Hnnnnggg
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Can you speak Flemish Stu?
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I can’t speak Flemish, however I am ok with French! 
De Lijn is the Transport Provider for the Flemish part of Belgium. 
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Just remembering the bus I was on meeting the same service coming the other way.
The buses stop, drivers wind down their windows.
(please forgive my spelling)
Bombaclaat!
Bloodclart!
(much laughing)
and we carry on up the road.
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What a beautiful machine. And that grille badge… 
I do remember ‘bus races’ in the early days of deregulation and privatisation. The decline in service meant people who could normally rely on the bus had to buy a car.
It must be said that we were out in the sticks; the Cunt Kentryside.
Anyhoo; this is a brilliant little video. Sometimes it take a pair of eyes from outside to see what’s happening…
As far as Council Owned operators, off the top of my head I can think of Translink in Norn Iron, Reading Buses and Lothian Regional Transport…
Ps: I am glad he mentioned poor labour conditions and pay.
I was speaking to a driver working for a small independent. I looked at his Duty Card and noticed they had a Meal Relief somewhere quite remote with fuck all in the way of facilities. And I mean fuck all…
I asked if there was some kind of Meal Relief Facility provided. They laughed and said no…
I guess that means sitting in the bus to eat a meal and hope there is a public shitter open somewhere…
Interestingly I was told that the company was staffed by a number of ex Military and former Long Distance Lorry Drivers. A hardy bunch. The hours are long as well. Nothing much below 11 hours time on duty…
Something to consider when encountering a ‘grumpy’ Driver I guess…
Fucking hell. 12.5 tonnes of bus spinning.
Privatisation means fragmentation; routes used to be checked before service- especially important in adverse weather conditions.
Now it is a case of drivers being sent out and finding something like this…
Change of trousers probably necessary. Good luck finding facilities to carry that out!
I’ve some stories of my own…
Never knew this was a thing
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Fascinating video, that. I am glad that one of these have been preserved.
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Saw this pic on t’internet the other day and thought you might like it. 1949 AEC. Beautiful 
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The Burlingham Seagull bodywork is one of my favourite automotive designs. Elegant with- in most cases- some beautiful details.
I am a Leyland Man, so I can’t really comment on the AEC Reliance chassis that vehicle sits on… 
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Trying to find information on the first* AEC Reliance I rode on a school trip to France…
Thia might have been it. One of the last with a rare bodywork for any British chassis of the time:
To be honest, I prefer the Leyland Leopard…
*actually, it wasn’t. School “swimming buses” were ex British Airways\BOAC Reliance with Willowbrook bodywork…
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Oh shit.
General Motors “New Look” transit bus, nicknamed the fishbowl because of its bulging multi piece windscreen.
Over 44,000 were built from 1959 to 1977(USA)1985(Canada). There are still small city transit systems with them in operation
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I don’t usually do American stuff, but this is a real design classic and I would fucking love to drive one.
Many had the Detroit Diesel two stroke engine fitted as standard…