Plymouth Citybus Mercedes 709 N289 PDV
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- Опубликовано: 22 июл 2009
- This is Plymouth Citybus Mercedes 709 N289 PDV, one of the few remaining 709s in the area. This is seen on a service 34 from Royal Parade to Admirals Hard (Cremyll Ferry). It is rare to see one of these on the service these days, even on the 'later' service which backs up the full 34 to Derriford. It was lovely to be on a proper manual gearbox bus again! Just that bit nicer than an automatic Vario etc. Dear oh dear, me liking something as 'modern' as that!
So much easier in service than a Dart... so much more manoeuverable and you actually feel part of the bus. Top video, well done mate!
Great video I have a limited number of these in my collection.
@CMS206 I couldn't agree more! With a manual you have have all the more control over the vehicle, and you really could chuck these little things around. They're just ideal buses for all situations and its great to see them still lingering on, on core services in 2010.
Thanks! Yes I'm the same with these. They never seem to be in quite the right place at the right time! Or very convenient to go on at that! Luckily this was on the route I use to get home on the Cremyll Ferry and was a lovely change from the normal Enviro, just that bit more excitement if you can call it that!
In Portsmouth we had about 50 Iveco minibuses with a manual gearboxes. They were great fun to throw around. Then we got a few of these as well, but most of us preferred the Ivecos as they were much faster, handled better and had better gearboxes. We nicknamed them a boy racer's bus. Some of the best times I had as a bus driver, but many drivers hated using the clutch all day and wanted to get on the big bus rota or left to go to SC where they had all big buses with auto boxes.
This beasst is now with riverlink
Use to bash plenty of these merc breadvans in years gone bay some with gearstick and some with auto boxes fitted. I remeber some had to be thrashed to get anywhere. One ex-bus driver hated auto-geaqrboxes but I thibnk he's now retired now. Use to work for Manchester Corporation Buses a very long time ago.
What I hated about these Mercedes minibuses where the clunky gearbox, sloppy suspension and awful turning radius. The turning radius is quite large and larger than it is on the Iveco which caught me out as I had to reverse in order to manoeuvre around parked cars when turning into a side road. I didn't think much of them at all and loved the Ivecos by far.