The larger bus operators, whether municipal or company owned, have traditionally trained their own new drivers. Normally older vehicles from the fleet were retained and adapted for training, adorned with 'L' plates. In earlier days they would usually just retain fleet livery. Sometimes they might receive a separate livery, to warn other road users. When the National Bus Company introduced corporate liveries of red or green for its fleets, many of their constituent companies used yellow for their training and service vehicles. Then, as recruitment became more difficult from around the 1980s, colourful liveries with invitational recruitment slogans tended to appear and this has continued since. Rather surprisingly, companies often bought in buses for training from other companies rather than converting their own, and these might be types not otherwise represented in their fleet. This book looks at a variety of training vehicles from around the country over the last fifty years, including examples that have survived into preservation.

These days, a nice original Vauxhall Viva costs an arm and a leg, but back in the 1970s, GBP100 bought you a 'good little runner', with the rust, bald tyres and dodgy MOT thrown in for free. All you needed was someone who knew how to fix it when it broke down! Brian Cunningham is that someone - or, at least, he used to be. Under the Bonnet is the totally true* story of being a car mechanic in the old days, when fixing a car was one thing, but keeping it fixed was something else entirely. These are the tales of a bygone age, full of secret scams, chaotic characters and cars almost bursting with personality. * some tales may be taller than others

The final two decades of the twentieth century saw great changes in the bus and coach industry in Great Britain. In the early 1980s the National Bus Company reorganisation saw the Welsh operations of Crosville become Crosville Wales (and later Arriva Cymru); South Wales Transport be acquired by Badgerline, which became part of First Bus; and National Welsh being split to create new Rhondda Buses and Red & White companies, both of which eventually fell under the Stagecoach banner. The remaining part of National Welsh was the subject of a management buyout that failed spectacularly in 1992. In 1986 the remaining council-owned fleets were forced into being run as 'arms-length' companies, albeit at first controlled by their respective councils, with some later selling to larger companies and others closing down. In 2001 only Cardiff Buses, Islwyn Borough Transport (controlled by Caerphilly Borough Council) and Newport Transport remained. Some independent operators expanded and were either acquired by other operators or over-reached themselves and failed. Thus, the picture in 2001 was considerably different to that in 1980. This volume is an attempt to document some of the changes that occurred during those decades.

The exact definition of east Scotland can be difficult to define due to its wide geographical areas, but for the purpose of this book the bus services covered are from a wide range of destinations including Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Perth, Fife, the Borders and the Lothians. Each of the areas covered are unique and require a complex network of routes through smaller towns and villages as well as larger cities, as well as linking railway stations, park and ride facilities, airports, shopping centres and hospitals. Not only do large well-known operators such as Stagecoach, First and National Express serve the communities here, but so do companies such as Borders Buses (part of the Craig of Campbeltown West Coast Motors group), Lothian Buses, Lothian Country Buses, East Coast Buses, Moffat & Williamson, Rennies, Prentice, Eve's, Ratho Coaches and Edinburgh Coachlines. In this book, Richard Walter illustrates the scenic and contrasting areas that these buses operate in. The bus remains an essential lifeline in many of the smaller towns and villages and vehicles change and adapt as necessary, from the provision of contactless payment and USB ports to the carrying of bikes.

From demonstrating a petrol-engined double-decker at the 1905 Commercial Motor Show to building huge 100-seat Olympians for the overseas market, the Bus and Coach Division of Leyland built thousands of vehicles for markets all over the world. At the forefront of vehicle design and development, Leyland produced ground-breaking vehicles such as the Atlantean, the UK's first production rear-engined double-decker bus. Through acquisition and merger, the majority of British vehicle manufacturers ended up under the Leyland banner, resulting in the creation of the mighty British Leyland Motor Corporation, whose subsequent fall from grace has been widely documented elsewhere. This, the third in a series of books showcasing the products of the passenger division of Leyland since 1960, concentrates on double-deck buses and coaches and includes such mythological giants as the Atlantean, Olympian and Titan, among others. It contains 180 photographs, all of which are in colour, all with informative text and captured when the vehicles were in their operating heyday.

AS SEEN ON BBC TWO'S HIT TV-SHOW 'THIS FARMING LIFE' 'A heartwarming tale of life on the land' Alan Titchmarsh 'There's love and loss, challenge and adversity, but above all it's warm, insightful and inspiring' Helen Skelton 'Will inspire any reader to look at the countryside - and all those who work there - with newfound appreciation' Jimmy Doherty 'Uplifting, charming and beautifully written' Adam Henson Emma Gray was just twenty-three when she moved to an isolated farm in Northumberland, becoming Britain's youngest solo shepherdess. In the seasons that followed, Emma fell in love with its rolling fields, surrounding forest and sturdy farmhouse, tending her sheep and training her dogs - and even found romance. But when Emma finds herself suddenly alone again, heartbroken and recovering from a serious accident, she wonders if her isolated existence is still such a sensible idea. Even if she recovers, how could she make a proper living on Fallowlees Farm? In her heartwarming book, Emma tells the story of how she picked herself up and expanded her cattle herd, added more horses to her menagerie, and became one of the country's most successful breeders and trainers of Border Collies - unexpectedly discovering true love and lasting happiness along the way. Written with warmth and humour, My Farming Life is a joyous celebration of nature and community, and a delight for anyone who's ever dreamed of living closer to the countryside.

