Kilted on the Buses

**cessna152towser** · 10th April 10, 03:05 PM

Glasgow once had a large municipal bus fleet to provide the city's transport but nowadays the city bus services are operated by private companies and the municipality retains ownership of around a dozen buses which are operated occasionally by the museums department. Here are four of the heritage fleet at Bridgeton depot ready to go on the road this morning, providing a shuttle service between The Transport Museum, Scotland Street School Museum, and the Tall Ship Glenlee.

I will be helping out on some dates this season, working as a conductor, in return for which I will have the opportunity to also gain some driving experience. Today was the first time I drove a double decker. This Leyland PD3 was built in 1961. She has seats for 72 passengers, a four speed semi-automatic gear box, and a top speed of 38mph but lacks the luxury of power assisted steering, so a lot of muscle work is needed in negotiating corners.

Glasgow Transport Museum which is shortly to close, in advance of a move to new premises on the waterfront.

The buses are lined up outside the Transport Museum awaiting passengers.

We crossed the River Clyde via the Squinty Bridge, so called because it crossses the river diagonally.

Next stop was Scotland Street School.

Scotland Street School was designed by Charles Rennie MacIntosh and completed in 1906. It is now a museum depicting school life and classrooms from the Victorian era through to the nineteen sixties.

Passing Glasgow's vibrant waterfront. It never fails to amaze me how some people prefer Edinburgh to Glasgow!

The sailing ship Glenlee was launched on the Clyde in 1896. This photo was taken in February of this year and has been posted before on xmarks.
That's all for today folks.

**Chas** · 10th April 10, 03:51 PM

Love the hat, Alex. At first glance, I thought you were Reg Varney!

I 'ate you, Butler!

Regards

Chas

**pdcorlis** · 10th April 10, 03:52 PM

What a wonderful series of photos Alex - Thanks!

**BoldHighlander** · 10th April 10, 03:56 PM

Great photos Alex, I love those double deckers!

Here in Fairhaven (Bellingham) we have an old double decker that use to be used for sight seeing & was once in a movie (I'll have to check which one). It got to the point where the owners couldn't get insurance to run it anymore, so it sat neglected for years on a corner lot. Now it see's life as a fish & chips stand

**GMan** · 10th April 10, 04:01 PM

Fantastic.

**Gryphon noir** · 10th April 10, 10:28 PM

A burning question answered: as a motorman/conductor on Vancouver's Downtown Historic Railway, I have often wondered if there had ever been a kilted bus or tram operator. When I was volunteering on the Olympic Line [two streetcars on loan from Brussels provided a shuttle service during the 2010 Winter Olympics], I asked if I could wear my Hudson's Bay tartan kilt. Although the bosses liked the idea, it was thought that the Olympic organizers might have a fit, so I thought the better of it. I'm still minded to have a picture taken in Olympic uniform with the kilt.....

**Noel Christian Riddell** · 10th April 10, 10:30 PM

Most excellent! Thanks for sharing, Alex.

**guitarmatt** · 11th April 10, 10:10 AM

I just took my kid to the Transport Museum last weekend. He loved it, and loved riding on the clockwork orange underground as well. He'd have loved these busses.