In Nottingham, 1976.
Another early Leyland National (to go with the Cumberland example posted the other day) seen in Nottingham on Saturday 11th September 1976. The National was nothing if not standardised. The customer could choose either the 10.3 or 11.3-metre version with either one or two doors. Taking a rather starry-eyed view of things, Leyland made a left-hand drive version available for the export market. This bus is of the 1051/2R variant ...10.3 metres with Leyland 0.510 engine (there was no other) with 2 doors and right-hand drive.
Two-doored versions of the short version must have been relatively uncommon, but I believe Nottingham City Transport acquired these buses for a specific purpose ...a free, close-headway, circular service in the centre of the city. There were a number of experiments with free or near-free bus services around the country at this time. By "free", of course, we mean subsidised from the rates. None lasted long in their original form.
The trouble with close-headway urban services is that the headway tends to get closer. Another National on the same service has caught up. The leading bus is probably a few minutes late. Unlucky with traffic lights a couple of times perhaps. The extra wait leads to a bigger build-up of passengers at bus stops. Loading therefore takes longer and the bus is further delayed. As the bus drops behind its schedule, the following bus, with a shorter-than-usual interval ahead, tends to creep up on its predecessor. The matey thing to do is to overtake and pick up some of the load. A failure to do this (known in Bristol Omnibus Co. lingo as "dogging" ...presumably to follow in the manner of a dog) may be resented by the driver of the earlier bus. Fisticuffs have been known to result. A Midland General Bristol FLF bringing up the rear by the look of it.
In Nottingham, 1976.
Another early Leyland National (to go with the Cumberland example posted the other day) seen in Nottingham on Saturday 11th September 1976. The National was nothing if not standardised. The customer could choose either the 10.3 or 11.3-metre version with either one or two doors. Taking a rather starry-eyed view of things, Leyland made a left-hand drive version available for the export market. This bus is of the 1051/2R variant ...10.3 metres with Leyland 0.510 engine (there was no other) with 2 doors and right-hand drive.
Two-doored versions of the short version must have been relatively uncommon, but I believe Nottingham City Transport acquired these buses for a specific purpose ...a free, close-headway, circular service in the centre of the city. There were a number of experiments with free or near-free bus services around the country at this time. By "free", of course, we mean subsidised from the rates. None lasted long in their original form.
The trouble with close-headway urban services is that the headway tends to get closer. Another National on the same service has caught up. The leading bus is probably a few minutes late. Unlucky with traffic lights a couple of times perhaps. The extra wait leads to a bigger build-up of passengers at bus stops. Loading therefore takes longer and the bus is further delayed. As the bus drops behind its schedule, the following bus, with a shorter-than-usual interval ahead, tends to creep up on its predecessor. The matey thing to do is to overtake and pick up some of the load. A failure to do this (known in Bristol Omnibus Co. lingo as "dogging" ...presumably to follow in the manner of a dog) may be resented by the driver of the earlier bus. Fisticuffs have been known to result. A Midland General Bristol FLF bringing up the rear by the look of it.