When I was at school and considering my future, at no point did I ever consider it would involve standing on a Birmingham roadside taking photos of double-decker buses passing under a bridge.
However, I've done just that. Because as I watched them, I realised that there isn't a lot of gap between the top of the bus and the bottom of the bridge.
A best guess is between 2 and 3 feet, nearer 2. People who have travelled on the bus through Selly Oak tell me it's quite an experience the first few times. You generally wonder if your journey will end in the local news as one of the "bridge slices the top off a bus" stories.
Anyway, I have a fine collection of photos. The locals probably think I'm weird, but that's just how my life panned out. They didn't tell me that at school.
I understand that the minimum height for an unmarked bridge is 16ft 6ins, and the height of a Wright Gemini bus is 4.4m (14ft 5ins) So your estimate of a 2ft gap between bus and bridge sounds correct for the centre of the road camber.
ReplyDeleteIs that the bridge shown here with trams running under it? http://www.photobydjnorton.com/TramsBristolRoad.html
ReplyDeleteJames - That's the one. It's a slightly clearer shot than the one I found too. I'm guessing that the road has got fatter over the years as I can't see how a double-deck tram plus overhead fits underneath. Maybe the tracks are still buried?
ReplyDeleteIf you look carefully you'll see the overhead is offset towards the pavement!
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