horsencart
master brummie
There are three things that are disappearing from the streets of Birmingham they are
1 Telephone boxes,
2 Public houses,
3 The Birmingham built M.C.W. Metrobus it is the last item that I wish to talk to you about today
The Metrobus could not be described as beautiful bus it does not have graceful lines as some of its predecessors , Guy Arab, Leyland PD3, just name two, and to some the engine is in the wrong place (at the rear) and the entrance is at the wrong place (at the front) its only saving grace is that it was built in Birmingham at Common Lane just off the Washwood Heath road, at the M.C.W. (Metropolitan Cammwell Weymann) works if I may talk off this works for a moment,
This factory that built in its time a fair number of buses is due in time to be demolished, it is empty at the moment the factory will be knocked down to become a large housing estate, I would love to amble around this building before it is demolished just to take a few photos before this piece of Birmingham industrial history goes for ever but enough of the factory,
When the first Metrobuses came on the scene in Birmingham 1978 They were ran by W.M.P.T.E.(West Midland. Passenger, Transport Executive) then by T.W.M Travel West Midlands ) and now by N.E.W.M. National Express West Midlands ) come back B.C.T. Birmingham City Transport) all is forgiven,
It has been said that there are only about 180 Metrobuses still in service on the roads of Birmingham if you would like to see the type of bus I am talking about then please go to https://my.bus.photos.fotopic.net/c1433945.html
National Express West Midlands have said that the Metrobus will have disappeared by 2010, the Metrobus was manufactured from 1977 until 1989 with over 4.000 example being built, there was the Mk 1 model and the Mk 2 model production of the Mk 1 continued until 1985 for London Transport, a total of 1.440 being built for London Transport, the last Metrobus in London was withdrawn in 2004,
The last Metrobus to be built was for Strathclyde Buses MB70 (G4080GD) it has been said that towards the end the buses were not built as best the production of the Metrobus stopped in 1989 with the financial collapse of MCW
So Birmingham is the last gasp of the Metrobus in any numbers a sad end and how does it rate today in 2008 not to bad some are not looking their best and in need of a repaint this will now not happen as they are all living on borrowed time and at least one a week goes to Barnsley to be scrapped the bits taken from the dead bus will go to keep the present fleet on the road things like glass, seat frames, panels and other bits and pieces,
If one breaks down you do not need a computer to tell you what is wrong with it as you do with the modern buses all you need is a good fitter, if you see a modern bus on the side of the road that is broken down the driver is possibly waiting for it to cool down as when the bus gets excited it will stop and not go on till it has cooled down ,
When the last Metrobus has left Birmingham there will be a number still in service with small independent bus operators, thankfully there are a small number that have been preserved the street of Birmingham will be a little bit sadder for the loss of the Metrobus it is hoped that there will be a last day of the Metrobus in operation day in Birmingham,
When that day dawns and the last Metrobus has gone home this will leave my with a couple of options do I then say that’s it there are no interesting buses left in Birmingham it is time to hang up my camera or do I say carry on photograph them as normal I will of course know on the day
1 Telephone boxes,
2 Public houses,
3 The Birmingham built M.C.W. Metrobus it is the last item that I wish to talk to you about today
The Metrobus could not be described as beautiful bus it does not have graceful lines as some of its predecessors , Guy Arab, Leyland PD3, just name two, and to some the engine is in the wrong place (at the rear) and the entrance is at the wrong place (at the front) its only saving grace is that it was built in Birmingham at Common Lane just off the Washwood Heath road, at the M.C.W. (Metropolitan Cammwell Weymann) works if I may talk off this works for a moment,
This factory that built in its time a fair number of buses is due in time to be demolished, it is empty at the moment the factory will be knocked down to become a large housing estate, I would love to amble around this building before it is demolished just to take a few photos before this piece of Birmingham industrial history goes for ever but enough of the factory,
When the first Metrobuses came on the scene in Birmingham 1978 They were ran by W.M.P.T.E.(West Midland. Passenger, Transport Executive) then by T.W.M Travel West Midlands ) and now by N.E.W.M. National Express West Midlands ) come back B.C.T. Birmingham City Transport) all is forgiven,
It has been said that there are only about 180 Metrobuses still in service on the roads of Birmingham if you would like to see the type of bus I am talking about then please go to https://my.bus.photos.fotopic.net/c1433945.html
National Express West Midlands have said that the Metrobus will have disappeared by 2010, the Metrobus was manufactured from 1977 until 1989 with over 4.000 example being built, there was the Mk 1 model and the Mk 2 model production of the Mk 1 continued until 1985 for London Transport, a total of 1.440 being built for London Transport, the last Metrobus in London was withdrawn in 2004,
The last Metrobus to be built was for Strathclyde Buses MB70 (G4080GD) it has been said that towards the end the buses were not built as best the production of the Metrobus stopped in 1989 with the financial collapse of MCW
So Birmingham is the last gasp of the Metrobus in any numbers a sad end and how does it rate today in 2008 not to bad some are not looking their best and in need of a repaint this will now not happen as they are all living on borrowed time and at least one a week goes to Barnsley to be scrapped the bits taken from the dead bus will go to keep the present fleet on the road things like glass, seat frames, panels and other bits and pieces,
If one breaks down you do not need a computer to tell you what is wrong with it as you do with the modern buses all you need is a good fitter, if you see a modern bus on the side of the road that is broken down the driver is possibly waiting for it to cool down as when the bus gets excited it will stop and not go on till it has cooled down ,
When the last Metrobus has left Birmingham there will be a number still in service with small independent bus operators, thankfully there are a small number that have been preserved the street of Birmingham will be a little bit sadder for the loss of the Metrobus it is hoped that there will be a last day of the Metrobus in operation day in Birmingham,
When that day dawns and the last Metrobus has gone home this will leave my with a couple of options do I then say that’s it there are no interesting buses left in Birmingham it is time to hang up my camera or do I say carry on photograph them as normal I will of course know on the day