The Oldies Thread

[bcblue1878]

 

[degsy]

(Could easily go in the Old Photos Thread, but this thread came up first)

Shock Horror The Corpy using a 'Crosville' style bus on the 5 route from the genteel southern suburbs - what foul wool inspired fiendishness is this?

View attachment 329298

Fear not.
In the early 60s The Corpy held trials for a bus to replace some or all of the aging fleet.
5 candidates took up the challenge E1, (shown, E for Experimental) E2, E3, E4 & E5.

The E2 Leyland Atlantean, with its then unprecedented rear engined configuration got the nod...did the Council forsee that with direct access to the driver due to no engine money could be saved by getting rid of all the conductors???

Anyway, many other Councils soon followed suit and the rear engined bus is now ubiquitous around the world...unlike bus conductors.

Leyland Trucks made an even bigger fortune only to squander it - with help from various Governments by taking over the ailing British Motor Industry - that worked out well
10 or so years later there was hardly a bus conductor to be seen.

IMO, it was the slippery slope towards the end of decent public transport*
And a Public Service slowly became a money maker for shareholders...see trains, gas, electric, water.

* tbf, other factors didn't help.

The power of AI & Algorithms - or just coincidence?

Today a youtube Vid appeared in my feed from apparently no where
Short version;
Leyland made 2 rear engined Atlantean prototypes
One with both engine AND door at the back, then decided - wtf were we thinking, then built the proper one and more or less gave it to Wallasey in 1958