Motoring Discussion > Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Falkirk Bairn Replies: 12
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 Thu 9 Dec 10 18:06 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - Falkirk Bairn
www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motoringvideo/8191628/Is-this-the-Stig-of-bus-drivers.html

That's how to do it!!
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 Thu 9 Dec 10 18:28 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - Bigtee
The great advantage it's got is the weight and probably new tyres.

It was more slush than snow and how many stick it in 1st and floor the car and go nowhere.
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 Thu 9 Dec 10 19:44 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - RattleandSmoke
Plus buses have stupid amounts of torque. They have 10 litre engines in them and the modern double deckers use 12 litre engines.
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 Thu 9 Dec 10 19:59 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - NortonES2
12 liters with lots of torque, and max revs at about 2400 rpm (when I had some dealings with a fatality involving a MAN 10 litre truck in a garage) - but the issue is controlling the torque, which amongst car drivers is apparently not universal:). It probably helps that the bus has some form of auto gearbox and maybe winter setting so it has all the torque of a Jazz but at 800rpm?
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 Thu 9 Dec 10 20:51 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - -
>> had some dealings with a fatality involving a MAN 10 litre truck in a garage)

Wasn't around 1988 at Ramsbottom was it?

Good bit of steady constant driving though, can't beat a competent driver and RWD.
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 Fri 10 Dec 10 10:17 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - NortonES2
Thats the one GB. Seems so long ago, but not for those involved I dare say.
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 Fri 10 Dec 10 20:50 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - -
>> . Seems so long ago, but not for those involved

Ah i did wonder, should never have happened like that as you well know.

What you may not know is that the workshops refused to have that truck in the depot after the incident, and they swapped my tractor for that very one...so that one you investigated became my regular vehicle.
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 Fri 10 Dec 10 21:10 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - NortonES2
"and they swapped my tractor for that very one" Unpleasant, not to say unsettling, for you to have to deal with. Out of that line now, I take it?
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 Fri 10 Dec 10 21:26 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - -
>> Unpleasant, not to say unsettling, for
>> you to have to deal with. Out of that line now, I take it?

No still at the helm though ticking over now in a sort of semi retired daze..;)

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 Fri 10 Dec 10 21:17 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - Iffy
The road is steeper than it looks on the video.

Saltburn is a pleasant little place to visit and the drive along the coast from Middlesbrough takes you through some evocatively bleak countryside.
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 Sat 11 Dec 10 10:31 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - Badwolf
That took some courage for the bus driver to attempt that - either that or there was no way he could turn round at the bottom, meaning that he had no choice!

I am SO glad that we escaped the worst of the recent 'big freeze'. I absolutely hate driving buses in ice and snow and am constantly petrified that something will happen that I have no control over.

Take a look at this clip from YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLV5RI342hs

This was taken in January during the bad weather in Liverpool. The thought of being behind the wheel of one of those buses whilst it slides down Hardman Street is not enticing.

NOTE: You may wish to turn the sound off whilst watching the clip - the person that posted it has chosen some, frankly, appalling music to go over it.
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 Sat 11 Dec 10 11:25 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - Iffy
...either that or there was no way he could turn round at the bottom, meaning that he had no choice!...

It was an Arriva X4 which runs from Middlesbrough and terminates/turns around at Saltburn station, which is at the bottom of the hill.

The driver was almost certainly starting his return journey to Middlesbrough.

www.arrivabus.co.uk/serviceInformation.aspx?id=3646



(Mmm...this anorak is quite cosy in this weather.)
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 Sat 11 Dec 10 18:03 
 Who needs 4x4 or winter tyres? Not the bus Stig!! - Harleyman
I've no experience of buses, but I do that sort of road quite regularly in a lorry, although that road surface is a bit better than most farm tracks!

Also worth noting that buses have the engines mounted at the rear, increasing the downforce on the driven axle.

One thing which makes a huge difference for me is a diff lock.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Sat 11 Dec 10 at 18:04
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