End of an Era?

[Nibble]

Last of the old days for Leyland Buses, Malta getting a new fleet. Seems a shame, but it might be for the better...


http://news.bbc.co.uk...espondent/9520210.stm


Any memories of the old buses?

[anneasquith]

hi nibble. did mum get her channels back ?

[Buenchico]

The most important part of a bus in Malta is the horn. That's because all of the drivers seem to assume that, when approaching a junction, he who has the loudest horn has right of way!

Passengers are also well-advised to have faith in the power of prayer. That's because many drivers take both hands off the steering wheel, in order to cross themselves, every time the bus goes past a church (and there are a lot of churches in Malta!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8287plrclfg

[Nibble]

Not heard as yet anne, I'll call later to see, but she was waiting for the switch-over engineer to retune.

Nice ideas Chris, I'll keep an eye out for the traffic conditions!

[anneasquith]

i did a manual switchover, was simple even for me !!!!!!!!!!

[Nibble]

Unfortunately, mum can't even deal with mobile phone, so wouldn't hold much faith in self tuning for her. Shame!

[paddywak]

My nephews wife, who has a Maltese mother, was really upset when she was telling us about this a few months ago. She told us that when she was a little girl she used to go to visit her grandparents every summer and her favourite memories nearly all relate to her trips by bus all over the island to visit various friends and relations,as she said every trip was an adventure

[Nibble]

According to Chris, any trip on a Maltese bus is an adventure!!

[Calvados]

I was in Malta in March. Anyone who's been on those yellow buses will tell you what an experience it is. We were told then that Arriva would take over in July and all the old buses will be stripped out and sunk off shore to make artficial reefs. The owners are not happy as all the current buses are family and private owned.
We were waiting in Valletta to board a bus, and the front NS tyre was completely bald to the point where you could see the fabric under the rubber.
After one journey, I thanked the driver and said it would cost a fiver for a ride like that at Alton Towers.

Oh yes! The Malta Bus will be greatly missed.

[redman41]

Took 4 Leyland Buses out to Bahrain on one ship I was on, loaded them at King George V Dock in London many Years ago.