Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Leyland MCW Olympian

2012-05-14T15:38:41Z

Quackdave: not to be confused with the more recent Olympian

{{Distinguish|Leyland Olympian}}
{{Infobox UK Bus
| name = Leyland-MCW Olympian
| image =
| caption =
| manufacturer = [[Leyland Motors]] [[Metro Cammell Weymann|Metro-Cammell Weymann]]
| factory = Leyland Motors, [[Farington]], [[Preston, Lancashire]], [[England]] Weymanns (1928) Ltd, [[Addlestone]], [[Surrey]], [[England]]
| operator = [[Western Welsh|Western Welsh Omnibus Co]], [[John Fishwick and Sons]], Trinidad Bus Service, Jones, Aberbeeg, Government of Ceylon, Government of China.
| length = 30ft (9.5m) for 40, 41 or 44 seats
| floortype = Step entrance
| doors = 1 door
| engine = Leyland O350H 6-cylinder horizontal diesel engine
| transmission = Leyland constant mesh, 4 speeds
| power output = 94bhp
| options = Option of 40 or later 41 coach seats rather than 44 bus seats
| sales split = 90% home, 10% export. Only one left hand drive.
}}

The '''Leyland-MCW Olympian''' was an integral single-deck bus built by Weymann Coachbuilders of Surrey for the [[Metro Cammell Weymann]] group using [[Leyland Tiger Cub]] units.

[[British Electric Traction]] subsidiary [[Western Welsh|Western Welsh Omnibus Co]] took 1 in 1954, 40 in 1956 and six in 1958. [[Trinidad]] Bus Service had four in 1956 and [[John Fishwick and Sons]] of Leyland took six in 1957. The 1954 show bus and prototype went to Jones, Aberbeeg whilst a single example was exported to Ceylon, the sole left hand drive example was sold to China in 1958, all 60 were single door.<ref>{{Citeweb|url=http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk|title=Olymipans are listed with contemporary Olympics and take a little digging out}}</ref>

In his Classic Blunderbus column on the type in Classic Bus 63, the current Buses Magazine editor Alan Millar explained that it was a lightweight version of the [[Leyland-MCW Olympic]], and as that used Leyland Royal Tiger or Royal Tiger Worldmaster components, so this used [[Leyland Tiger Cub]] units. The name Olympian was he says adopted because Olympic Cub would have sounded "plain daft"; that said Leyland coded the type HRC (or, for the sole left hand drive version, ELC) where HR or EL was a mnemonic for "Olympic" and C meant "Cub". Completed examples were only 3cwt lighter than Tiger Cub chassis with the same maker's body. In appearance there was little to tell them apart save that the Olympian was differently badged and had a water filler cap mounted behind and slightly above the centre line of the nearside front wheel. With 60 built and six exported this was the least successful postwar Leyland single deck. But Leyland kept hold of their registration of the name, and it came in handy for the Project B45 [[Leyland Olympian]] in 1980.

LW was the bodybuilder's identity for the vehicle, it could have stood for Leyland Weymann, or Light Weight, probably the latter. One of the Fishwick buses is preserved.

The example for China was completed sometime in 1957. If it had succeeded then no-one would now be remembering Sir Donald Stokes in connection with Cuba...

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Booth (ed), Classic Bus 63, Edinburgh, January 2003.

{{Leyland buses}}

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Leyland vehicles|Olympian]]

Daimler Fleetline

2012-04-06T16:58:02Z

Quackdave: /* Design */ alter wording - joint ownership would suggest two entities doing the owning, rather than the being owned

{{Infobox UK Bus
| name = Daimler Fleetline
| image = GreaterManchester7214.jpg
| caption = Daimler Fleetline produced for [[Greater Manchester Transport]].
| manufacturer = [[Daimler Motor Company]]/[[British Leyland]]
| factory = '''1960-1973''': [[Coventry]], [[Warwickshire]], [[England]] '''1973-1980''': [[Farington]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]]
| operator = [[London Transport Board|London Transport]] and others
| length = 30ft, 33ft or 36ft
| floortype = Step entrance
| doors = 1 or 2 door
| engine = Daimler (prototypes only) Gardner 6LW/6LX/6LXB Leyland O.680/O.690 Cummins V6
| transmission = Daimatic/[[Self-Changing Gears]]
| options = Various customer options
}}

The '''[[Daimler Motor Company|Daimler]] Fleetline''' (known as the '''Leyland Fleetline''' from c.1975) is a rear-engined [[double-decker bus]] [[chassis]] built between 1960 and 1973 in [[Coventry]], [[Warwickshire]], [[England]], and from 1973 until 1980 in [[Farington]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]]. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1983. It was superseded by the [[Leyland Olympian]].

The Fleetline was built mainly for the [[United Kingdom]] market, but a number of Fleetlines had been exported to [[Portugal]], [[South Africa]] and [[Hong Kong]].

It was the second of three bus models to have a marque name as well as an alphanumeric identity code. The other two were the [[Daimler Freeline|Freeline]] and the [[Daimler Roadliner|Roadliner]].

==Design==
The Fleetline was the second rear-engined chassis to be launched by a UK manufacturer, following [[Leyland Motors|Leyland's]] introduction of the [[Leyland Atlantean|Atlantean]] in 1958. From the outset, the Fleetline had a drop-centre rear axle fitted as standard, enabling low-height bodywork to be fitted without necessitating an [[lowbridge|inconvenient seating layout]] in part of the upper deck, as was the case with early Atlanteans. Leyland responded by offering a drop-centre rear axle as an option on the Atlantean, but after the two companies came under [[British Leyland Motor Corporation|the same ownership]] in 1968, the low-height Atlantean option was discontinued.

The prototype Fleetline was fitted with a Daimler engine, but when production started only the [[L Gardner and Sons Ltd|Gardner]] 6LX or 6LW engines were offered. By 1968 Gardner's new and more powerful 6LXB was also an option, and in 1970 [[Leyland Motors|Leyland's]] 0.680 engine became available. Gardner engines had an excellent reputation for reliability and economy while Leyland engines were more lively and more thirsty. Most Fleetline customers preferred Gardner engines, but the Leyland engine became popular - particularly for a period in the 1970s when [[L Gardner and Sons Ltd|Gardner]] could not meet demand.

In late 1960s, Daimler developed the longer 36' double-deck Fleetline which was based on the single-deck [[Roadliner]] chassis. This chassis had a longitudinally-mounted Cummins engine at the rear offside corner. It was designed mainly for export, but one was built for Walsall Corporation Transport.

In mid-1970s, Leyland developed a special version of the Fleetline, known as the '''B20''', with Leyland 0.690 engine, chimneys on both sides above the engine compartment and reduced noise levels. All of these went to London Transport.

As with many British bus chassis including the comparable Leyland Atlantean, the bodywork was supplied separately by a range of different companies to their own designs, meaning it can be difficult to identify the chassis. Some, but not all, vehicles have a manufacturer's badge on the rear. A notable difference between the Atlantean and Fleetline is that the front of the engine cover, towards the rear of the lower deck, is sloped at about 10 degrees on the Daimler, but is vertical, with a notch at the top, on the Leyland.

===Designations===
Daimler Fleetline chassis designations started with the letters CR, of which the C is variously reported to stand for '''C'''oventry or '''C'''ommercial, and the R stands for '''R'''ear-engined. For single-deckers this became SR (although not on the earliest examples which were referred to with the standard CR).

This was followed by a code to indicate the engine fitted: D6 (Daimler 6-cylinder, prototypes only); G6 (Gardner 6-cylinder, more often than not this was expanded to the more specific G6LW, G6LX or G6LXB); L6 (Leyland 6-cylinder); C6 (Cummins 6-cylinder).

The standard length of the Fleetline was 30' but lengths of 33' and 36' were also available, which were sometimes (though not consistently) identified by a suffix of -33 or -36 (sometimes with an oblique stroke in place of the hyphen).

Later Leyland Fleetline chassis designations were different: '''FE''' for '''F'''leetlin'''e''', followed by 30 or 33 (length in feet); A (if applicable) for '''a'''utomatic transmission; '''G''' for '''G'''ardner or '''L''' for '''L'''eyland engine; '''R''' for '''R'''ight-hand drive.

==United Kingdom==
===London===
[[Image:London DMS Fleetline and Routemaster.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The prototype London DMS-class Fleetline (left) next to the [[Associated Equipment Company|AEC]] [[Routemaster]] rear-entrance class which it was meant to replace, but which eventually outlived the DMS in London service]]
[[Greater London Council|London Transport]] was the largest British Fleetline operator, whose DMS and DM classes totalled 2,646 vehicles (the last 400 were built as B20s), in addition to the earlier XF (eXperimental Fleetline) class of eight buses<ref>{{cite book|last=Adlam|first=James|title=The DMS Handbook|year=1994|publisher=Capital Transport|location=London|isbn=978-1854141712|pages=96}}</ref>.

The DMS and DM-class vehicles were fitted with either [[Park Royal Vehicles|Park Royal]] and [[Metro Cammell Weymann|MCW]] bodywork, and were given fleet numbers (DMS 1 - DM 2646) under the drivers' window on the offside and at the rear of the nearside of the vehicle.

The first vehicle into service was DMS 1 at 0454 on 2 January 1971 from Shepherds Bush Garage on route 220. However, celebrations at the garage meant that the bus left two minutes late and thus DMS 31 at Brixton Garage actually entered first at 0455 on route 95. The last vehicle was DMS 2438 also on 2 January, in 1993, returning home in the dark at 1845. This bus operated a farewell tour between Croydon Garage, Chipstead Valley and Hammond Street, London on special one-day only route 459.

A total of 60 garages operated DMSs in London. The smallest allocation was at Willesden where just 10 vehicles in total ever operated, and the largest at Croydon with a huge allocation total of 417 spanning a period of twenty years from 1973. In the Croydon example, an allocation could be as short as two months or as long as ten years. Croydon were the last garage to operate the type in normal passenger service in what became known as DMS heartland principally because of the other large operational garages at Brixton, Merton, Sutton, Catford and Thornton Heath.

The first batch of London Fleetlines had Gardner engines, but Leyland engined the majority. The final type of DMS, the B20, appears to have been the least reliable and several were fitted with Iveco engines during the 1980s.

DMSs proved unpopular in London, mainly due to the slow boarding times compared to those of the open-backed [[Routemaster]] class and the speed at which parts became defective. Withdrawal commenced in 1979 with the early vehicles being the first to go, the first to leave the fleet in this way being DMS 251 in February 1979, quickly departing for bus breaker Wombwell Diesels in Yorkshire. The very first vehicle to leave the fleet was DMS 1248 which was completely destroyed by fire whilst in service on route 280A from Sutton Garage in August 1978. In London, the successors of the DMS/DM buses were the [[Leyland Titan (B15)|Leyland Titan]] and [[MCW Metrobus]].

Many of the sold Fleetlines were sent to [[Ensignbus]] in [[Purfleet]] as a dealer for onward sale or spare parts. So many vehicles were despatched there between 1979 and 1983 that the yards became known as the 'DMS graveyards' as not enough buyers could be sought. Often vehicles could not be brought out and so rotted away where they sat.

However, hundreds of London Fleetlines proved popular secondhand purchases for operators throughout Britain from 1979 and during the 1980s, including the aftermath of [[bus deregulation]]. There were also a number of DMS/DM buses sold for export, many departing for the far east in Hong Kong. In addition, nearly 50 vehicles found operations in the USA for open-top sightseeing work.

Few vehicles have entered preservation, DMS 1 being with the [[London Transport Museum]] in [[Covent Garden]], DMS 132, 999, 1051, 1052, 1515, 1601, 1868, 2375, 2456 and appropriately DM 2646 with the Ensign Bus Museum. DM 2646 has been preserved in the Shillibeer livery which it carried back in 1979. DMS1515 is still in its Supercar incarnation, from when the Travelcard was instigated. 2008 saw a resurgence of fleetlines being bought for preservation and DMSs 115, 550, 1002, 1911, 2216, and 2357 also reached cherished status, albeit work-in-progress. April 2010 saw DMS2127 enter the ranks of preserved DMSs, fresh from service at Whipsnade Sarafi Park.

===Outside London===

[[Image:Daimler Fleetline Birmingham 3796.JPG|right|thumb|300px|alt=Birmingham City Transport No. 3796|West Midlands PTE operated over 2,000 Fleetlines of varying types]]
Second in fleet size was [[Birmingham]] Corporation and its successor [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive]] with well over 1,000 buses, including the first single-deck Fleetlines in 1965. Other constituent municipal fleets - and Midland Red - also contributed Fleetlines to the WMPTE Fleetline fleet to boost the number to over 2,100. The Daimler factory in Coventry was, of course, in the WMPTE area.

West Midlands PTE preferred the Gardner engine, but received 220 Fleetlines with Leyland engines during 1974-76 when Gardners were hard to obtain. However, the Leylands were found to be less reliable, particularly in the hilly Black Country, and most received Gardner engines during the early 1980s. The 700 or so Fleetlines inherited by West Midlands Travel in 1986 all had Gardner engines, and the type lasted with WMT until 1997.

[[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive]] purchased over 500 Fleetlines in addition to a similar number inherited from its constituents (although even in such numbers they were still outnumbered by Atlanteans). One of these, numbered 583 (BCB 613V) of the Lancashire United (subsidiary of GMPTE) was sold to [[Chester City Transport]] in 1992, numbered 79. It remained in regular service until May 2007 and it is now preserved in the Chester City Transport livery that it carried when withdrawn from service. It regularly attends rallies and when withdrawn was believed to have been the last closed top Fleetline in regular stage carriage service in the UK.

South Yorkshire PTE (SYPTE) operated a significant number of Fleetlines during the late 1960s and 1970s. Some were quite short lived although one example '1515' OKW515R saw service in London and Sheffield, then onto private operator Andrews of Sheffield where it served in competition to SYPTE for many years. Preserved in the late 1990s, the vehicle is said to be under local restoration for future bus preservation rally duties.

Another preserved fleetline from SYPTE 'WWJ754M' is owned by the Sheffield Transport Group and housed at Sandtoft, a museum near Doncaster. The vehicle was widely applauded as one of the best designs of double decker bus from the 1970s and is a centerpiece of local rallies. Using Sheffield Transport livery, it is said to be one of the last remaining examples of its type.

SYPTE also saw a number of inherited 1973 'L' registered Fleetlines from Doncaster independents. These were operational on the popular Rotherham to Sheffield route 69 for almost 15 years boasting low floors, large luggage and buggy storage plus blue coloured interior lighting near the cab area.

Most notably though, SYPTE fitted all its vehicles with comfortable sprung leather or fabric seats.

Ending their life with the PTE in the early 1990s, the remaining Fleetlines were placed on short duties between Rotherham bus station and the nearby Asda supermarket formerly at the Eastwood Trading Estate. Upon re-location of the supermarket, the dwindling remaining members of the fleet were sent to Ipswich and Scarborough with the SYPTE choosing [[Dennis Dominator]]s as replacement across the whole county.

Other English PTEs, plus many fleets in the [[Municipal bus companies|municipal]], such as [[Cardiff Bus]] with 90 examples, [[British Electric Traction|BET Group]], [[Scottish Bus Group]] and independent sectors purchased Fleetlines.

===Unusual Fleetlines===
[[Walsall]] Corporation specified some non-standard short-wheelbase Fleetlines, the first of which, 1 UDH [http://www.flickr.com/photos/54957550@N00/384166514/][http://www.flickr.com/photos/8050359@N07/2334860070/], was only 25 ft 7 in long, had no front overhang and had its entrance behind the front axle. The next 29 vehicles were 27 ft 6 in long with a short front overhang and again only an entrance behind the front axle. The remaining 69 were 28 ft 6 in long, with a narrow entrance in the usual position along with the entrance behind the front axle. 1 UDH had [[Northern Counties Motor and Engineering Company|Northern Counties]] bodywork with wrap-around windscreens on both decks, similar to that specified by [[Barton Transport]] on AEC Regents and a [[Dennis Loline]].

Several operators purchased single-deck Fleetlines (Birmingham was the first, in 1965). [[Rotherham Corporation]] purchased two 33' single deck fleetlines with 45 seat [[Willowbrook]] dual purpose bodies, nos 169 and 170. [[Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company]] ordered 3 similar vehicles with [[Marshall Bus|Marshall]] bodywork for White Rose Express services. However they were delivered as [[Yorkshire Traction]] 228-230 following the takeover in October 1969. In late 1970, [[Yorkshire Traction]] purchased nine 36' Fleetlines with dual door [[Walter Alexander]] W type bodywork, nos 357-365.

Walsall Corporation purchased one 36' double-deck Fleetline CRC6 in 1968, which is now preserved.

Unusual engines temporarily fitted by operators in Fleetlines in the 1960s included a Perkins V8 installed in Walsall 8, and a BMMO 10.5 litre unit in Midland Red 5261. Most remarkably, in 1972 a Rolls Royce LPG engine was fitted in Teesside Municipal Transport (ex-Middlesbrough) S470.

==Hong Kong==
[[China Motor Bus]] (CMB) introduced 336 Fleetlines between 1972 and 1980, and [[Kowloon Motor Bus]] (KMB) also introduced 450 between 1974 and 1979, these Fleetlines were mainly deployed to [[Cross-Harbour Tunnel]] routes. CMB adopted the word "Jumbo" (originated from "Jumbo Jet", which was the nickname of the [[Boeing 747]]) to describe the large capacity of its Fleetlines, so in Hong Kong, the Fleetlines were commonly known as the "Jumbo" ({{zh|珍寶}}).

In 1980s both CMB and KMB purchased ex-London Transport DMS/DM-class Fleetlines. [[Citybus (Hong Kong)|Citybus]] and [[Argos Bus]], operators of non-franchised routes and private hire services in Hong Kong, also purchased secondhand Fleetlines (including ex-London Transport DMS/DM-class Fleetlines).

Many of the Daimler/Leyland Fleetlines in Hong Kong were delivered to China for further service after being withdrawn in 1980s/1990s.

==Trivia==
*The first and last Fleetlines built were both destroyed by fire. Former demonstrator 7000 HP, which had passed to Blue Bus Services (Tailby & George) of Willington and later to Derby Borough Transport, was destroyed in a fire at the Willington depot on 5 January 1976. The last-built chassis, former [[South Notts Bus Company|South Notts]] ECW-bodied SCH 117X, was destroyed in a fire at the [[Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre]] on 21 February 2007 after it had been bought for preservation.
*In late 1990s Guangzhou Cityview Bus Installation Co., Ltd. (now known as Guangzhou Suijing Bus Co., Ltd.) rebuilt some of the ex-Hong Kong Daimler/Leyland Fleetlines in China with provision of new bodies, these Fleetlines became known as the "Eagle Fleetline" ({{zh|t=巨鷹珍寶|s=巨鹰珍宝}}). A number of the "Eagle Fleetlines" were sold for service in [[Shenzhen]], with the last bus being withdrawn in October 2008. [http://www.dennistang.com/bus/jumbo/china/super_jumbo_2.htm Images of "Eagle Fleetline" (Traditional Chinese)]

===References===
{{reflist}}
*Townsin, Daimler, Shepperton 2000

==See also==
{{commonscat}}
;Competitors
*[[Leyland Atlantean]]
*[[Bristol VR]]

==External links==
*[http://www.leylandfleetline.com/ Leyland Fleetline SF31 - Dedicated to a preserved ex-China Motor Bus Fleetline]
{{Portal|Buses}}
{{Leyland buses}}

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Double-decker buses]]
[[Category:Daimler vehicles|Fleetline]]
[[Category:Leyland vehicles|Fleetline]]

[[zh-yue:丹拿珍寶]]
[[zh:丹拿／利蘭珍寶巴士]]

Leyland Tiger

2011-08-25T21:46:22Z

Quackdave: /* Tiger B43 */ Der Tiger wurde in Farington, nicht in Workington errichtet [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leyland_Tiger&diff=409140188&oldid=409139357]

Der Name '''Leyland Tiger''' bezeichnet zwei verschiedene [[Omnibus]]modelle des britischen Herstellers [[Leyland Motors]].

== Tiger TS/TF/PS ==
[[File:East Kent CFN 104.JPG|thumb|right|Leyland ''Tiger PS1'' mit Aufbau von ''Park Royal'']]
Der erste Leyland Tiger wurde von 1927 bis zum Beginn der 1950er Jahre gebaut. Abgeleitet wurde der Tiger vom [[Doppeldecker]]bus ''Titan'' (TD1). Er war der Nachfolger des ''Leyland Lion''. Der ''Tiger'' war einer der im Großbritannien der Vor- und unmittelbaren Nachkriegszeit weitverbreitetsten Busse und prägte mit seiner typischen Erscheinung das Bild britischer Straßen.

Beim ''Tiger'' handelte es sich um ein Chassis mit einem vorn liegenden Motor. Das Chassis wurde von verschiedenen [[Karosseriebauunternehmen]] mit Aufbauten versehen. Typisch für britische Busse dieser Zeit war die halbseitig ausgeführte Fahrerkabine, die fast bis auf Höhe des Kühlergrills vorgezogen war.
Sie bot einerseits dem Fahrer eine gute Rundumsicht, andererseits einen einfachen Zugang zum Motor. Die meisten Tiger wurden mit einem 7.6 [[Fuß (Einheit)|ft]] breiten Aufbau versehen, da für 8 Fuß breite Busse eine auf bestimmte Straßen beschränkte Sondergenehmigung erforderlich war.
Ab Mitte der 1930er Jahre kamen sogenannte Mehrzeckaufbauten in Mode (dual-purpose), die während der Arbeitswoche einen Einsatz als [[Linienbus]] und am Wochenende einen Einsatz auf Expressverbindungen und als Ausflugsbus gestatteten. In der Sitzplatzkapazität und im Komfort stellten sie einen Mittelweg zwischen dem Standardbus, im Englischen als ''bus'' bezeichnet, und dem luxuriöseren [[Reisebus]], im Englischen ''coach'' genannt, dar. In geringen Stückzahlen wurde der Tiger auch als offener Ausflugsbus gebaut.
Die nach dem Krieg gebauten Busse bekamen einen moderner wirkenden [[Frontlenker]]aufbau, ältere Busse wurden teilweise mit modernen Aufbauten versehen.

Ein Teil der Aufbauten wurde von ''Leyland'' bei der Tochterfirma ''Beadle'' selbst hergestellt, dabei waren ab 1934 auch Ganzmetallaufbauten verfügbar. Andere Aufbauten kamen unter anderem von ''[[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]]'', ''Brush'', ''Crossley'', ''Dickson'', ''[[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]]'', ''Egerton'' (holzbeplankt), ''Gurney Nutting'', ''[[Park Royal Vehicles|Park Royal]]'', ''[[Thomas Harrington Coach Builders|Harrington]]'', ''Short Bros'' und ''[[Metro Cammell Weymann|Weymann]]''. Frontlenkeraufbauten kamen von ''Harrington'' und ''Burlingham''.

Die Serie erhielt die Bezeichnung ''TS'' ('''''T'''iger '''S'''ingle Deck'' (Eindecker)), erstes Modell war der TS1. Er war für 27 Fuß und 6 Zoll lange Aufbauten beschränkt, die der damaligen Größenbeschränkungen für zweiachsige Busse entsprachen. Zum Einsatz kam zunächst ein Benzinmotor von 6,8 l Hubraum. Die für Aufbauten von 26 Fuß Länge vorgesehene verkürzte Variante hieß ''TS2''. Der ''TS4'' war wieder für 27 Fuß 6 Zoll lange Aufbauten vorgesehen, erhielt aber eine Benzinmotor mit 7,6 l Hubraum. Er erschien 1932.

Für den TS6 wurde ab 1934 der Motor auf 8,6 l Hubraum vergrößert. Da zur damaligen Zeit die Länge für zweiachsige Busse auf 27 Fuß 6 Zoll beschränkt war, baute Leyland die dreiachsige Ausführung ''TS6T'' mit 30 Fuß Länge. Ursprünglich mit einem 8,4 l-Petroleummotor gebaut, wurden sie 1940 auf einen Dieselmotor mit gleichem Hubraum umgerüstet. Der Typ war jedoch kein großer Erfolg, lediglich zwei Busse für ''Southdown'' wurden gebaut. Der Reisebusaufbau mit 40 Sitzplätzen kam von ''Short Bros''.

Unter dem Namen ''Cheetah'' wurde 1937 ein neues, leichteres Chassis entwickelt. Konstruktionsmerkmale dieses Chassis wurden für den ''Titan'' und den ''Tiger'' übernommen. Durch das geringere Gewicht konnte wieder auf einen kleineren Motor zurückgegriffen werden. Die Busse trugen die Typenbezeichnung ''TD4'' bzw. ''TS7''. Ursprünglich mit einem 7,6 l-Benzinmotor gebaut, rüsteten einige Betreiber ab Beginn der 1940er Jahre auf 8,6 l-Dieselmotoren um. Auch vom TS7 gab es eine dreiachsige, 30 Fuß lange Ausführung, nun mit 8,6 l-Benzinmotor und als ''TS7T'' bezeichnet. Auch dieser Typ war kein großer Erfolg, ''Southdown'' nahm wieder nur zwei Exemplare ab und rüstete sie später auf Dieselmotoren um. Auf der Basis des Chassis des ''TS7'' entwickelte ''Leyland'' 1937 ein Fahrgestell mit Unterflurmotor. Dieses neuartige Design ermöglichte bei ebenem Fußboden das volle Ausnutzen der maximalen Länge für die Sitzplätze. Allerdings lag der Boden des Fahrgastraums im Vergleich zu modernen Bussen relativ hoch und konnte nur über Stufen erreicht werden. Verbaut wurde ein pneumatisch unterstütztes manuelles Schaltgetriebe von ''[[Associated Equipment Company|AEC]]'' zusammen mit dem 6,8 l-Dieselmotor von ''Leyland''. Die 87 von ''London Transport'' nach gründlicher Erprobung des Prototypen ''FEC'' ab 1939 eingesetzten Unterflurbusse erhielten dort die Typenbezeichnung ''TF''. Die Aufbauten von 75 Bussen wurden von ''Chiswick'', einem Tochterunternehmen von ''London Transport'', gebaut. Zwölf ursprünglich für private Betreiber vorgesehene Busse bekamen Aufbauten von ''Park Royal''. Diese Busse besaßen Dachfenster, ein zu öffnendes Dach und ein Radio. Anfänglich litten die ''TF'' unter dem Mangel an ausgebildetem Instandsetzungspersonal. Ein Teil der Busse wurde im Krieg zerstört, die verbliebenen fielen Anfang der 1950er Jahre der Flottenbereinigung zum Opfer.

Der ab 1937 gebaute ''TS8'' unterschied sich vom Vorgängermodell durch die Motorisierung mit einem Dieselmotor mit 8,6 l Hubraum. Ein Grund für den Misserfolg der dreiachsigen
Busse war die Tatsache gewesen, dass der Zugewinn an Sitzplätzen in keinem Verhältnis zum erhöhten Preis stand. Die ''Walter Alexander Coachbuilders'' lösten das Problem der Vergrößerung der Sitzplatzkapazität, indem sie die Stirnwand des Fahrgastraums vorzogen, den Platz für den Fahrersitz in der Länge beschränkten und den nun in den Fahrgastraum hineinragenden Teil des Motors mit einer Verkleidung abdeckten. Dadurch konnte Platz für eine zusätzliche Reihe Sitze geschaffen werden. Die ab 1939 gebauten Busse dieser Serie mit einer Kapazität von 39 Sitzplätzen bekamen die Typenbezeichnung ''TS8S''.

1941 wurde Leyland von der britischen Regierung angewiesen, die Produktion aller Chassis für Busse zu beenden und auf die Produktion von Rüstungsgütern umzustellen. Die Firma erhielt jedoch die Erlaubnis, Busse aus bereits vorhandenen Komponenten zu montieren. Diese Busse bekamen die Typenbezeichnung ''TS11''. Insgesamt wurden 22 ''TS11'' gebaut.

