I hate Saturdays

Why are Saturdays so difficult? In most places I've worked, they are quiet, uneventful days where nothing much seems to happen and you can relax a bit. For us, they've been a nightmare. Jamie had the big accident in 303 on a Saturday, we've had two Saturdays where the traffic has been evil (one due to motorway problems, the other due to Southampton Rd roadworks) and we always seem to have lots of niggling problems.

Today started well. V14 started fine and sounds as smooth as silk with its new alternator bracket, so V12 and V14 trundled off out in service with Jamie and Maria in charge.

On Saturday, we have just over an hour between the second and third duties signing on, and that gave us just enough time to fit the ticket machine to V7, so Steve took that one out.

Yes indeed, we have three DAFs out in service for the first time ever, so service A is 100% DAF this morning! It's looking good!

At 1050, Steve goes to set off on his second trip in V7 and finds the bus won't move! He calls us, Taz and I run round from the office to the bus station and find that V7 has a 'halt brake' fitted that the others don't. We don't quite understand how it works, but Taz manages to overcome it so off Steve goes. One problem averted.

At 1250, Alison goes to set off on her second trip on V12 and finds that a warning light has come on that she's never seen before! I run round from the office, Taz says he'll follow me round in a few minutes (he's busy playing with his new phone, bless!) I get round there, don't recognise the light either, better safe than sorry, turf all the passengers off the DAF and into the spare bus (Dart V384) and send Alison off in that.

Meanwhile, while I've been sorting the bus swap, Taz has arrived, recognised the light as something similar to the 'halt brake' on V7, knows it's completely harmless and just disengages and re-engages gear and it goes out! By now we've swapped the passengers over and we can't swap them back again, so our 100% DAF target for the day has just gone by the board, all completely needlessly due to me over-reacting!

Over lunch, we come to the conclusion that the DAFs have various warning systems to try to avoid drivers either leaving the bus in 'drive' when stopped for lengthy periods, or trying to engage 'drive' without pressing the footbrake first.

At 1445 Alison finishes her break and arrives at the stop to relieve Jamie on V14. Just before getting on, she notices some body damage at the rear. It looks like the back end has grounded on something and slightly buckled a couple of panels. Unfortunately, one of them looks loose and we can't take the risk, so with all the passengers seated ready to go (our policy being for the incoming driver to let them on before they do the changeover) we have to turf the passengers and Alison off again and onto the spare bus (which is once again V384). Jamie and I take V14 round to the yard - it won't do any more work today, so our 100% DAF target is well and truly gone.

I take W558 back round to the bus station as the new spare bus, and at 1720-ish, Maria rings me from Hedge End to say that the low water light has come on in V7. The temperature's ok and there's water in the tank, but it must have a leak. I tell Maria to carry on and I'll meet her on her way back to Eastleigh with the spare bus. Later she rings me to tell me that the temperature is edging in to the red, but I'm almost with her by then. It's clear the situation's getting worse, but I'd really like to get the bus back to Eastleigh if I can!

Eventually we meet in Mansbridge, I start following her back to Eastleigh but with the temperature gauge in V7 now showing 110 degrees, Maria decided to transfer herself and the passengers to W558 at Parkway to be on the safe side, so I pull up behind and we do the swap.

So that's now three busloads of passengers we've made change buses today! Not good! Doesn't look professional at all, although in no case has there been any interruption to the service which is one consolation. I decide to limp V7 back to Barton Park keeping a close eye on the temperature gauge, which hovers around 110 but doesn't go higher.

When I get back, to my amazement I find Rob and Shaun still in at Brenhaul. It's not just us that have frustrating days - it has just taken them 5 hours to change the header tank on a truck!

Despite having washed up and changed ready to go home, they immediately set about V7. We find that the water tank is empty, Rob puts the hose on it and as fast as he's filling it it's emptying out again, with water cascading out underneath the bus. So the bus goes over the pit and we find a split around 5 inches long in one of the main hoses! It's one of those things that just seems to happen from time to time, can't be helped, but it means that I've now got two DAFs off the road for Monday, until Brenhaul can find a piece of hose that will fit!

So, a frustrating day with a very frustrating end. Here's hoping for better this coming week!

About the only good thing is that I finally managed to get the website updated with all the team's photographs!