bus body 5


Chris
 
Now... here's a thing.

I was sat next to the IT director of Trent Busses (now TrentBarton) on a flight back from Munich a couple of months back. He'd been to look at a new ticketing system in Germany.
 
si_guru said:
Now... here's a thing.

I was sat next to the IT director of Trent Busses (now TrentBarton) on a flight back from Munich a couple of months back. He'd been to look at a new ticketing system in Germany.
Click to expand...


NO NO NO don't please
we are about to be given another new ticket system WITH GPS tracking
means I am now going to have to complete all my runs and behave myself!!! oh and learn to press some new buttons!:D
 
TEMPL4R said:
They went to Langley Mill and Nottingham, to replace 2 AEC MATADORS.

Chris :sobbing:
Click to expand...

From early 1979 to late 1999 I worked for East Midland Motor Services at Mansfield, now part of the Stagecoach group. For about the first 10 years or so our recovery vehicle was an old AEC Matador. It would go anywhere, snow and ice, nothing would stop it. During very bad weather, two of us would go out for full shifts doing nothing but recovery.
 
Didnt Trent buses have a depot at Willington??...I remember going to it when it was creating quite a glow in the night sky
Cya
Mungo:)
 
charliedenny said:
oh and learn to press some new buttons!:D
Click to expand...

But think about itm, that will be a weeks training ocurse with lunch privided, another exam at the end, including a health and saftey lecture in the correct way to push said buttons....

Well it will be if it is anything like my company :(


Cheers
 
toppa said:
But think about itm, that will be a weeks training ocurse with lunch privided, another exam at the end, including a health and saftey lecture in the correct way to push said buttons...

Well it will be if it is anything like my company :(cheers
Click to expand...

I wish 10 Min's in the training room with 7 other sweaty drivers! with the words if you make a mistake the shorts will be removed from your wages!!:eek:
 
What engines Chris? My mate has a few similar trucks but not sure of the drive system. They have Gardner engines and may be ERF? I will get pics.

Alex
 
mungo said:
Didnt Trent buses have a depot at Willington??...I remember going to it when it was creating quite a glow in the night sky
Cya
Mungo:)
Click to expand...
That was the small Blue Bus Company, Mick. Mainly Dennis Lolines, IIRC. Just to the right heading for Repton. Our big fire was around 1980, lost about 20 Buses.

They had AEC engines, Alex. The Militant was an old 1950s engine, around 10 litres I think, the Mandators had the 12.4 (? 740 ?) litre, one had a 6 speed box, the other a 10 speed range change.

The Buses were Gardner LW and LX, Leyland 350, 400, 410, 500, 600, 680 , L11.

We inherited a few AECs when we took over North Western at Buxton and some Horizontal mounted Gardners and Bristol BVWs and I think ,one Perkins, when we took over Midland General.

We could never understand why they chose AECs and an EFR with a Cummins, when we had stores full of Leyland and Gardner spares.

The first pictures are at Meadow Road, where I was based, the Mechanics there passed on all they knew and put me on the road to what I know now, to which I am eternally grateful. Brilliant Engineers, sadly missed.

Chris
 
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