1945 wurde der ''PS1'' eingeführt, der wieder viele gemeinsame Komponenten mit dem gleichzeitig gebauten Doppeldeckermodell, jetzt dem ''Titan TD1'', aufwies. Die für ''London Transport'' gebauten ''Tiger'' bekamen die Typenbezeichnung TD.<ref> [http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/TD.html London TD class Leyland Tiger (englisch)] </ref> Je nach Aufbau lag die Kapazität bei ungefähr 30 bis 35 Sitzplätzen. Ursprünglich mit einem Ottomotor ausgerüstet, waren ab Ende 1933 für alle ''Leyland'' [[Dieselmotor]]en verfügbar. Zum Einsatz im ''PS1'' kam ein Dieselmotor mit einem [[Hubraum]] von 7,4 l, Standard war ein unsynchronisiertes Vierganggetriebe. Dieser Motor wurde auch zur Umrüstung der vor dem Krieg gebauten Chassis angeboten. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg gebaute Busse mit dem O.600-Dieselmotor mit 9,8 l Hubraum trugen die Typenbezeichnung ''PS2''. Sie erhielten auch ein synchronisiertes Vierganggetriebe. Beide Ausführungen waren wie die Vorkriegsmodelle 7 Fuß 6 Zoll breit. Da aber 1950 die Breitenbeschränkung für Omnibusse ohne Ausnahmen auf 8 Fuß bei einer maximalen Länge von 30 Fuß angehoben wurde, legte ''Leyland'' das längere Modell ''PS3'' auf. Nach einer nochmaligen Anhebung produzierte die Firma den ''PS4'' für 32 Fuß lange Aufbauten. Die einzelnen Typen unterschieden sich nochmals durch die Auslegung des Rahmens für Linien- und Reisebusse (/1 bzw. /2) und durch ein synchronisiertes Vierganggetriebe (/5)

Bussen, die für den Export gebaut wurden, wurde ein ''O'' für '''''O'''verseas'' in der Typenbezeichnung vorangestellt, aus dem ''PS2'' wurde so z. B. der ''OPS2''. Busse mit Linkssteuerung, die für alle Exportmodelle erhältlich war, bekamen nochmals ein ''L'' vorangestellt. Die Busse wurden bei ''Leyland'' in [[Lancashire]] und teils als Komplettfahrzeuge, teils als Chassis mit Motor ausgeliefert. Nach einer nochmaligen Anhebung der erlaubten Abmessungen produzierte die Firma den ''PS4'' für 32 Fuß lange Aufbauten.
* OPS1 (Exportversion des PS1): 8,6-Liter-Motor, 8 Fuß breit, 17 Fuß 6 Zoll Radstand für 27 Fuß 6 Zoll lange Aufbauten,
* OPS1/1: wie OPS1, jedoch Chassis für Reisebusse mit heruntergezogenen Rahmenenden,
* OPS2 (Exportversion PS2): O.600-Motor mit 9,8 Liter Hubraum, 8 Fuß breit, 17 Fuß 6 Zoll Radstand für 27 Fuß 6 Zoll lange Aufbauten,
* OPS2/1: Linienbusversion des OPS2,
* OPS2/3: Reisebusversion des OPS2,
* OPS3: wie OPS2, 8 Fuß breit, aber mit 19 Fuß Radstand für 30 Fuß lange Aufbauten,
* OPS4: wie OPS2, 8 Fuß breit, aber mit 21 Fuß 6 Zoll Radstand für 32 Fuß lange Aufbauten,
* OPS4/1: Linienbusversion des OPS4.
* OPS4/2: Reisebusversion Version des OPS4.
* OPS4/5: wie OPS4 mit pneumatisch unterstütztem Getriebe.

Ein vergleichbares Modell war der ''[[AEC Regal]]'' von ''AEC''. Der Tiger blieb bei vielen britischen Betreibern bis Anfang der 1960er Jahre in Dienst und wurde von moderneren Typen mit Unterflurmotor abgelöst, die bei gleicher Länge mehr Sitzplätze bieten konnten. Nachfolger des ''Tiger'' wurde der ''[[Leyland Royal Tiger]]'', der aus dem PS1 abgeleitet wurde, aber einen unterflur angeordneten Motor besaß.

<gallery perrow="4">
File:Heritage bus on Stockbridge High Street - geograph.org.uk - 99056.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger TS8'' mit Aufbau von ''Park Royal'', Baujahr 1937
File:Southdown 649.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger TS8'' Baujahr 1938, 1958 umgebaut auf Frontlenkeraufbau von ''Beadle''
File:Bournemouth Corporation 44.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger PS2'' mit Frontlenkeraufbau von ''Burlingham'', Baujahr 1949
Datei:Greenline preserved bus FJJ 774.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger TF'' mit Aufbau von ''Chiswick '', Baujahr 1937
</gallery>

== Tiger B43 ==
[[File:Leyland Tiger Alexander TC coach ex Strathtay ST18 Metrocentre rally 2009 1.JPG|right|thumb|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit Aufbau von ''Alexander'']]
Der von 1979 bis 1993<ref> [http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/dynmenu.asp?MenuType=Chassis&Manu=Leyland Bus Lists on the Web - Register (weltweit) (englisch)] </ref> gebaute '''Leyland Tiger''' mit der Typenbezeichnung ''B43''<ref> [http://www.madeinpreston.co.uk/Road/leylandinfo1.html Made in Preston- Website mit Informationen über Leyland-Busse (englisch)]</ref> war der Nachfolger des ''[[Leyland Leopard]]''.<ref name = "p90">{{cite book | last = Jack | first = Doug | title = Beyond Reality | publisher = Venture Publications | date = 1994 | page = 90 | isbn = 1898432023 }}</ref> Ebenso wie beim ''Leopard'' war der Motor mittig unterflur angeordnet. Auf das von Leyland gefertigte Fahrgestell wurden Reise- und Linienbusaufbauten verschiedener Hersteller gesetzt. Der ''Tiger'' entstand in einer Situation verschärften Wettbewerbs. [[Volvo]] hatte mit seinem erfolgreichen Modell ''B58'' Marktanteile gewonnen und startete zum gleichen Zeitpunkt wie Leyland die Entwicklung des Nachfolgers ''B10M''.<ref name ="p90"/> Durch die Deregulierung des britischen Omnibusverkehrs in den 1980er Jahren war es zu Änderungen des Passagieraufkommens zunächst im überortlichen, danach auch innerstädtischen Personennahverkehr gekommen. Der Markt für kleine und leichte Busse brach mangels Nachfrage fast völlig zusammen. Andererseits waren die häufig eingesetzten Doppeldeckerbusse zu groß für das geringe Passagieraufkommen, so dass sich ein Bedarf von relativ schweren Bussen mit großer Sitzplatzkapazität entwickelte.

Ursprünglich war der ''Tiger'' nur mit dem ''TL11''-Motor von ''Leyland'' erhältlich, der bis zu 245 bhp entwickelte. Bereits der Vorgänger ''Leopard'' wurde nur mit einem Motor angeboten. Leyland konnte eine große Anzahl des ''Leopard'' in [[Schottland]] verkaufen, verlor jedoch dort Marktanteile an den ''[[Seddon (Fahrzeughersteller)|Seddon Pennine VII]]'', der mit einem Sechszylindermotor von ''[[L. Gardner and Sons|Gardner]]'' ausgerüstet war. Beim ''Tiger'' hielt ''Leyland'' zunächst an der Firmenpolitik fest. Der ab 1983 erhältliche ''[[Dennis Dorchester]]'' bekam jedoch auch einen Gardner-Motor und hatte das Potential, sich zum ernsthaften Konkurrenten des ''Tiger'' zu entwickeln. Als die ''Scottish Bus Group'' Überlegungen anstellte, anstatt des ''Tiger'' den ''Dennis Dorchester'' zu beschaffen, offerierte die Firma ab 1984 den Gardner-Motor ''6HLX'' auch für den ''Tiger''. Dazu musste das Fahrgestell überarbeitet werden, da der ''Gardner''-Motor wesentlich größer war. Die Herausforderung von ''[[Dennis Brothers|Dennis]]'' konnte zwar erfolgreich abgewehrt werden, aber für den ''Tiger'' mit ''Gardner''-Motor gab es außerhalb Schottlands nur einen begrenzten Markt. Ab 1987 war der ''Tiger'' mit dem ''[[Cummins Engine|Cummins]]'' L10 erhältlich. Vorherige Versuche von Cummins, auf den britischen Busmarkt vorzustoßen waren erfolglos geblieben, Motoren der Firma kamen nur im als unzuverlässig bekannten ''Daimler Roadliner'' zum Einsatz. Mittlerweile hatte sich die Situation jedoch geändert. Die Entwicklung von Dieselmotoren wurde nicht zuletzt wegen der verschärfte Umweltschutzbestimmungen immer kostenintensiver, und Leyland gehörte mittlerweile nicht mehr zu den Weltmarktführern im Busbereich. Daher war Outsourcing die einzige Möglichkeit, einen modernen Motor für die hergestellten Fahrgestelle zu erhalten. Der ''Cummins''-Motor wurde ab 1988 mehrfach modifiziert. Im Regelfall kam mit diesem Motor ein [[Automatikgetriebe]] von [[ZF (Unternehmen)|ZF]] anstelle des ''Leyland-Hydracyclic''-Getriebes zum Einsatz. Nach der Übernahme von ''Leyland'' durch ''Volvo'' wurden ab
1898 Motoren der ''Volvo''-eigenen ''THD100''-Serie verbaut. Die Motoren von ''Gardner'' und ''Leyland'' waren nicht mehr erhältlich, nur die Ausrüstung mit dem ''Cummins''-Motor wurde optional angeboten.<ref>[http://www.ith.org.uk/VTiger-history.html Irish Transport Trust]</ref>

Wie schon der ''Leopard'' wurde auch der ''Tiger'' auch mit Aufbauten als Linienbus versehen. Derartige Fahrgestelle hatten einen gedrosselten Motor und Blattfedern anstelle der [[Luftfederung]] der Reisebusse. Die ''Scottish Bus Group'' beschaffte eine Anzahl dieser Busse mit dem 6HLXCT-Motor von ''Gardner'' und dem TS-Aufbau von ''[[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]]''. Kleinere, unabhängige Betreiber hatten ebenfalls Interesse an der Linienbusausführung. Die Aufbauten kamen von ''Alexander'' (''T-type'' und ''P-type''), ''Plaxton'' und ''East Lancs'', ''Wadham Stringer'' und ''Reeve Burgess''. Die Aufbauten von ''East Lancs'' waren teilweise Umbauten auf Fahrgestellen vorhandener Busse, ''Reeve Burgess'' baute eine Anzahl verkürzter ''Tiger''.

Der ''Tiger'' war auch in [[Nordirland]] sehr populär. ''Ulsterbus'' und ''Citybus'' (''Metro'' ab Februar 2005) beschafften zwischen 1983 und 1993 insgesamt 747 Busse. Im Jahr 2007 waren davon noch 576 in Nutzung, im Januar 2010 immerhin noch 157.<ref>[http://www.ith.org.uk/NorthernIrelandTiger-main.html Ulsterbus & Citybus Leyland Tiger]</ref> Von den diesen Bussen waren sieben Busse ''N-types'', die zusammen mit sieben anderen Bussen als Abschleppwagen eingesetzt wurden, und 150 ''Q-types'', davon 10 mit einem Aufbau von ''Wright Endeavour''. Im Zuge einer Flottenmodernisierung verblieben nur Busse mit Volvo-Motor im Dienst. Der Aufbau der Busse wurde von ''Alexanders'' Zweigwerk in [[Belfast]] gefertigt, zuerst der ''N-type'' von 1983 bis 1990, danach der ''Q-type''. Die Busse von ''Ulsterbus'' waren mit dem ''TL11'' von Leyland motorisiert, während ''Citybus'' den ''TRB6LXB '' von ''Gardner'' bevorzugte. Ab 1993 wurden Busse mit ''Volvo''-Motor beschafft.

Auch in [[Australien]] und [[Neuseeland]] erfreute sich der ''Tiger'' großer Popularität. Größter Kunde auf diesem Kontinent war ''Ventura'' in [[Melbourne]] , die 70 Exemplare zwischen 1984 und 1987 beschafften. Bis auf einen Bus, der von ''Pressed Metal Corporation'' (''PMC'') in [[Adelaide]] karosseriert wurde, erhielten sie alle einen Aufbau von ''PMCn'' in [[Sydney]]. Teilweise befinden sich ''Tiger'' noch heute in Australien im Einsatz.

Die Bussparte von ''Leyland'' wurde im Januar 1987 vom Manager Ian McKinnon aufgekauft. Dies hatte zunächst keinen Einfluss auf die Produktion des ''Tiger''. 1988 wurde das Geschäft jedoch von ''Volvo'' übernommen, die mit dem ''BM10'' ein vergleichbares Modell im Angebot hatte. Damit wurden die beiden im Vereinigten Königreich meistgebauten Busse unter dem Dach von ''Volvo'' hergestellt. Da sich der ''Tiger'' einen guten Ruf erworben hatte, setzte Volvo dessen Produktion zunächst fort, nahm ihn aber 1991 aus dem Angebot, nachdem die Verkaufszahlen eingebrochen waren. Bereits 1990 hatte ''Volvo'' versucht, den Reisebusmarkt für den ''Tiger'' zu erschließen. Insgesamt vierzig Fahrgestelle bekamen einen entsprechenden Aufbau von ''Plaxton''. Von diesen Bussen erhielten fünfundzwanzig den ''Plaxton 321''-Aufbau, der nach Übernahme der ''[[Duple Coachbuilders]]'' durch ''Plaxton'' aus dem ''Duple 320'' entwickelt worden war. Dennoch entwickelten sich die Verkaufszahlen unbefriedigend. Während ''Volvo'' zwischen 1988 und 1991 ungefähr 20.000 ''BM10'' verkaufte, konnten im gleichen Zeitraum nur 3500 ''Tiger''-Chassis abgesetzt werden. Der Hauptkunde des ''Tiger'', ''Shearings'', stellte 1991 auf den ''BM10'' um, was letztendlich zur Produktionseinstellung des Tiger im gleichen Jahr führte. Das Werk in Farington, in dem der ''Tiger'' gebaut wurde, wurde geschlossen.

Insgesamt wurden über 4700 ''Tiger'' gebaut, von denen ein relativ großer Teil heute noch eingesetzt wird.

<gallery >
File:Skelton Coaches 17 Leyland Tiger Plaxton Supreme DMJ 224X Metrocentre rally 2009 pic 1.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit ''Supreme''-Aufbau von ''Plaxton''
File:Skelton Coaches 29 Leyland Tiger Plaxton C471 UEW Metrocentre rally 2009 pic 1.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit ''Paramount''-Aufbau von ''Plaxton''
File:LeylandTigerPlaxtonParamount3500.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit ''Paramount''-Aufbau von ''Plaxton''
File:Southdown 1011.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit ''Laser''-Aufbau von ''Duple''
File:Leyland Tiger.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger'' Linienbus mit ''N-type''-Aufbau von ''Alexander'', eingesetzt bei ''Ulsterbus''
File:Leyland Tiger Q-Type.jpg |Leyland ''Tiger'' Linienbus mit ''Q-type''-Aufbau von ''Alexander'' und ''Volvo''-Motor, eingesetzt bei ''Ulsterbus''
File:Tiger Line.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger'' Linienbus mit ''Hyline''-Aufbau von ''East Lancs''
</gallery>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="padding-bottom:1em;" | TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB/TRCL10/TR2R
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! style="width:20em" | Name
! style="width:15em" | Bauzeit
! style="width:5em" | Stückzahl
! style="width:60em" | Anmerkung
|-
| TRCTL11 || 1979-1980 ||6 ||Reisebus 46-55 Sitzplätze, Aufbauten von Duple, Plaxton und [[Van Hool]], Motor TL11
|-
| TRCTL11 || 1981-1982 ||236 ||Reisebus 46-59 Sitzplätze, Aufbauten hauptsächlich von Duple, Plaxton und [[Eastern Coach Works]], Motor TL11
|-
| TRCTL11 || 1982-1983 ||263 ||Reisebus 46-59 Sitzplätze, Aufbauten hauptsächlich von Duple, Plaxton und [[Eastern Coach Works]], Motor TL11
|-
| TRCTL11 || 1982-1983 ||386 ||Reisebus 46-59 Sitzplätze, Linienbus mit bis zu 69 Plätzen, Aufbauten hauptsächlich von Duple, Plaxton, [[Eastern Coach Works]] und Alexander, Motor TL11
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11 || 1983-1984 ||478 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motor TL11
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11 || 1983-1984 ||287 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motor TL11
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB || 1984-1986 ||424 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, darunter sieben Dreiachser, Motoren TL11 und 6HLX
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB || 1984-1986 ||305 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 und 6HLX
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB || 1985-1987 ||515 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 und 6HLX
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB || 1986-1987 ||250 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 und 6HLX
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRCL10 || 1987-1988 ||95 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 und L10
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB/TRCL10 || 1987-1989 ||500 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 6HLX und L10
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB/TRCL10/TR2R || 1988-1991 ||500 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 6HLX, L10 und Volvo
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB/TRCL10/TR2R || 1988-1991 ||500 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 6HLX, L10 und Volvo
|}

== Einzelnachweise ==
<references/>

== Weblinks ==
{{commonscat|Leyland Tiger}}
* [http://www.madeinpreston.co.uk/Road/leylandinfo.html Website mit Informationen über Leyland-Busse] (englisch)
* [http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/menu.html Website mit Informationen über Leyland-Busse verschiedener Betreiber] (englisch)
* [http://www.countrybus.org/TRTiger/TR.html The London Transport Leyland Tigers] (englisch)
* [http://www.countrybus.org/TF/TF.html The London Transport TF] (englisch)

{{Navigationsleiste Leyland-Modelle}}

[[Kategorie:Omnibusmodell]]

[[en:Leyland Tiger]]

Leyland Leopard

2010-06-06T20:50:54Z

Quackdave: /* Fahrzeuge */ Dieser Reisebus (der meiner ist!) hat Elite III Aufbau mit 53 Sitze

[[File:LeylandLeopardAlexanderYTypeMFR306P.jpg|thumb|right|Leyland ''Leopard PSU3'' mit ''Y type''-Aufbau von ''Alexander'' als Stadtbus, Baujahr 1976]]
Der ''Leyland Leopard'' war ein Busfahrgestell des britischen Nutzfahrzeugherstellers [[Leyland Motors]]. Der Typ wurde von 1959 bis 1982 gebaut.

Der ''Leyland Leopard'' hatte einen mittig angeordneten Unterflurmotor. Auf Basis des erfolgreichen ''[[Leyland Tiger Cub]]'' entwickelt, war er ursprünglich als dessen Ablösung gedacht, doch für einen Zeitraum von über 10 Jahren wurden beide Typen parallel gebaut. Der hauptsächlichste Unterschied zum ''Leyland Tiger Cub'' bestand in der Verwendung des stärkeren O.600-[[Dieselmotor]]s. Später gebaute ''Leopard'' wurden mit dem O.680 mit 11,1 l [[Hubraum]] ausgerüstet. Im Jahr 1950 wurde im [[Vereinigtes Königreich|Vereinigten Königreich]] die maximale Länge für [[Omnibus]]se auf rund 9,1 m (30 Fuß) angehoben. Die zunächst gefertigten Versionen entsprachen diesen Vorgaben. Als später die maximal erlaubte Länge nochmals angehoben wurde, produzierte Leyland das Fahrgestell auch in Versionen mit 10 bzw. 11 m Länge. Zusammen mit dem ''Tiger Cub'' verdrängte der ''Leopard'' den ''[[Leyland Royal Tiger|Royal Tiger]]'' in kurzer Zeit fast vollständig vom britischen Markt. Mit über 1700 hergestellten Bussen war der ''Leopard'' eines der erfolgreichsten Busmodelle von Leyland, konnte aber nicht an die Verkaufserfolge des ''Tiger Cub'' anknüpfen. Er wurde ab Beginn der 1980er Jahre vom ''[[Leyland Tiger]]'' abgelöst. Sein Hauptkonkurrent auf dem britischen Markt war der [[AEC Reliance]], obwohl die [[Associated Equipment Company]] ebenfalls zum Leyland-Konzern gehörte. Die gefertigten Fahrgestelle erhielten in der Bezeichnung zunächst das Kürzel ''L1'' bzw. ''L2'', spätere das Kürzel ''PSU3'' (11 m Länge) bzw. ''PSU4'' (10 m Länge). Der ''L1'' bzw. ''L2'' unterschieden sich nur durch die Konstruktion des Rahmenhecks, während letzteres für den Aufbau von Reisebussen geeigneter war, war ersteres vorrangig für den Aufbau von Linienbusen vorgesehen.

Die Serienproduktion begann 1959, nachdem die Prototypen auf der Scottish Motor Show 1959 vorgestellt wurden. Ausgerüstet waren die Busse mit dem Sechszylinder-[[Dieselmotor]] O.600 von ''Leyland'' mit 9,8 l [[Hubraum]] und 125 [[bhp]]. Beim manuell zu schaltenden, pneumatisch unterstützen Vierganggetriebe waren der dritte und vierte Gang synchronisiert. Später wurde auch der O.680 mit 11,1 l Hubraum und 180 bhp sowie halbautomatische Getriebe eingebaut. Der Motor war mittig unterflur angeordnet. Optional konnten eine Hinterachse mit Vorgelege und pneumatische Bremsen an allen vier Rädern geordert werden. Das Fahrwerk war luftgefedert. Bis in die 1980er Jahre war es üblich, dass Fahrgestelle und Aufbauten für Busse von verschiedenen Herstellern gefertigt wurden. Die von Leyland hergestellten Fahrgestelle wurden daher von [[Karosseriebauunternehmen]] komplettiert. Ein Teil der Busse erhielt Aufbauten von ''Leylands'' Tochterfirma ''Charles H. Roe'' in [[Leeds]], andere bedeutende Hersteller von Aufbauten waren ''[[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]]'', ''Beadle'', ''Burlingham'', ''Crossley'', ''[[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]]'', ''East Lancs'', ''[[Thomas Harrington Coach Builders|Harrington]]'', ''Marshall'' ,''[[Metro Cammell Weymann|Metro Cammell]]'', ''Northern Counties'' , ''Nuttall'', ''[[Park Royal Vehicles|Park Royal]]'', ''Plaxton'', ''Strachan'', ''Willowbrook'' und ''[[Metro Cammell Weymann|Weymann]]''. Dabei wurden sowohl [[Reisebus]]se als auch [[Stadtbus]]se gebaut.

In England wurden die Tochtergesellschaften der ''British Electric Traction (BET)'' Großkunden des ''Leopard''. Für Stadtbusse und Mehrzweckfahrzeuge, die sowohl als Reise- als auch als Stadtbus eingesetzt werden konnten, entwickelte ''BET'' ein Standard-Design für die Aufbauten. Die Aufbauten selbst wurden in erster Linie von ''Marshall'' und ''Willowbrook'' bezogen, vereinzelt auch von ''Weymann'' und ''Metro-Cammell''. Ein weiterer wichtiger Kunde für den ''Leopard'' in England wurde ''Barton Transport'' aus [[Chilwell]] in der Nähe von [[Nottingham]]. ''Barton'' betrieb eine Flotte von 200 Bussen mit ''[[Plaxton Panorama Elite|Panorama Elite]]''- und ''[[Plaxton Supreme|Supreme]]''-Aufbauten von ''Plaxton''. ''Barton'' setzte die Busse für alle Arten des Personentransports ein, daher wurden diese Busse mit einer breiteren, zweiflügeligen Tür ausgerüstet. Die Karosserievarianten selbst wurden als ''Express'' bezeichnet. Die britische Regierung bezuschusste zu dieser Zeit die Beschaffung von Bussen, wenn sie bestimmte Spezifikationen erfüllten und für einen vorgeschriebenen Anteil im innerörtlichen Verkehr eingesetzt wurden. Anderer Betreiber nutzten ebenfalls diese Zuschüsse und beschafften nach diesen Spezifikationen hergestellte ''Leyland Leopard''.

In Schottland wurden viele Busse von Tochtergesellschaften der ''Scottish Bus Group'' gekauft und meist mit einem Aufbau von ''[[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]]'' (''Y type'') sowohl als Reise- als auch als Stadtbus ausgerüstet.

Das irische Unternehmen ''Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ)'' kaufte ebenfalls eine große Anzahl von Bussen und versah sie im Regelfall mit einem in den eigenen Werkstätten gefertigten Aufbau.

Das nordirische Gegenstück zu ''CIÉ'', die ''Ulster Transport Authority (UTA)'' und deren Nachfolger ''Ulsterbus'', beschafften die Busse mit dem ''X type''-Aufbau von ''Alexander''. Für einen Zeitraum von 40 Jahren war der ''Leopard'' auf nordirischen Straßen ein häufiger Anblick. Während der Unruhen in Nordirland wurden insgesamt 228 ''Leopard'' aus ihren Depots gestohlen und öffentlich zerstört. Ab 2006 wurde der ''Leopard'', teilweise nach einer Einsatzzeit von 28 Jahren, außer Dienst gestellt. ''Ulsterbus'' baute jedoch einige ''Leopard'' für den Einsatz als Abschleppwagen um. Von diesen waren 2008 noch fünfzehn Stück im Einsatz.

Das britische Militär setzte ebenfalls eine Anzahl von ''Leopard'' ein. Exportiert wurde der Bus nach Australien und nach Neuseeland.

== Fahrzeuge ==
<gallery perrow="4">
File:Southdown 122.JPG|Leyland ''Leopard PSU3'' mit Aufbau von ''Marshall'' als Stadtbus, ''Southdown Coaches'', Baujahr 1965, 45 Sitzplätze
File:Barton Leopard 1.jpg|Leyland ''Leopard PSU3'' mit ''Plaxton Elite Express III''-Aufbau, ''Barton Transport'', Baujahr 1974, 53 Sitzplätze
File:Alder Valley MNK 429V.JPG|Leyland ''Leopard PSU3'' mit Aufbau von ''Duple'' als Reisebus, ''Alder Valley'', Baujahr 1980, 53 Sitzplätze
File:Leyland Leopard Ulster Front 3Q.JPG|Leyland ''Leopard PSU3'' mit Aufbau von ''Wright'' als Stadtbus, ''Ulsterbus'', Baujahr 1982, 53 Sitzplätze
</gallery>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="padding-bottom:1em;" | L1, L2, PSU3, PSU4
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! style="width:20em" | Name
! style="width:15em" | Bauzeit
! style="width:5em" | Stückzahl
! style="width:60em" | Anmerkung
|-
| L1 || 1959-1969 ||243 ||Reisebus/Stadtbus/Mehrzweckbus 30-45 Sitzplätze
|-
| L2 || 1959-1967 ||413 ||Reisebus/Stadtbus/Mehrzweckbus 28-45 Sitzplätze
|-
| PSU3 || 1975 ||408 ||Reisebus/Stadtbus/Mehrzweckbus 45-62 Sitzplätze, 11 m Länge
|-
| PSU4 || 1966 ||92 ||Reisebus/Stadtbus/Mehrzweckbus 36-44 Sitzplätze, 10 m Länge
|-
| PSU4 || 1967-1969 ||234 ||Reisebus/Stadtbus/Mehrzweckbus 36-47 Sitzplätze, 10 m Länge
|-
| PSU4 || 1970-1982 ||369 ||Reisebus/Stadtbus/Mehrzweckbus 40-45 Sitzplätze, 10 m Länge
|}

==Weblinks==
* {{commons cat}}
* [http://www.leylandleopard.co.uk/ Leyland Leopard website] (englisch)
* [http://www.clydeside-scottish.co.uk Erhaltene Leyland Leopard in Schottland] (englisch)
* [http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/ Register (weltweit)] (englisch)
* [http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/sd50.html Busse der Southdown Coaches] (englisch)
* [http://www.freewebs.com/swift760/middleenginechassis.htm Technische Daten zu Leyland-Bussen] (englisch)

[[Kategorie:Omnibusmodell]]

{{Navigationsleiste Leyland-Modelle}}

[[en:Leyland Leopard]]

Duple Coachbuilders

2010-06-06T17:41:46Z

Quackdave: Korrekturen zu den Namen der Karosseriemodelle

[[File:DupleDominant.jpg|thumb|right|Duple ''Dominant IV'' auf ''Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R''-Fahrgestell]]
Die Firma '''Duple Coachbuilders''' war ein Hersteller von Aufbauten für [[Omnibus]]se aus England. Spezialisiert auf die Herstellung von [[Reisebus]]sen, wurden auch [[Stadtbus]]se und vereinzelt [[Doppeldeckerbus]]se gefertigt. Die Firma bestand von 1919 bis 1989.

