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Bendy Buses


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Guest transit

So what happens when you are sat on the seats on the hinge and it goes around a corner?

I get the impression you would feel as though you were sat still but that the rest of the bus is moving relative to you.

Very disorientating.

Probably not recommended for those people who suffer from travel sickness easily.

...basically the rear end was a glorified trailer section , and , yes quite disorientating ! - and had somewhat a novelty value - thats why the seats were usually always occupied by the "younger" generation!

The pic was taken with the bus on a slight turn as can be seen by following the lines of the floor covering .

I remember that when the bus was on full lock , you coud'nt see the passengers on half of the rear section.

What concerned me more was how flimsy the concertina "bellows" were ! - fortunately i dont think there was any accidents !

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What concerned me more was how flimsy the concertina "bellows" were ! - fortunately i dont think there was any accidents !

Those flimsy bellows are fairly standard though on passenger rail carriages so that you can walk the full length of the train.

However, on rail carriages they are only the size of the interconnecting doors

On the tram they appear to be the full size of the tram body as there is no narrowing of the body at the hinged section.

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Guest transit

....found these pics of the original Bendi Demonstrator on trials back in '77 . Often used on the 56 Wybourn route. Through the sucess of the trials , the whole Bendibus saga started in Sheffield !......

http://bit.ly/l7LZBS

the old route 56 Wybourn terminus used by the Bendy , (shown in pic 1) , today ....

http://bit.ly/lePUP1

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...must admit whether you are for, or against , the Bendys - you must admit these LOOK amazing !!!!?....(the purple ones run in York)...

I saw one of these in York this Easter and was surprised to find that the engine seems to be in the rear section unlike the old Sheffield ones where as said the rear was just a trailing box.

I think they look very smart, a couple from the USA were amazed when they saw one, never seen one before they said. When I told them we call them bendy buses they thought it was a very funny name!!!

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This is the story according to my notes from the time.

The first bendy to operate in Sheffield was a Leyland-DAB-Saurer which was left had drive, in a yellow livery and carried temporary reherstration 2474 B. This was trialed in July 1977 and gave public demonstration rides for a few days.

Following this a left hand drive MAN, regerstration MRE 2515 and a right hand drive MAN which was later given regerstration CLM 346T were trialed in October 1977 but without public participation. Both made subsequent visits to Sheffield. These were followed by two left hand drive Volvo B58-55, the first, regerstration FNP 844 in April 1978, the second, regerstration CRG 754 in July and September 1978 again without public participation. The final left hand drive bendy to be trialed was Mercedes-Benz 0305G, regerstration MALH 549 in September 1979 agin without public participation. Photographs of the four left hand drive examples running in Sheffield are extremely rare.

The 'City Clipper' progresively went over to bendy operation from September 1979 continuing until September 1981. Five MAN numbered 2001-2005 (DAK 301-4V/CLM 346T) and five Leyland-DAB numbered 2006-2010 (CRM 927T/FWA 450V, FHE 291-3V) being used.

Bendy operation of the 'City Clipper' was resumed in August 1985 using ten new Leyland-DAB numbered 2001-2010 (C101-10 HDT). Later that year the X91 service to Thurnscoe went over to bendy operation using three Leyand-DAB numbered 2011-2013 (C111-3 HDT).

A few photographs can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/66153920@N03/galleries/72157629482954848/

That takes the story up to de-regulation after which I am not sure what happened. I did though come across Leyland-Dab CRM 927T, FWA 450V & half another at the West of England Transport Collection, Winkleigh, Devon last year http://www.wetc.uk.com/index.html

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This is the story according to my notes from the time.

The first bendy to operate in Sheffield was a Leyland-DAB-Saurer which was left had drive, in a yellow livery and carried temporary reherstration 2474 B. This was trialed in July 1977 and gave public demonstration rides for a few days.

Following this a left hand drive MAN, regerstration MRE 2515 and a right hand drive MAN which was later given regerstration CLM 346T were trialed in October 1977 but without public participation. Both made subsequent visits to Sheffield. These were followed by two left hand drive Volvo B58-55, the first, regerstration FNP 844 in April 1978, the second, regerstration CRG 754 in July and September 1978 again without public participation. The final left hand drive bendy to be trialed was Mercedes-Benz 0305G, regerstration MALH 549 in September 1979 agin without public participation. Photographs of the four left hand drive examples running in Sheffield are extremely rare.

The 'City Clipper' progresively went over to bendy operation from September 1979 continuing until September 1981. Five MAN numbered 2001-2005 (DAK 301-4V/CLM 346T) and five Leyland-DAB numbered 2006-2010 (CRM 927T/FWA 450V, FHE 291-3V) being used.

Bendy operation of the 'City Clipper' was resumed in August 1985 using ten new Leyland-DAB numbered 2001-2010 (C101-10 HDT). Later that year the X91 service to Thurnscoe went over to bendy operation using three Leyand-DAB numbered 2011-2013 (C111-3 HDT).

