Re: Re: Melbourne Historic Fleet - thoughts

I drove the older style MANs for the M&MTB and they had quite good
ventilation with roof hatches, and front vents.

Maybe I'm just particularly heat sensitive, but a full MAN Mk I bus on a hot
day was still no fun. Probably the main exception might be freeway runs
where you really do get a good breeze going continuously for a period of time.

I was active with the union and spoke out against air-conditioning in
Melbourne's climate because of the cost per vehicle and the increased
maintenance.

I still think it is a waste of time, money and fuel.

We might have to agree to disagree, I still think Melbourne buses should be
air conditioned, even if it is only for a short period of the year. When I
used to catch buses in summer and early autumn to or from uni from
Greensborough to Box Hill or vice versa, I was always glad to see a MAN Mk
II pull up at the Box Hill bus station. I was never that glad when it was a
MAN Mk I, although the route wasn't really highly utilised except between
Box Hill and Shoppingtown. And I never rode a Volvo on the route because it
was a very rare occasion they ever ran out our way (although I have seen
them on 2 maybe 3 occasions over the years) so I can't comment. The times I
rode them between Clifton Hill and Elsternwick in summer, they weren't too
bad, but it wasn't often that was during peak hour.

The M&MB Volvos were also quite good for ventilation.

They weren't bad, but still could get warm at the end of a hot day during
peak hour.

Driving the AEC Mk IIIs could be a bear on hot days. The left side of the
drivers cab was the firewall and was only about 3 or 4" from the engine. It
would get so hot you couldn't touch it.

You had forward opening windows on each side of the driver's cab, the
windscreen opened forward and the door window wound down. There was a also a
foot vent. But the Mk IIIs and Mk VIs (the latter worse) would blow boiling
water out their radiator caps when they overheated. If you didn't get the
windows closed in time, the boiling water in a Mk III came in through the
open windows and splashed you. Fun!

We had a system of hydrants, 4' tall, 11" diameter gray pipes with a top
that opened with an M&MTB track key. Inside was a tap and a short hose, and
a long handled hook that allowed you to pull the Mk III radiator cap open
from a safe distance. You could see the rusty water marks all over the road
by the hydrants after a hot spell.

One of the best things about this group is people's stories and memories
they share. Thanks. Keep it up!

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