== Geschichte ==
=== Gründung ===
''Duple Coachbuilders'', kurz ''Duple'', wurde im Jahr 1919 von ''Herbert White'' in [[Hornsey]], [[London]], gegründet. ''White'' hatte bereits vor dem [[Erster Weltkrieg|Ersten Weltkrieg]] unter dem Markennamen ''Bifort'' in [[Fareham]] [[Kraftfahrzeug]]e produziert.

Der Name ''Duple'' geht auf die Idee ''Whites'' zurück, Kraftfahrzeuge zu entwickeln und zu bauen, die für zwei verschiedene Verwendungszwecke geeignet waren. Das erste nach diesem Konzept entwickelte Fahrzeug war der ''Bifort''. Später wurden ehemals militärisch genutzte [[Ford Modell T]] mit einem neu entwickelten Mehrzweckaufbau versehen. Die [[Karosserie]] ähnelte dabei einem [[Tourenwagen]], konnte aber durch Abnehmen des hinteren Teils der Karosserie und Aufsetzen eines entsprechenden Aufbaus in einen [[Lieferwagen]] verwandelt werden. Diese Art der Karosserie besaß eine große Anziehungskraft für kleinere Gewerbetreibende, die bei geringen Mehrkosten das Fahrzeug sowohl für geschäftliche als auch private Zwecke nutzen konnten. Derartige Aufbauten wurden von ''Duple'' in erheblichen Stückzahlen produziert. Um die wachsende Nachfrage befriedigen zu können, eröffnete ''Duple'' 1926 eine neue Fabrikationsstätte in [[Hendon]].

=== Anfänge als Bushersteller ===
Aufbauten für Busse wurden seit der Gründung der Firma gelegentlich hergestellt. Im Jahr 1928 wurde beschlossen, diesen Geschäftszweig erheblich auszuweiten. Infolgedessen wuchs die Anzahl der Beschäftigten in kurzer Zeit auf ungefähr 800 Mitarbeiter. Ebenfalls im Jahr 1928 trat ''Walter Ernest Brown'', ein früherer Teilhaber des [[Karosseriebauunternehmen|Karosseriebauers]] ''Strachan & Brown'', in die Firma ein. Seine Tätigkeit hatte einen großen Einfluss auf die Erweiterung der Firma. Hauptkunden zu dieser Zeit waren die [[Great Western Railway]], die eine Anzahl von Aufbauten für ihre Busflotte bei ''Duple'' bestellten, und die ''Royal Blue Coach Services'' der Gebrüder ''Elliot''.

Bis zum Jahr 1930 wurden ungefähr 250 Busse produziert. ''Duple'' war zum damaligen Zeitpunkt ein aufstrebender Karosseriebauer. Die von ''Duple'' produzierten Aufbauten beeinflussten mit ihren charakteristischen Designmerkmalen die Entwicklung im [[Vereinigtes Königreich|Vereinigten Königreich]]. Im Jahr 1930 kam es durch den [[Road Traffic Act]] zur Veränderung der Nachfrage. Der bisher ungeregelte [[Wettbewerb]] wurde durch ein Lizenzsystem ersetzt, was zur Stabilisierung der Transportwirtschaft führte. Die nun relativ sichere wirtschaftliche Basis der Buslinienbetreiber rief einen Trend zu hochwertigeren, besser verarbeiteten und komfortableren Bussen hervor. Im Jahr 1930 erhielt Duple den bis dahin größten Einzelauftrag - eine Bestellung von 50 Aufbauten für die ''Green Line Coaches'', die neu gegründete Expresslinie der [[London General Omnibus Company]]. Die Karosserien wurden auf Fahrgestelle vom Typ ''[[AEC Regal]]'' gesetzt.

Im August 1931 begann ''[[Bedford (Fahrzeughersteller)|Bedford]]'' mit der Produktion von zwei neuen Fahrgestelltypen: dem 14-Sitzer ''WHB'' und dem 20-Sitzer ''WLB''. ''Duple'' nahm schon früh die Produktion von Aufbauten für den ''WLB'' auf. Im Werbematerial der Firma ''Bedford'' wurde ''Duple'' als einer von vier Herstellern von Aufbauten für den ''WLB'' empfohlen. Die infolge der steigenden Nachfrage ausgeweiteten Produktionskapazitäten machten ''Duple'' zum führenden Karosseriehersteller im Vereinigten Königreich. ''Bedford''-Busse mit ''Duple''-Aufbauten kamen im ganzen Land zum Einsatz. Die Verbindung mit ''Bedford'' war für ''Duple'' für die nächsten fünfzig Jahre bestimmend.

Im Jahr 1932 übernahm ''Duple'' das Geschäft von [[London Lorries]], die trotz des anderslautenden Namen ein damals bedeutender Hersteller von Aufbauten für Busse waren.

In der Mitte der 1930er Jahre engagierte sich ''Duple'' auch stark in der Entwicklung und im Bau von Karosserien für [[Pkw]]. 1933 wurden auf Bestellung von [[Vauxhall Motors]] Spezialkarosserien gebaut und im gleichen Jahr auf der ''London Motor Show'' gezeigt. Diese von Vauxhall noch bis 1935 beworbenen Fahrzeuge waren die letzten von ''Duple'' gefertigten Pkw-Karosserien.<ref name=AZCoachbuilders>{{cite book |last=Walker |first=Nick |title=A-Z of British Coachbuilders |year=2000 |publisher=Bay View Books |location=UK |isbn=1-870979-93-1}}</ref>

Das Auslandsgeschäft entwickelte sich frühzeitig. Durch die Reisetätigkeiten der Direktoren, insbesondere von ''Walter Ernest Brown'', konnten neue Märkte erschlossen werden. ''Brown'' bereiste die [[USA]] und [[Kanada]] und konnte dort erste Exportaufträge akquirieren. Er erschloss ebenfalls die Märkte in [[Griechenland]], [[Syrien]] und [[Ägypten]] für ''Duple''. Weitere Aufträge kamen aus Ostafrika, [[Argentinien]] und Europa. Das Auslandsgeschäft glich dabei die saisonal stark schwankende Nachfrage auf dem Inlandsmarkt aus. 1934 reichten die Produktionsstätten nicht mehr aus, so dass ''Duple'' ein benachbartes Grundstück zur Erweiterung seiner Produktion erwarb.

Die 1930er Jahre waren die Zeit des klassischen Bus-Designs, in der die Betreiber zunehmend das Aussehen der Busse beeinflussten. Viele Aufbauten waren individuell gestaltet, aber leicht als typische Aufbauten von ''Duple'' zu identifizieren. Die Einführung von schrägen Säulen, geschwungenen Dach-und Seitenlinien und ausgeformten Seitenteilen waren Anklänge an ein "aerodynamisches" Design, das zu dieser Zeit immer populärer wurde. Obwohl der Bau von Pkw-Karosserien bis Mitte der 1930er Jahre den wichtigsten Geschäftszweig von ''Duple'' darstellte, machte die Herstellung von Aufbauten für Busse einen zunehmenden Anteil am Geschäft aus. Beschleunigt wurde diese Entwicklung durch einen Großauftrag von ''Barton Transport'', die für einen längeren Zeitraum eine große Anzahl von Bussen abnahmen.

Im Jahr 1936 führte ''Duple'' den ''Vista'' ein. Der Vista, meist auf ''Bedford WTB''-Chassis gesetzt, hatte geschwungene Dach- und Seitenlinien sowie ein serienmäßiges Schiebedach.
Im darauffolgenden Jahr wurde das Design modifiziert und als ''Vista II'' vertrieben. Im gleichen Jahr erschien ebenfalls der sehr ähnliche ''Hendonian''. Beide Typen wurden bis zum Ende des Jahrzehnts produziert.
1939 begann ''Bedford'' die Produktion eines neuen [[Lkw]]-Fahrgestells mit dem charakteristischen Bullennasen-Kühlergrill. Die Fahrgestelle dieses Typs erhielten ein führendes "O" in der Bezeichnung. Der Unterbau für Busse wurde als ''[[Bedford OB]]'' bezeichnet. ''Duple'' passte den Aufbau des ''Hendonian'' an das neue Fahrgestell an, das länger als das ''WTB''-Chassis war. Wegen des Ausbruchs des [[Zweiter Weltkrieg|Zweiten Weltkrieges]] wurden nur 73 ''OB''-Fahrgestelle produziert, da ''Bedford'' zur Produktion von Rüstungsgütern überging.

=== Zweiter Weltkrieg ===
Während des Zweiten Weltkriegs war ''Duple'' Bestandteil der ''London Aircraft Production Group'' und stellte Rümpfe für den Bomber [[Handley Page Halifax]] sowie weitere Rüstungsgüter her. Daneben wurden noch verschiedene Doppeldeckerbusse nach speziellen Anforderungen produziert. Als einziges Eindecker-Modell wurde von 1942 bis 1945 der ''Bedford OWB'' hergestellt, im Prinzip ein radikal vereinfachter Vista mit geraden Dach-und Fensterlinien.

=== Nachkriegszeit ===
[[File:Mervyns Coaches HOD 75.JPG|thumb|right|Bedford ''OB'' mit Duple ''Vista''-Aufbau]]
1946 änderte sich der Name der Firma in ''Duple Motor Bodies Limited''.
Als erstes Modell wurde nach Kriegsende der ''Vista'' auf dem ''Bedford OB''-Fahrgestell gebaut. Normalerweise für 29 Sitzplätze vorgesehen, wurden auch Ausführungen mit einer anderen Anzahl von Sitzplätzen hergestellt. Der ''Vista'' auf diesem Chassis war die Standardausführung bis zur Einstellung der Produktion des ''Bedford OB'' in den frühen 1950er Jahren.

Im Mai 1946 lieferte Duple die ersten Aufbauten für Normalfahrgestelle wie den AEC ''Regal'' aus. Als ''A-type'' bezeichnet, lehnte sich das Design mit den geschwungenen Linien an die Vorkriegstypen an. Der Umbau von Vorkriegs-Chassis war zu dieser Zeit eine gängige Praxis, da neue Fahrgestelle unmittelbar nach dem Krieg nur schwer erhältlich waren. ''Duple'' fertigte eine Anzahl von Aufbauten für ältere Chassis. Nach kurzer Zeit waren der ''B-type'' und der ''C-type'' erhältlich, die sich nur in Details unterschieden und als Mehrzweckaufbauten vermarktet wurden. Der erste neue, eigenständige Designentwurf nach dem Krieg war der "D-type". Dach-und Seitenlinie verliefen nun gerade. Alle Busse dieser Serien waren [[Kurzhauber]], die halbseitige Fahrerkabine war fast bis zum Kühlergrill vorgezogen. Einige Umbauten für ältere Fahrgestelle waren jedoch auch als [[Frontlenker]] ausgeführt. Insgesamt besserte sich die Auftragslage zügig, und die Busse mit dem markanten ''Duple''-Design wurden zu einem vertrauten Anblick im Britannien der Nachkriegszeit.

Nach dem Krieg entwickelte sich ein Trend hin zu Ganzmetallaufbauten. Bis zu dieser Zeit bestanden Aufbauten für Busse aus einem Holzrahmen, der mit Stahl- oder Aluminiumblechen beplankt war. Vollständig aus Metall gebaute Busse wiesen eine größere Haltbarkeit auf, auch war Holz für den Rahmenbau zunehmend schwerer erhältlich. Für den Export entwickelte ''Duple'' einen ''Almet'' genannten Ganzmetallaufbau für den ''Bedford OB'' und begann mit der Entwicklung eines Ganzmetallaufbaus für das neue ''[[Bedford SB|SB]]''-Chassis von ''Bedford''. 1948 entwickelte ''Duple'' einen Doppelstockbus mit Metallrahmen, von dem einige Exemplare an die ''Red & White Services'' und ''SMT'' geliefert wurden.

=== 1950er Jahre ===
[[File:Moss Motors ODL 400.JPG|thumb|right|Bedford ''SB3'' mit Duple ''Vega''-Aufbau]]
Im Jahr 1950 produzierte ''Duple'' eine Anzahl von ''Ambassador''-Aufbauten, einem Frontlenker-Bus mit der für ''Duple'' typischen geschwungenen Linienführung. Da in Großbritannien die Größenbeschränkungen für Omnibusse auf 9,1 m und 2,4 m Breite angehoben wurden, bereitete die Firma einige neue Entwürfe vor. Die bekanntesten davon waren der ''Roadmaster'' und der ''Vega''. Der ''Roadmaster'' wies ein für ''Duple'' neues Erscheinungsbild auf. Da er für den Aufbau auf [[Unterflur]]-Chassis bestimmt war, bekam er eine sehr hohe und gerade Fensterlinie sowie niedrige Fenster. Die durch das Blech dominierte Ansicht der Karosserie führte zum Spitznamen ''Iron Duke''. Der ''Vega'' war für das neue ''SB''-Fahrgestell von ''Bedford'' bestimmt und besaß wieder die für ''Duple'' typische geschwungene Seiten- und Fensterlinie. Gegenüber dem ''Ambassador'' und vor allem dem ''Roadmaster'' waren Front und Heck dem Zeitgeist entsprechend deutlich stärker gerundet.

Die 1950er Jahre waren für die Karosseriebauer ein schwieriges Jahrzehnt. Das Nachlassen des wirtschaftlichen Aufschwungs der unmittelbaren Nachkriegszeit führte zu einem Einbrechen der Nachfrage. Der Wettbewerb wurde härter. Viele der ehemaligen ''Duple''-Kunden waren nun in der [[Tilling Group]] zusammengeschlossen, die ihren Buspark standardisierte und Fahrzeuge auf ''[[Bristol Commercial Vehicles|Bristol]]''-Chassis mit ''AEC''-Aufbauten einsetzte. Ein 36 Wochen dauernder Streik hatte katastrophale Folgen für ''Duple''. Die Firma verlor bedeutende Marktanteile und war gezwungen, ihren Standort in London aufzugeben.

1952 übernahm ''Duple'' die Firma ''Nudd Brothers & Lockyer Limited'' in [[Kegworth]], die zukünftig Metallrahmen für die Aufbauten in der ''Duple''-Standardgröße herstellte. Weitere Erweiterungen in [[Loughborough]] folgten 1955. Im Jahr darauf wurden die Betriebsteile in Kegworth und Loughborough zusammengeschlossen und in ''Duple Motor Bodies (Midland) Limited'' umbenannt. ''Willowbrook Limited'', einer der Mitbewerber von Duple, wurde 1958 übernommen, führte aber eine Zeit lang die Produktion unter eigenem Namen fort.

Während dieser Zeit führte ''Duple'' 1953 mit dem ''Elizabethan'' einen weiteren Aufbau für Unterflur-Fahrgestelle ein, der den ''Roadmaster'' praktisch ablöste. Durch eine geschwungene Fensterlinie und eine Mehrteilige Panorama-Frontscheibe gelang es, das massive Erscheinungsbild des ''Roadmaster'' dynamischer zu gestalten. Der 1955 vorgestellte ''Britannia'' basierte auf dem ''Elizabethan'', hatte aber im Unterschied zu diesem eine neu gestaltete Front mit senkrecht stehenden Säulen. Der ''Donington'', als Mehrzweckbus gedacht, folgte 1956, nun wieder mit gerader Fensterlinie. Für die Fahrgestelle von ''Bedford'' wurden der ''Vista'' und der ''Vega'' weiter produziert, nun als ''Super Vista'' und ''Super Vega''. Das Erscheinungsbild des ''Super Vista'' wurde dabei weitgehend an den ''Super Vega'' angeglichen, er war nun ebenfalls als Frontlenker ausgeführt.

=== 1960er Jahre ===
[[File:Bedford VAL Duple Viceroy.jpg |thumb|right|Duple ''Viceroy'' auf Bedford ''VAL''-Fahrgestell]]
Die Firma ''H. V. Burlingham Limited'' aus [[Blackpool]], bekannt für den in den 1950er Jahren hergestellten ''Seagull''-Aufbau, wurde 1960 übernommen. Der Firmenname wurde zunächst für zwei Jahre beibehalten, dann wurde der Betriebsteil in ''Duple Motor Bodies (Northern) Limited'' umbenannt.

Ende 1961 führte ''Bedford'' das ''VAS''-Fahrgestell ein. Duple entwarf einen komplett neuen Aufbau, den ''Bella Vista'', für das Chassis, der in seiner klaren Linienführung dem Zeitgeist der beginnenden 1960er Jahre entsprach. An dieses Design angelehnt entstand auch der etwas größere ''Bella Vega''. Im gleichen Jahr wurde die maximal erlaubte Länge für Busse auf 11,1 m und die Breite auf 2,6 m erhöht. ''Duple (Northern)'' entwickelte nach diesen Vorgaben den ''Continental'' mit einer Kapazität von bis zu 51 Sitzplätzen. Nachdem ''Bedford'' das dreiachsige ''VAL''-Chassis angekündigt hatte, führte Duple den ''Vega Major'' für dieses Fahrgestell ein. Der ''Commander'' wurde 1964 vorgestellt und zunächst in Hendon produziert. Später wurde die Produktion nach Blackpool verlagert. Der 1966 vorgestellte und dem ''Commander'' sehr ähnliche ''Viceroy'' löste die "Bella" und ''Vega Major'' für die meisten Chassis von ''Bedford'' und ''[[Ford Truck|Ford]]'' ab.

Die Produktion wurde ab 1968 in Blackpool konzentriert und die Firma in ''Duple Coachbuilders Limited'' umbenannt. Die Fabrikationsstätte in Hendon wurde 1970 endgültig geschlossen. Die Tochter ''Willowbrook'' führte das Geschäft unter eigenem Namen und wurde 1971 verkauft.

=== 1970er Jahre ===
[[File:Duple Dominant Leyland Leopard.jpg|thumb|right|Leyland ''Leopard'' mit Duple ''Dominant''-Aufbau]]
Im Jahr 1968 hatte Plaxton den ''[[Plaxton Panorama Elite]]'' vorgestellt, der mit seinem Design neue Maßstäbe setzte. ''Duple'' konterte mit dem erstmals auf der ''Commercial Motor Show'' 1972 gezeigten ''[[Duple Dominant]]''. Der Nachfolger des ''Panorama Elite'', der ''[[Plaxton Supreme]]'', ging 1974 in Produktion. ''Duple'' entwickelte daraufhin den ''Dominant'' 1976 zum ''Dominant II'' weiter. Front und Heck wurden umgestaltet. Mit dem [[Modellpflege|Facelift]] war der italienische [[Automobildesign|Designer]] [[Giovanni Michelotti|Michelotti]] beauftragt worden. Die Linienführung war insgesamt klarer, die jetzt rechteckigen Scheinwerfer wurden mit dem Kühlergrill in einer Chrommaske zusammengefasst. Die Windschutzscheibe war nun stärker gewölbt. Obwohl meist auf Chassis von ''Bedford'' gesetzt, war der ''Dominant'' auch für zahlreiche andere Fahrgestelle in unterschiedlichen Längen und Breiten erhältlich. Zusammen mit den beiden Typen von ''Plaxton'' war der ''Dominant'' der dominierende [[Reisebus]] im Großbritannien der 1970er Jahre, lediglich ''Willowbrook'' konnte sich noch einen kleineren Anteil auf diesem Markt sichern. Der Import von Bussen aus dem Ausland begann am Ende des Jahrzehnts vorerst nur zögerlich.

=== Niedergang und Ende ===
[[File:Duple425Coach.jpg|thumb|right|Duple 425]]
Der [[Transport Act 1980|Transport Act 1980]] von 1980 sah eine Deregulierung des Busverkehrs auf Entfernungen von mehr als 30 Meilen vor, was zu einem verstärkten Wettbewerb führte. Es entwickelte sich ein wachsender Trend zu schwereren Chassis, die für größere Laufleistungen und die höheren Geschwindigkeiten besser geeignet waren. Der Markt für leichte Reisebus-Chassis, wie sie von ''Ford'' und ''Bedford'' gebaut wurden, brach fast vollständig zusammen. ''Bedford'' war jedoch der Hauptlieferant für die Aufbauten von ''Duple'' gewesen, die Firma hatte sich vor allem auf den Bau kleinerer und leichterer Reisebusse konzentriert. Die Produktion bei ''Duple'' fiel von 1000 Aufbauten 1976 über 800 im Jahr 1980 bis auf 500 im Jahr 1981 ab. Die Folge waren Entlassungen von Arbeitskräften. 1980/81 übernahm Duple die Firma ''TI Metsec'', einen Hersteller von [[Doppeldeckerbus]]sen, um seinen Markt auf den innerörtlichen Nahverkehr auszuweiten. ''TI Metsec'' wurde nach der Übernahme als ''Duple Metsec'' geführt.

''Duple'' brachte trotz der schwierigen Marktlage 1980 den ''Dominant III'' und ''Dominant IV'' heraus. Bei beiden Bussen war die Front wie beim ''Dominant II'' gestaltet, der Chromschmuck wurde jedoch reduziert und die Stoßfänger modifiziert. Der ''Dominant III'' besaß trapezförmig geschnittene Seitenfenster mit breiteren Fensterstegen, der ''Dominant IV'' rechteckige Fenster. Die Ausstattung der verschiedenen ''Dominant''-Serien konnten jedoch untereinander gemischt werden, so dass eine eindeutige Zuordnung der Busse schwierig ist. Der 1981 vorgestellte ''Goldliner'' baute auf dem ''Dominant'' auf, besaß aber eine höher gesetzte Fenster- und Dachlinie, um mehr Reisegepäck unterzubringen und die Aussicht der Passagiere zu verbessern. Die ersten ''Goldliner'' besaßen eine charakteristische Stufe im Dach hinter dem Fahrersitz. Der ''Goldliner'' war in Übereinstimmung zu den ''Dominant''-Modellen als II, III oder IV erhältlich. Der 1982 entwickelte ''Super Goldliner'' wurde auf Grundlage einer Forderung der [[National Bus Company]] zusammen mit [[Dennis Brothers|Dennis Specialist Vehicles]] für den Hochgeschwindigkeitsverkehr entwickelt. Nur 12 Exemplare des auf ein heckmotorgetriebenes Fahrgestell von ''Dennis'' gesetzten Aufbaus wurden produziert. Aufgrund der kurzen Entwicklungszeit gab es erhebliche Qualitätsmängel, die dem Bus den Ruf der Unzuverlässigkeit einbrachten. Das Design des ''Super Goldliner'' mit nun flachem Dach ohne Stufe wurde auch für andere ''Goldliner'' übernommen.

Der Import von Bussen aus dem Ausland nahm stetig zu, [[Neoplan]], [[VDL Bova|Bova]], [[Van Hool]] und [[Jonckheere]] konnten zunehmend Anteile auf dem britischen Markt gewinnen. Um im Wettbewerb mit ausländischen Anbietern zu bestehen, entwickelte Duple 1982 den ''Laser'' und den ''Caribbean''. Der ''Laser'' baute auf dem Design des ''Dominant'' auf, hatte aber eine mehr abgerundete Front und einen in Wagenfarbe lackierten Kühlergrill. Der ''Caribbean'' war ein Hochdecker, der 1983 eingeführte ''Calypso'' seine Ausführung mit normaler Höhe und auf einem Chassis von ''Bova'' aufgebaut. Die neuen Typen konnten den Rückgang der Produktion jedoch nicht aufhalten, 1983 produzierte Duple nur noch 340 Busse.

Im Juni 1983 wurde die ''Duple Coachbuilders Limited'' an die [[Hestair Group]] verkauft, die bereits vorher [[Dennis Brothers]] übernommen hatten. Duple wurde in ''Hestair Duple'' umbenannt. Der ''Laser'' und der Caribbean wurden einem Facelift unterzogen. 1985 wurde mit der Serie ''300'' nochmals ein neues Modell vorgestellt. Der Stadtbus dieser Serie löste den erfolgreichen Stadtbus der ''Dominant''-Reihe ab, der auch nach Auslaufen der Produktion der ''Dominant''-Reisebusse weiter hergestellt wurde. Mit dem ''425'' wurde ein integrierter Bus produziert, bei dem Rahmen und Aufbau vom gleichen Hersteller kamen. An das Modell wurden große Erwartungen geknüpft. Die nun jedoch enge Verbindung von ''Duple'' mit dem Fahrgestellhersteller ''Dennis'' führte jedoch dazu, das andere Chassishersteller weniger auf Aufbauten von Duple zurückgriffen. Die Deregulierung des innerörtlichen Nahverkehrs mit dem Transport Act von 1986 führte zu Irritationen bei den Betreibern der Buslinien, infolgedessen wurden nur noch wenige Investitionen getätigt. 1988 baute ''Duple'' schließlich nur noch 250 Busse. 1988 stellte Dennis auf der Motor Show den ''[[Dennis Dart]]'' vor, einen [[Midibus]]. Er sollte eines der erfolgreichsten Fahrzeuge seiner Klasse werden. Duple entwickelte auf seiner Basis einen Reisebus. An das Design der 300er-Serie angelehnt, war die Front mit der konkav gewölbten Frontscheibe und dem darunterliegenden konvex gewölbten Panel sehr markant.

Im November 1988 kündigte ''Hestair'' den Verkauf von ''Dennis'' und ''Duple'' an ein Management-Buyout unter dem Namen ''Trinity Holdings'' an. Die Firma wurde in ''International Duple'' umbenannt. Bei sinkenden Verkaufszahlen wurden verschiedene Versuche unternommen, den Absatz wieder zu erhöhen. Unter anderem sollte ein neuer Aufbau für den [[Scania]] N113 entwickelt werden. Allerdings wurde im Juli 1989 die Entscheidung getroffen, ''Duple'' endgültig zu schließen. Das Design und die Produktionsvorrichtungen für die Serien ''300'' und ''400'' wurden an den inländischen Mitbewerber ''Plaxton'' verkauft. ''Plaxton'' kaufte auch die ''Duple Services Ltd'', die Ersatzteile herstellt und Reparaturen durchführt. Das Design für den ''Dartline'' wurde an die ''Carlyle Works Limited'' veräußert. Lediglich ''Duple Metsec'' wurde als Bestandteil der ''Trinity Holdings'' weitergeführt und schließlich 1998 von der ''Mayflower Corporation'' übernommen.