A few photographs can be found at http://www.flickr.co...57629482954848/

That takes the story up to de-regulation after which I am not sure what happened. I did though come across Leyland-Dab CRM 927T, FWA 450V & half another at the West of England Transport Collection, Winkleigh, Devon last year http://www.wetc.uk.com/index.html

Further checking suggests I may have made an error in my notes with regard to CLM 346T. In the above I said this was trialed along with MRE 2515 in October 1977. I now believe only MRE 2515 was trialed at this time but it was not until September 1978 that CLM 346T appeared. Certainly the PSV Circle do not record CLM 346T as present in October 1977 and Scott Hellewell in his book 'South Yorkshires's Transport 1974-1995' says that at the same time as MRE 2515 was trialed MAN asked SYPTE for assistance in developing a right hand drive version, this suggesting it had not then been completed. I have a picture in my collection, copyright Roy Wilson, of a brand new CLM 346T at the time un-registered on using trade plates which I believe was taken on 24th September 1978 at the South Yorkshire Transport Society Rally. This I now believe was the first time CLM 346T was seen in Sheffield.

The West of England Transport Collection are having an open day on 8th October this year if anyone is interested in viewing the now rather delapitated Laeyland-Dabs in their collection.

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With regard to CLM 346T, I recently purchased a photograph of this branded M.A.N. BENDIBUS and carrying registration plates. No details of where and when the picture was taken but it certainly looks to be at the NEC on the free car park service. My suspicion is that this was probably in late October 1978 when the NEC staged its first Motor Show. Not sure, but this is probably the first time that it saw passenger use.

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Further with regard to CLM 346T. When this was displayed at Norfolk Park on 24th September 1978 it had already been registered and carried BENDIBUS branding. The late Peter Fox photographic collection confirming this. Having been in contact with Roy Wilson it has been established that his picture of an un-registered un-branded Bendibus was actually taken in the summer of 1979. The location he believes is Herringthorpe Valley Park, Rotherham on the occasion of the South Yorkshire Transport Rally, The bus involved was one of 2001-2003 (DAK 301-3V) which had all been delivered by then but were not registered until late in August. Can anyone confirm the date of this rally and the identity of the bendibus?

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Guest bus man

There appears to be some confusion regarding my correspondance with Peter regarding my shot of the unregistered bendi bus.

The photo was taken in herringtborpe valley park at the ROTHERHAM rally it was NOT taken at the syts rally there were two seperate events. The rotherham event was part of rotherham show, indeed the event is still art of Rotherham show.

Hope this clears it up

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The accompanying picture appears widely on the internet and in the book 'Britain's Bendibuses' but it is not clear from where it originated, who took it and when. However it shows a branded CLM 346T without destination blinds with what is certainly the Tony Peart York Pullman Regent III in the background. It would appear almost certain that this was taken on 24th September 1978 during the South Yorkshire Transport Rally. The location does not appear to be Norfolk Park though. We know from another thread that the rally started in Barnsley and went via Doncaster Racecourse to Sheffield. The photogragh could possibly have been taken at Doncaster Racecourse. Can anyone confirm the location and also the date, what presumably is a rally entry number being displayed in the windscreen

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The accompanying picture was taken by the late Peter Fox of CLM 346T.  Interestingly in this picture it has acquired a destination blind, something it did not have in the picture in the previous posting.  It does though have the blind in a picture I have of it that I believe was taken at the NEC in late October 1978.  When this picture was taken is a mystery but I have an unconfirmed report that it returned to Sheffield for a brief period in early October 1978 so could have been photographed then.  Alternatively the picture may have been taken sometime in 1979 before it received City Clipper branding.

As to the location of the photograph two locations have been put forward.  Firstly, Main Road, Darnall approaching the ring road from the Staniforth Road direction.  Secondly, approaching Lady's Bridge from the Wicker.  Anyone willing to say which is correct?  

   

Bendi MAN SG192 Peter Fox Bus pic5.jpg

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In the book 'South Yorkshires's Transport 1974 - 1995' Scott Hellewell says of the articulated buses used on the City Clipper from 1979 to 1981. "As soon as the artics went on the Sheffield streets 'The Star' called them the 'bendibuses' - it was such an appropriate name it caught on immediatly."  Certainly 'The Star' and 'Morning Telegraph' reports of their entry into service on 3rd September 1979 refer to them as Bendiibuses.  Mythodology suggesting this being the origin of the Bendibus name. However, the pictures in previous posts of CLM 346T at what is now confirmed to be Doncaster Racecourse in September 1978, along with those that exist taken the following month at the NEC confirm Bendibus branding was then carried.

It is though possible the Bendibus named was coined by the local press following the 1977 trails.  A trawl of cuttings held by the 'Tinker Lane Transport Library' has though only so far found references to them being described as 'Trailer-bus' or 'Super-bus' in that era.

     

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Aye, they were great until some poor bugger got mashed up by one at Moorfoot.  TBH, they weren't a superbly well thought out idea for Sheffield, what with narrow streets and sharp bends.

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On 15/04/2015 at 21:34, Peter Hall said:

The accompanying picture was taken by the late Peter Fox of CLM 346T.  Interestingly in this picture it has acquired a destination blind, something it did not have in the picture in the previous posting.  It does though have the blind in a picture I have of it that I believe was taken at the NEC in late October 1978.  When this picture was taken is a mystery but I have an unconfirmed report that it returned to Sheffield for a brief period in early October 1978 so could have been photographed then.  Alternatively the picture may have been taken sometime in 1979 before it received City Clipper branding.

As to the location of the photograph two locations have been put forward.  Firstly, Main Road, Darnall approaching the ring road from the Staniforth Road direction.  Secondly, approaching Lady's Bridge from the Wicker.  Anyone willing to say which is correct?  

   

Bendi MAN SG192 Peter Fox Bus pic5.jpg

Comparing the view of Main Road from Google Streetview suggests it is Main Road.

main road.png

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