Coach Driving Diaries #5 - Dartmoor & Costal Devon 5 day tour

[@xanpagebrown]

41:02 funnily enough I saw that same Rabbie's coach on my journey from Lynton & Lynmouth to Barnstaple on Sunday haha!!

[@james143611]

They go there quite frequently then! I've seen them a lot down Salisbury Stonehenge way didn't realise they do Devon as well, for an Edinburgh operator they seem to go a long way in these!

[@stuartsamuel8791]

Fascinating video. Thank you. Would certainly like to see more of this type.

[@kevinoates1910]

Great video. I'm local and it's pronounced Tin Mouth and River Teen. Odd but that's the the way. Great to see you driving around my location. Oh and Torre is a part of Torquay you

[@james143611]

Ah thank you! I keep thinking it's 'Tein Mouth'! I wondered about Torre I thought it was a place in it's own right but yes on a map it's in the Torquay region I assume it's a district of Torquay?

[@martinhew981]

Love the video as always. I work at Exeter st David's station and take the route in to Exeter most days. As i live in the area its great to see so many familiar places. many thanks

[@james143611]

Ahh I've been to St David's a few times over the years, back in Wessex Trains days too, you do dispatch?

[@adamsinclair7197]

Great video James could be a perfect training aid for new and some old drivers. Your attitude and cleaning routine would give them something to aim for. I'm retired now but great to see a professional at work. Kind regards

[@james143611]

Thank you, I'm far from a tour expert but I highly appreciate your comments, hopefully someone might learn something but I'm always open to learn from others too, obviously there is no set way of doing things as each of us have our own system of doing things, but the principles are the same like calling hotels, loading bags, route planning etc

[@andyholland859]

Great video, it’s an area I know very well, and I did a few holidays down there when I was on the coaches, always hated loading the luggage though, nearly always got it in the wrong order lol.

[@TheFlaneur-up1ft]

Really appreciate your driving and this video. Really interesting to see. I live in North Devon but work all over Devon down as far as Moretonhampstead. I have a mobile clinic and do out reach for the more remote areas. I only drive a van but watching you drive that coach makes me feel happier I’m not driving that! It’s bad enough in a van! Keep up this work, I know it’s a lot of time to make a video, edit and then to post etc, so again appreciate that time. Oh just one possible change? The music levels are way to high, maybe adjust that but increase your V/O

[@leedavis66]

40 years ago Wallace Arnold and Greenslades Tours both had narrow (7ft 6ins) wide coaches for tours through Dartmoor and north Devon.

[@james143611]

Oh didn't know Greenslades had some as well, makes sense for where they are, I've seen the Wallace Arnold preserved examples, one of our drivers remembers those when he worked there

[@theprogamergt9584]

i loved it thanks for the tour round.

[@glenmason1876]

Great video james, liking this type of video

[@james143611]

Thank you!

[@47longman]

A very nice video and drive, thank you for your efforts. Look forward to more. Am I right in thinking you tend to be up against the clock at times? Hardly a recipe for relaxation.😀👍

[@mattashton7735]

Thank god for roundabouts lol. Great video James gives a good insight into coach driving, Have you ever done any bus driving and if so how would you compare it to driving coaches for a living.

[@james143611]

I know, they are a godsend when you need them! Thank you, and no I haven't done service work so I can't compare it though I know about the bus industry, some of our drivers would never do bus driving because of the repetitive nature of doing the same route day in day out, and stop start dealing with cash etc

[@mattashton7735]

@@james143611 I did bus driving for over 25 years and as you say it is so repetitive and boring. Im a school minibus driver at the moment but watching your videos is making me veer towards coach work. Thanks for the repy.

[@rogerbartlett8358]

Brill !

[@james143611]

Thank you!

[@amfwelsh]

Always wanted to drive coaches but then remembered people get on my nerves lol. So drove artic trucks instead. But had enough of that after 15 years.

[@james143611]

🤣 Yes you have to take slack and wash comments over, not all the time but you do have to put up with some daft questions! I still remember the London day trip 'Can't I just get off here and pick up the coach later on?' like 1. You can't just set down on a random kerbside in the centre, and 2. The person didn't even know where the pickup stop is, so that would have been a disaster! Plus the 'It's a bit chilly in here...now it's too hot can you put the AC on' etc etc 😂 it's not all like that but it happens!

[@stuart121972]

@amfwelsh I was once had an interview for a trainee bus drivers job and was offered the position but never took it up for similar reasons. I didn’t want to be putting up with winging passengers and unruly kids!

[@kevinanderson5658]

Please can we have more

[@harryelliott4310]

Coach

[@James-zs3cn]

I live in okehampton

[@philliprees7704]

try bus park euro

[@mussamohammed2123]

Hey James I'm 14 I have a question is coach driving a good pay😊

[@james143611]

Depends with who you go with, what you do etc etc, there's no real simple answer to that, some hop around different operators chasing the money, others stick with whatever the pay rate is because they love the job over whatever the pay is. Service coach work like NatEx is high because of the nature of what it is, and there's a stash of their own rules and regs to stick to. London operators I believe are also on decent rates for the London living wage