== Firmennamen ==
*''Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd'' 1919-1946
*''Duple Motor Bodies Limited'' 1946-1968
** ''Duple Motor Bodies (Midland) Limited
** ''Duple Motor Bodies (Northern) Limited
*''Duple Coachbuilders Limited'' 1968-1983
*''Hestair Duple'' 1983-1989
*''Trinity Holdings'' 1989

== Modelle ==

=== 1928-1945 ===
<gallery perrow="5">
File:1929-AEC-Regal-UU6646.jpg|AEC ''Regal'', London General
File:Gypsey Queen coach 1931 Bedford WLB Duple MV 8996 Metrocentre rally 2009 (1).JPG|Bedford ''WLB'' mit Duple-Aufbau
File:Bedford WLG Omnibuss 1932.jpg|Bedford ''WLG'', 1932
File:Southern Vectis 216 FDL 676 2.JPG|Duple ''Hendonian'' auf Bedford ''OB'', 1932
</gallery>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="padding-bottom:1em;" | 1928-1945
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! style="width:30em" | Name
! style="width:25em" | Bauzeit
! style="width:10em" | Fahrgestell
! style="width:40em" | Anmerkung
|-
| AEC Regal || 1930 ||AEC Regal ||
|-
| Bedford WHB || 1931 ||Bedford WHB/WHG ||Reisebus 14 Sitzplätze, Radstand 3,330<ref>WHG ist die Bezeichnung des Lkw-Fahrgestells, WHB des daraus abgeleiteten Chassis für Busse</ref>
|-
| Bedford WLB || 1931 ||Bedford WLB/WLG ||Reisebus 14 Sitzplätze, Radstand 3,990 m<ref>WLG ist die Bezeichnung des Lkw-Fahrgestells, WLB des daraus abgeleiteten Chassis für Busse</ref>
|-
| Bedford WHB || 1931 ||Bedford WHT ||Radstand 2,820 m
|-
| Bedford WHT || 1931 ||Bedford WLT ||Radstand 3,990 m
|-
| Vista || 1936 ||Bedford WTB ||
|-
| Hendonian || 1936 ||Bedford OB ||
|-
| Vista II || 1937 ||Bedford WTB ||
|-
| Bedford OWB || 1942-1945 ||Bedford OWB ||Linienbus, 25-32 Sitzplätze
|}

=== 1945-1960 ===
<gallery perrow="5">
File:Southern Vectis 216 FDL 676 2.JPG|Duple ''Vista III'' auf Bedford ''SB''
File:Chambers bus depot in 1970.jpg |Drei ''Guy Arab''-Doppeldecker, der rechte Bus mit Duple-Aufbau
File:Bedford DBY404.jpg|Duple ''Vega'' auf Bedford ''SB''
Datei:BedfordSB-181ECV.jpg|Duple ''Super Vega'' auf Bedford ''SB''
File:1961 Restored Bedford.jpg|Bedford ''C5'' mit Duple ''Super Vista''-Aufbau
</gallery>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="padding-bottom:1em;" | 1945-1960
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! style="width:30em" | Name
! style="width:25em" | Bauzeit
! style="width:10em" | Fahrgestell
! style="width:40em" | Anmerkung
|-
| Vista III || 1945 -1950 ||Bedford OB ||Reisebus, 27-29 Sitzplätze
|-
| A-type || 1946 ||AEC Regal Guy Arab III [[Leyland Tiger|Leyland Tiger PS1]] Dennis Lancet||Reisebus, 35 Sitzplätze
|-
| B-type || 1947 ||||Mehrzweckbus
|-
| C-type || 1947 ||||Mehrzweckbus
|-
| D-type || 1947 ||Bristol LL||Stadtbus
|-
| Ambassador || 1950 ||AEC Regal IV Leyland Royal Tiger [[Leyland Tiger Cub]] ||Reisebus, 26 - 41 Sitzplätze
|-
| Roadmaster || 1950 ||Bedford OB [[Leyland Royal Tiger]] Guy Arab UF ||Reisebus
|-
| Vega || 1950 ||Bedford SB Commer Avenger II/III||Reisebus, 28 -41 Sitzplätze
|-
| Elizabethan || 1953 ||[[AEC Reliance]] ||Reisebus
|-
| Britannia || 1955 ||[[Leyland Leopard]] AEC Reliance ||Reisebus
|-
| Donington || 1956 ||AEC Reliance ||Mehrzweckbus
|-
| Super Vista || 1959 ||Bedford C4 Bedford C5 ||Reisebus, 29/30 Sitzplätze
|-
| Super Vega || 1961 ||Bedford SB ||Reisebus
|}

=== 1960-1980 ===
<gallery perrow="5">
File:Southern Vectis 301 KDL 885F 2.JPG|Duple Commander auf Bristol RE
File:Delaine Tiger 1.jpg|Duple Dominant Bus auf Leyland Tiger
File:Victory Tours 6804 VC.JPG|Duple Dominant I auf Bristol LHS
</gallery>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="padding-bottom:1em;" | 1960-1980
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! style="width:30em" | Name
! style="width:25em" | Bauzeit
! style="width:10em" | Fahrgestell
! style="width:40em" | Anmerkung
|-
| Bella Vista || 1961 ||Bedford SB Bedford VAS ||Reisebus, 41 Sitzplätze
|-
| Bella Vega || 1961 ||AEC Reliance [[Bristol RE]] ||Reisebus, 43-47 Sitzplätze
|-
| Continental || 1961 ||Leyland Leopard AEC Reliance ||Reisebus, 41-49 Sitzplätze, auch als ''Alpine Continental'' bezeichnet
|-
| Vega Major || 1962 ||Bedford VAL Ford ||Reisebus, 49-52 Sitzplätze
|-
| Commander || 1964 ||Bristol RE Leyland Leopard ||Reisebus, 44 Sitzplätze
|-
| Viscount || ||Bedford VAM AEC Reliance ||Reisebus, bei Willowbrook produziert
|-
| Viceroy || 1966 ||Bedford VAL [[Ford R-Serie]] Bedford VAM ||Reisebus, 53 Sitzplätze
|-
| Empress || 1966 ||Ford R192||Reisebus, 45 Sitzplätze
|-
| Dominant || 1972 ||Leyland Tiger [[Ford R-Serie]] Bristol LHS||Reisebus
|-
| Dominant II || 1976 ||Leyland Tiger [[Ford R-Serie]]||Reisebus, auch als Stadtbus gebaut
|}

=== 1980-1988 ===

<gallery perrow="5">
Datei:DupleDominant.jpg|Duple Dominant IV auf Leyland Tiger
File:Southdown 1011.JPG|Duple Laser auf Leyland Tiger
File:14C（油塘）.jpg|Duple 300
File:Go Northern 425 BVW.jpg|Duple 320
File:Brijan Tours 97 GIG 6497.JPG|Dennis Dart
</gallery>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="padding-bottom:1em;" | 1980-1988
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! style="width:30em" | Name
! style="width:25em" | Bauzeit
! style="width:10em" | Fahrgestell
! style="width:40em" | Anmerkung
|-
| Dominant III || 1980 ||Leyland Tiger [[Ford R-Serie]]||Reisebus, auch als Stadtbus gebaut
|-
| Dominant IV || 1980 ||Leyland Tiger [[Ford R-Serie]]||Reisebus
|-
| Goldliner II-IV || 1981 ||Leyland Tiger||Reisebus, 51 Sitzplätze
|-
| Super Goldliner || 1982 ||Dennis Falcon||Reisebus
|-
| Laser || 1982 ||Leyland Tiger||Reisebus, 53 Sitzplätze
|-
| Caribbean || 1982 ||Volvo B10M Leyland Tiger DAF MB200||Reisebus
|-
| Calypso || 1983 ||Bova||
|-
| Duple 300/320/340 || 1985 ||Leyland Tiger Dennis ||Reisebus/Stadtbus, die Bezeichnung leitet sich aus der Höhe in cm ab
|-
| Duple 425 || 1985 ||Dennis ||Reisebus, die Bezeichnung leitet sich aus dem Luftwiderstandsbeiwert ab
|-
| Dennis Dart || 1988 ||Dennis Dart ||Stadtbus, auch Duple Dart, Duple Dartline
|}

== Einzelnachweise ==
<references />

== Weblinks ==
* {{commonscat|Duple buses in the United Kingdom}}
* [http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/index.html The Classic Busses Website] (englisch)
* [http://www.farrows-coaches.co.uk/Photos.html Photos diverser englischer Busse] (englisch)
* [http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/ Register (weltweit)] (englisch)

== Literatur ==
* Townsin, A. A.: ''Duple: 70 Years of Coachbuilding''. Venture Publications Ltd, 1997. ISBN 1-898432-46-5
* Ogden, Eric: ''Duple: A Pictorial Survey of Their Activities from the Twenties with a Brief History''. Transport Publishing Company, 1976. ISBN 0-903839-12-1

[[Kategorie:Ehemaliger Nutzfahrzeughersteller]]
[[Kategorie:Omnibushersteller]]
[[Kategorie:Ehemaliges Unternehmen (Vereinigtes Königreich)]]

[[en:Duple Coachbuilders]]
[[zh-yue:都普]]

Bristol LH

2010-05-28T23:58:48Z

Quackdave: NEV106P hat Supreme Aufbau

{| class="wikitable float-right" width=250
!colspan=2 style="color: white; background: RoyalBlue;" |Bristol
|-
!colspan=2 style="text-align: center" |[[File:Devon General 1563 2.JPG|250px|Bristol LHS6L mit Stadtbusaufbau von ECW]]
|-
!colspan=2 style="color: white; background: RoyalBlue;"|Bristol LH
|-
|Hersteller:
|width="250px"|[[Bristol Commercial Vehicles]]
|-
|Bauart:
|[[Stadtbus (Fahrzeug)|Linienbus]]
|-
|Produktionszeitraum:
|1967-1982
|-
|Achsen:
|2
|-
|Leistung:
|
|-
|Länge (mm):
| 8-11 m
|-
|Breite (mm):
| 2,4 m
|-
|Höhe (mm):
|
|-
|Sitzplätze:
| 27-55 je nach Aufbau
|-
|Stehplätze:
|
|-
|Leergewicht
| 3288-3843 kg
|-
|zul. Gesamtgewicht (kg):
| 8618-11.176 kg
|-
|Vorgängermodell:
| [[Bristol SU]] [[Bristol MW]]
|-
|Nachfolgemodell:
| [[Leyland National]]
|-
|Ähnliches Modell:
| [[AEC Reliance]]
|-
|}

Der '''Bristol LH''' war ein von [[Bristol Commercial Vehicles]] in England gebautes [[Fahrgestell|Chassis]] für [[Omnibus]]se. Der Typ wurde zwischen 1967 und 1982 gebaut. Die Typenbezeichnung stand dabei für '''L'''ight '''H'''horizontal (leichter Bus mit horizontal eingebautem Motor). Er löste den [[Bristol SU]] und den [[Bristol MW]] ab. Nachfolger war der [[Leyland National]], der alle im Konzernverbund hergestellten Eindeckerbusse ersetzen sollte. Der ''Bristol LH'' war das letzte Chassis für Eindeckerbusse, das von ''Bristol Commercial'' hergestellt wurde.

Angeboten wurde der ''Bristol LH'' in der Normalausführung mit 10 m Länge. Daneben wurde noch die verkürzte Ausführung ''LHS'' ('''S'''hort) mit 8 m und die verlängerte Ausführung ''LHL'' ('''L'''ong) mit 11 m Länge angeboten, die Normalausführung wurde jedoch von den meisten Buslinienbetreibern nachgefragt. Aufgrund der Größenbeschränkung für Busse wurde der ''Bristol LH'' zunächst mit einer Breite von 7 [[Fuß (Einheit)]] und 6 Zoll gebaut, nach Aufhebung der Beschränkung wurden auch 8 Fuß 2 Zoll breite Busse gebaut.

Motorisiert war der Bus mit verschiedenen Motoren, alle waren Sechszylinder-[[Dieselmotor]]en mit [[Direkteinspritzung]]. Angeboten wurden zunächst der ''H6.354'' von [[Perkins Engines]] und der ''O.400'' von [[Leyland Motors]]. Der ''H6.354'' hatte einen [[Hubraum]] von 5,8 l und leistete 101 [[Pferdestärke|bhp]]. ''Leyland'' hatte 1965 einen fünfundzwanzigprozentigen Anteil an der ''Transport Holding Company'' erworben, zu der auch ''Bristol Commercial'' gehörte. Später wurde der O.400 durch den ebenfalls von Leyland gebauten O.401 abgelöst. Dieser Motor erreichte bei 6,54 l Hubraum maximal 138 bhp. Verwendet wurde ein manuell zu schaltendes, synchronisiertes Fünfganggetriebe mit [[Overdrive (Getriebe)|Overdrive]] im fünften Gang. Die Getriebe kamen meist von ''Turner Clarke''. Einige für London Transport gebaute Busse bekamen auch ein halbautomatisches Getriebe und eine Servolenkung, die anderen Berteiber beschafften jedoch Busse ohne servounterstützte Lenkung. Obwohl ''Bristol Commercial Vehicles'' selbst ein bedeutender Hersteller von Nutzfahrzeugmotoren war, wurde kein einziger Bus mit einem ''Bristol''-Motor ausgerüstet. Wie auch beim ''[[Bristol MW]]'' saß der Motor unterflur in der Mitte des Fahrgestells. Auch beim ''Bristol RH'' führte der relativ hoch bauende Motor dazu, dass im Eingang der Busse Stufen vorhanden waren. Die Eingangstür konnte im vorderen Überhang angeordnet werden. Dies ermöglichte den kostensparenden Einmannbetrieb, da der Fahrer so auch das Abkassieren der Fahrgäste beim Einsteigen übernehmen konnte. Der Kühler war stehend auf der Front des Chassis angeordnet. Abgefedert wurde der Bus mit halbelliptischen [[Blattfeder]]n, obwohl ''Bristol Commercial'' schon ab 1962 für den ''Bristol MW'' eine [[Luftfederung]] als Option angeboten hatte.

Auf das von Bristol gelieferte Fahrgestell wurden Aufbauten verschiedener [[Karosseriebauunternehmen]] gesetzt. Diese Bauweise war zur damaligen Zeit üblich, da die Aufbauten den Wünschen und Vorstellungen der verschiedenen Buslinienbetreiber besser angepasst werden konnten. Karosseriert wurde der Bus als [[Reisebus]] (englisch: coach), als [[Stadtbus]] (englisch: bus) und als Mehrzweckbus. Diese in England als ''dual purpose'' bezeichneten Mehrzweckbusse waren zur damaligen Zeit relativ weit verbreitet, konnten sie doch während der Arbeitswoche im Linienverkehr und zu verkehrsschwachen Zeiten im Ausflugsverkehr eingesetzt werden. Die Aufbauten für die Stadtbusse kamen meist von den [[Eastern Coach Works]] (ECW), die mit ''Bristol Commercial'' über die gemeinsame [[Holdinggesellschaft]] ''Transport Holding Company'' verbunden waren. Für Reisebusse wurden Aufbauten von Plaxton bevorzugt. Andere Hersteller von Aufbauten waren ''[[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders]]'', ''[[Duple Coachbuilders]]'', ''Marshall'' und ''Northern Counties''. Der ''LHS'' hatte sowohl als Reisebus als auch als Stadtbus 26 bis 35 Sitzplätze, als Mehrzweckbus bot ''ECW'' Aufbauten mit 27, 29 und 30 Sitzplätzen an, während ''Marshall'' zwei Busse mit 29 Plätzen und ''Duple'' zwei weitere mit 31 Sitzplätzen absetzen konnte. Der ''LHL'' bot als Reisebus bis zu 53 Sitzplätze, als Stadtbus bis zu 55 und als Mehrzweckbus bis zu 49. Von 1975 bis 1982 karosserierte ''Vanplan'' acht Fahrzeuge als Lieferwagen. Bei der Normalausführung waren der einundvierzigsitzige Reisebusaufbau von ''Plaxton'' und der dreiundvierzigsitzige Busaufbau von ''ECW'' am weitesten verbreitet, die von ''Alexander'' in [[Belfast]] gefertigten Busaufbauten für [[Ulsterbus]] hatten 45 Sitzplätze.

Der Bus löste bei vielen Betreibern den [[AEC Reliance]] ab, war aber beim Personal nicht sonderlich beliebt. Der Bus litt im Betrieb unter undichten Ventilsitzen, Überhitzung und Leckagen. ''London Transport'' setzte den ''Bristol LH'' in mehreren Versionen ein. Dabei verwendete ''London Transport'' eigene Baureihenbezeichnungen. Als ''BS'' wurde der ''LHS'' in der schmalen Ausführung bezeichnet, als ''BL'' der schmale ''LHL''. ''London Country'' beschaffte darüberhinaus noch einige ''LH'' in der Normalausführung, der ''BN'' war dabei die schmale Version, der ''BL'' die breitere. Bei ''London Transport'' löste der ''Bristol LH'' den [[Ford Transit]] mit Busaufbau ab, der auf Strecken mit geringem Verkehrsaufkommen und schmalen Straßen zum Einsatz kam. Der ''BS'' bekam für diese Einsätze auch ein Sechsganggetriebe eingebaut. Eingesetzt ab 1975, wurde der ''BS'' bei ''London Transport'' schon ab 1976 durch den größeren ''BL'' mit Automatikgetriebe abgelöst. Die schmalen Busse wurden nicht nur wegen der engen Straßen auf einigen Strecken beschafft, ein weiterer Grund waren die für andere Busse zu schmalen Wartungsboxen im Depot ''Kingston garage'' in Surrey. Der eigentlich als universell einsetzbarer Bus konzipierte ''Leyland National'' konnte hier aus diesen Gründen nicht eingesetzt werden. ''London Transport'' beschaffte 17 ''BS'' und 95 ''BL'', von denen 1986 noch 38 im Einsatz waren. ''London Country'' beschaffte den Bus als Ersatz für den ''AEC Reliance'', obwohl er nicht dessen Spezifikation entsprach. Jedoch war das Angebot an kleineren Eindeckerbussen vor Erscheinen des ''[[Dennis Dart]]'' beschränkt - der ''Bristol LH'' war zu dieser Zeit der einzige größere Bus, der in schmaler Ausführung angeboten wurde, so dass ''London Country'' auf ihn zurückgriff. Beschafft wurde der Bus in der normal langen Ausführung in 67 Exemplaren, davon 44 in der schmaleren Version.

Insgesamt wurden fast 2000 Busse gebaut, davon 1505 ''LH'', 174 ''LHL'' und 308 ''LHS''. Gegenwärtig befinden sich noch einige wenige Busse im [[ÖPNV]] auf [[Malta]] im Einsatz.

<gallery perrow="5">
File:Tally Ho! Bristol LH.JPG|Bristol ''LH6L'' mit Stadtbusaufbau von ''ECW''
File:Victory Tours 6804 VC.JPG|Bristol ''LHS'' mit ''Dominant''-Reisebusaufbau von ''Duple''
File:Frank Harris of Grays Bristol LHS coach NEV106P in Essex 1976 (1).jpg|Bristol ''LHS6L'' mit ''Supreme''-Reisebusaufbau von ''Plaxton''
File:Malta Bus EBY 523.jpg|Bristol ''LH'' auf Malta
</gallery>

== Literatur ==
* Curtis, Martin: ''Bristol Buses in Camera'', Ian Allen, 1984. ISBN 0-7110-1361-6
* Townsin, Alan: ''The Bristol Story Part Two'', Venture Publications, 2000. ISBN 1-898432-78-3

== Weblinks ==
* [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/jamespratt/LH%20History.html Kurze Geschichte des Bristol LH] (englisch)
* [http://www.coleridge-group.co.uk/tgpreserved/0413/data.htm Technische Daten] (englisch)
* [http://www.countrybus.org/Bristol/BL_BS.htm#BS Bristol BS und BL bei London Country] (englisch)
* [http://www.countrybus.org/Bristol/BL_BS.htm#top Bristol BN und BL bei London Country] (englisch)
* [http://www.jsh1949.co.uk/MALTA%20BUS%20HOME%20PAGE.htm Register und Bildergalerie der Busse auf Malta] (englisch)

[[Kategorie:Omnibusmodell]]

{{Navigationsleiste Bristol-Modelle}}

Leyland Tiger

2010-05-28T23:54:07Z

Quackdave: /* Tiger B43 */ dieses ist ein Laser (Caribbean war die Hochfußboden Version)

Der Name '''Leyland Tiger''' bezeichnet zwei verschiedene [[Omnibus]]modelle des britischen Herstellers [[Leyland Motors]].

==Tiger TS/TF/PS==
[[File:East Kent CFN 104.JPG|thumb|right|Leyland ''Tiger PS1'' mit Aufbau von ''Park Royal'']]
Der erste Leyand Tiger wurde von 1927 bis zum Beginn der 1950er Jahre gebaut. Abgeleitet wurde der Tiger vom [[Doppeldecker]]bus ''Titan'' (TD1). Er war der Nachfolger des ''Leyland Lion''. Der ''Tiger'' war einer der im Großbritannien der Vor- und unmittelbaren Nachkriegszeit weitverbreitetsten Busse und prägte mit seiner typischen Erscheinung das Bild britischer Straßen.

Beim ''Tiger'' handelte es sich um ein Chassis mit einem vorn liegenden Motor. Das Chassis wurde von verschiedenen [[Karosseriebauunternehmen]] mit Aufbauten versehen. Typisch für britische Busse dieser Zeit war die halbseitig ausgeführte Fahrerkabine, die fast bis auf Höhe des Kühlergrills vorgezogen war.
Sie bot einerseits dem Fahrer eine gute Rundumsicht, andererseits einen einfachen Zugang zum Motor. Die meisten Tiger wurden mit einem 7.6 [[Fuß (Einheit)|ft]] breiten Aufbau versehen, da für 8 Fuß breite Busse eine auf bestimmte Straßen beschränkte Sondergenehmigung erforderlich war.
Ab Mitte der 1930er Jahre kamen sogenannte Mehrzeckaufbauten in Mode (dual-purpose), die während der Arbeitswoche einen Einsatz als [[Linienbus]] und am Wochenende einen Einsatz auf Expressverbindungen und als Ausflugsbus gestatteten. In der Sitzplatzkapazität und im Komfort stellten sie einen Mittelweg zwischen dem Standardbus, im Englischen als ''bus'' bezeichnet, und dem luxuriöseren [[Reisebus]], im Englischen ''coach'' genannt, dar. In geringen Stückzahlen wurde der Tiger auch als offener Ausflugsbus gebaut.
Die nach dem Krieg gebauten Busse bekamen einen moderner wirkenden [[Frontlenker]]aufbau, ältere Busse wurden teilweise mit modernen Aufbauten versehen.

Ein Teil der Aufbauten wurde von ''Leyland'' bei der Tochterfirma ''Beadle'' selbst hergestellt, dabei waren ab 1934 auch Ganzmetallaufbauten verfügbar. Andere Aufbauten kamen unter anderem von ''[[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]]'', ''Brush'', ''Crossley'', ''Dickson'', ''[[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]]'', ''Egerton'' (holzbeplankt), ''Gurney Nutting'', ''[[Park Royal Vehicles|Park Royal]]'', ''[[Thomas Harrington Coach Builders|Harrington]]'', ''[[Short Brothers|Short Bros]]'' und ''[[Metro Cammell Weymann|Weymann]]''. Frontlenkeraufbauten kamen von ''Harrington'' und ''Burlingham''.

Die Serie erhielt die Bezeichnung ''TS'' ('''''T'''iger '''S'''ingle Deck'' (Eindecker)), erstes Modell war der TS1. Er war für 27 Fuß und 6 Zoll lange Aufbauten beschränkt, die der damaligen Größenbeschränkungen für zweiachsige Busse entsprachen. Zum Einsatz kam zunächst ein Benzinmotor von 6,8 l Hubraum. Die für Aufbauten von 26 Fuß Länge vorgesehene verkürzte Variante hieß ''TS2''. Der ''TS4'' war wieder für 27 Fuß 6 Zoll lange Aufbauten vorgesehen, erhielt aber eine Benzinmotor mit 7,6 l Hubraum. Er erschien 1932.

Für den TS6 wurde ab 1934 der Motor auf 8,6 l Hubraum vergrößert. Da zur damaligen Zeit die Länge für zweiachsige Busse auf 27 Fuß 6 Zoll beschränkt war, baute Leyland die dreiachsige Ausführung ''TS6T'' mit 30 Fuß Länge. Ursprünglich mit einem 8,4 l-Petroleummotor gebaut, wurden sie 1940 auf einen Dieselmotor mit gleichem Hubraum umgerüstet. Der Typ war jedoch kein großer Erfolg, lediglich zwei Busse für ''Southdown'' wurden gebaut. Der Reisebusaufbau mit 40 Sitzplätzen kam von ''Short Bros''.

Unter dem Namen ''Cheetah'' wurde 1937 ein neues, leichteres Chassis entwickelt. Konstruktionsmerkmale dieses Chassis wurden für den ''Titan'' und den ''Tiger'' übernommen. Durch das geringere Gewicht konnte wieder auf einen kleineren Motor zurückgegriffen werden. Die Busse trugen die Typenbezeichnung ''TD4'' bzw. ''TS7''. Ursprünglich mit einem 7,6 l-Benzinmotor gebaut, rüsteten einige Betreiber ab Beginn der 1940er Jahre auf 8,6 l-Dieselmotoren um. Auch vom TS7 gab es eine dreiachsige, 30 Fuß lange Ausführung, nun mit 8,6 l-Benzinmotor und als ''TS7T'' bezeichnet. Auch dieser Typ war kein großer Erfolg, ''Southdown'' nahm wieder nur zwei Exemplare ab und rüstete sie später auf Dieselmotoren um. Auf der Basis des Chassis des ''TS7'' entwickelte ''Leyland'' 1937 ein Fahrgestell mit Unterflurmotor. Dieses neuartige Design ermöglichte bei ebenem Fußboden das volle Ausnutzen der maximalen Länge für die Sitzplätze. Allerdings lag der Boden des Fahrgastraums im Vergleich zu modernen Bussen relativ hoch und konnte nur über Stufen erreicht werden. Verbaut wurde ein pneumatisch unterstütztes manuelles Schaltgetriebe von ''[[Associated Equipment Company|AEC]]'' zusammen mit dem 6,8 l-Dieselmotor von ''Leyland''. Die 87 von ''London Transport'' nach gründlicher Erprobung des Prototypen ''FEC'' ab 1939 eingesetzten Unterflurbusse erhielten dort die Typenbezeichnung ''TF''. Die Aufbauten von 75 Bussen wurden von ''Chiswick'', einem Tochterunternehmen von ''London Transport'', gebaut. Zwölf ursprünglich für private Betreiber vorgesehene Busse bekamen Aufbauten von ''Park Royal''. Diese Busse besaßen Dachfenster, ein zu öffnendes Dach und ein Radio. Anfänglich litten die ''TF'' unter dem Mangel an ausgebildetem Instandsetzungspersonal. Ein Teil der Busse wurde im Krieg zerstört, die verbliebenen fielen Anfang der 1950er Jahre der Flottenbereinigung zum Opfer.

Der ab 1937 gebaute ''TS8'' unterschied sich vom Vorgängermodell durch die Motorisierung mit einem Dieselmotor mit 8,6 l Hubraum. Ein Grund für den Misserfolg der dreiachsigen
Busse war die Tatsache gewesen, dass der Zugewinn an Sitzplätzen in keinem Verhältnis zum erhöhten Preis stand. Die ''Walter Alexander Coachbuilders'' lösten das Problem der Vergrößerung der Sitzplatzkapazität, indem sie die Stirnwand des Fahrgastraums vorzogen, den Platz für den Fahrersitz in der Länge beschränkten und den nun in den Fahrgastraum hineinragenden Teil des Motors mit einer Verkleidung abdeckten. Dadurch konnte Platz für eine zusätzliche Reihe Sitze geschaffen werden. Die ab 1939 gebauten Busse dieser Serie mit einer Kapazität von 39 Sitzplätzen bekamen die Typenbezeichnung ''TS8S''.

1941 wurde Leyland von der britischen Regierung angewiesen, die Produktion aller Chassis für Busse zu beenden und auf die Produktion von Rüstungsgütern umzustellen. Die Firma erhielt jedoch die Erlaubnis, Busse aus bereits vorhandenen Komponenten zu montieren. Diese Busse bekamen die Typenbezeichnung ''TS11''. Insgesamt wurden 22 ''TS11'' gebaut.

