(sniffs twice)...I smell something funny...

He loves to tease! 

(sniffs twice)...I smell something funny...

Now now Marcus....this is part of the business I don't normally get involved in.  Painting of buses is not part of the Operations side which I am involved in.

Now now Marcus....this is part of the business I don't normally get involved in.  Painting of buses is not part of the Operations side which I am involved in.

(Cowers in corner...for the 4th(?) time!)

(Cowers in corner...for the 4th(?) time!)

Marcus, did you play kiss chase a lot at school 

Marcus, did you play kiss chase a lot at school 

What you talking 'bout?! - I'm in school!

No, never played that. If we did though, I wouldn't need buses anymore...! hehe

Nowadays, playing kiss-chase (or a catch-a-kissy as we called it) at school could be misconstrued as sexual harassment.

How times change!

Cor... a lot has changed in the 50 years since I last played it. Poor little peeps these days

Nowadays, playing kiss-chase (or a catch-a-kissy as we called it) at school could be misconstrued as sexual harassment.

How times change!

Cor... a lot has changed in the 50 years since I last played it. Poor little peeps these days

Did you guys ever play Bulldog when you were at School.

Did you guys ever play Bulldog when you were at School.

Played British Bulldog at Scouts 

Oops! Gone a tad off topic methinks 

Did you guys ever play Bulldog when you were at School.

I vaguely remember Bulldog. Was that the game where, if you got tagged, you stood still with your legs open waiting for someone to crawl through in order to be brought back into play?

Did anyone used to play 'Red Rover' or 'What's the time Mr Wolf'?

Did you guys ever play Bulldog when you were at School.

I think I remember that in primary school.

Hide-and-seek tig was the one my friends and I used to play - after lunch we'd go out on the huge field and run ourselves into the ground.

The fact that it was so big, you didn't even need to hide - just blend in with the others.

Mind it wasn't always fun. Let me tell you a story...

I was hiding with a group of others near a huge oak tree at the very top of the field, in a long line of them. The kid who was on was looking around and saw us, but one of us did a runner down to one of the football goals. He ran out of breath, and assuming he'd outran the kid who was on, he stopped.

Bad move on his part. The kid who was on ran into him in a rugby tackle and they both wound up in the goal and held him on the ground for some reason before pulling him to his feet. I mentioned they were in a football goal? The rabbit who had been caught by the fox got hit by the ball - right in the face.

Nose started gushing with blood...the old games can be unintentionally brutal!

I vaguely remember Bulldog. Was that the game where, if you got tagged, you stood still with your legs open waiting for someone to crawl through in order to be brought back into play?

Did anyone used to play 'Red Rover' or 'What's the time Mr Wolf'?

Yeah thats the one, that got banned in Schools as well I think.

Yeah thats the one, that got banned in Schools as well I think.

There was seemingly a variation at my school where, as you crawled through people's legs, you punched (or nipped) them in the balls.

That variation could also be construed as sexual harassment. 

Yeah thats the one, that got banned in Schools as well I think.

Isn't everything banned in schools now, you even have to wear protective goggles to play conkers.

Even since I left school which wasn't that long ago safety has gone totally OTT.

There was seemingly a variation at my school where, as you crawled through people's legs, you punched (or nipped) them in the balls.

That variation could also be construed as sexual harassment. 

The world is different...sadly.

The really close-minded folk could even view tag (or tig) as 'touching' - whenever we used to play it you just grabbed them wherever you could to get them on. :|

Probably politically incorrect, but 'darn sarf' where I am from and 50 years ago, you were not on you were IT!

Probably politically incorrect, but 'darn sarf' where I am from and 50 years ago, you were not on you were IT!

Thought I'd look like an idiot putting 'it', but that's what we called the person who was on, but in any other context you were 'on'.

If that makes sense. lol

School was certainly different in the 80s and 90s.

I doubt the millennials could hack the daily brutality of school-life back in the day.

True!

British Bulldog consisted of carrying someone on piggy back and trying to pull all other contestants off their piggy backers onto the nice hard wooden floor, harder the better.... oh such fun

True!

British Bulldog consisted of carrying someone on piggy back and trying to pull all other contestants off their piggy backers onto the nice hard wooden floor, harder the better.... oh such fun

We had a variation of something like that within my little friendship circle in around Year 5.

There were 8 of us, and the four oldest would stand while the four youngest would jump on their backs and try to knock everyone else out.

Fortunately I was the oldest, and the kid who I normally paired up with was brilliant at pushing people off. hehe

We didn't get to play it long because the teachers started to get concerned on the safety side of things, but I recall only ever hitting the floor myself once.

