Hi all,

The current cost per litre of fuel is around £1.33 and rising.

This equates to:

65 pence per mile if your bus does 9.5 mpg and 69 pence per mile if your bus does 9 mpg which is the norm for a RM type bus.

If the cost rises to £1.40 per litre, which is the projected cost by Easter these fuel costs change to 68ppm and 72ppm respectivly

This is just the cost per mile in fuel alone, nothing else.


If you have a rear engined bus eg DMS,T.M,SM or MB which do 8+mpg if your careful, or normally around 7+mpg the projected costs change to 81ppm and 92ppm respectivly. Almost a pound a mile in fuel alone for these types of bus.

Food for Thought :-(


Claire

My bus number (if any): RML2330 etc

And if you own a MD, cry :-(

Sadly, it isn't going to get any better. Once the global economy picks up, the cost of a barrel of oil is likely to go back up to $140 a barrel, at present it is at a high of $100 a barrel. Once that happens, we're looking at £2 a litre. People running buses on a shoestring budget are going to have some difficult decisions taken out of their hands. the future does not look good for historic vehicle ownership in general.

My bus number (if any): RM531

Well I suppose it all depends on whether an owner is in the hobby for the serious restoration side of it, or if he or she wants to enjoy more driving of their icon. Some owners hardly use their vehicles out on the road anyway, visiting a few rallies perhaps consisting of a couple of hundred miles or so a year. On the other hand there are people like me whose main enjoyment is actually getting out and driving it. However though I have long since given up thinking of how much fuel is being used as I drive around, what is the point, just fill the tank up and enjoy the fuel while it lasts.
Sadly though the truth of it means our hobby will gradually become more fragmented as owners give up their very large toys, or perhaps just put them on off road insurance and look at them every couple of months or so. Moreover though the spares availability may become much more favourable, as vehicles remain idle and drift into decay. I hate to be cynical but there is not a lot to be entirely optimistic about is there.

My bus number (if any): RML2335