1945 wurde der ''PS1'' eingeführt, der wieder viele gemeinsame Komponenten mit dem gleichzeitig gebauten Doppeldeckermodell, jetzt dem ''Titan TD1'', aufwies. Die für ''London Transport'' gebauten ''Tiger'' bekamen die Typenbezeichnung TD.<ref> [http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/TD.html London TD class Leyland Tiger (englisch)] </ref> Je nach Aufbau lag die Kapazität bei ungefähr 30 bis 35 Sitzplätzen. Ursprünglich mit einem Ottomotor ausgerüstet, waren ab Ende 1933 für alle ''Leyland'' [[Dieselmotor]]en verfügbar. Zum Einsatz im ''PS1'' kam ein Dieselmotor mit einem [[Hubraum]] von 7,4 l, Standard war ein unsynchronisiertes Vierganggetriebe. Dieser Motor wurde auch zur Umrüstung der vor dem Krieg gebauten Chassis angeboten. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg gebaute Busse mit dem O.600-Dieselmotor mit 9,8 l Hubraum trugen die Typenbezeichnung ''PS2''. Sie erhielten auch ein synchronisiertes Vierganggetriebe. Beide Ausführungen waren wie die Vorkriegsmodelle 7 Fuß 6 Zoll breit. Da aber 1950 die Breitenbeschränkung für Omnibusse ohne Ausnahmen auf 8 Fuß bei einer maximalen Länge von 30 Fuß angehoben wurde, legte ''Leyland'' das längere Modell ''PS3'' auf. Nach einer nochmaligen Anhebung produzierte die Firma den ''PS4'' für 32 Fuß lange Aufbauten. Die einzelnen Typen unterschieden sich nochmals durch die Auslegung des Rahmens für Linien- und Reisebusse (/1 bzw. /2) und durch ein synchronisiertes Vierganggetriebe (/5)

Bussen, die für den Export gebaut wurden, wurde ein ''O'' für '''''O'''verseas'' in der Typenbezeichnung vorangestellt, aus dem ''PS2'' wurde so z. B. der ''OPS2''. Busse mit Linkssteuerung, die für alle Exportmodelle erhältlich war, bekamen nochmals ein ''L'' vorangestellt. Die Busse wurden bei ''Leyland'' in [[Lancashire]] und teils als Komplettfahrzeuge, teils als Chassis mit Motor ausgeliefert. Nach einer nochmaligen Anhebung der erlaubten Abmessungen produzierte die Firma den ''PS4'' für 32 Fuß lange Aufbauten.
* OPS1 (Exportversion des PS1): 8,6-Liter-Motor, 8 Fuß breit, 17 Fuß 6 Zoll Radstand für 27 Fuß 6 Zoll lange Aufbauten,
* OPS1/1: wie OPS1, jedoch Chassis für Reisebusse mit heruntergezogenen Rahmenenden,
* OPS2 (Exportversion PS2): O.600-Motor mit 9,8 Liter Hubraum, 8 Fuß breit, 17 Fuß 6 Zoll Radstand für 27 Fuß 6 Zoll lange Aufbauten,
* OPS2/1: Linienbusversion des OPS2,
* OPS2/3: Reisebusversion des OPS2,
* OPS3: wie OPS2, 8 Fuß breit, aber mit 19 Fuß Radstand für 30 Fuß lange Aufbauten,
* OPS4: wie OPS2, 8 Fuß breit, aber mit 21 Fuß 6 Zoll Radstand für 32 Fuß lange Aufbauten,
* OPS4/1: Linienbusversion des OPS4.
* OPS4/2: Reisebusversion Version des OPS4.
* OPS4/5: wie OPS4 mit pneumatisch unterstütztem Getriebe.

Ein vergleichbares Modell war der ''[[AEC Regal]]'' von ''AEC''. Der Tiger blieb bei vielen britischen Betreibern bis Anfang der 1960er Jahre in Dienst und wurde von moderneren Typen mit Unterflurmotor abgelöst, die bei gleicher Länge mehr Sitzplätze bieten konnten. Nachfolger des ''Tiger'' wurde der ''[[Leyland Royal Tiger]]'', der aus dem PS1 abgeleitet wurde, aber einen unterflur angeordneten Motor besaß.

<gallery perrow="4">
File:Heritage bus on Stockbridge High Street - geograph.org.uk - 99056.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger TS8'' mit Aufbau von ''Park Royal'', Baujahr 1937
File:Southdown 649.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger TS8'' Baujahr 1938, 1958 umgebaut auf Frontlenkeraufbau von ''Beadle''
File:Bournemouth Corporation 44.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger PS2'' mit Frontlenkeraufbau von ''Burlingham'', Baujahr 1949
Datei:Greenline preserved bus FJJ 774.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger TF'' mit Aufbau von ''Chiswick '', Baujahr 1937
</gallery>

==Tiger B43==
[[File:Leyland Tiger Alexander TC coach ex Strathtay ST18 Metrocentre rally 2009 1.JPG|right|thumb|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit Aufbau von ''Alexander'']]
Der von 1979 bis 1993<ref> [http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/dynmenu.asp?MenuType=Chassis&Manu=Leyland Bus Lists on the Web - Register (weltweit) (englisch)] </ref> gebaute '''Leyland Tiger''' mit der Typenbezeichnung ''B43''<ref> [http://www.madeinpreston.co.uk/Road/leylandinfo1.html Made in Preston- Website mit Informationen über Leyland-Busse (englisch)]</ref> war der Nachfolger des ''[[Leyland Leopard]]''.<ref name = "p90">{{cite book | last = Jack | first = Doug | title = Beyond Reality | publisher = Venture Publications | date = 1994 | page = 90 | isbn = 1898432023 }}</ref> Ebenso wie beim ''Leopard'' war der Motor mittig unterflur angeordnet. Auf das von Leyland gefertigte Fahrgestell wurden Reise- und Linienbusaufbauten verschiedener Hersteller gesetzt. Der ''Tiger'' enstand in einer Situation verschärften Wettbewerbs. [[Volvo]] hatte mit seinem erfolgreichen Modell ''B58'' Marktanteile gewonnen und startete zum gleichen Zeitpunkt wie Leyland die Entwicklung des Nachfolgers ''B10M''.<ref name ="p90"/> Durch die Deregulierung des britischen Omnibusverkehrs in den 1980er Jahren war es zu Änderungen des Passagieraufkommens zunächst im überortlichen, danach auch innerstädtischen Personennahverkehr gekommen. Der Markt für kleine und leichte Busse brach mangels Nachfrage fast völlig zusammen. Andererseits waren die häufig eingesetzten Doppeldeckerbusse zu groß für das geringe Passagieraufkommen, so dass sich ein Bedarf von relativ schweren Bussen mit großer Sitzplatzkapazität entwickelte.

Ursprünglich war der ''Tiger'' nur mit dem ''TL11''-Motor von ''Leyland'' erhältlich, der bis zu 245 bhp entwickelte. Bereits der Vorgänger ''Leopard'' wurde nur mit einem Motor angeboten. Leyland konnte eine große Anzahl des ''Leopard'' in [[Schottland]] verkaufen, verlor jedoch dort Marktanteile an den ''Seddon Pennine VII'', der mit einem Sechszylindermotor von ''[[L. Gardner and Sons|Gardner]]'' ausgerüstet war. Beim ''Tiger'' hielt ''Leyland'' zunächst an der Firmenpolitik fest. Der ab 1983 erhältliche ''[[Dennis Dorchester]]'' bekam jedoch auch einen Gardner-Motor und hatte das Potential, sich zum ernsthaften Konkurrenten des ''Tiger'' zu entwickeln. Als die ''Scottish Bus Group'' Überlegungen anstellte, anstatt des ''Tiger'' den ''Dennis Dorchester'' zu beschaffen, offerierte die Firma ab 1984 den Gardner-Motor ''6HLX'' auch für den ''Tiger''. Dazu musste das Fahrgestell überarbeitet werden, da der ''Gardner''-Motor wesentlich größer war. Die Herausforderung von ''[[Dennis Brothers|Dennis]]'' konnte zwar erfolgreich abgewehrt werden, aber für den ''Tiger'' mit ''Gardner''-Motor gab es außerhalb Schottlands nur einen begrenzten Markt. Ab 1987 war der ''Tiger'' mit dem ''[[Cummins Engine|Cummins]]'' L10 erhältlich. Vorherige Versuche von Cummins, auf den britischen Busmarkt vorzustoßen waren erfolglos geblieben, Motoren der Firma kamen nur im als unzuverlässig bekannten ''Daimler Roadliner'' zum Einsatz. Mittlerweile hatte sich die Situation jedoch geändert. Die Entwicklung von Dieselmotoren wurde nicht zuletzt wegen der verschärfte Umweltschutzbestimmungen immer kostenintensiver, und Leyland gehörte mittlerweile nicht mehr zu den Weltmarktführern im Busbereich. Daher war Outsourcing die einzige Möglichkeit, einen modernen Motor für die hergestellten Fahrgestelle zu erhalten. Der ''Cummins''-Motor wurde ab 1988 mehrfach modifiziert. Im Regelfall kam mit diesem Motor ein [[Automatikgetriebe]] von [[ZF (Unternehmen)|ZF]] anstelle des ''Leyland-Hydracyclic''-Getriebes zum Einsatz. Nach der Übernahme von ''Leyland'' durch ''Volvo'' wurden ab
1898 Motoren der ''Volvo''-eigenen ''THD100''-Serie verbaut. Die Motoren von ''Gardner'' und ''Leyland'' waren nicht mehr erhältlich, nur die Ausrüstung mit dem ''Cummins''-Motor wurde optional angeboten.<ref>[http://www.ith.org.uk/VTiger-history.html Irish Transport Trust]</ref>

Wie schon der ''Leopard'' wurde auch der ''Tiger'' auch mit Aufbauten als Linienbus versehen. Derartige Fahrgestelle hatten einen gedrosselten Motor und Blattfedern anstelle der [[Luftfederung]] der Reisebusse. Die ''Scottish Bus Group'' beschaffte eine Anzahl dieser Busse mit dem 6HLXCT-Motor von ''Gardner'' und dem TS-Aufbau von ''[[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]]''. Kleinere, unabhängige Betreiber hatten ebenfalls Interesse an der Linienbusausführung. Die Aufbauten kamen von ''Alexander'' (''T-type'' und ''P-type''), ''Plaxton'' und ''East Lancs'', ''Wadham Stringer'' und ''Reeve Burgess''. Die Aufbauten von ''East Lancs'' waren teilweise Umbauten auf Fahrgestellen vorhandener Busse, ''Reeve Burgess'' baute eine Anzahl verkürzter ''Tiger''.

Der ''Tiger'' war auch in [[Nordirland]] sehr populär. ''Ulsterbus'' und ''Citybus'' (''Metro'' ab Februar 2005) beschafften zwischen 1983 und 1993 insgesamt 747 Busse. Im Jahr 2007 waren davon noch 576 in Nutzung, im Januar 2010 immerhin noch 157.<ref>[http://www.ith.org.uk/NorthernIrelandTiger-main.html Ulsterbus & Citybus Leyland Tiger]</ref> Von den diesen Bussen waren sieben Busse ''N-types'', die zusammen mit sieben anderen Bussen als Abschleppwagen eingesetzt wurden, und 150 ''Q-types'', davon 10 mit einen Aufbau von ''Wright Endeavour''. Im Zuge einer Flottenmodernisierung verblieben nur Busse mit Volvo-Motor im Dienst. Der Aufbau der Busse wurde von ''Alexanders'' Zweigwerk in [[Belfast]] gefertigt, zuerst der ''N-type'' von 1983 bis 1990, danach der ''Q-type''. Die Busse von ''Ulsterbus'' waren mit dem ''TL11'' von Leyland motorisiert, während ''Citybus'' den ''TRB6LXB '' von ''Gardner'' bevorzugte. Ab 1993 wurden Busse mit ''Volvo''-Motor beschafft.

Auch in [[Australien]] und [[Neuseeland]] erfreute sich der ''Tiger'' großer Popularität. Größter Kunde auf diesem Kontinent war ''Ventura'' in [[Melbourne]] , die 70 Exemplare zwischen 1984 und 1987 beschafften. Bis auf einen Bus, der von ''Pressed Metal Corporation'' (''PMC'') in [[Adelaide]] karosseriert wurde, erhielten sie alle einen Aufbau von ''PMCn'' in [[Sydney]]. Teilweise befinden sich ''Tiger'' noch heute in Australien im Einsatz.

Die Bussparte von ''Leyland'' wurde im Januar 1987 vom Manager Ian McKinnon aufgekauft. Dies hatte zunächst keinen Einfluss auf die Produktion des ''Tiger''. 1988 wurde das Geschäft jedoch von ''Volvo'' übernommen, die mit dem ''BM10'' ein vergleichbares Modell im Angebot hatte. Damit wurden die beiden im Vereinigten Königreich meistgebauten Busse unter dem Dach von ''Volvo'' hergestellt. Da sich der ''Tiger'' einen guten Ruf erworben hatte, setzte Volvo dessen Produktion zunächst fort, nahm ihn aber 1991 aus dem Angebot, nachdem die Verkaufszahlen eingebrochen waren. Bereits 1990 hatte ''Volvo'' versucht, den Reisebusmarkt für den ''Tiger'' zu erschließen. Insgesamt vierzig Fahrgestelle bekamen einen entsprechenden Aufbau von ''Plaxton''. Von diesen Bussen erhielten fünfundzwanzig den ''Plaxton 321''-Aufbau, der nach Übernahme der ''[[Duple Coachbuilders]]'' durch ''Plaxton'' aus dem ''Duple 320'' entwickelt worden war. Dennoch entwickelten sich die Verkaufszahlen unbefriedigend. Während ''Volvo'' zwischen 1988 und 1991 ungefähr 20.000 ''BM10'' verkaufte, konnten im gleichen Zeitraum nur 3500 ''Tiger''-Chassis abgesetzt werden. Der Hauptkunde des ''Tiger'', ''Shearings'', stellte 1991 auf den ''BM10'' um, was letztendlich zur Produktionseinstellung des Tiger im gleichen Jahr führte. Das Werk in [[Workington]], in dem der ''Tiger'' gebaut wurde, wurde geschlossen.

Insgesamt wurden über 4700 ''Tiger'' gebaut, von denen ein relativ großer Teil heute noch eingesetzt wird.

<gallery >
File:Skelton Coaches 17 Leyland Tiger Plaxton Supreme DMJ 224X Metrocentre rally 2009 pic 1.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit ''Supreme''-Aufbau von ''Plaxton''
File:Skelton Coaches 29 Leyland Tiger Plaxton C471 UEW Metrocentre rally 2009 pic 1.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit ''Paramount''-Aufbau von ''Plaxton''
File:LeylandTigerPlaxtonParamount3500.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit ''Paramount''-Aufbau von ''Plaxton''
File:Southdown 1011.JPG|Leyland ''Tiger'' Reisebus mit ''Laser''-Aufbau von ''Duple''
File:Leyland Tiger.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger'' Linienbus mit ''N-type''-Aufbau von ''Alexander'', eingesetzt bei ''Ulsterbus''
File:Leyland Tiger Q-Type.jpg |Leyland ''Tiger'' Linienbus mit ''Q-type''-Aufbau von ''Alexander'' und ''Volvo''-Motor, eingesetzt bei ''Ulsterbus''
File:Tiger Line.jpg|Leyland ''Tiger'' Linienbus mit ''Hyline''-Aufbau von ''East Lancs''
</gallery>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ style="padding-bottom:1em;" | TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB/TRCL10/TR2R
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! style="width:20em" | Name
! style="width:15em" | Bauzeit
! style="width:5em" | Stückzahl
! style="width:60em" | Anmerkung
|-
| TRCTL11 || 1979-1980 ||6 ||Reisebus 46-55 Sitzplätze, Aufbauten von Duple, Plaxton und [[Van Hool]], Motor TL11
|-
| TRCTL11 || 1981-1982 ||236 ||Reisebus 46-59 Sitzplätze, Aufbauten hauptsächlich von Duple, Plaxton und [[Eastern Coach Works]], Motor TL11
|-
| TRCTL11 || 1982-1983 ||263 ||Reisebus 46-59 Sitzplätze, Aufbauten hauptsächlich von Duple, Plaxton und [[Eastern Coach Works]], Motor TL11
|-
| TRCTL11 || 1982-1983 ||386 ||Reisebus 46-59 Sitzplätze, Linienbus mit bis zu 69 Plätzen, Aufbauten hauptsächlich von Duple, Plaxton, [[Eastern Coach Works]] und Alexander, Motor TL11
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11 || 1983-1984 ||478 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motor TL11
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11 || 1983-1984 ||287 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motor TL11
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB || 1984-1986 ||424 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, darunter sieben Dreiachser, Motoren TL11 und 6HLX
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB || 1984-1986 ||305 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 und 6HLX
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB || 1985-1987 ||515 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 und 6HLX
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB || 1986-1987 ||250 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 und 6HLX
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRCL10 || 1987-1988 ||95 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 und L10
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB/TRCL10 || 1987-1989 ||500 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 6HLX und L10
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB/TRCL10/TR2R || 1988-1991 ||500 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 6HLX, L10 und Volvo
|-
| TRBTL11/TRCTL11/TRBLXB/TRCL10/TR2R || 1988-1991 ||500 ||Reisebus, Linienbus und Mehrzweckbus, Motoren TL11 6HLX, L10 und Volvo
|}

==Einzelnachweise==
<references/>

==Weblinks==
* {{commons cat}}
* [http://www.madeinpreston.co.uk/Road/leylandinfo.html Website mit Informationen über Leyland-Busse] (englisch)
* [http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/menu.html Website mit Informationen über Leyland-Busse verschiedener Betreiber] (englisch)
* [http://www.countrybus.org/TRTiger/TR.html The London Transport Leyland Tigers] (englisch)
* [http://www.countrybus.org/TF/TF.html The London Transport TF] (englisch)

{{Navigationsleiste Leyland-Modelle}}

[[Kategorie:Omnibusmodell]]

[[en:Leyland Tiger]]

Pacer (Triebwagen)

2008-09-07T20:39:04Z

Quackdave: /* Class 142 */ correction chassis -> body based on Leyland National bus

'''Pacer''' is the operational name of the [[British Rail]] Class [[British Rail Class 140|140]], [[British Rail Class 141|141]], [[British Rail Class 142|142]], [[British Rail Class 143|143]] and [[British Rail Class 144|144]] [[diesel multiple unit]] [[railbus]]es, built between 1984 and 1987. Many Pacer railbuses are still in use today.

==Background==
The 'Pacer' series was a project by [[British Rail]] (BR) to create a train, with low running costs, for use on rural and suburban services. At the time, BR was under increasing financial pressure from the government including proposals to cut more rail lines. BR set a challenge to several companies to design a cheap, lightweight train similar to [[railbus]]es. Since then, 165 Pacer trains (totalling 340 carriages) have been built, with many of them continuing to be in service over 20 years later.

==Class 140==
[[Image:Lev1nnr.jpg|thumb|right|The prototype railbus LEV1]]
{{main|British Rail Class 140}}
The Pacer series was the result of an experiment to see whether the possibility of using bus parts to create a [[diesel multiple unit]] was viable - the results of this are still undecided. The initial prototype, known as LEV-1, was a joint project by the [[British Rail Research Division]] and [[Leyland Motors]] using a bus body mounted on a modification of an existing freight vehicle underframe ([[High Speed Freight Vehicle|HSFV1]]). This was followed by the two-car prototype class 140, which was built in [[1984]] at the [[BREL|British Rail Engineering]] [[Derby Carriage and Wagon Works|Derby works]].

==Class 141==
[[Image:141108 at Colne Valley Railway.jpg|thumb|right|A preserved Class 141 at the [[Colne Valley Railway]]]]
{{main|British Rail Class 141}}
The prototype was joined by another 20 two-car units which formed the Class 141 fleet. The units were used mainly in [[Yorkshire]], operating on mainly suburban services. They had a capacity of 94 passengers per two-car set, and two Leyland TL11 engines gave a total of 410bhp, resulting in a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). The entire class underwent a technical upgrade in 1988 at the [[Hunslet-Barclay]] works in [[Kilmarnock]]. The units were withdrawn from use between 1997 & 1999. They have since been sold to the [[Islamic Republic of Iran Railways]]<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.msedv.at/rai/rolling.html|title=Rolling Stock of Iranian Railways}}</ref> whilst a few remain in preservation. Because it used a standard [[Leyland National]] body, the Class 141 was narrower than the later Pacers, and could therefore accommodate only standard bus seating. The later Pacers had widened body panels to allow an increase in seating.

==Class 142==
[[Image:ATW-142002-CardiffCentral-01.jpg|thumb|right|A class 142 pacer at [[Cardiff]] operated by [[Arriva Trains Wales]]]]
{{main|British Rail Class 142}}
The next and largest Pacer class was the Class 142. This again was built by Leyland and BREL, in [[1985]]. The body was based on a [[Leyland National]] bus, built at [[Lillyhall]], [[Workington]] in [[Cumbria]]. Many fixtures and fittings of the Leyland National could be found on the train. The new class had a greater capacity of 106 passengers per two-car set and the same engines were used. The first sets were used initially on [[Devon]] and [[Cornwall]] branch lines and on commuter services in the [[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive|Manchester]] area. The units from Cornwall were eventually moved to Manchester and the North-East, and the Class 142 has become a common sight on services across the North of England. The class was upgraded in the early 1990s to include more powerful engines, which gave a total power output of 460 bhp per two-car set. A number of trains were then modified for use on the [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive|Merseyside PTE]] city lines around [[Liverpool]], which included dot-matrix route indicators, improved seating and Merseyrail PTE paintwork. This class moved into the control of [[First North Western]] at [[privatisation]] and subsequently passed on to [[Northern Rail]] and [[Arriva Trains Wales]] who have since operated it. Eight units have now been withdrawn from service, replaced by a cascading of [[British Rail Class 158]]s.<ref name="nrwithdraw">{{citeweb|url=http://www.northernrail.org/images/upload/Angel%20Trains%20leases%2030%20Class%20158%20diesel%20multiple%20units%20to%20….pdf|title=Angel Trains leases 30 Class 158 diesel multiple units to Northern Rail|date=[[March 13]] [[2007]]|publisher=[[Northern Rail]]}}</ref> First Great Western will receive up to 12 units to cover for refurbishment of their fleet and withdrawal of 12 Class 158 units for use by First Scotrail and East Midlands Trains. (Four 158s that were subleased from Northern Rail to First Great Western were also returned.)

==Class 143 & Class 144==
[[Image:ATW-143605-CardiffCentral-01.jpg|thumb|right|Class 143 at Cardiff Central]]

{{main|British Rail Class 143}}
{{main|British Rail Class 144}}
Around the same time of the Class 142 development, a Pacer railbus was being developed by Kilmarnock-based [[Hunslet-Barclay]]. The train used a [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Walter Alexander]] bus body. The train was given the number [[British Rail Class 143|Class 143]] and entered service in 1985. Again with 2 205bhp motors giving a total output of 410 bhp and a top speed of 75 mph, the class originally had a capacity of 122 passengers. The class was used in the [[North East England|North East of England]], before being transferred to Wales and was moved over to [[Wales & West]] control during privatisation. It then passed on to [[Wessex Trains]], which became part of the Great Western franchise. The interior was completely changed in 2000, when the [[Valley Lines]] service was introduced, with full back, coach-type seating installed throughout, along with improved fittings. This reduced seating capacity to 106 seats per set. A similar [[British Rail Class 144|Class 144]] train, a Walter Alexander body on BREL underframe, was introduced in 1987. A unit was formed of either a two-car set with 122 seats or a three-car set with a total capacity of 195 passengers and 690 bhp, though still limited to 75 mph. The trains were used in the North East, passing to [[Northern Spirit]] at privatisation, then [[Arriva Trains Northern]] and now [[Northern Rail]].

==Disadvantages==
Although the Pacer is economical, there are limitations to using bus parts for railway use. Instead of the more usual [[bogie]]s, Pacers use a basic four-wheel two-axle configuration. The lack of articulation can result in a rough ride, especially over [[railroad switch|points]] and around tight curves. Other performance problems include poor acceleration and poor reliability for some units. On a section of line between Northwich and Greenbank in Cheshire the speed limit is 20mph but could be raised to 50mph if Pacer trains were banned from the train line. The basic bus bench seating can also be uncomfortable, whilst the suspension has given rise to the nickname "[[Nodding donkey]]s" due to the up and down motion on uneven track. The inward-opening doors similar to those on buses can be unreliable and the two-step entrance make loading slower and hard for the elderly and those in wheelchairs.

Doubts were raised about safety after the [[Winsford rail crash#1999 accident|Winsford crash]],<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/383785.stm|date=[[July 2]] [[1999]]|title=Safety fears over commuter trains|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> which involved an empty [[First North Western]] [[British Rail Class 142|Class 142]] colliding with a [[Virgin Trains]] [[British Rail Class 87|Class 87]] and coaching stock at [[Winsford]], [[Cheshire]] on the [[West Coast Main Line]].<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/375946.stm|title=Train driver averts disaster|date=[[June 23]] [[1999]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

No railbuses have been produced in Britain since the Pacer classes.

==Replacements==
Most Pacers are over 20 years old. Various [[Train operating company|train operating companies]] have investigated ways of trying to replace the Pacer, although little progress has yet been made. [[Northern Rail]] announced that it would begin to withdraw around 20 of its Class 142s due to a stock cascade.

==References==
<references/>

{{British Rail Pacer}}
{{British Rail DMU}}

[[Category:British Rail diesel multiple units]]
[[Category:Rolling stock]]

Alexander Dennis

2008-09-03T17:32:19Z

Quackdave: De-space product names (see talk page)

{{Infobox Company
|company_name = Alexander Dennis Ltd.
|company_logo = [[Image:Alexander dennis logo.gif]]
|company_type = Private
|company_slogan =
|foundation = [[2004]]
|location = {{flagicon|UK}} [[Falkirk]], [[Scotland]], [[UK]]
|key_people =
|num_employees =
|industry = Automotive
|products = Single & [[double-decker buses]], [[fire engines]]
|num_employees = 1,400
|revenue = {{loss}} [[Pound sterling|GB£]]6.6 million (2005)
|homepage = [http://www.alexander-dennis.com www.alexander-dennis.com]
}}
[[Image:Alexander Dennis Guildford factory.JPG|right|300px|thumb|The Alexander Dennis chassis factory in [[Guildford]].]]
[[Image:Hedingham AD Enviros.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Two current models of bus are the Enviro200 Dart and Enviro400, both seen here with Hedingham Omnibuses at [[Showbus]] 2007.]]

'''Alexander Dennis Limited''' (formerly known as '''TransBus International''') is the largest bus builder in the [[United Kingdom]] and one of the largest in the world.

==History==
Alexander Dennis was formed as TransBus on [[1 January]] [[2001]], after the merger of [[Mayflower Corporation]]-owned [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders]] and [[Dennis Specialist Vehicles|Dennis Chassis]], and [[Henlys Group PLC|Henlys]] owned-[[Plaxton]], all based in the United Kingdom.

TransBus had a variety of factories around the [[United Kingdom]] from all three merged companies: the former Alexander factories at [[Falkirk]], [[Scotland]] and [[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]], the former Plaxton factories at [[Anston]] and [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]], the former [[Northern Counties]] factory at [[Wigan]], and the Dennis factory at [[Guildford]].

At the height of TransBus, the company produced a range of both bus & coach chassis and bodies as well as [[Fire apparatus|fire engines]] and [[waste collection vehicle]]s. Included among its range of chassis were the [[Dennis Dart SLF|Dennis Dart]], one of the all time best selling buses in the UK, and the Dennis Trident. TransBus also produced [[Dennis Trident 3|export variants]] for service in [[New York City]], [[Hong Kong]], and other locations. The [[Dennis Trident 2|Dennis Trident]] is the most common bus model in service in [[London]].

Since the creation of TransBus merged both Plaxton and Alexander, the TransBus range included Plaxton coaches as well as two double decker bodies (the [[Plaxton President]] and the [[Alexander ALX400]]), the [[Alexander ALX300]] citybus and the Pointer body built in quantity on the aforementioned Dennis Dart chassis, which replaced the [[Alexander ALX200]] body built previously on a Dart chassis.

On [[31 March]] [[2004]], the Mayflower Group was put into administration and by default TransBus also entered administration. On [[17 May]] [[2004]], the Plaxton coach business was sold to its management and returned to its separate [[Plaxton]] identity (TransBus had been in the process of eradicating the traditional company names from the vehicles). Four days later, on [[21 May]] [[2004]], the remaining part of TransBus (Alexander and Dennis) was bought by independent business men (one of whom was [[Brian Souter]], owner of the [[Stagecoach Group]], although the acquisition was kept separate from the bus and train operation). The new company became '''Alexander Dennis'''. The sale did not include the former Alexander Belfast plant, which later closed down.

On [[26 January]] [[2005]], Alexander Dennis's Wigan plant was closed after finishing the orders of its President body.

==Today==
[[Image:Trident-lancashire.jpg|250px|right|thumb|A [[Dennis Trident 2|Trident 2]] in service with [[Stagecoach North West]].]]
[[Image:LD297.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A [[Kowloon Motor Bus|KMB]] [[Alexander Dennis Enviro500|Enviro500]] in [[Hong Kong]].]]
[[Image:Alexander Dennis chassis.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Chassis under contrustion at the Guildford factory.]]
[[Image:New York Sightseeing 71609.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A [[Coach USA]]/[[Gray Line Worldwide|Gray Line]] Alexander Dennis Enviro500 open top coach]]
Alexander Dennis reported a pre-tax loss of £6.6m on a turnover of £195m for the 17 month period to [[30 September]] [[2005]], including £5.7m of exceptional items in the five month "restructuring period" from administration. Excluding the restructuring period, a pre-tax profit of £7m was recorded on a turnover of £150m in the 12 month period to [[30 September]] [[2005]].