However, my partner normally did get knocked off, because even after you'd pushed people over - you just got back together and carried on.

Most of the time I wasn't pushed over, so just ran around like a loose horse trying to push people off myself lol.

I don't like 8272 or 8273. If they get transferred, good riddens!

Cracking buses those 2, only bettered by the volvo B10BLE.

Cracking buses those 2, only bettered by the volvo B10BLE.

Yeah I agree - there certinaly aren't bad.
Riversides and Washingtons are a completley different matter, they are vile.

Cracking buses those 2, only bettered by the volvo B10BLE.

All down to opinion! [emoji56]

I have a weird taste in buses - I get frothy at the mouth when I see a DAF (might make the pilgrimage to Middlesbrough to see one soon).

I think we can all establish the B10BLEs are smashers - can only compare to the Leyland National!

The Volvo B5HLs - awful. They go into snail mode up and down the route to Newcastle!

B9s are very good. Power to the very best, ideal for long and challenging routes.

What else is there? Vykings are nice for a short hop, Lolynes are nice if you ask me!

Pulsars, Eclipses and Solars - all fantastic. Possibly second to the B10BLE?

Cadets are alright I suppose, just don't like 8272/73. Merits are better.

Bendys can clear off back to London.

The standard Mercs are brilliant, smooth on the brakes etc. I would also like to mention, I enjoyed a short ride on 5375 when it did the Lime trials.

Olympians - best deckers in service. The Volvo B7s are very good, but I think one can argue that basically anything that's seen the streets of London hasn't gone beyond 20mph in its life! lol - I think the 21 knocked 'em into shape. Smashing buses, best thing that's come up from London!

Dual Door Renowns just aren't as good as the real things. haha

Versas are alright I suppose, may be alright for the Lime.

Native Presidents are brilliant! Don't mind the odd journey on a Lowlander or ALX400. ALX300s are great, don't know what to say about the Enviro200/300s. I just know I don't like those E400s on the Sapphire. lol

All down to opinion! [emoji56]

I have a weird taste in buses - I get frothy at the mouth when I see a DAF (might make the pilgrimage to Middlesbrough to see one soon).

I think we can all establish the B10BLEs are smashers - can only compare to the Leyland National!

The Volvo B5HLs - awful. They go into snail mode up and down the route to Newcastle!

B9s are very good. Power to the very best, ideal for long and challenging routes.

What else is there? Vykings are nice for a short hop, Lolynes are nice if you ask me!

Pulsars, Eclipses and Solars - all fantastic. Possibly second to the B10BLE?

Cadets are alright I suppose, just don't like 8272/73. Merits are better.

Bendys can clear off back to London.

The standard Mercs are brilliant, smooth on the brakes etc. I would also like to mention, I enjoyed a short ride on 5375 when it did the Lime trials.

Olympians - best deckers in service. The Volvo B7s are very good, but I think one can argue that basically anything that's seen the streets of London hasn't gone beyond 20mph in its life! lol - I think the 21 knocked 'em into shape. Smashing buses, best thing that's come up from London!

Dual Door Renowns just aren't as good as the real things. haha

Versas are alright I suppose, may be alright for the Lime.

Native Presidents are brilliant! Don't mind the odd journey on a Lowlander or ALX400. ALX300s are great, don't know what to say about the Enviro200/300s. I just know I don't like those E400s on the Sapphire. lol

What about Solos, Darts etc?

I don't mind Solo SRs, but the Arriva ones are generally horrible.
MPDs are canny, but other darts are horrid.

What about Solos, Darts etc?

I don't mind Solo SRs, but the Arriva ones are generally horrible.
MPDs are canny, but other darts are horrid.

Solo SRs are alright. Darts are 'meh'. MPDs - death machines.

Arriva Solos, hmm, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt as I've only been on a handful.

Solo SRs are alright. Darts are 'meh'. MPDs - death machines.

Arriva Solos, hmm, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt as I've only been on a handful.

You've been on the Belmont examples - some of the worst examples in their fleet.  

You've been on the Belmont examples - some of the worst examples in their fleet.  

Tom and me saw one at Regent Centre the other day but it got away!

Solo SRs are alright. Darts are 'meh'. MPDs - death machines.

Arriva Solos, hmm, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt as I've only been on a handful.

Have you been on Transbus MPDs?
They are canny motors.

Have you been on Transbus MPDs?
They are canny motors.

571 and 572. Couple of ones at Washington.

Tom and me saw one at Regent Centre the other day but it got away!

Yeah, that was a NHS one?
They are better, and they have speedy Wi-Fi.