No not the German football team, but those magnificent men in their fitters overalls at First Ipswich. I predicted when ALX400 30888 was transferred to Ipswich the first thing they'd do would be to sort out the permanently roaring fan. Well ladies and gentlemen, particularly those of Great Yarmouth who have suffered for so long with perforated eardrums in Market Gates as 30888 has roared through, I present to you the new, silent version as created by Barry Spurling and his team - one of whom told me rather bluntly today it hadn't been the easiest of jobs!
Makes you wonder why the problem wasn't rectified when the bus was in Yarmouth.
ReplyDeleteThere are at least two more B7's in Yarmouth doing that, but I have heard several around the country. My Dad is always complaining of them in Medway so it's not an exclusive problem to Yarmouth, or even First.
ReplyDeleteThe ones that are used by Arriva on the 253/254 routes in North London are something else entirely with those fans. It doesn't help matters that those routes are two of the most frequent routes in the capital, so like every 4-5 minutes you'll get another one roaring away. :L
ReplyDeleteIt is a Volvo thing. I remember driving a uniquely bodied Citibus (search for E164 OMD) for Boro'line and the fan tended to roar most of the time on that too, which was a shame as she was a dream to drive otherwise.
ReplyDelete"There are at least two more B7s in Yarmouth doing that"
ReplyDeleteYes, double that if you include the Presidents, and you're quite right - it is a Volvo thing. The X1 'previous generation' B7s (37156-60) were prone to it. I remember a particularly lurid ride on 158 from Lynn to Yarmouth when the fan had gone and was roaring away merrily - so much so that despite it being hot, all the windows were closed as the fan was that loud.
Having said that, Scott Richmond's point is quite fair. How long was 30888 trundling around Lowestoft and Yarmouth with accompanying racket? It's been quite some while, and yet it took going down to Ipswich for the fan to be tackled, and successfully so, as your video shows. Makes you wonder how long it'll be before 32629's fan is tackled.
It was the Presidents I was thinking of - 32206/7 to be precise. I might add that Ipswich also had one - 32491 - that was roaring for ages, and I noticed that was quiet too on Tuesday so maybe they have finally found the cure.
ReplyDeleteOh, I see. Those two aren't great I agree, my eardrums have been assaulted by 32200 and 32629 over the last week too. In fairness, 32205 is sounding healthier than it has done for a while at the moment, though I've no idea how long that will last.
ReplyDelete