Since the administration period and restructuring of the former TransBus International, Alexander Dennis has secured a number of major orders from UK operators, and is the favoured manufacturer of the [[Stagecoach Group]]. The company has also continued to find success in its predecessors' traditional markets of [[Hong Kong]] and the [[Republic of Ireland]], with the [[Alexander Dennis Enviro500|Enviro500]] securing orders in both markets, and the [[Alexander ALX400|ALX400]] double-deck body remaining the [[Dublin Bus]] standard vehicle.

Alexander Dennis is also building its share of the [[North America]]n market, securing £25m worth of orders in 2005 for its Enviro500 model from customers in [[Victoria, British Columbia]], [[New York City]] (open top models), [[San Francisco]] and [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]].

The order book remains strong in the first quarter of 2006 and the company has unveiled two new models, the [[Alexander Dennis Enviro400|Enviro400]] double-decker and [[Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart|Enviro200 Dart]] midibus.

In early 2007, Colin Robertson replaced Jim Hastie as the CEO of Alexander Dennis.

In May 2007, Alexander Dennis purchased Plaxton, thus the two former TransBus businesses were reunited.

==Products==
===Bus bodies===
*DM5000 (From [[Duple Metsec]], 2001-2002)
*[[Alexander ALX200|ALX200]] (From [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]], 2001)
*[[Alexander ALX300|ALX300]] (From [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]], 2001-2007)
*[[Alexander ALX400|ALX400]] (From [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]], 2001-2006)
*[[Alexander ALX500|ALX500]] (From [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]], 2001-2002)
*[[Alexander Dennis Pointer|Pointer]] (From [[Plaxton]], 2001-2007)
*[[Plaxton President|President]] (From [[Plaxton]], 2001-2005)

===Bus chassis===
*[[Dennis Dart SLF|Dart SLF]]
*[[Dennis Trident 2|Trident 2]]
*[[Dennis Trident 3|Trident 3]]

===Complete buses (or chassis/body only)===
*[[Alexander Dennis Enviro200|Enviro200/200H]] (2003-)
*[[Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart|Enviro200 Dart]] (2006-)
*[[Alexander Dennis Enviro300|Enviro300]] (2001-)
*[[Alexander Dennis Enviro400|Enviro400]] (2005-)
*[[Alexander Dennis Enviro500|Enviro500]] (2002-)

===Coach chassis===
*[[Dennis Javelin|Javelin]]
*[[Dennis R-Series|R-Series]]

===Fire engines===
*[[Dennis Sabre|Sabre]]
*[[Dennis Rapier|Rapier]] - production ceased
*[[Dennis Dagger|Dagger]]

==External links==
{{Commons|Dennis Specialist Vehicles|Alexander Dennis (Dennis)}}
{{Commons|Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander Dennis (Alexander)}}
*[http://www.alexander-dennis.com Alexander Dennis's official website]
*[http://www.busride.com/article.asp?IndexID=321 BUSRide article on TransBus International, with details of its collapse]

{{Bus transport in the United Kingdom}}
{{Alexander Dennis}}

[[Category:Alexander Dennis| ]]
[[Category:Bus manufacturers]]
[[Category:Emergency services equipment makers]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom]]

[[no:Alexander Dennis]]
[[zh:Alexander Dennis]]

Bedford OB

2008-05-29T19:16:19Z

Quackdave: rearrange info to read more logically

The '''[[Bedford Vehicles|Bedford]] OB''' model was a bus or coach chassis introduced in 1939.

The OB has a wheelbase of {{convert|14|ft|6|in|m|2|abbr=on}} and is a semi-forward control model designed to carry 26 to 29-passenger bodywork.

It is fitted with a {{convert|27.34|hp|abbr=on}} petrol engine and has a 4-speed gearbox and fully floating rear axle. The brakes are of the vacuum servo assisted hydraulic type.

Although only 73 were built prior to the cessation of production due to [[World War II]], it reappeared in an unchanged form at the end of the war, continuing in production until 1950. A total of 12,766 were produced making it one of the most popular buses of its type ever.

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Bedford vehicles|OB]]

Bedford OB

2008-05-29T19:12:30Z

Quackdave: Clarify introductory paragraph

The '''[[Bedford Vehicles|Bedford]] OB''' model was a bus or coach chassis introduced in 1939, although only 73 were built prior to the cessation of production due to [[World War II]].

The OB has a wheelbase of {{convert|14|ft|6|in|m|2|abbr=on}} and is a semi-forward control model designed to carry 26 to 29-passenger bodywork.

It is fitted with a {{convert|27.34|hp|abbr=on}} petrol engine and has a 4-speed gearbox and fully floating rear axle. The brakes are of the vacuum servo assisted hydraulic type.

At the end of the war, it reappeared in an unchanged form continuing in production until 1950. A total of 12,766 were produced making it one of the most popular buses of its type ever.

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Bedford vehicles|OB]]

Bedford VAL

2008-03-16T22:06:57Z

Quackdave: SCK 56K (orig. DOE 111K) is a VAL70, according to buslistsontheweb

[[Image:Magical_Mystery_Tour_Bedford_VAL_Plaxton_Panorama_Elite_II.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bedford VAL70 with [[Plaxton Panorama Elite]] II bodywork]]
[[Image:Bedford twin steer coach, GUP 743C.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A preserved Plaxton-bodied VAL14 coach]]
[[Image:Bedford VAL Duple Viceroy.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A 1970 built VAL70 with [[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]] Viceroy bodywork]]

The '''Bedford VAL''' was a type of [[coach (vehicle)|coach]] chassis built by [[Bedford Vehicles]] in the [[United Kingdom]] in the 1960s. It was unusual at the time for its [[multi-axle bus|multi-axle]] design, in a "chinese six" wheelplan, i.e. with two front steering axles.

Originally it was fitted with the [[Leyland Motors Ltd|Leyland]] O.400 straight-6 diesel engine. With this engine, the chassis was designated '''VAL14'''.

Over 900 VAL14s were built, from 1963 to 1966, with the largest orders coming from Wallace Arnold of Leeds, Seamarks of Westoning, Everall of Wolverhampton, and Bartons.

From 1967, the '''VAL70''', with the slightly larger 466 cu in engine of Bedford's own manufacture, quickly superseded the VAL14.

==Bodywork==
The VAL was built with a number of bodies from different coachbuilders. The majority of VAL14s were of [[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]] or [[Plaxton]] origin, although VAL14s were also bodied by several other manufacturers, including Harrington and Yeates.

Some VAL14s were given [[bus]] bodywork<ref>[http://www.busstation.net/busgall/morris/ajs110b.jpg Image of a Bedford VAL14 with Willowbrook bus bodywork]</ref>, including 10 by [[Marshall Bus]] for [[British European Airways]], and 10 by Strachan for North Western.

==In popular culture==
The Bedford VAL gained widespread recognition through its use in the film [[The Italian Job]]. This vehicle was a [[Harrington Legionnaire]], ''ALR453B'', new in April 1964 to Batten<ref>[http://www.theitalianjob.com/cars_othervehicles.htm www.theitalianjob.com] Vehicles of the film</ref>. After modification for the film the coach went back into coaching, being scrapped in the 1990s.

A Plaxton bodied example, ''URO913E'' featured in the 1967 Beatles film [[Magical Mystery Tour (film)|Magical Mystery Tour]]. This coach was new to Fox, Hayes, in 1967. A different coach, ''SCK56K'', still a VAL, is used in Liverpool on a Beatles themed [[The Magical Mystery Tour (tour)|The Magical Mystery Tour]] (pictured).

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk buslistsontheweb.co.uk] Bedford VAL14 delivery list
* [http://wakefield-files.freehostia.com/bedfordval.htm Bedford VAL enthusiast page]

==External links==
* [http://wakefield-files.freehostia.com/covers_from_bedford_val_sale_bro.htm Bedford VAL sales literature]

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Bedford vehicles|VAL]]

{{bus-stub}}

Bedford VAL

2008-03-04T10:07:33Z

Quackdave: Expand engine information - VAL14 and VAL70

[[Image:Magical_Mystery_Tour_Bedford_VAL_Plaxton_Panorama_Elite_II.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bedford VAL with [[Plaxton Panorama Elite]] II bodywork]]
The '''Bedford VAL''' was a type of [[coach (vehicle)|coach]] chassis built by [[Bedford Vehicles]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. It was unusual for the time in that it was of "chinese six" wheelplan, i.e. with two front steering axles. Originally it was fitted with the [[Leyland Motors Ltd|Leyland]] O.400 straight-6 diesel engine. With this engine, the chassis was designated VAL14. From 1967, the VAL70, with the slightly larger 466 cu in engine of Bedford's own manufacture, quickly superseded the VAL14.

The VAL was available with a number of bodies from different coachbuilders ([[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]], [[Plaxton]], Harrington, Yeates etc).

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Bedford vehicles|VAL]]

{{bus-stub}}

Bedford VAL

2008-03-04T09:50:26Z

Quackdave: +image

[[Image:Magical_Mystery_Tour_Bedford_VAL_Plaxton_Panorama_Elite_II.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bedford VAL with [[Plaxton Panorama Elite]] II bodywork]]
The '''Bedford VAL''' was a type of [[coach (vehicle)|coach]] chassis built by [[Bedford Vehicles]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. It was unusual for the time in that it was of "chinese six" wheelplan, i.e. with two front steering axles. It was fitted with the [[Leyland Motors Ltd|Leyland]] O.400 straight-6 diesel engine and was available with a number of bodies from different coachbuilders ([[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]], [[Plaxton]], Harrington etc).

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Bedford vehicles|VAL]]

{{bus-stub}}

Daimler Fleetline

2007-10-19T19:49:17Z

Quackdave: /* United Kingdom */ apostrophe

[[Image:GreaterManchester7214.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Daimler Fleetline]]

The '''Daimler Fleetline''' (known as the '''Leyland Fleetline''' from c.1975) was a rear-engined [[double-decker bus]] [[chassis]] built between 1960 and 1973 in [[Coventry]], [[Warwickshire]], [[England]], and from 1973 until 1980 in [[Farington]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]]. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1982. It was superseded by the [[Leyland Olympian]].

The Daimler/Leyland Fleetline was built mainly for the UK market, but a number of Fleetlines had been exported to [[Portugal]], [[South Africa]] and [[Hong Kong]].

==Design==
The Fleetline was the second rear-engined chassis to be launched, following [[Leyland Motors|Leyland's]] introduction of the [[Leyland Atlantean|Atlantean]] in 1958. From the outset, the Fleetline had a drop-centre rear axle fitted as standard, enabling low-height bodywork to be fitted without necessitating an [[lowbridge|inconvenient seating layout]] in part of the upper deck, as was the case with early Atlanteans. Leyland responded by offering a drop-centre rear axle as an option on the Atlantean, but after the two companies came under [[British Leyland Motor Corporation|common ownership]] in 1968, the low-height Atlantean option was discontinued.

Initially, the Fleetline was fitted with a [[L Gardner and Sons Ltd|Gardner]] engine as standard (Leyland engines were later an option), whereas Leyland only offered engines of its own manufacture in the Atlantean. Some operators favoured the Gardner engine and perceived this to be an additional advantage of the Fleetline.

In late 1960s, Daimler developed the 36' double-deck Fleetline which was based on the single-deck Roadliner chassis. This chassis had a longitudinally-mounted Cummins engine at the rear offside corner.

In mid-1970s, Leyland developed a special version of the Fleetline, known as the '''B20''', with chimneys on both sides above the engine compartment and reduced noise levels.

===Designations===
Daimler Fleetline chassis designations started with the letters CR, of which the C is variously reported to stand for '''C'''oventry or '''C'''ommercial, and the R stands for '''R'''ear-engined. For single-deckers this became SR (although not on the earliest examples which were referred to with the standard CR).

This was followed by a code to indicate the engine fitted: D6 (Daimler 6-cylinder, prototypes only); G6 (Gardner 6-cylinder, more often than not this was expanded to the more specific G6LW, G6LX or G6LXB); L6 (Leyland 6-cylinder); C6 (Cummins 6-cylinder).

The standard length of the Fleetline was 30' but lengths of 33' and 36' were also available, which were sometimes (though not consistently) identified by a suffix of -33 or -36 (sometimes with an oblique stroke in place of the hyphen).

Later Leyland Fleetline chassis designations were different: '''FE''' for '''F'''leetlin'''e''', followed by 30 or 33 (length in feet); A (if applicable) for '''a'''utomatic transmission; '''G''' for '''G'''ardner or '''L''' for '''L'''eyland engine; '''R''' for '''R'''ight-hand drive.

==United Kingdom==
[[London Transport]] was the largest British Fleetline operator, whose DMS and DM classes totalled 2646 examples (including 400 which were built as B20s), in addition to the earlier XF (eXperimental Fleetline) class of eight buses. The DMS/DM proved popular secondhand purchases for operators throughout Britain during the 1980s, especially in the aftermath of [[bus deregulation]]. In London, the Fleetline's successors were the [[Leyland Titan (B15)|Leyland Titan]] and [[MCW Metrobus]].

Second in fleet size was [[Birmingham]] Corporation and its successor [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive]] with well over 1000 buses, including the first single-deck Fleetlines in 1965. Other constituent municipal fleets also contributed Fleetlines to the WMPTE Fleetline fleet to boost the number to over 2100.

[[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive]] purchased over 500 Fleetlines in addition to a similar number inherited from its constituents (although even in such numbers they were still outnumbered by Atlanteans). One of these, 583 (BCB 613V) of the Lancashire United subsidiary company was sold to Chester City Transport in 1992 and as CCT 79 remained in regular service until May 2007. An engine failure in service resulted in its withdrawal, but it is believed to have been sold for preservation. This is believed to have been the last closed top Fleetline in regular service in the UK.

Other English PTEs, plus many fleets in the [[Municipal bus companies|municipal]], [[British Electric Traction|BET Group]], [[Scottish Bus Group]] and independent sectors purchased Fleetlines.

===Unusual Fleetlines===
[[Walsall]] Corporation specified some non-standard short-wheelbase Fleetlines, the first of which, [http://www.flickr.com/photos/54957550@N00/384166514/ 1 UDH], had its entrance behind the front axle; later deliveries had a narrow entrance in the usual position. 1 UDH had [[Northern Counties]] bodywork with wrap-around windscreens on both decks, similar to that specified by [[Barton Transport]] on AEC Regents and a [[Dennis Loline]].

Several operators purchased single-deck Fleetlines (Birmingham was the first, in 1965).

Walsall Corporation purchased one 36' double-deck Fleetline in 1968, which is now preserved.

==Hong Kong==
[[China Motor Bus]] (CMB) introduced 336 Fleetlines between 1972 and 1980, and [[Kowloon Motor Bus]] (KMB) also introduced 450 between 1974 and 1979, these Fleetlines were mainly deployed to [[Cross-Harbour Tunnel]] routes. CMB adopted the word "Jumbo" (originated from "Jumbo Jet", which was the nickname of the [[Boeing 747]]) to describe the large capacity of its Fleetlines, so in Hong Kong, the Fleetlines were commonly known as the "Jumbo" ({{zh-t|珍寶}}).

In 1980s both CMB and KMB purchased ex-London Transport DMS/DM-class Fleetlines. [[Citybus (Hong Kong)|Citybus]] and [[Argos Bus]], operators of non-franchised routes and private hire services in Hong Kong, also purchased secondhand Fleetlines (including ex-London Transport DMS/DM-class Fleetlines).

Many of the Daimler/Leyland Fleetlines in Hong Kong were delivered to China for further service after being withdrawn in 1980s/1990s.

==Trivia==
*The first and last Fleetlines built were both destroyed by fire. Former demonstrator 7000 HP, which had passed to Blue Bus Services (Tailby & George) of Willington and later to Derby Borough Transport, was destroyed in a fire at the Willington depot on 5 January 1976. The last-built chassis, former [[South Notts Bus Company|South Notts]] ECW-bodied SCH 117X, was destroyed in a fire at the [[Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre]] on 21 February 2007 after it had been bought for preservation.
*In late 1990s Guangzhou Cityview Bus Installation Co., Ltd. (now known as Guangzhou Suijing Bus Co., Ltd.) rebuilt some of the ex-Hong Kong Daimler/Leyland Fleetlines in China with provision of new bodies, these Fleetlines became known as the "Eagle Fleetline" ({{zh-ts|t=巨鷹珍寶|s=巨鹰珍宝}}). A number of the "Eagle Fleetlines" were sold for service in [[Shenzhen]], as of October 2007 some of them were still in service. [http://www.dennistang.com/bus/jumbo/china/super_jumbo_2.htm Images of "Eagle Fleetline" (Traditional Chinese)]

==See also==
*[[Daimler Motor Company]] - manufacturer
*[[Leyland Atlantean]] - competitor
*[[Bristol VR]] - competitor
*[[Leyland Olympian]] - successor

{{Leyland buses}}

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Daimler vehicles|Fleetline]]
[[Category:Leyland vehicles|Fleetline]]

[[zh:丹拿／利蘭珍寶巴士]]

Pacer (Triebwagen)

2007-09-23T15:38:59Z

Quackdave: /* Replacements */ apostrophe removal

'''Pacer''' is the operational name of the [[British Rail]] Class [[British Rail Class 140|140]], [[British Rail Class 141|141]], [[British Rail Class 142|142]], [[British Rail Class 143|143]] and [[British Rail Class 144|144]] [[diesel multiple unit]] [[railbus]]es, built between 1984 and 1987. Many Pacer railbuses are still in use today.

==Background==
The 'Pacer' series was a project by [[British Rail]] (BR) to create a train, with low running costs, for use on rural and suburban services. At the time, BR was under increasing financial pressure from the government including proposals to cut more rail lines. BR set a challenge to several companies to design a cheap, lightweight train similar to [[railbus]]es. Since then, 165 Pacer trains (totalling 340 carriages) have been built, with many of them continuing to be in service over 20 years later.

==Class 140==
[[Image:Lev1nnr.jpg|thumb|right|The prototype railbus LEV1]]
{{main|British Rail Class 140}}
The Pacer series was the result of an experiment to see whether the possibility of using bus parts to create a [[diesel multiple unit]] was viable - the results of this are still undecided. The initial prototype, known as LEV-1, was a joint project by the [[British Rail Research Division]] and [[Leyland Motors]] using a bus body mounted on a modification of an existing freight vehicle underframe (HSFV1). This was followed by the two-car prototype class 140, which was built in [[1984]] at the [[BREL|British Rail Engineering]] [[Derby Carriage and Wagon Works|Derby works]].

==Class 141==
[[Image:141108 at Colne Valley Railway.jpg|thumb|right|A preserved Class 141 at the [[Weardale Railway]]]]
{{main|British Rail Class 141}}
The prototype was joined by another 20 two-car units which formed the Class 141 fleet. The units were used mainly in [[Yorkshire]], operating on mainly suburban services. They had a capacity of 94 passengers per two-car set, and two Leyland TL11 engines gave a total of 410bhp, resulting in a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). The entire class underwent a technical upgrade in 1988 at the [[Hunslet-Barclay]] works in [[Kilmarnock]]. The units were withdrawn from use between 1997 & 1999. They have since been sold to the [[Islamic Republic of Iran Railways]]<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.msedv.at/rai/rolling.html|title=Rolling Stock of Iranian Railways}}</ref> whilst a few remain at the [[Weardale Railway]], in [[Bishop Auckland]].<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.weardale-railway.org.uk/images/141_7-04.jpg|title=Weardale Railway Class 141}}</ref> Because it used a standard [[Leyland National]] body, the Class 141 was narrower than the later Pacers, and could therefore accommodate only standard bus seating. The later Pacers had widened body panels to allow an increase in seating.

==Class 142==
[[Image:Pacer at Manchester Victoria.jpg|thumb|right|A Mancunian Class 142 Pacer]]
{{main|British Rail Class 142}}
The next and largest Pacer class was the Class 142. This again was built by Leyland and BREL, in [[1985]]. The chassis was based on a [[Leyland National]] bus, built at [[Lillyhall]], [[Workington]] in [[Cumbria]]. Many fixtures and fittings of the Leyland National could be found on the train. The new class had a greater capacity of 106 passengers per two-car set and the same engines were used. The first sets were used initially on [[Devon]] and [[Cornwall]] branch lines and on commuter services in the [[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive|Manchester]] area. The units from Cornwall were eventually moved to Manchester and the North-East, and the Class 142 has become a common sight on services across the North of England. The class was upgraded in the early 1990s to include more powerful engines, which gave a total power output of 460 bhp per two-car set. A number of trains were then modified for use on the [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive|Merseyside PTE]] city lines around [[Liverpool]], which included dot-matrix route indicators, improved seating and Merseyrail PTE paintwork. This class moved into the control of [[First North Western]] at [[privatisation]] and subsequently passed on to [[Northern Rail]] and [[Arriva Trains Wales]] who have since operated it. Eight units have now been withdrawn from service, replaced by a cascading of [[British Rail Class 158]]s.<ref name="nrwithdraw">{{citeweb|url=http://www.northernrail.org/images/upload/Angel%20Trains%20leases%2030%20Class%20158%20diesel%20multiple%20units%20to%20….pdf|title=Angel Trains leases 30 Class 158 diesel multiple units to Northern Rail|date=[[March 13]] [[2007]]|publisher=[[Northern Rail]]}}</ref>

==Class 143 & Class 144==
[[Image:DMU143611-01.jpg|thumb|right|A Bristol-based Class 143]]

{{main|British Rail Class 143}}
{{main|British Rail Class 144}}
Around the same time of the Class 142 development, a Pacer railbus was being developed by Kilmarnock-based [[Hunslet-Barclay]]. The train used a [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Walter Alexander]] bus body. The train was given the number [[British Rail Class 143|Class 143]] and entered service in 1985. Again with 2 205bhp motors giving a total output of 410 bhp and a top speed of 75 mph, the class originally had a capacity of 122 passengers. The class was used in the [[North East England|North East of England]], before being transferred to Wales and was moved over to [[Wales & West]] control during privatisation. It then passed on to [[Wessex Trains]], which became part of the Great Western franchise. The interior was completely changed in 2000, when the [[Valley Lines]] service was introduced, with full back, coach-type seating installed throughout, along with improved fittings. This reduced seating capacity to 106 seats per set. A similar [[British Rail Class 144|Class 144]] train, a Walter Alexander body on BREL underframe, was introduced in 1987. A unit was formed of either a two-car set with 122 seats or a three-car set with a total capacity of 195 passengers and 690 bhp, though still limited to 75 mph. The trains were used in the North East, passing to [[Northern Spirit]] at privatisation, then [[Arriva Trains Northern]] and now [[Northern Rail]].

==Disadvantages==
Although the Pacer is economical, there are limitations to using bus parts for railway use. Instead of the more usual [[bogie]]s, Pacers use a basic four-wheel two-axle configuration. The lack of articulation can result in a rough ride, especially over [[railroad switch|points]] and around tight curves. Other performance problems include poor acceleration and poor reliability for some units. On a section of line between Northwich and Greenbank in Cheshire the speed limit is 20mph but could be raised to 50mph if Pacer trains were banned from the train line. The basic bus bench seating can also be uncomfortable, whilst the suspension has given rise to the nickname "[[Nodding donkey]]s" due to the up and down motion on uneven track. The inward-opening doors similar to those on buses can be unreliable and the two-step entrance make loading slower and hard for the elderly and those in wheelchairs.

Doubts were raised about safety after the [[Winsford rail crash#1999 accident|Winsford crash]],<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/383785.stm|date=[[July 2]] [[1999]]|title=Safety fears over commuter trains|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> which involved an empty [[First North Western]] [[British Rail Class 142|Class 142]] colliding with a [[Virgin Trains]] [[British Rail Class 87|Class 87]] and coaching stock at [[Winsford]], [[Cheshire]] on the [[West Coast Main Line]].<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/375946.stm|title=Train driver averts disaster|date=[[June 23]] [[1999]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

No railbuses have been produced in Britain since the Pacer classes.

==Replacements==
Most Pacers are over 20 years old. [[Train Operating Companies]] have investigated ways of trying to replace the Pacer, although little progress has yet been made.
[[Northern Rail]] announced that it would begin to withdraw around 20 of its Class 142s due to a stock cascade.<ref name="nrwithdraw"/>

==References==
<references/>

{{British Rail DMU}}

[[Category:British Rail diesel multiple units]]
[[Category:Rolling stock]]

Sprinter (Triebwagen)

2007-09-18T20:08:29Z

Quackdave: /* Production Units */ improve sentence

The [[Sprinter]] is a family of [[diesel multiple unit]] [[train]]s in use on the [[UK]] [[railway]] system. They were built in the 1980s and early 1990s by [[BREL]], [[Metro Cammell]] and [[Leyland]]. All are based around a [[Cummins]] engine with [[Voith]] hydralic transmission. Sprinters can be seen operating in almost every part of the UK, from rural branch lines to commuter expresses into London.

==The Prototypes==
Two companies, Metro Cammell and BREL built three coach prototypes
===Class 150===
===Class 151===
==Production Units==
The production units were all built as two coach units, with the exception of the first two Class 150s, 17 Class 158s and the 22 Class 159 units, which were built with an additional centre car. The Class 153 railcars were converted from the two coach Class 155.
===[[British Rail Class 150|Class 150 (Sprinter)]]===
[[Image:150217_'Oliver_Cromwell'_at_Ipswich.JPG|thumb|right|Class 150]]
====150/1====

Currently operated by
*Central Trains
*Northern
*Silverlink

====150/2====

Currently operated by
*Arriva Trains Wales
*Central Trains
*First Great Western
*Northern

===[[British Rail Class 153|Class 153]]===
[[Image:Yatton-153305-01.jpg|thumb|right|Class 153]]

Currently operated by
*Arriva Trains Wales
*Central Trains
*First Great Western
*Northern
*one

===[[British Rail Class 154|Class 154]]===

This was a converted Class 150 converted as a prototype for the Class 158. It has subsequently reverted back into a class 150

===[[British Rail Class 155|Class 155 (Super Sprinter)]]===
[[Image:Northern-155346-02.jpg|thumb|right|Class 155]]

Currently operated by
*Northern

===[[British Rail Class 156|Class 156 (Super Sprinter)]]===
[[Image:156450 at Hexham.JPG|thumb|right|Class 156]]

Currently operated by
*Central Trains
*First Scotrail
*Northern
*one

===[[British Rail Class 158|Class 158 (Express Sprinter)]]===
[[Image:158751 at Westbury.JPG|thumb|right|Class 158]]

Currently operated by
*Central Trains
*First Great Western
*First Scotrail
*Northern
*South West Trains
*Arriva Trains Wales

===[[British Rail Class 159|Class 159 (South Western Turbo)]]===
[[Image:159102.jpg|thumb|right|Class 159]]
Currently operated by
*South West Trains
[[Category:British Rail diesel multiple units]]

Leyland Titan

2007-09-01T13:55:07Z

Quackdave: /* Gallery */ +image

{{Unreferenced|date=June 2007}}

[[Image:RTL554.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Metro-Cammell]]-bodied Leyland Titan (London Transport fleet number RTL554).]]
:''For rear-engine Leyland Titan built in 1970s/1980s, see [[Leyland Titan (B15)]].''

The '''[[Leyland Motors Ltd|Leyland]] Titan''' was a [[chassis]] with a front-mounted engine designed to carry [[double-decker bus]] bodywork. It was built mainly for the [[United Kingdom|UK]] market between 1927 and 1942, and then between 1945 and 1970 after [[World War II]].

After [[British Leyland Motor Corporation|Leyland]] ended the production of the Leyland Titan in UK, [[Ashok Leyland]] of [[India]] took up production and marketed the bus in [[South Asia]] as the '''Ashok Leyland Titan''', which is still in production.

==Titans in London==
When [[London Passenger Transport Board|London Transport]] was established in 1933 it inherited a few hundred Leyland Titans from independent bus operators in [[London]].

After World War II, London Transport bought more than 2,000 Leyland Titans specifically designed for use in London. They were designated as the RTL and RTW (a wider variant) classes. In appearance they were very similar to the [[AEC Regent III RT|AEC-built RT]]s, tha radiator shell being the most obvious difference (aside from the greater width of the RTWs).

