Contrary to popular belief, buses are surprisingly maneuverable due to their relatively short wheelbase compared to their overall length

On the contrary, I've heard it said that your average Streetdeck has the turning circle of a bus.

(08 Aug 2022, 9:12 pm)Unber43 wrote They can manage, but that doesn't mean they should be going down there, especially that single lane bridge where both directions are blind bends.

And how else would they serve rural communities without taking ridiculously long diversions?

Realistically the driver will take it slow (as should oncoming drivers, because things called road signs exist), and there won't be an issue.

(08 Aug 2022, 9:58 pm)mb134 wrote And how else would they serve rural communities without taking ridiculously long diversions?

Realistically the driver will take it slow (as should oncoming drivers, because things called road signs exist), and there won't be an issue.

Buses drivers do in my experience its car drivers, my driver had a close call on the tiny bridge today as it was coming around at about 20mph this car came flying down and the driver, and just past Burnopfield we were again going around 20mph as the bus could barely fit in the lanes with on coming traffic going quite fast. 

While buses do use that route and have been for years that doesn't mean they should.

(08 Aug 2022, 9:58 pm)mb134 wrote And how else would they serve rural communities without taking ridiculously long diversions?

Realistically the driver will take it slow (as should oncoming drivers, because things called road signs exist), and there won't be an issue.

I'm quite local to where he's on about. The place is locally known as "Yellow Waters" and is situated between Hamsterley Mill and Burnopfield. While I have witnessed a car lying on its roof whilst driving on that road (probably a speed related incident), it is nowhere near as bad as he's making out. Buses have used it for many decades. It is safe.

(08 Aug 2022, 10:03 pm)Unber43 wrote Buses drivers do in my experience its car drivers, my driver had a close call on the tiny bridge today as it was coming around at about 20mph this car came flying down and the driver, and just past Burnopfield we were again going around 20mph as the bus could barely fit in the lanes with on coming traffic going quite fast. 

While buses do use that route and have been for years that doesn't mean they should.

While I appreciate on the bus the gaps may seem right, realistically professionally trained drivers do the route daily without incident as far as I'm aware. You're going to get idiots in cars on all roads, but generally as long as the bus driver is being sensible there won't be a huge issue.

(08 Aug 2022, 10:03 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I'm quite local to where he's on about. The place is locally known as "Yellow Waters" and is situated between Hamsterley Mill and Burnopfield. While I have witnessed a car lying on its roof whilst driving on that road (probably a speed related incident), it is nowhere near as bad as he's making out. Buses have used it for many decades. It is safe.

Oh, that's the road he's talking about!
Back when we lived up in the area we would use that road several times a day, and never once had a problem with it. The roads are windy, but unless you're an absolute lunatic there's no way you can really get up to any speed that would be 'dangerous'. Plus, other than one of the corners (that I can remember), visibility is pretty good along the road, and they're wide enough to the point a bus wouldn't really cause an issue.

IIRC, and it's been a while since I've been along there, the bridge is actually just about wide enough to get two 'normal' sized cars through at once (in a squeeze). But, unless you're literally blind, you can clearly see if anything else is coming down the other side

(08 Aug 2022, 10:03 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I'm quite local to where he's on about. The place is locally known as "Yellow Waters" and is situated between Hamsterley Mill and Burnopfield. While I have witnessed a car lying on its roof whilst driving on that road (probably a speed related incident), it is nowhere near as bad as he's making out. Buses have used it for many decades. It is safe.

If it's the place I'm thinking of, I'm sure I've been along there on a decker at some point and the driver handled it fine. Obviously a bit tight on the bridge, but plenty of signage and space if you take it slowly IIRC?

(08 Aug 2022, 10:11 pm)mb134 wrote While I appreciate on the bus the gaps may seem right, realistically professionally trained drivers do the route daily without incident as far as I'm aware. You're going to get idiots in cars on all roads, but generally as long as the bus driver is being sensible there won't be a huge issue.

Yeah when i've been on the drivers have been really good, but the road still isn't designed for buses even tho they've been running down there for decades I wonder if any X71 have broken down, if one brake downs there it will be bad.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/186695346@...st-2k7WJoo

You know, since I'll probably be up in the area tomorrow, I might risk my life and see how dangerous this route really is. If you don't hear from me after tomorrow, you know it didn't end well

(08 Aug 2022, 10:03 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I'm quite local to where he's on about. The place is locally known as "Yellow Waters" and is situated between Hamsterley Mill and Burnopfield. While I have witnessed a car lying on its roof whilst driving on that road (probably a speed related incident), it is nowhere near as bad as he's making out. Buses have used it for many decades. It is safe.

'yellow waters'?

Piece of pi$$

(08 Aug 2022, 10:21 pm)Unber43 wrote Yeah when i've been on the drivers have been really good, but the road still isn't designed for buses even tho they've been running down there for decades I wonder if any X71 have broken down, if one brake downs there it will be bad.

From my experience 6346 or something like that was stuck there for a few minutes since it overheated before limping to Burnopfield to wait for an engineer a few months ago.

(08 Aug 2022, 10:21 pm)Unber43 wrote Yeah when i've been on the drivers have been really good, but the road still isn't designed for buses even tho they've been running down there for decades I wonder if any X71 have broken down, if one brake downs there it will be bad.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/186695346@...st-2k7WJoo

Obviously circumstances might not allow for it, but you'd imagine that if the bus was failing on the way down to that bridge the driver would see sense to pull up beforehand or try and limp it just up the other side where recovery would be easier. It's no different really though to any sort of vehicle breaking down there - arguably better as a bus is easier to see. 

There are similar places on some of ANEs routes, the X14 in particular, and from experience drivers in the area tend to know to take those sorts of locations with care.

(08 Aug 2022, 10:28 pm)mb134 wrote Obviously circumstances might not allow for it, but you'd imagine that if the bus was failing on the way down to that bridge the driver would see sense to pull up beforehand or try and limp it just up the other side where recovery would be easier. It's no different really though to any sort of vehicle breaking down there - arguably better as a bus is easier to see. 

There are similar places on some of ANEs routes, the X14 in particular, and from experience drivers in the area tend to know to take those sorts of locations with care.

Plus, I'd imagine if a bus completely died on the way down it'd have enough momentum to cross the bridge and at least pull over to the side.


Another thing is roads always look and feel more 'dangerous' when you're a passenger since you don't have the feeling of control, the same as when you launch a car, it always feels faster as a passenger than it does as the driver.

I think I know the bridge you mean and I can think of potential problems for all sorts of roads. I was on a coach that conked out in the middle lane of the A1(M), once. Now that was scary.

If buses started using the Cocken way, I would raise an eyebrow, but that road is pretty hairy.

(09 Aug 2022, 11:58 am)BusLoverMum wrote I think I know the bridge you mean and I can think of potential problems for all sorts of roads. I was on a coach that conked out in the middle lane of the A1(M), once. Now that was scary.

If buses started using the Cocken way, I would raise an eyebrow, but that road is pretty hairy. 

Pretty sure DCC had a bus that went down that way once.
I followed it a few times, but could never find out the route or timetable.