DAViedo was talking to Carl Chinn on BBC WM today about Midland Red.
You can still listen to it at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002v12s
But you will need to download Real Player First.
It will be on the site for 7 days from 26/4/09 so get in there fast!

D9 double decker
 

On Easter Monday, both John (redd9) and myself travelled on preserved D9 BHA399C on a circular route from Wythall to Henley in Arden and back. We were both astonished by the pulling power of the bus, judging it was carrying around seventy passengers. It is easy to look at these vehicles through rose-tinted glasses, but I think that most of todays buses would find it very hard to keep up. At many times on the journey it was travelling at over 50mph and John witnessed between 55 and 60mph being attained by the old girl on one occasion.

Certainly a great piece of kit the D9's.
Light steering, no Clutch to pump all day and plenty of power. I was always a happy bunny if i got a shift on a D9.

Thanks for that Billyboy, that 10.5 litre diesel still feels powerful. The ride quality is still up there with the best as well - very comfortable to travel on as a passenger and it is easy to see why they were employed on many of the longer distance services. I am interested to hear about your views on the brakes? - described by some as the vehicles 'achilles heel'.

The longest runs i ever did outside of Leamington was to coventry or Stratford. They did have a habit if you sat at the lights with them in gear they could jump forward a bit at times. You always had to use the handbrake. I never experienced brake fade with them although they could have done with a tad more breaking power. However, driven correctly they were fun to drive. I actualy prefered them to the D12's and D13's

The D9 50th at the Black Country Museum was very good, We have a few video Clips on our you tube page.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Rugbytransport
More to follow:)