===Gallery===
<gallery>
Image:RTL554old.jpg
Image:RTL554 Middle Walk, Blackpool, 16.8.1991.jpg
Image:South_African_RTL.jpg
Image:Delaine_Titan_PD2_1.jpg|Delaine Titan PD2 with 'Tin Front' concealed radiator
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Unitrans]]
**[[Unitrans RTL1014]]
**[[Unitrans RTL1194]]
{{Leyland buses}}

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Double-decker buses]]
[[Category:Leyland vehicles|Titan]]

{{bus-stub}}

Leyland Atlantean

2007-07-07T00:03:21Z

Quackdave: /* PDR1 */ The first operator to actually put their Atlantean into service is oft disputed between Glasgow, James and Wallasey. I've altered it to mention all three. Also reworded easily-misread bits.

The '''Leyland Atlantean''' was a model of [[double-decker bus]] built by [[Leyland Motors Ltd|Leyland]] in the [[United Kingdom]] from [[1958]] to [[1986]]. It pioneered the design of rear-engined, front entrance double deck buses in the UK, allowing for the introduction of "one person operated" buses, dispensing with the need for a [[Conductor (transportation)|conductor]].

==The prototypes==
In the years immediately following the [[Second World War]] bus operators in the UK faced a downturn in the numbers of passengers carried, and manufacturers began looking at ways to economise. A few experimental rear-engined buses had been produced before the war, but none successfully made it beyond the prototype stage. The need to minimise the intrusion of the engine into passenger carrying space was a priority, leading to several underfloor engined single deck designs. However, such designs raised the height of the floor of the vehicle, forcing additional steps at the entrance. On double deckers, these problems were amplified, causing the overall height of the vehicle to increase, or an inadequate interior height.

In [[1952]] Leyland began experimenting with ideas for a rear engine double decker. A prototype was built with a [[Saunders-Roe|SARO]] body to the maximum permitted width of 7[[Foot (unit of length)|ft]] 6[[inch|in]], fitted with a turbocharged version of the Leyland O.350 [[Internal combustion engine|engine]], which was transversely mounted at the rear of the sub frame. The chassis was a platform type frame of [[steel]] and light [[alloy]] with deep stressed sidemembers. An automatic clutch and self change [[Transmission (mechanics)|gearbox]] were also fitted. The vehicle, numbered 530001, registered STF90 was designated the PDR1 (R for 'Rear-engined').

In [[1956]] a second prototype, XTC684 (No. 542209) was constructed with a MCW body, but this time fitted with the more powerful O.600 engine fitted across the frame, with a centrifugal [[clutch]], pneumatic cyclic gearbox and angle drive. This vehicle was 13ft 2.75 inches in height, with a 16ft 2.875 inches wheelbase and overall length of 29ft 10 inches, and had a [[seating capacity]] of 78. Leyland christened this prototype the '''Lowloader'''.

Though two prototypes were thoroughly tested, the same problem of a front-engined bus remained - they had rear entrances with the space alongside the driver being wasted.

==PDR1==
[[Image:First_Production_Atlantean.jpg|thumb|150px|The first production Atlantean, Wallasey 1.]]
An amendment to the Construction and Use Regulations in [[1956]] saw the maximum length for double-deckers increased to 30ft, allowing a wider entrance to be located ahead of the front axle. This was initially to allow the driver to supervise boarding whilst the conductor collected fares, but quickly it became apparent that the design would allow for one-person-operation. Leyland took advantage of the new regulation to launch the first prototype '''Atlantean''' at the 1956 Commercial Motor Show at [[Earls Court]]. Though it featured the front entrance design that would redefine the bus industry, several factors prevented the bus going on the market. The main problem was the high level of engine noise inside the lower saloon, as the engine was still inside the body, with the compartment being used for bench seating.

Mechanically the prototype Atlantean, 281 ATC, was similar to the Lowloader - O.600 transversely mounted engine with a pneumo-cyclic gearbox situated in the rear offside corner providing drive in a straight line from the engine. The Atlantean had a light and strong fabricated frame. Light alloy floor plates were riveted direct to the framework, fulfilling the dual purpose of reinforcing the frame and providing a foundation for the saloon floor. The platform type sub-frame concept from the Lowloader was retained for the prototype. A drop-centre rear [[axle]] allowed the flat floor, only one step up from ground level, to continue for the full length of the bus.

The prototype was demonstrated around the country to various operators. It also had an unregistered sister vehicle, which was used as a testbed. Both were subsequently scrapped.

By [[1958]], Leyland had overcome the majority of the problems and moved the engine to a rear-mounted compartment outside the main body, and the first production '''Atlantean PDR1/1''' with a 16ft 3in wheelbase was launched at the 1958 Commercial Motor Show. It had simpler mechanical specification than the prototype, with conventional front and rear axles, leaf springs all round and a channel section frame. Glasgow Corporation, James of Ammanford and Wallasey Corporation each put their first example of the type into service in December 1958.

Though some operators initially continued to buy front engined vehicles for reliability, the Atlantean became a hit. Though the [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]] and the [[Scottish Bus Group]] favoured the [[Bristol VR]] and [[Daimler Fleetline]] respectively, the Atlantean proved popular with municipal operators. [[Aberdeen]], [[Glasgow]], [[Edinburgh]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]], [[Manchester]], [[Liverpool]] and [[Nottingham]] Corporations purchased large numbers of the type, and by [[1972]] over 6000 had entered service.

==AN68==
In February [[1972]] Leyland announced the '''AN68''' series to replace the PDR1. The new chassis provided a wider entrance and several new safety features were included. An audible and visible alarm prevented engine overheating by giving the driver due warning. A fail-safe parking [[brake]] was introduced, while the [[steering]] box and brake controls were protected against damage from severe head-on collision, and stainless steel air-piping gave greater resistance to corrosion.

Two models were offered: AN68/1R (9.4m in length) and AN68/2R (10.2m in length). [[Power steering|Power assisted steering]] was standard on the AN68/2R and optional on the AN68/1R. The steering pump was power driven, which replaced the early belt driven system, while the only available engine was the new Leyland O.680. A wide variety of body styles from various manufacturers continued to be offered, allowing the Atlantean to be tailor made to requirements from operators ranging from the small independent to the large city corporation.

The Atlantean continued to sell in large numbers, with many operators proving loyal to it. [[London Transport]], however, notably chose the [[Daimler Motor Company|Daimler]] (later Leyland) Fleetline over the AN68 for its first large rear-engined double deck order. Though over a thousand Fleetlines would be purchased by LT, reliability problems caused their very premature withdrawal.

The creation of [[British Leyland]] in [[1968]] saw rivals Daimler and [[Bristol Commercial Vehicles|Bristol]] merged with Leyland, bringing the two competing rear-engined chassis together with the Atlantean. Though the Bristol brand was retained, Daimler was dropped and products were rebadged as Leylands. After the re-organisation, Leyland set out to develop a new rear-engined double deck bus for the London market to replace the troublesome Fleetlines. This new vehicle, the [[Leyland Titan (B15)|Titan B15]] spawned a simpler, non-integral offshoot, the [[Leyland Olympian|Olympian]], which debuted in [[1980]]. Though the Olympian was meant as a direct replacement for the VR, Fleetline and Atlantean, the venerable AN68 continued in production alongside the Olympian until 1986. The last Atlantean for the domestic market rolled off the production line in [[1984]], the last of a batch for [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive|Merseyside PTE]], while the export version remained in production for a further two years, with deliveries to the city operator in [[Baghdad]], the capital city of [[Iraq]].

At the end of production, over 15000 Atlanteans had been built. [[Greater Manchester PTE]] (and its predecessors) was the largest operator of the Atlantean, the second being Glasgow Corporation/[[Strathclyde Passenger Transport|Greater Glasgow PTE]], the third one being by [[Singapore Bus Service]] from [[Singapore]], it had received 520 Leyland Atlantean AN68/2Rs in 1977-1986 with the bodywork provided by [[Duple Metsec|Metal Sections/Duple Metsec]], [[British Aluminium Company]] and [[Walter Alexander]].

==Competitors==
Though the Atlantean was the first high volume rear-engined double decker on the market, other manufacturers were quick to catch up, namely Bristol and Daimler with their VR and Fleetline models respectively.

The Bristol was favoured by the state-owned [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]], several of whose predecessors had standardised on Bristol vehicles. Several early examples were also purchased by NBC's Scottish sister company, the Scottish Bus Group, where the front-engined [[Bristol Lodekka]] had proved popular. However, the Scottish customers did not share the same enthusiasm for the VR, and the vehicles purchased were swapped for ex-NBC Lodekkas. The Scottish Bus Group then standardised on the Daimler Fleetline for its double-deck needs.

After the re-organisation of [[British Leyland]], both VR and Fleetline became Leyland offerings, and when production of both ceased in 1981, over 6400 VRs and 11500 Fleetlines had been built. Frustrated at the lack of competition to Leyland, some operators turned to other manufacturers, who began to offer alternatives to the state-owned manufacturer. Supply problems at Leyland didn't help matters and products such as the [[Scania Metropolitan]] and [[Dennis Dominator]] began to make small inroads into the rear-engined market, while the [[Volvo]]-backed [[Volvo Ailsa B55|Ailsa]] reintroduced a front-engined double-deck chassis, with a front entrance, to some success. The Scania/Metro Cammell Weymann partnership, which produced the Metropolitan, ended in the late 1970s and forced MCW to introduce its own rear-engined product, available as an integral or chassis, the [[MCW Metrobus|Metrobus]]. The success of the Metrobus, particularly with [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive|West Midlands PTE]] and London Transport, would spur Leyland on to develop a new heavy duty rear-engined bus, sealing the eventual withdrawal of the Atlantean from the market.

{{commonscat|Leyland Atlantean}}

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Leyland vehicles|Atlantean]]

[[zh:利蘭亞特蘭大巴士]]

Daimler Fleetline

2007-06-30T11:49:39Z

Quackdave: /* United Kingdom */ minor sp/caps/gram/tense

[[Image:GreaterManchester7214.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Daimler Fleetline]]

The '''Daimler Fleetline''' (known as the '''Leyland Fleetline''' from c.1975) was a rear-engined [[double-decker bus]] [[chassis]] built between 1960 and 1973 in [[Coventry]], [[Warwickshire]], [[England]], and from 1973 until 1980 in [[Farington]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]]. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1982. It was superseded by the [[Leyland Olympian]].

The Fleetline was the second rear-engined chassis to be launched, following [[Leyland Motors|Leyland's]] introduction of the [[Leyland Atlantean|Atlantean]] in 1958. From the outset, the Fleetline had a drop-centre rear axle fitted as standard, enabling low-height bodywork to be fitted without necessitating an [[lowbridge|inconvenient seating layout]] in part of the upper deck, as was the case with early Atlanteans. Leyland responded by offering a drop-centre rear axle as an option on the Atlantean, but after the two companies came under [[British Leyland Motor Corporation|common ownership]] in 1968, the low-height Atlantean option was discontinued.

Initially, the Fleetline was fitted with a Gardner engine as standard (Leyland engines were later an option), whereas Leyland only offered engines of its own manufacture in the Atlantean. Some operators favoured the Gardner engine and perceived this to be an additional advantage of the Fleetline.

The Daimler/Leyland Fleetline was built mainly for the UK market, but a number of Fleetlines had been exported to [[Portugal]], [[South Africa]] and [[Hong Kong]].

==United Kingdom==
[[London Transport]] was the largest British Fleetline operator, whose DMS and DM classes totalled 2646 examples, in addition to the earlier XF (eXperimental Fleetline) class of eight buses. The DMS/DM proved popular secondhand purchases for operators throughout Britain during the 1980s, especially in the aftermath of [[bus deregulation]]. In London, the Fleetline's successors were the [[Leyland Titan (B15)|Leyland Titan]] and [[MCW Metrobus]].

Second in fleet size was [[Birmingham]] Corporation and its successor [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive]] with well over 1000 buses, including the first single-deck Fleetlines in 1965. Other constituent municipal fleets also contributed Fleetlines to the WMPTE Fleetline fleet to boost the number to over 2100.

[[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive]] purchased over 500 Fleetlines in addition to a similar number inherited from its constituents (although even in such numbers they were still outnumbered by Atlanteans). One of these, 583 (BCB 613V) of the Lancashire United subsidiary company was sold to Chester City Transport in 1992 and as CCT 79 remained in regular service until May 2007. An engine failure in service resulted in its withdrawal, but it is believed to have been sold for preservation. This is believed to have been the last closed top Fleetline in regular service in the UK.

Other English PTEs, plus many fleets in the [[Municipal bus companies|municipal]], [[British Electric Traction|BET Group]], [[Scottish Bus Group]] and independent sectors purchased Fleetlines.

===Unusual Fleetlines===
[[Walsall]] Corporation specified some non-standard short-wheelbase Fleetlines, the first of which, [http://www.flickr.com/photos/54957550@N00/384166514/ 1 UDH], had its entrance behind the front axle; later deliveries had a narrow entrance in the usual position. 1 UDH had [[Northern Counties]] bodywork with wrap-around windscreens on both decks, similar to that specified by [[Barton Transport]] on AEC Regents and a [[Dennis Loline]].

Several operators purchased single-deck Fleetlines (Birmingham was the first, in 1965).

==Hong Kong==
[[China Motor Bus]] (CMB) introduced 336 Fleetlines between 1972 and 1980, and [[Kowloon Motor Bus]] (KMB) also introduced 450 between 1974 and 1979, these Fleetlines were mainly deployed to [[Cross-Harbour Tunnel]] routes. CMB adopted the word "Jumbo" (originated from "Jumbo Jet", which was the nickname of the [[Boeing 747]]) to describe the large capacity of its Fleetlines, so in Hong Kong, the Fleetlines were commonly known as the "Jumbo" ({{zh-t|珍寶}}).

In 1980s both CMB and KMB purchased ex-London Transport DMS/DM-class Fleetlines. [[Citybus (Hong Kong)|Citybus]] and [[Argos Bus]], operators of non-franchised routes and private hire services in Hong Kong, also purchased secondhand Fleetlines (including ex-London Transport DMS/DM-class Fleetlines).

Many of the Daimler/Leyland Fleetlines in Hong Kong were delivered to China for further service after being withdrawn in 1980s/1990s.

==Designations==
Daimler Fleetline chassis designations started with the letters CR, of which the C is variously reported to stand for '''C'''oventry or '''C'''ommercial, and the R stands for '''R'''ear-engined. For single-deckers this became SR (although not on the earliest examples which were referred to with the standard CR).

This was followed by a code to indicate the engine fitted: D6 (Daimler 6-cylinder, prototypes only); G6 (Gardner 6-cylinder, more often than not this was expanded to the more specific G6LW, G6LX or G6LXB); L6 (Leyland 6-cylinder); C6 (Cummins 6-cylinder).
The standard length of the Fleetline was 30' but lengths of 33' and 36' were also available, which were sometimes (though not consistently) identified by a suffix of -33 or -36 (sometimes with an oblique stroke in place of the hyphen).

Later Leyland Fleetline chassis designations were different: '''FE''' for '''F'''leetlin'''e''', followed by 30 or 33 (length in feet); A (if applicable) for '''a'''utomatic transmission; '''G''' for '''G'''ardner or '''L''' for '''L'''eyland engine; '''R''' for '''R'''ight-hand drive.

==Trivia==
*The first and last Fleetlines built were both destroyed by fire. Former demonstrator 7000 HP, which had passed to Blue Bus Services (Tailby & George) of Willington and later to Derby Borough Transport, was destroyed in a fire at the Willington depot on 5 January 1976. The last-built chassis, former [[South Notts Bus Company|South Notts]] ECW-bodied SCH 117X, was destroyed in a fire at the [[Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre]] on 21 February 2007 after it had been bought for preservation.
*In late 1990s Guangzhou Cityview Bus Installation Co., Ltd. rebuilt some of the ex-Hong Kong Daimler/Leyland Fleetlines in China with provision of new bodies, these Fleetlines became known as the "Eagle Fleetline" ({{zh-ts|t=巨鷹珍寶|s=巨鹰珍宝}}). A number of the "Eagle Fleetlines" were sold for service in [[Shenzhen]], as of early 2007 some of them were still in service. [http://www.dennistang.com/bus/jumbo/china/super_jumbo_2.htm Images of "Eagle Fleetline" (Traditional Chinese)]

==See also==
*[[Daimler Motor Company]] - manufacturer
*[[Leyland Atlantean]] - competitor
*[[Bristol VR]] - competitor
*[[Leyland Olympian]] - successor

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Leyland vehicles|Fleetline]]
[[Category:Daimler vehicles|Fleetline]]

[[zh:丹拿/利蘭珍寶巴士]]

{{bus-stub}}

Pacer (Triebwagen)

2007-06-06T22:24:49Z

Quackdave: /* Disadvantages */ Bouncing is due to suspension, not seats

[[Image:Pacer at Manchester Victoria.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A Mancunian class 142 Pacer ([[:Image:Pacer at Ashton.jpg|Alternative picture]])]]
[[Image:DMU143611-01.jpg|thumb|250px|A West Country-based Class 143]]
[[Image:144017 at York.JPG|thumb|250px|A Yorkshire-based Class 144]]
'''''Pacer''''' is the operational name of the British Class [[British Rail Class 140|140]], [[British Rail Class 141|141]], [[British Rail Class 142|142]], [[British Rail Class 143|143]] and [[British Rail Class 144|144]] [[railbus]]es, built between 1984 and 1987. Many Pacer railbuses are still in use today.

==Background==
The 'Pacer' series was a project by [[British Rail]] (BR) to create a train, with low running costs, for use on rural and suburban services. At the time, BR was under increasing financial pressure from the government including proposals to cut more rail lines. BR set a challenge to several companies to design a cheap, lightweight train similar to [[railbus]]es. Since then, 165 Pacer trains (totalling 340 carriages) have been built, with many of them continuing to be in service over 20 years later.

==Class 140==
{{main|British Rail Class 140}}
The Pacer series was the result of an experiment to see whether the possibility of using bus parts to create a [[diesel multiple unit]] was viable - the results of this are still undecided. The initial prototype, known as LEV-1, was a joint project by the [[British Rail Research Division]] and [[Leyland Motors]] using a bus body mounted on a modification of an existing freight vehicle underframe (HSFV1). This was followed by the two-car prototype class 140, which was built in [[1984]] at the British Rail Engineering ([[BREL]]) [[Derby Carriage and Wagon Works|Derby works]].

==Class 141==
{{main|British Rail Class 141}}
The prototype was joined by another 20 two-car units which formed the Class 141 fleet. The units were used mainly in [[Yorkshire]], operating on mainly suburban services. They had a capacity of 94 passengers per two-car set, and two Leyland TL11 engines gave a total of 410bhp, resulting in a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). The entire class underwent a technical upgrade in 1988 at the Barclay works in [[Kilmarnock]], and were withdrawn from use in the mid-1990s. They have since been sold to the [[Islamic Republic of Iran Railways]] whilst a few remain at [[Wensleydale Railway]] near [[Northallerton]] in North Yorkshire. Because it used a standard [[Leyland National]] body, the Class 141 was narrower than the later Pacers, and could therefore accommodate only standard bus seating. The later Pacers had widened body panels to allow an increase in seating.

==Class 142==
{{main|British Rail Class 142}}
The next and largest Pacer class was the Class 142. This again was built by Leyland and BREL, in [[1985]]. The chassis was based on that of Leyland's National bus, built at [[Lillyhall]], [[Workington]] in [[Cumbria]]. Many fixtures and fittings of the Leyland National could be found on the train. The new class had a greater capacity of 106 passengers per two-car set and the same engines were used. The first sets were used initially on [[Devon]] and [[Cornwall]] branch lines and on commuter services in the [[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive|Manchester]] area. The units from Cornwall were eventually moved to Manchester and the Class 142 has become a common sight on services around the North-West of England. The class was upgraded in the early 1990s to include more powerful engines, which gave a total power output of 460 bhp per two-car set. A number of trains were then modified for use on the [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive|Merseyside PTE]] city lines around [[Liverpool]], which included dot-matrix route indicators, improved seating and Merseyrail PTE paintwork. This class moved into the control of [[First North Western]] at [[privatisation]] and subsequently passed on to [[Northern Rail]] and [[Arriva Trains Wales]] who have since operated it. Eight units have now been withdrawn from service, replaced by a cascading of [[British Rail Class 158]]s.

==Class 143 & Class 144==
{{main|British Rail Class 143}}
{{main|British Rail Class 144}}
Around the same time of the Class 142 development, a Pacer railbus was being developed by the Kilmarnock-based Barclay works. The train used a [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Walter Alexander]] bus body. The train was given the number [[British Rail Class 143|Class 143]] and entered service in 1985. Again with 2x205 bhp motors giving a total output of 410 bhp and a top speed of 75 mph, the class originally had a capacity of 122 passengers. The class was used in the North-East of England, before being transferred to Wales and was moved over to [[Wales & West Trains]] control during privatisation. It then passed on to [[Wessex Trains]], which became part of the Great Western franchise. The interior was completely changed in 2000, when the Valley Line service was introduced, with full back, coach-type seating installed throughout, along with improved fittings. This reduced seating capacity to 106 seats per set. A similar [[British Rail Class 144|Class 144]] train, a Walter Alexander body on BREL underframe, was introduced in 1987, of two-car sets of 122 seats and 10 three-car sets with a total capacity of 195 passengers and 690 bhp, though still limited to 75 mph. The trains were used in the North East, passing to [[Northern Spirit]] at privatisation, then [[Arriva Trains Northern]] and now [[Northern Rail]].

==Disadvantages==
Although the Pacer is economical, there are limitations to using bus parts for railway use. Instead of the more usual [[bogie]]s, Pacers use a basic four-wheel two-axle configuration. The lack of articulation can result in a rough ride, especially over [[railroad switch|points]] and around tight curves. Other performance problems include poor acceleration and poor reliability for some units. On a section of line between Northwich and Greenbank in Cheshire the speed limit is 20mph but could be raised to 50mph if Pacer trains were banned from the train line. The basic bus bench seating can also be uncomfortable, whilst the suspension has given rise to the nickname "[[Nodding donkey]]s" due to the up and down motion on uneven track. The inward-opening doors similar to those on buses can be unreliable and the two-step entrance make loading slower and hard for the elderly and those in wheelchairs.

Doubts were raised about safety after the [[Winsford rail crash#1999 accident|Winsford crash]], which involved an empty [[First North Western]] [[British Rail Class 142|Class 142]] colliding with a [[Virgin Trains]] [[British Rail Class 87|Class 87]] and coaching stock at [[Winsford]], [[Cheshire]] on the [[West Coast Main Line]].

No railbuses have been produced in Britain since the Pacer classes.

==Replacements==
Most Pacers are over 20 years old. [[Train Operating Companies]] (TOCs) are researching ways of trying to replace the Pacer, although little progress has yet been made. [[Northern Rail]] has said it would replace Pacers with Chinese lightweight trains. [[Arriva Trains Wales]] announced in early 2006 that it would replace Pacers by 'displacing' its fleet with [[British Rail Classes 170 and 171|Class 170 Turbostar]] trains, although nothing has been ordered.

{{British Rail DMU}}

[[Category:British Rail diesel multiple units]]
[[Category:Rolling stock]]

Pacer (Triebwagen)

2007-06-04T23:36:07Z

Quackdave: /* Background */ Oops, missed one... (1 + 20 + 96 + 25 + 23 = 165) < 200

[[Image:Pacer at Manchester Victoria.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A Mancunian class 142 Pacer ([[:Image:Pacer at Ashton.jpg|Alternative picture]])]]
[[Image:DMU143611-01.jpg|thumb|250px|A West Country-based Class 143]]
[[Image:144017 at York.JPG|thumb|250px|A Yorkshire-based Class 144]]
'''''Pacer''''' is the operational name of the British Class [[British Rail Class 140|140]], [[British Rail Class 141|141]], [[British Rail Class 142|142]], [[British Rail Class 143|143]] and [[British Rail Class 144|144]] [[railbus]]es, built between 1984 and 1987. Many Pacer railbuses are still in use today.

==Background==
The 'Pacer' series was a project by [[British Rail]] (BR) to create a train, with low running costs, for use on rural and suburban services. At the time, BR was under increasing financial pressure from the government including proposals to cut more rail lines. BR set a challenge to several companies to design a cheap, lightweight train similar to [[railbus]]es. Since then, 165 Pacer trains (totalling 340 carriages) have been built, with many of them continuing to be in service over 20 years later.

==Class 140==
{{main|British Rail Class 140}}
The Pacer series was the result of an experiment to see whether the possibility of using bus parts to create a [[diesel multiple unit]] was viable - the results of this are still undecided. The initial prototype, known as LEV-1, was a joint project by the [[British Rail Research Division]] and [[Leyland Motors]] using a bus body mounted on a modification of an existing freight vehicle underframe (HSFV1). This was followed by the two-car prototype class 140, which was built in [[1984]] at the British Rail Engineering ([[BREL]]) [[Derby Carriage and Wagon Works|Derby works]].

==Class 141==
{{main|British Rail Class 141}}
The prototype was joined by another 20 two-car units which formed the Class 141 fleet. The units were used mainly in [[Yorkshire]], operating on mainly suburban services. They had a capacity of 94 passengers per two-car set, and two Leyland TL11 engines gave a total of 410bhp, resulting in a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). The entire class underwent a technical upgrade in 1988 at the Barclay works in [[Kilmarnock]], and were withdrawn from use in the mid-1990s. They have since been sold to the [[Islamic Republic of Iran Railways]] whilst a few remain at [[Wensleydale Railway]] near [[Northallerton]] in North Yorkshire. Because it used a standard [[Leyland National]] body, the Class 141 was narrower than the later Pacers, and could therefore accommodate only standard bus seating. The later Pacers had widened body panels to allow an increase in seating.

==Class 142==
{{main|British Rail Class 142}}
The next and largest Pacer class was the Class 142. This again was built by Leyland and BREL, in [[1985]]. The chassis was based on that of Leyland's National bus, built at [[Lillyhall]], [[Workington]] in [[Cumbria]]. Many fixtures and fittings of the Leyland National could be found on the train. The new class had a greater capacity of 106 passengers per two-car set and the same engines were used. The first sets were used initially on [[Devon]] and [[Cornwall]] branch lines and on commuter services in the [[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive|Manchester]] area. The units from Cornwall were eventually moved to Manchester and the Class 142 has become a common sight on services around the North-West of England. The class was upgraded in the early 1990s to include more powerful engines, which gave a total power output of 460 bhp per two-car set. A number of trains were then modified for use on the [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive|Merseyside PTE]] city lines around [[Liverpool]], which included dot-matrix route indicators, improved seating and Merseyrail PTE paintwork. This class moved into the control of [[First North Western]] at [[privatisation]] and subsequently passed on to [[Northern Rail]] and [[Arriva Trains Wales]] who have since operated it. Eight units have now been withdrawn from service, replaced by a cascading of [[British Rail Class 158]]s.

==Class 143 & Class 144==
{{main|British Rail Class 143}}
{{main|British Rail Class 144}}
Around the same time of the Class 142 development, a Pacer railbus was being developed by the Kilmarnock-based Barclay works. The train used a [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Walter Alexander]] bus body. The train was given the number [[British Rail Class 143|Class 143]] and entered service in 1985. Again with 2x205 bhp motors giving a total output of 410 bhp and a top speed of 75 mph, the class originally had a capacity of 122 passengers. The class was used in the North-East of England, before being transferred to Wales and was moved over to [[Wales & West Trains]] control during privatisation. It then passed on to [[Wessex Trains]], which became part of the Great Western franchise. The interior was completely changed in 2000, when the Valley Line service was introduced, with full back, coach-type seating installed throughout, along with improved fittings. This reduced seating capacity to 106 seats per set. A similar [[British Rail Class 144|Class 144]] train, a Walter Alexander body on BREL underframe, was introduced in 1987, of two-car sets of 122 seats and 10 three-car sets with a total capacity of 195 passengers and 690 bhp, though still limited to 75 mph. The trains were used in the North East, passing to [[Northern Spirit]] at privatisation, then [[Arriva Trains Northern]] and now [[Northern Rail]].

