Gumleaf
February 9th, 2010, 02:11 AM
17:42 AEST Tue Feb 9 2010
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1009882/wheels-of-bus-packed-with-kids-fall-off
A driver whose cool nerve saved 80 schoolchildren when the back wheels fell off a bus, says he had luck on his side.
But police praised the skill of 63-year-old Ron Elworthy in averting a potential disaster on Monday in the New South Wales (NSW) Hunter Valley.
He fought to bring the bus safely to a halt after one wheel careered across the road towards oncoming traffic and the other rolled into a nearby dam.
"I believe that the driver used great skill in keeping the bus from losing control," Sergeant David Hanna said.
Mr Elworthy was on his after-school run from Irrawang High School in Raymond Terrace to Medowie when he approached a sweeping left-hand bend along Richardson Road and the two left-side rear wheels flew off about 3pm (AEDT).
"I heard what sounded like firecrackers or gunshots of some sort and then some of the kids started to scream," Mr Elworthy told Fairfax Radio on Tuesday.
"There was a dreadful wobble and it started to fishtail and I knew I had to do something.
"I thought it was going to roll over, it came very close a few times.
"I was wondering how I was going to explain to the parents."
Mr Elworthy said he used the gears to slow the bus down.
"I just knew not to touch the emergency brakes or the foot brake," he said.
"I was lucky I was in a manual bus and I was able to slam it down through the gears.
"There was a lot of luck involved."
No one was injured in the accident.
Mr Elworthy, who works for Hunter Valley buses, returned to work on Tuesday.
The principal of Irrawang High School, Col Elliott, said he had walked around the school on Tuesday morning to check on the wellbeing of the students who had been on the bus.
"None of them were upset. They didn't require counselling," he told AAP.
"We've got counsellors ready if they needed that today," he added.
Inspectors from the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority and the Office of Transport Safety Investigation are examining the bus.
© AAP 2010
................................................................................ ...............
when i travelled on hunter valley buses to and from school for 7 years, i thought i experienced everything that could go wrong such as the gear box falling out, the door falling off, the floor lifting up and being able to see the road, crashing into the curb and parked cars and having all the fuel leak out but not once did the wheels ever fall off the bus. i was obviously very lucky!
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1009882/wheels-of-bus-packed-with-kids-fall-off
A driver whose cool nerve saved 80 schoolchildren when the back wheels fell off a bus, says he had luck on his side.
But police praised the skill of 63-year-old Ron Elworthy in averting a potential disaster on Monday in the New South Wales (NSW) Hunter Valley.
He fought to bring the bus safely to a halt after one wheel careered across the road towards oncoming traffic and the other rolled into a nearby dam.
"I believe that the driver used great skill in keeping the bus from losing control," Sergeant David Hanna said.
Mr Elworthy was on his after-school run from Irrawang High School in Raymond Terrace to Medowie when he approached a sweeping left-hand bend along Richardson Road and the two left-side rear wheels flew off about 3pm (AEDT).
"I heard what sounded like firecrackers or gunshots of some sort and then some of the kids started to scream," Mr Elworthy told Fairfax Radio on Tuesday.
"There was a dreadful wobble and it started to fishtail and I knew I had to do something.
"I thought it was going to roll over, it came very close a few times.
"I was wondering how I was going to explain to the parents."
Mr Elworthy said he used the gears to slow the bus down.
"I just knew not to touch the emergency brakes or the foot brake," he said.
"I was lucky I was in a manual bus and I was able to slam it down through the gears.
"There was a lot of luck involved."
No one was injured in the accident.
Mr Elworthy, who works for Hunter Valley buses, returned to work on Tuesday.
The principal of Irrawang High School, Col Elliott, said he had walked around the school on Tuesday morning to check on the wellbeing of the students who had been on the bus.
"None of them were upset. They didn't require counselling," he told AAP.
"We've got counsellors ready if they needed that today," he added.
Inspectors from the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority and the Office of Transport Safety Investigation are examining the bus.
© AAP 2010
................................................................................ ...............
when i travelled on hunter valley buses to and from school for 7 years, i thought i experienced everything that could go wrong such as the gear box falling out, the door falling off, the floor lifting up and being able to see the road, crashing into the curb and parked cars and having all the fuel leak out but not once did the wheels ever fall off the bus. i was obviously very lucky!