Bus-Related Outings & Reviews

[V671 DVU]

RE: Bus-Related Outings & Reviews
Headed out again today, this is what I rode:

6 Huyton to Liverpool (2719) - Not bad. The engine didn't sound particularly exciting, but it was quite fast and solid as a rock.

487 Liverpool to Birkenhead (2421) - Quite nice. The engine sounded good, it held a great turn of speed and didn't rattle. Interestingly, a ceiling panel towards the front of the bus was hanging by a thread and looked like it was about to fall off!

2 Birkenhead to Liverpool (3004) - Quite poor. It was clearly in safe mode, as it was very sluggish off the line despite holding gears. Rattles were to a minimum, however.

12 Liverpool to West Derby Road (2403) - Great! The engine didn't sound as good as 2402, but it held an excellent turn of speed and rattles were to a minimum.

68 West Derby Road to Green Lane depot (2216) - I was greeted by 2216 at the stop with it's engine turned off, but still with passengers on board. I thought it had broke down, clearly not! It turns out someone had boarded the bus with a pitbull, and the driver switched the engine off until he got off the bus. Eventually, he moved and we could get going! (When I was talking to the man next to me, it seems they were parked up for about 5-10 minutes waiting for him to get off!) 2216 was the same as ever, awful. Rattly, slow and sounds awful.

68 Green Lane depot to West Derby Road (2219) - Average. It didn't rattle as much as some ex Bootle buses, but the engine sounded dreadful.

18 West Derby Road to Belmont Road (2900) - Average. It was once again in safe mode, making it very sluggish off the line. I couldn't hear many rattles, but wasn't really on it for long enough to judge properly.

27 Belmont Road to Liverpool (2994) - To be honest, I couldn't really judge this bus thanks to the driver who preferred to cruise along the road at about 20MPH causing a massive queue of cars behind him... It did seem rattly, however.

472 Liverpool to Birkenhead (34254) - Not too bad. It didn't seem too rattly, but the engine was ruined by a horrid roaring cooling fan.

409 Birkenhead to Liscard (2411) - Quite nice. The engine sounded excellent, and the driver certainly got shifting at some points along the route. It was let down by a few rattles, however.

410 Liscard to Woodside (4000) - Excellent. The engine sounded fantastic, applying kickdown at most occasions. There were a few rattles, but not off putting. My plan was to ride this to Birkenhead, but it turns out it was a short to Woodside. I swear that destination said Clatterbridge on the front of it...

410 Woodside to Birkenhead (2451) - Not bad at all. The engine sounded excellent, and rattles were (very surprisingly!) to a minimum. Sadly the section of the route I used didn't give a chance for the bus to really get shifting.

2 Birkenhead to Liverpool (3001) - Average. It wasn't fast, and it was a tad rattly. Interestingly, we had to be diverted away from Whitechapel and be dropped off on Dale Street due to Duck TSL 931 breaking down in the middle of Whitechapel.

8 Liverpool to Huyton (7629) - I hate this bus with a passion. But, thanks to the dire reliability on Prescot Road routes at the minute I had to board it. Both drivers were very fast, particularly the first one who just floored it down Prescot Road. The bus itself is awful, however. Loud engine, idle vibrations and slipping gears.