A ride inside Fleetline MLH426L

At the Potters Bar bus garage open day, 7th July 2012. A ride between Potters Bar and South Mimms over route 84.

[@melissanewton7462]

Our Swindon Fleetlines much the same a pleasure to ride in and to watch the driver change those gears. Had a go on them myself. Great fun! Later Swindon bought twelve DMS Fleetlines and all looked very smart in blue and cream.

[@zeebrook]

In Grimsby, we had Daimler and Leyland double door fleetlines. There was plenty of room in the cabs and they were beautiful to drive even if a bit slow. I loved them.

[@BristolRE]

👍

[@woodbine66]

Great to see enthusiasts preserving our transport heritage - and enjoying themselves. Simple pleasures. I salute you gentlemen!

[@patriciafigg4581]

I remember travelling to and from school on these buses back in the early 80s. Brings back memories.

[@BristolRE]

Happy Days

[@croydontramcabrides9767]

Always pause for a couple of seconds prior to selecting your next highest gear, the gearbox lasts a lot longer if you do.

[@BristolRE]

Definitely, let the engine revs die, same when I drove Bristol VRs and Leyland Nationals.

[@cidertom5140]

Over revving!!!!! And holding gears for too long. The driving leaves a bit to be desired far too close to the car infront very dangerous.

[@paulchance3766]

Most fondly remember riding the DM as a child on the occasional trips to London Bridge..

[@BARRYHODGES1972]

Good old Trevor superb driving.

[@BritishRail60062]

I wish I could ride on one of these again. These used to be my school buses years ago.

[@jasonl4411.]

I used to get one of these to school in the 80s

[@BristolRE]

Nice

[@SimStream]

DMS - my nemesis, drove these when i was at big bus company in 2000 summer season. Very uncomfortable to drive, especially with the little toadstool seat that had no padding and couldn't get half your arse on!

[@BristolRE]

Lol, passed my test in one in 1986, but can't recall much about how they were to drive.

[@9_19Ming]

DMS is my hugest love ❤️

[@cliffordcharles1247]

I remember the DMS Buses when I was in Secondary School back in 1979, this used to be my school bus route, In 1980 the Metros(MCW) replaced the DMS, I'm currently a bus driver, I've passed my PCV Test on the Metros, but I've missed out on the DMS, If it comes to our Garage I won't mind type training on one of these, Thanks for sharing this video, it really bring back some good memories.

[@BristolRE]

You're welcome. I was lucky, I passed my test on a DMS and then drove Routemasters, Metros and Titans in service :)

[@heronumbertwo3171]

At 1080p, the video still looks great, despite it's age and when it was recorded

[@gerardmccuskin8199]

Great video great bus

[@BristolRE]

Thanks

[@None-zc5vg]

A small number of the last DMS buses, with "THX...S" registrations, were operated for a short time by a 'pirate' bus firm between Glossop and Manchester in the early '90s. They were in good condition internally and were being driven hard in competition with brand-new Scanias from a former PTE fleet. You wonder if they were really unsuited to London operating conditions.

[@BristolRE]

Indeed

[@robonaut-nyne2331]

Nice video, and as much as I like the Routemaster, the Fleetline is my favourite bus. The sound of the Fleetline brings back memories of getting the 177 from Greenwich to Deptford in the late 70s. We also had Fleetlines on routes 108B and 185.

[@BristolRE]

Thanks

[@garywinterbottom6073]

As a boy remember the green n cream deckers of metro all fleetline or atlanteans up until around 1990 when most were scrapped i presume at Barnsley bus wrecking yard.😢

[@BristolRE]

The good days long gone

[@9_19Ming]

DMS is my biggesssssst love 🧡🧡🧡

[@BristolRE]

Nice

[@vivamalta127]

That Leyland 0.680 sounds in fine tune-Driver using gears properly, not slogging it in 2nd on pull away like the drivers of the 80s lol

[@thisiszaphod]

Kudos to the driver and cameraman. Fond memories of going to and from school on a DM and DMS. Lovely to hear the sounds after what must be over 35 years.

[@BristolRE]

thisiszaphodbeeblebr :)

[@StationBBLT]

Lovely!!!!

[@BristolRE]

Thanks

[@rml2589]

It has the Leyland engine, but the vehicle was manufactured as a Daimler Fleetline, there were Leyland branded Fleetlines they came some years after this particular one was built.

[@bosslet7515]

I remember this vehicle at Norbiton in the late 1980s when it was part of the "Kingston Bus" fleet

[@leeosborne3793]

In that case, I've almost certainly travelled on it.

[@Graham2271]

I've driven ex-Scottish Bus group Fleetlines with Alexander & Eastern coachwork bodies but I would LOVE to have a shot of a London DMS.

[@BristolRE]

I've always been totally confused by the Fleetline's, which is why I only put 'Fleetline' in the titles, and avoided the use of either Daimler or Leyland, Lol

[@VICTOR-pf9eg]

We used to have these in Birmingham west midlands WMPTE I was a young boy Leyland and Daimler

[@BristolRE]

Yes, you did indeed, I have seen photos / videos of them along the way

[@keithreilly9777]

Used to have them slippy red seats

[@chrisswann2868]

Proper😊

[@BristolRE]

👍

[@jack253]

Damn, i always wanted a ride on a DMS. I didn't get a chance to do it last year and now it comes out this year when I wasn't there. Urgh,

[@BristolRE]

It was Metroline who organised the running day! As they do every year.