The Ford Transit is one of the most successful commercial light vans of all time and it has been the best selling light van in the UK and other parts of the world for over fifty-two years. In this invaluable book, Peter Lee discusses the entire Transit range, including the wide variety of body types from 1957, when project planning was put into place, through to the present day with a peek into the future of Ford's famous van. Written by a leading expert and promoter of the Ford Transit and including many previously unpublished photographs and rare designs, this book is an essential read for anyone with an interest in the history of Ford Transits, and of light commercial vehicles in general.

The origins of Leyland lorries are found in steam wagon manufacture in the town of Leyland, Lancashire. The manufacturer, then known as the Lancashire Steam Motor Company, was established in 1884. By 1904 the first petrol-engined lorry was built and in 1907 the company name was changed to Leyland Motors Limited. Leyland produced a range of vehicles over the following decades, from steam wagons and petrol-engined lorries to bus and, eventually, eight-wheeled lorries. The postwar years saw a series of mergers and acquisitions, including the eventual merger with the British Motor Corporation in the late 1960s, which lead to the creation of British Leyland. For the enthusiast, Leyland produced a wide range of vehicles over the years for both the domestic and international market. Lavishly illustrated with an array of rare and unpublished photographs, Leyland Lorries is the perfect companion for anyone wanting to learn more of the Leyland story.

In this highly readable book, Nick Clayton charts the origins of the bicycle, a machine that is still regarded as the most efficient means of translating human energy into motion. Focusing on the early years of development, the author examines the technological developments that have led to the modern bicycle, including the hobby-horse, velocipede, boneshaker, tricycle, the pneumatic tyre, shaft drive, hub-gear, derailleur and many others. He also looks at differences in design, whether for ladies' bikes or for sport and off-road vehicles. The book is filled with interesting information and anecdotes and the author tackles such questions as why the penny-farthing had such a large front wheel or the meaning of trail-and-fork offset. As the bicycle continues to grow in popularity, both as an environmentally friendly travel solution and for sports as varied as triathlon and cyclo-sportive, this book provides you with all the answers you need about one of the most ingenious human inventions.

Tim Moore - indefatigable travelling everyman – switches two wheels for four as he journeys across Trumpland in an original Model T Ford.

‘Alarmingly full of incident, very funny – even mildly transformative’ Daily Mail

Lacking even the most basic mechanical knowhow, Tim Moore sets out to cross Trumpland USA in an original Model T Ford. Armed only with a fan belt made of cotton, wooden wheels and a trunkload of ‘wise-ass Limey liberal gumption’, his route takes him exclusively through Donald-voting counties, meeting the everyday folks who voted red along the way.

He meets a people defined by extraordinary generosity, willing to shift heaven and earth to keep him on the road. And yet, this is clearly a nation in conflict with itself: citizens ‘tooling up’ in reaction to ever-increasing security fears; a healthcare system creaking to support sugar-loaded soda lovers; a disintegrating rust belt all but forgotten by the warring media and political classes.

With his trademark blend of slapstick humour, affable insight and butt-clenching peril, Tim Moore invites us on an unforgettable road trip through America. Buckle up!

As rush hour came to a close on the evening of May 25, 1950, one of Chicago's new fast, colorful, streamlined streetcars-known as a Green Hornet-slammed into a gas truck at State Street and 62nd Place. The Hornet's motorman allegedly failed to heed the warnings of a flagger attempting to route it around a flooded underpass, and the trolley, packed with commuters on their way home, barreled into eight thousand gallons of gasoline. The gas erupted into flames, poured onto State Street, and quickly engulfed the Hornet, shooting flames two hundred and fifty feet into the air. More than half of the passengers escaped the inferno through the rear window, but thirty-three others perished, trapped in front of the streetcar's back door, which failed to stay open in the ensuing panic. It was Chicago's worst traffic accident ever-and the worst two-vehicle traffic accident in US history. Unearthing a forgotten chapter in Chicago lore, The Green Hornet Streetcar Disaster tells the riveting tale of this calamity. Combing through newspaper accounts as well as the Chicago Transit Authority's official archives, Craig Cleve vividly brings to life this horrific catastrophe. Going beyond the historical record, he tracks down individuals who were present on that fateful day on State and 62nd: eyewitnesses, journalists, even survivors whose lives were forever changed by the accident. Weaving these sources together, Cleve reveals the remarkable combination of natural events, human error, and mechanical failure that led to the disaster, and this moving history recounts them-as well as the conflagration's human drama-in gripping detail.

