31 Seater Projects - Norms Buses - Monthly activity

Greg Scott
: Beautifull !
: Bj Wise
: Good old war horse.
: Beno Bailey
: I love the sound of her
: John Lidstone
: motor sounds great inside, a little 'heavy' outside but I guess she's been hard-worked.
: Good that you have good oil pressure - I've seen O.600s tick over with nil showing, up to 20lbs at low revs and barely 40 at higher revs before now!
: Garth Taylor
: Sounds really good Norm.
: John Lidstone
: Loving that transmission sound.
: I was blown away by twin 2599 in the Museum at Sydney, as well as 'decker 2761.
: But I'd still vote for AEC any day over Leyland!
: Garth Taylor
: I am with you John.
: I drove both 50s era AEC and Leyland prime movers and the AECs were always nicer to drive and a bit faster.
: However the AECs were prone to drop the ends off engine valves!
: Craig Parkinson
: What a horrid sounding thing they are.
: Fire up that 9.6 and listen to something sweet!
: John Lidstone
: whilst I concur about the sweetness of the AEC 9.6 pre-selector Regent III, these pre-selector Leylands make sweet music too.
: Now if you say a horrid sounding thing....to my ears that's those 2-stroke animals so beloved by so many (no criticism meant here, just to Brit ears they really are ghastly!).
: Garth Taylor
: Do you include the 60s cylinder Foden engines in your list of horrible sounding two stroke engines?
: Craig Parkinson
: Lol John 2 strokes are a very sweet sounding thing and very easy to love and listen to!
: John Lidstone
: I know you good people love them, I have an ear-bashing from Phil M about 2-strokes whenever I mention them.
: I really have tried to like them, but it's the most horrible noise to my ear (intriguing, but that's about as far as it goes). They lack the reassuring slow-revving powerful sound, along with nice gearbox music, something I adore too.
: I don't criticise the liking of 2-strokes, and I really have tried to like and appreciate the sound, but whenever I've heard them I find them very hard to like, but I'm open to suggestions as to what I may be missing (and I've never dared drive one!) :)
: John Lidstone
: 2-strokes in general Garth, as in UK, we didn't have them - apart from some Commer integrals and trucks.
: I found Dublin's Bombardier 2-stroke double-deckers tortuous things to ride with a constant, frantic racket that never eased, rising to a deafening creshendo of frenzied revving, the likes of which I'd never heard before!
: Similarly I tried 2-stroke GMC's in Canada (more bearable) and a Denning or two in my first visit to Australia in 1990 (lovely coaches, horrible annoying sound - to my ears).
: I find the AEC, Gardner, Daimler, Bristol 6-cyl engines of UK buses easy on the ear, but the vastly higher revvs sound 'distressing' to my ears.
: I guess it's what you've grown up with in large measure as I know 2-stroke Detroits are loved and adored in Canada as well as Australia.
: I don't knock that at all, I just am disappointed that I can't seem to 'get it' and like them myself
: Craig Parkinson Try one, try drive one and then you will be hooked. Slam ya hand in the door and get in it and drive it like ya hate it or even better stole it!
: John Lidstone
: now I'm smiling lol!
: John Lidstone
: I'd give one a go (especially with ear plugs if front-engined!).
: As Phil will tell you, I may have strongly held views, but I am open to suggestion :)
: Norman Julian
: I happen to think that each bus has a unique sound and don't favour one against the other.
: I love the Leyland sound and the AEC but it's the gearbox that has the personality.
: John Lidstone
: In UK, a lot of enthusiasts divide into camps, AEC or Leyland :)
: John Lidstone
: it's good that your Leyland started so well, often UK Leylands would churn a bit before firing up when cold.
: Norman Julian
: Yeh!
: It's not bad for a horrid sounding thing.
: John Lidstone
: Thrilled to see how you've already got so much life back into your old bud 2818 Norm, well done.
: Norman Julian
: I mustn't be attuned to the musical notes of diesel engines like you guys obviously are.
: I grew up listening to the likes of this engine and the likes of 2599 series.
: I love those engine sounds but it was the gearbox of this bus that I really loved.
: I just hope that the gearbox wasn't changed between the last time I was on her till now.
: Driving her down from the top of my block to here I never took her out of 1st so I don't know yet.
: Carle Gregory
: I love the sound of a 903 cummins or a V8 Mack, this sound brings back memories from Bayside Buses in Wynnum who had a huge fleet on AEC and Leylands with a Hino or in the mix

Norms Restoration - 31 Seater Projects

1952 AEC Regal III [2547]

2016

January Mechanical

Video 1

Backing into the shed