(25 May 2015, 12:29 am)GMitchelhill wrote Since we are talking about buses struggling up steep banks. Shibdon Bank in Blaydon is a pretty nasty one, though nearby Birch Road is even worse.
Mind speaking of Fell Bank (My Auntie and Uncle actually live near the top of it in one of the bungerlows.), I remember going up it in Leyland Olympians (before the bypass was built) on the 551. One thing that could be said about the Cummins L10 / Voith combo is that they loved climbing hills, which is why the type was focused on Winlaton depot. (Though Metrobuses were based there (along with High Spen) when they were new)
Mind saying that, I believe Percy Main (and Wallsend) depot was never allocated Metrobuses either, but not sure if this was to do with the double bank between Wallsend (Church Bank) and Rosehill (Rosehill Bank), or just for the face that North Tyne depots didn't want them. Mind some have escaped onto the 301 (covering a breakdown), and Deptford examples used to escape onto their workings on the 310/319 (particularly Mk1 Metrobus 3516).
For a long time, VR's were used and operated via Birtley Lane and Lord Lawson.
When Portmeads Way was opened up on it's entirety, then they changed the route, so it went up Fell Bank.
Unfortunately, I never got to experience Fell Bank on a VR, heading up. Just a VR Metrobus heading down it.