Living in a 1966 Albion Chieftain lorry, converted to a home, Traveller Dave has spent much of the past two decades in Europe, working on farms and travelling around, all the time taking photographs of the other interesting traveller homes he has seen. From mid-1980s Glastonbury to France and Portugal, all manner of vehicles are shown here, creatively converted to full-time homes. Making their homes from redundant buses and lorries, travellers have made a fantastic variety of one-off mobile homes using their own creativity and materials they have recycled or restored and Traveller Dave has managed to photograph and document these colourful vehicles from the early 1980s onwards. Inside the pages of Traveller Homes, Traveller Dave takes us on a journey through the years, showing us how this alternative lifestyle has created a multitude of unique vehicles, each tailored to its owner's personal style and taste. Be surprised and amazed at the variety, creativity and style to be found within.

Benjamin Jung leitet fundiert Faktoren und deren Einfluss auf Entscheidungen zwischen Eigenfertigung, Fremdbezug und deren Zwischenformen bei radikaler technologischer Veranderung ab. Automobilunternehmen mussen solche Entscheidungen im UEbergang in die Elektromobilitat treffen und gestalten so ihre Grenze. Zur Erklarung verbindet der Autor oekonomische Erklarungsansatze und entwickelt verhaltenswissenschaftliche Ansatze weiter. Er eroertert zudem resultierende Entscheidungen in eindeutigen und nicht eindeutigen Entscheidungssituationen. Eingehend begrundete Hypothesen und Annahmen pruft er durch Befragung von Automobilunternehmen, beispielsweise zu Entscheidungen bezuglich der Herstellung von Batteriezellen. Aufbauend auf den empirischen Ergebnissen leitet der Autor entsprechende Managementimplikationen ab.

Like the railway industry in the nineteenth century, Britain was a major player in supplying the world with buses, particularly double-deckers. The principal contributors in the mid-twentieth century were AEC, Daimler and Leyland Motors. Buses were exported throughout the world either as complete vehicles or as a chassis with locally assembled bodywork completing the bus. As early as 1911, Leyland Motors sold five single-deck charabancs to Lisbon Tramways and three to Cape Town Electric Tramways. It says something for the endurance of the British-built chassis when examples of the Daimler CVG in Hong Kong and the AEC Regent III in Lisbon both managed to attain well over twenty-five years of service for their respective operators. As London Transport found itself with a surfeit of serviceable buses in the 1960s, hundreds of redundant RTs, RTLs and RTWs were snapped up by the Ceylon Transport Board. Redundant Atlanteans and Daimler Fleetlines found favour with both KMB and CMB while sixty AEC Swifts saw further service with the Public Transport Association (PTA) and the Education Department on the island of Malta. This book features previously unpublished photographs of British buses in China, India, South Africa, Portugal and Hong Kong.

In his cultural analysis of the motor car in Germany, Wolfgang Sachs starts from the assumption that the automobile is more than a means of transportation and that its history cannot be understood merely as a triumphant march of technological innovation. Instead, Sachs examines the history of the automobile from the late 1880s until today for evidence on the nature of dreams and desires embedded in modern culture. Written in a lively style and illustrated by a wealth of cartoons, advertisements, newspaper stories, and propaganda, this book explores the nature of Germany's love affair with the automobile. A "history of our desires" for speed, wealth, violence, glamour, progress, and power--as refracted through images of the automobile--it is at once fascinating and provocative.
Sachs recounts the development of the automobile industry and the impact on German society of the marketing and promotion of the motor car. As cars became more affordable and more common after World War II, advertisers fanned the competition for status, refining their techniques as ownership became ever more widespread.
Sachs concludes by demonstrating that the triumphal procession of private motorization has in fact become an intrusion. The grand dreams once attached to the automobile have aged. Sachs appeals for the cultivation of new dreams born of the futility of the old ones, dreams of "a society liberated from progress," in which location, distance, and speed are reconceived in more appropriately humane dimensions.

Plus de 250 superbes photographies illustrent l'univers de l'automobile de prestige. Aston Martin, Bugatti, Jaguar, Porsche, BMW, Ferrari ou Lamborghini, les plus grandes marques trouvent ici leur place. Aux caractéristiques techniques de chaque modèle s'ajoutent une description détaillée ainsi que des informations sur ceux qui les ont conçus ou ceux qui les ont conduits. Des plans rapprochés à couper le souffle sur des équipements particuliers comme les becquets, les jantes ou les volants complètent le panorama fascinant offert aux amoureux de l'automobile.

When bus and coach manufacturers or bodybuilders brought out a new design, they would usually provide a demonstration vehicle for would-be purchasers to try out before buying. These vehicles would later be sold off after a few years and were sometimes snapped up by small companies that might not have been able to afford the cost of a new vehicle. Some of the larger companies would buy a small selection of vehicles by different makers to compare in service before deciding on which type to standardise on for mass purchase. Other innovative companies might rebuild existing vehicles in their own workshops in an attempt to improve their performance or extend their life, or to try out new ideas. This book looks at a variety of demonstration vehicles, on display, in use, and after being sold off; as well as vehicles that were bought experimentally or modified extensively during their service life.