[@BristolRE]

Yes, it is

[@Housephonestimes4]

Leyland engine!

[@BristolRE]

Nice!

[@kinkeestore]

Leyland engine similar sound to atlanteans service here in 1990s' second hand from Singapore. Miss atlanteans and fleetlines here!

[@patsavory2448]

BEAR POOH i

[@scmtuk3662]

This bus is still taxed (due 1st July 2024)

[@NextSound170]

I miss all these signs, leave by centre doors. The big do not distract the driver

[@BristolRE]

I'm sure there will be plenty of other opportunities Jack!

[@BristolRE]

Personally, I have no idea. I always refer to them as Daimler Fleetline's.

[@MetroTitanD78]

Is this his DMS or does he own another one?

[@MetroTitanD78]

Is that Trevor Wright driving Peter?

[@SimonRML2456]

My dad use to drive DMS's out of Shepherds Bush on the 220's 283's and 72's ......so that sound is pleasing...the other strange thing is that Dave the conductor ...I use to work with him out of Holloway Garage......superb fella :-)

[@BristolRE]

Yes, I've not seen Dave for a while. Hope he is still around.

[@SimonRML2456]

Dave is fine, saw him 2 weeks ago at the Holloway garage open day :-)

[@BristolRE]

:)

[@chrimorhen4585]

Is the Vehicle in service.? Not made plain?

[@bodienutt1]

Where's the Johnson box lol wish I got to drive one of these driven RML's, Metro's, Titan's but would of loved to drive one of these in service. Was it these buses which had the turnstiles on? That Gibson sounds good

[@BristolRE]

I believe some of them did have the turnstiles

[@ALANSWEETIES99]

lovely this bus to ride, what purpose to know he doing well. Is being try give you a ticket each other friend... I guess I am try visit there before... I don't I am first time in many ago with dad... So what I am doing, I pay for!

[@edwardlau0428]

Which engine does this Fleetline use, Gardner 6LXB or Leyland O.680? Was it manufactured under "Daimler" or "Leyland" brand name?

[@mikehumble1120]

Production of Fleetline moved from Radford to Farrington in 1973. From that point they were marketed as Leyland Fleetlines.

[@mikehumble1120]

Chassis was built in March `73 at Radford so its a Daimler - engine on this batch was the 11.1 litre Leyland 0.680

[@cathkinghost12]

Hard to figure out what th destination is........London Colney?

[@BristolRE]

cathkinghost12 Yes

[@TheStevenWhiting]

It's driving me nuts. I am probably having false memories as I was a kid in the early 80s. But I have a memory of a bus like this model where there was a waste height partition in the middle of the isle to allow people to get on and off the bus via the same door. I can't find any footage of images of this setup. Did this ever exist? I'm also looking for footage of the old caps from the 80s where they'd press a button for the change and it would slide down a slide. Again, being young I'm not sure if any of these memories are real or just false ones.

[@BristolRE]

You're not going completely mad! There was a split entrance where you could board and either pay the driver or go via a turnstile type automatic pay machine. Before my time in London, but I've seen photos at least of it, though that may have been on single deckers, not sure. However, if you watch this video at approx 3 minutes and 35 seconds in to the video you can see the split entrance you were talking about kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIe2lqGGhNaaeNk

[@robonaut-nyne2331]

@@BristolRE A day late and a dollar short on this, but you are correct. I used to get on these that had the turnstile. Never actually used it though.

[@BristolRE]

@@robonaut-nyne2331 Before my time in London, these days it'd just cause long queues!

[@jasonl4411.]

I think you could be thinking of autocheck fitted buses. You would use the right hand side to put your ticket in the machine. It would make 2 different sounds (valid and not valid) similar to oyster. It was very unreliable and I think they got removed from the bus

[@DoubleDeckerDavid]

you have a Facebook page as I would like to be friends with you on there if you do not mind.

[@thatcoventrygamer9280]

Was you drivin?

[@BristolRE]

No, I was taking the video

[@thatcoventrygamer9280]

Ok.

[@chrimorhen4585]

Theirs no protection for the driver. Reinforced plastic Screen.? As of now.? 2021?

[@BristolRE]

Why would there be? This is a preserved bus and is preserved to how it was when new

[@BristolRE]

I've no idea, cant say I like it myself, very ugly looking thing!

[@leeosborne3793]

Yeah, I always thought the DMS was a pretty brutal looking thing, much uglier than the Merlins and Swifts.

[@BristolRE]

@@leeosborne3793 Still way better than todays plastic tat

[@drphil7024]

That is old shit and here we are in 2018 with new shit and old 🚌

[@9_19Ming]

DMS is my hugest love ❤️

[@BristolRE]

Passed my test in one

[@BristolRE]

Personally, I have no idea. I always refer to them as Daimler Fleetline's.