==Disadvantages==
Although the Pacer is economical, there are limitations to using bus parts for railway use. Instead of the more usual [[bogie]]s, Pacers use a basic four-wheel two-axle configuration. The lack of articulation can result in a rough ride, especially over [[railroad switch|points]] and around tight curves. Other performance problems include poor acceleration and poor reliability for some units. On a section of line between Northwich and Greenbank in Cheshire the speed limit is 20mph but could be raised to 50mph if Pacer trains were banned from the train line. The basic bus bench seating can also be uncomfortable and has given rise to the nickname "[[Nodding donkey]]s" due to the up and down motion on uneven track. The inward-opening doors similar to those on buses can be unreliable and the two-step entrance make loading slower and hard for the elderly and those in wheelchairs.

Doubts were raised about safety after the [[Winsford rail crash#1999 accident|Winsford crash]], which involved an empty [[First North Western]] [[British Rail Class 142|Class 142]] colliding with a [[Virgin Trains]] [[British Rail Class 87|Class 87]] and coaching stock at [[Winsford]], [[Cheshire]] on the [[West Coast Main Line]].

No railbuses have been produced in Britain since the Pacer classes.

==Replacements==
Most Pacers are over 20 years old. [[Train Operating Companies]] (TOCs) are researching ways of trying to replace the Pacer, although little progress has yet been made. [[Northern Rail]] has said it would replace Pacers with Chinese lightweight trains. [[Arriva Trains Wales]] announced in early 2006 that it would replace Pacers by 'displacing' its fleet with [[British Rail Classes 170 and 171|Class 170 Turbostar]] trains, although nothing has been ordered.

{{British Rail DMU}}

[[Category:British Rail diesel multiple units]]
[[Category:Rolling stock]]

Pacer (Triebwagen)

2007-06-04T23:31:27Z

Quackdave: Miscellaneous factual errors; section split; unsourced speculation removed

[[Image:Pacer at Manchester Victoria.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A Mancunian class 142 Pacer ([[:Image:Pacer at Ashton.jpg|Alternative picture]])]]
[[Image:DMU143611-01.jpg|thumb|250px|A West Country-based Class 143]]
[[Image:144017 at York.JPG|thumb|250px|A Yorkshire-based Class 144]]
'''''Pacer''''' is the operational name of the British Class [[British Rail Class 140|140]], [[British Rail Class 141|141]], [[British Rail Class 142|142]], [[British Rail Class 143|143]] and [[British Rail Class 144|144]] [[railbus]]es, built between 1984 and 1987. Many Pacer railbuses are still in use today.

==Background==
The 'Pacer' series was a project by [[British Rail]] (BR) to create a train, with low running costs, for use on rural and suburban services. At the time, BR was under increasing financial pressure from the government including proposals to cut more rail lines. BR set a challenge to several companies to design a cheap, lightweight train similar to [[railbus]]es. Since then, over 200 Pacer trains have been built, with many of them continuing to be in service over 20 years later.

==Class 140==
{{main|British Rail Class 140}}
The Pacer series was the result of an experiment to see whether the possibility of using bus parts to create a [[diesel multiple unit]] was viable - the results of this are still undecided. The initial prototype, known as LEV-1, was a joint project by the [[British Rail Research Division]] and [[Leyland Motors]] using a bus body mounted on a modification of an existing freight vehicle underframe (HSFV1). This was followed by the two-car prototype class 140, which was built in [[1984]] at the British Rail Engineering ([[BREL]]) [[Derby Carriage and Wagon Works|Derby works]].

==Class 141==
{{main|British Rail Class 141}}
The prototype was joined by another 20 two-car units which formed the Class 141 fleet. The units were used mainly in [[Yorkshire]], operating on mainly suburban services. They had a capacity of 94 passengers per two-car set, and two Leyland TL11 engines gave a total of 410bhp, resulting in a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). The entire class underwent a technical upgrade in 1988 at the Barclay works in [[Kilmarnock]], and were withdrawn from use in the mid-1990s. They have since been sold to the [[Islamic Republic of Iran Railways]] whilst a few remain at [[Wensleydale Railway]] near [[Northallerton]] in North Yorkshire. Because it used a standard [[Leyland National]] body, the Class 141 was narrower than the later Pacers, and could therefore accommodate only standard bus seating. The later Pacers had widened body panels to allow an increase in seating.

==Class 142==
{{main|British Rail Class 142}}
The next and largest Pacer class was the Class 142. This again was built by Leyland and BREL, in [[1985]]. The chassis was based on that of Leyland's National bus, built at [[Lillyhall]], [[Workington]] in [[Cumbria]]. Many fixtures and fittings of the Leyland National could be found on the train. The new class had a greater capacity of 106 passengers per two-car set and the same engines were used. The first sets were used initially on [[Devon]] and [[Cornwall]] branch lines and on commuter services in the [[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive|Manchester]] area. The units from Cornwall were eventually moved to Manchester and the Class 142 has become a common sight on services around the North-West of England. The class was upgraded in the early 1990s to include more powerful engines, which gave a total power output of 460 bhp per two-car set. A number of trains were then modified for use on the [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive|Merseyside PTE]] city lines around [[Liverpool]], which included dot-matrix route indicators, improved seating and Merseyrail PTE paintwork. This class moved into the control of [[First North Western]] at [[privatisation]] and subsequently passed on to [[Northern Rail]] and [[Arriva Trains Wales]] who have since operated it. Eight units have now been withdrawn from service, replaced by a cascading of [[British Rail Class 158]]s.

==Class 143 & Class 144==
{{main|British Rail Class 143}}
{{main|British Rail Class 144}}
Around the same time of the Class 142 development, a Pacer railbus was being developed by the Kilmarnock-based Barclay works. The train used a [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Walter Alexander]] bus body. The train was given the number [[British Rail Class 143|Class 143]] and entered service in 1985. Again with 2x205 bhp motors giving a total output of 410 bhp and a top speed of 75 mph, the class originally had a capacity of 122 passengers. The class was used in the North-East of England, before being transferred to Wales and was moved over to [[Wales & West Trains]] control during privatisation. It then passed on to [[Wessex Trains]], which became part of the Great Western franchise. The interior was completely changed in 2000, when the Valley Line service was introduced, with full back, coach-type seating installed throughout, along with improved fittings. This reduced seating capacity to 106 seats per set. A similar [[British Rail Class 144|Class 144]] train, a Walter Alexander body on BREL underframe, was introduced in 1987, of two-car sets of 122 seats and 10 three-car sets with a total capacity of 195 passengers and 690 bhp, though still limited to 75 mph. The trains were used in the North East, passing to [[Northern Spirit]] at privatisation, then [[Arriva Trains Northern]] and now [[Northern Rail]].

==Disadvantages==
Although the Pacer is economical, there are limitations to using bus parts for railway use. Instead of the more usual [[bogie]]s, Pacers use a basic four-wheel two-axle configuration. The lack of articulation can result in a rough ride, especially over [[railroad switch|points]] and around tight curves. Other performance problems include poor acceleration and poor reliability for some units. On a section of line between Northwich and Greenbank in Cheshire the speed limit is 20mph but could be raised to 50mph if Pacer trains were banned from the train line. The basic bus bench seating can also be uncomfortable and has given rise to the nickname "[[Nodding donkey]]s" due to the up and down motion on uneven track. The inward-opening doors similar to those on buses can be unreliable and the two-step entrance make loading slower and hard for the elderly and those in wheelchairs.

Doubts were raised about safety after the [[Winsford rail crash#1999 accident|Winsford crash]], which involved an empty [[First North Western]] [[British Rail Class 142|Class 142]] colliding with a [[Virgin Trains]] [[British Rail Class 87|Class 87]] and coaching stock at [[Winsford]], [[Cheshire]] on the [[West Coast Main Line]].

No railbuses have been produced in Britain since the Pacer classes.

==Replacements==
Most Pacers are over 20 years old. [[Train Operating Companies]] (TOCs) are researching ways of trying to replace the Pacer, although little progress has yet been made. [[Northern Rail]] has said it would replace Pacers with Chinese lightweight trains. [[Arriva Trains Wales]] announced in early 2006 that it would replace Pacers by 'displacing' its fleet with [[British Rail Classes 170 and 171|Class 170 Turbostar]] trains, although nothing has been ordered.

{{British Rail DMU}}

[[Category:British Rail diesel multiple units]]
[[Category:Rolling stock]]

Sri-Lanka-Elefant

2007-04-22T23:14:04Z

Quackdave: /* Threats */ Elephants vulnerable to droughts rather than draughts. Also minor rewording

{{Cleanup|date=April 2007}}{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| name = Sri Lankan Elephant
| image = Sri Lankan elephants.jpg
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| ordo = [[Proboscidea]]
| familia = [[Elephantidae]]
| genus = ''[[Elephas]]''
| species = ''[[Elephas maximus|E. maximus]]''
| subspecies = '''''E. m. maximus'''''
| trinomial = ''Elephas maximus maximus''
| trinomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[1758]]
}}

The '''Sri Lankan Elephant''' (''Elephas maximus maximus'') is the nominate [[subspecies]] of the [[Asian Elephant]] and is the largest of the subspecies although smaller than the two species of [[African elephant]]s.

The [[elephant]] population in the National Parks of [[Sri Lanka]] is somewhat diminutive in stature when compared both with historical accounts dating back to 200 BC and with the early photographs taken in 19th century during the time of colonial British occupation of the island. The smaller size could possibly be the end result of a long-continued process of removing the physically best specimens from the potential breeding-stock through hunting or domestication. Since Sri Lanka was at one time a part of peninsular [[India]] (there is evidence that there existed a land bridge between the northern part of the island and the subcontinent many thousand years ago), it is highly likely that the Asian Elephant, roaming South India at the time, "conquered" Sri Lanka literally on foot.

An important cultural symbiosis has continued to exist between the elephant and humans for over two thousand years – no [[perahara]] (religious procession) was complete without its retinue of elephants, and many large [[Buddhist temple]]s in Sri Lanka had their own elephants.

The Sri Lankan Elephant population is now largely restricted to a few National Parks and Nature Reserves. Udawalawe National Park, Minneriya National Park, Wilpattu National Park and Yala National Park are prime locations for spotting elephants.

Srilankan elephants are endangered. Ivory trade in Srilanka had a very long history more than 2000 years. In 1800s and early 1900s many bull elephants killed by trophy hunting.
Between 1999-end of 2006 every year nearly 100 Wild Elephants were killed. Today few elephants live out side protected areas. Tusk elephants are very rare to see in wild due to heavy poaching. Only 5%-7% of wild elephants have tusked. Very low numbers of elephants live in Peak Wilderness sanctuary. The forest covers about 220 Square km of lowland and montane Rainforest. This is likely the only wild elephant population that lives in Rainforest.historicaly large numbers of elephants were live in rainforest.

{| border=1 align="center" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
!Year
!Numbers

|-
|1800
|12000-14000
|-
|1900
|10000-12000
|-
|1920
|7000-8000
|-
|1970
|5000
|-
|1999
|4000
|-
|2003
|3500
|-
|2004
|3350
|-
|2006
|3150
|-
|2007
|2900-3000
|}

==Threats==
The main threat is the killing of elephants to protect crops and houses. Others are poaching, deforestion, drought and starvation. During drought seasons many elephants damage agricultural land for food. Nearly 80 elephants were killed in north western Sri Lanka, 50 in south and east and another 30 in other parts of the country, totaling 160 elephant deaths in 2006 alone.

==Conservation==
Many national parks and nature reserves are created to conserve Srilankan wildlife

Main national parks and reserves that contain viable Srilankan elephant populations.

Yala (nature reserve, nationalpark, yalaeast) -Totaling 1508 Square km (150800 hectares)
Wilpattu National Park - 1310 Sq km (131 000 hectares)
Maduru Oya National Park - 588 Sq km (58800 hectares)
Uda Walawe National Park - 308 Sq km (30800 hectares)
Wasgomuwa National Park - 369 Sq km (36900 hectares)
PeakWildernessSanctuary (Rainforest) - 223 Sq km (22300 hectares)
Gal Oya National Park -260 Sq km (26000 hectares)
Floodplains National Park -173 Sq km (17300 hectares)
Padaviya Sanctuary -65 Sq km (6500 hectares)
Minneriya-Giritale Sanctuary -75 Sq km (7500 hectares)
Bundala Sanctuary -62 Sq km (6200 hectares)
Gal-Oya East -124 Sq km (12400 hectares)
Gal-Oya South East -152 Sq km (15200 hectares)

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in the kegalla treats injured elephants, careing baby elephants they lost their mothers. Nearly 70 elephants live here. Captive breeding also ongoing here.

[[Image:elephant range.jpg|thumb]]

==Remarks about Srilanken Elephants==
Few tusk elephants have egg shape thing inside its tusks. It is yellowish-white in color, size2.5cm-6cm in diameter, very rare and valuable. Local people calling it “elephant pearl”.

==References==
* Shoshani J, Eisenberg JF (1982) Elephas maximus. Mammalian Species 182: 1–8. [http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-182-01-0001.pdf Full text]

{{commons|Elephas maximus maximus}}
[[Category:Elephants]]

[[nl:Ceylon-olifant]]
[[fi:Srilankannnorsu]]
[[zh-yue:錫蘭象]]

Sexualität Adolf Hitlers

2007-04-09T22:48:18Z

Quackdave: Amend citation to point to exact archive of what was previously cited

{{Individual sexual orientation}}
Speculation regarding the '''[[sexuality]] of [[Adolf Hitler]]''' have been widespread over the last few decades. In 1943, the Allied [[Office of Strategic Services]] (OSS) published "A Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler: His Life and Legend." In the course of the 281-page report, the authors describe Hitler "(1) as he appears to himself, (2) as he has been pictured to the German people, and (3) how he is known to his associates."<ref name='oss1'>{{cite web | last=Langer | first=Walter | coauthors=Henry Murray, Ernst Kris, Bertram Lewin | url=http://www.nizkor.org/ftp.cgi?people/h/hitler.adolf/oss-papers/images/gif/00010006.gif | title=Preface | format=GIF | work=A Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler: His Life and Legend | publisher=Office of Strategic Services | year=1943 | accessdate=2006-03-23}}</ref> Using this information, they then perform a "psychological analysis ... in which an attempt is made to understand Hitler as a person and the motivations underlying his actions."<ref name='oss1'/> In the course of the 281-page report, the authors describe Hitler as "possibly even a [[homosexual]] streak in him," with [[Carl Jung]] going farther classifying Hitler as having "characteristics of a man with...feminine instincts." On page 138, Hitler is described as "an extreme [[masochist]] who derives sexual pleasure from having a woman squat over him while she urinates or defecates in his face."<ref>{{cite web | last=Langer | first=Walter | coauthors=Henry Murray, Ernst Kris, Bertram Lewin | url=http://www.nizkor.org/ftp.cgi/people/h/hitler.adolf/oss-papers/images/gif/00010144.gif | title=Page 138 | format=GIF | work=A Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler: His Life and Legend | publisher=Office of Strategic Services | year=1943 | accessdate=2006-03-23}}</ref> According to interviews with [[Otto Strasser]], Hitler made his niece, [[Geli Raubal|Angela Raubal]] (whom he called Geli), "squat over his face ... [and] demanded that she urinate on him and this gave him sexual pleasure."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20060529231339/http://www.xs4all.nl/~wimduz/astro/geli1.htm | title=Hitler and Geli Raubal | accessdate=2007-04-09}}</ref> However, this conclusion is not without its detractors. In ''Hitler and Psychohistory'', Hans Gatzke argues that many of the report's conclusions are "based on nonexistent, unreliable, or misinterpreted evidence" that "historians would not accept ... as valid."<ref name='gatzke399-400'>{{cite journal | first=Hans | last=Gatzke | year=1973 | month = April | title=Hitler and Psychohistory | journal=The American Historical Review | volume=78 | issue=2 | pages=399–400 | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8762%28197304%2978%3A2%3C394%3AHAP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Z}}</ref> Journalist [[Ron Rosenbaum]], in his book ''[[Explaining Hitler: The Search for the Origins of His Evil|Explaining Hitler]]'', actually made a point of tracking down the psychologists who contributed to this OSS report (but were not directly acknowledged in it), and found that they denied ever making such diagnoses or claims about Hitler's [[paraphilia]]s. According to his interviews, Rosenbaum found that much of the claims in the OSS report were apparently made up by its author, Langer. Rosenbaum suggested that Langer may have written such claims for entertainment value, noting that in the preface of the original report, Langer himself admitted that by the time he wrote it (1943), the Allies already considered the war against the Axis won, and as such, the report may not have had much strategic value.

In 1945 a Jewish historian by the name of Samuel Igra published "Germany's National Vice"[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006AQKVW/102-3122353-7612110?v=glance&n=283155] (homosexuality was known as "the German vice" across Europe in the 1920s and 30s), in which Igra, who escaped from Germany in 1939, alleged that Hitler "had been a male prostitute in Vienna at the time of his sojourn there, from 1907 to 1912, and that he practiced the same calling in Munich from 1912 to 1914" (Igra:67). None of Hitler's supposed former clients are known to have come forward during his rise to power or later. In addition, Hitler's friends from his Vienna days claim that he was vociferously opposed to prostitution. Somewhat more credible arguments that Hitler may have been homosexual were put forward in a book by [[Lothar Machtan]], based primarily upon the "Mend Protocol," a series of allegations made to the Munich Police in the early 1920s by a former soldier colleague of Hitler's. In 2004, [[HBO]] produced a documentary film based on Machtan's theory, titled ''[[Hidden Fuhrer: Debating the Enigma of Hitler's Sexuality]]''.

In ''Explaining Hitler'', Rosenbaum sarcastically remarked that theories concerning Hitler's mental state and sexual activity shed more light on the theorists than on Hitler.

Jack Nusan Porter, from the [[University of Massachusetts Lowell]], [http://www.chgs.umn.edu/Educational_Resources/Curriculum/Homosexuals__Genocide_in_the_H/homosexuals__genocide_in_the_h.html writes]: "Did Hitler despise homosexuals? Was he ashamed of his own homosexual or asexual identity? These are areas of psychohistory that are beyond known knowledge. My own feelings are that Hitler was asexual in the traditional sense and had bizarre sexual fetishes."

==References==
<references/>
* Rosenbaum, Ron. '''Explaining Hitler: The Search for the Origins of His Evil'''. Harper Perennial: 1999.

==External links==

*http://worldofwonder.net/productions/trailers/hidden_fuhrer.wow
*http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/hitleross5.html

[[Category:Adolf Hitler]]
[[Category:LGBT history of Germany]]
[[Category:Nazi Germany]]
[[Category:German people of World War II]]

Sexualität Adolf Hitlers

2007-04-09T22:27:38Z

Quackdave: Restore broken link using archived version at archive.org

{{Individual sexual orientation}}
Speculation regarding the '''[[sexuality]] of [[Adolf Hitler]]''' have been widespread over the last few decades. In 1943, the Allied [[Office of Strategic Services]] (OSS) published "A Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler: His Life and Legend." In the course of the 281-page report, the authors describe Hitler "(1) as he appears to himself, (2) as he has been pictured to the German people, and (3) how he is known to his associates."<ref name='oss1'>{{cite web | last=Langer | first=Walter | coauthors=Henry Murray, Ernst Kris, Bertram Lewin | url=http://www.nizkor.org/ftp.cgi?people/h/hitler.adolf/oss-papers/images/gif/00010006.gif | title=Preface | format=GIF | work=A Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler: His Life and Legend | publisher=Office of Strategic Services | year=1943 | accessdate=2006-03-23}}</ref> Using this information, they then perform a "psychological analysis ... in which an attempt is made to understand Hitler as a person and the motivations underlying his actions."<ref name='oss1'/> In the course of the 281-page report, the authors describe Hitler as "possibly even a [[homosexual]] streak in him," with [[Carl Jung]] going farther classifying Hitler as having "characteristics of a man with...feminine instincts." On page 138, Hitler is described as "an extreme [[masochist]] who derives sexual pleasure from having a woman squat over him while she urinates or defecates in his face."<ref>{{cite web | last=Langer | first=Walter | coauthors=Henry Murray, Ernst Kris, Bertram Lewin | url=http://www.nizkor.org/ftp.cgi/people/h/hitler.adolf/oss-papers/images/gif/00010144.gif | title=Page 138 | format=GIF | work=A Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler: His Life and Legend | publisher=Office of Strategic Services | year=1943 | accessdate=2006-03-23}}</ref> According to interviews with [[Otto Strasser]], Hitler made his niece, [[Geli Raubal|Angela Raubal]] (whom he called Geli), "squat over his face ... [and] demanded that she urinate on him and this gave him sexual pleasure."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20051124101125/www.history.und.ac.za/hitlergeli/ | title=Hitler and Geli Raubal | accessdate=2007-04-09}}</ref> However, this conclusion is not without its detractors. In ''Hitler and Psychohistory'', Hans Gatzke argues that many of the report's conclusions are "based on nonexistent, unreliable, or misinterpreted evidence" that "historians would not accept ... as valid."<ref name='gatzke399-400'>{{cite journal | first=Hans | last=Gatzke | year=1973 | month = April | title=Hitler and Psychohistory | journal=The American Historical Review | volume=78 | issue=2 | pages=399–400 | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8762%28197304%2978%3A2%3C394%3AHAP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Z}}</ref> Journalist [[Ron Rosenbaum]], in his book ''[[Explaining Hitler: The Search for the Origins of His Evil|Explaining Hitler]]'', actually made a point of tracking down the psychologists who contributed to this OSS report (but were not directly acknowledged in it), and found that they denied ever making such diagnoses or claims about Hitler's [[paraphilia]]s. According to his interviews, Rosenbaum found that much of the claims in the OSS report were apparently made up by its author, Langer. Rosenbaum suggested that Langer may have written such claims for entertainment value, noting that in the preface of the original report, Langer himself admitted that by the time he wrote it (1943), the Allies already considered the war against the Axis won, and as such, the report may not have had much strategic value.

In 1945 a Jewish historian by the name of Samuel Igra published "Germany's National Vice"[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006AQKVW/102-3122353-7612110?v=glance&n=283155] (homosexuality was known as "the German vice" across Europe in the 1920s and 30s), in which Igra, who escaped from Germany in 1939, alleged that Hitler "had been a male prostitute in Vienna at the time of his sojourn there, from 1907 to 1912, and that he practiced the same calling in Munich from 1912 to 1914" (Igra:67). None of Hitler's supposed former clients are known to have come forward during his rise to power or later. In addition, Hitler's friends from his Vienna days claim that he was vociferously opposed to prostitution. Somewhat more credible arguments that Hitler may have been homosexual were put forward in a book by [[Lothar Machtan]], based primarily upon the "Mend Protocol," a series of allegations made to the Munich Police in the early 1920s by a former soldier colleague of Hitler's. In 2004, [[HBO]] produced a documentary film based on Machtan's theory, titled ''[[Hidden Fuhrer: Debating the Enigma of Hitler's Sexuality]]''.

In ''Explaining Hitler'', Rosenbaum sarcastically remarked that theories concerning Hitler's mental state and sexual activity shed more light on the theorists than on Hitler.

Jack Nusan Porter, from the [[University of Massachusetts Lowell]], [http://www.chgs.umn.edu/Educational_Resources/Curriculum/Homosexuals__Genocide_in_the_H/homosexuals__genocide_in_the_h.html writes]: "Did Hitler despise homosexuals? Was he ashamed of his own homosexual or asexual identity? These are areas of psychohistory that are beyond known knowledge. My own feelings are that Hitler was asexual in the traditional sense and had bizarre sexual fetishes."

==References==
<references/>
* Rosenbaum, Ron. '''Explaining Hitler: The Search for the Origins of His Evil'''. Harper Perennial: 1999.

==External links==

*http://worldofwonder.net/productions/trailers/hidden_fuhrer.wow
*http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/hitleross5.html

[[Category:Adolf Hitler]]
[[Category:LGBT history of Germany]]
[[Category:Nazi Germany]]
[[Category:German people of World War II]]

Daimler Fleetline

2007-03-22T22:52:35Z

Quackdave: Start article

The '''Daimler Fleetline''' (known as the '''Leyland Fleetline''' from c.1975) was a rear-engined [[double-decker bus]] [[chassis]] built between 1960 and 1973 in [[Coventry]], [[Warwickshire]], [[England]], and from 1973 until 1980 in [[Farington]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]]. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1982. It was superseded by the [[Leyland Olympian]].

The Fleetline was the second rear-engined chassis to be launched, following [[Leyland Motors|Leyland]]'s introduction of the [[Leyland Atlantean|Atlantean]] in 1958. From the outset, the Fleetline had a drop-centre rear axle fitted as standard, enabling low-height bodywork to be fitted without necessitating an [[lowbridge|inconvenient seating layout]] in part of the upper deck, as was the case with early Atlanteans. Leyland responded by offering a drop-centre rear axle as an option on the Atlantean, but after the two companies came under common ownership in 1968, the low-height Atlantean option was discontinued.

Initially, the Fleetline was fitted with a Gardner engine as standard (Leyland engines were later an option), whereas Leyland only offered engines of its own manufacture in the Atlantean. Some operators favoured the Gardner engine and perceived this to be an additional advantage of the Fleetline.

==Customers==
The largest British Fleetline operator was [[London Transport]], whose DMS and DM classes totalled 2646 examples, in addition to the earlier XF (eXperimental Fleetline) class of eight buses. The DMS/DM proved popular secondhand purchases for operators throughout Britain during the 1980s, especially in the aftermath of [[bus deregulation]]. In London, the Fleetline's successors were the [[Leyland Titan (B15)|Leyland Titan]] and [[MCW Metrobus]].

Second in fleet size was [[Birmingham]] Corporation and its successor [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive]] with well over 1000 buses, including the first single-deck Fleetlines in 1965. Other constituent municipal fleets also contributed Fleetlines to the WMPTE fleet.

[[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive]] purchased over 500 Fleetlines in addition to a similar number inherited from its constituents (although even in such numbers they were still outnumbered by Atlanteans).

Other English PTEs, plus many fleets in the municipal, BET Group, Scottish Bus Group and independent sectors purchased Fleetlines.

==Designations==
Daimler Fleetline chassis designations started with the letters CR, of which the C is variously reported to stand for '''C'''oventry or '''C'''ommercial, and the R stands for '''R'''ear-engined. For single-deckers this became SR (although not on the earliest examples which were referred to with the standard CR).

This was followed by a code to indicate the engine fitted: D6 (Daimler 6-cylinder, prototypes only); G6 (Gardner 6-cylinder, more often than not this was expanded to the more specific G6LW, G6LX or G6LXB); L6 (Leyland 6-cylinder); C6 (Cummins 6-cylinder).

The standard length of the Fleetline was 30' but lengths of 33' and 36' were also available, which were sometimes (though not consistently) identified by a suffix of -33 or -36 (sometimes with an oblique stroke in place of the hyphen).

Later Leyland Fleetline chassis designations were different: '''FE''' for '''F'''leetlin'''e''', followed by 30 or 33 (length in feet); A (if applicable) for '''a'''utomatic transmission; '''G''' for '''G'''ardner or '''L''' for '''L'''eyland engine; '''R''' for '''R'''ight-hand drive.

==Unusual Fleetlines==
[[Walsall]] Corporation specified some non-standard short-wheelbase Fleetlines, the first of which, [http://www.flickr.com/photos/54957550@N00/384166514/ 1 UDH], had its entrance behind the front axle; later deliveries had a narrow entrance in the usual position. 1 UDH had [[Northern Counties]] bodywork with wrap-around windscreens on both decks, similar to that specified by [[Barton Transport]] on AEC Regents and a Dennis Loline.

Several operators purchased single-deck Fleetlines (Birmingham was the first, in 1965).

==Trivia==
The first and last Fleetlines built were both destroyed by fire. Former demonstrator 7000 HP, which had passed to Blue Bus Services (Tailby & George) of Willington and later to Derby Borough Transport, was destroyed in a fire at the Willington depot on 5th January 1976. The last-built chassis, former [[South Notts Bus Company|South Notts]] ECW-bodied SCH 117X, was destroyed in a fire at the [[Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre]] on 21st February 2007 after it had been bought for preservation.

==See also==
*[[Daimler Motor Company]] - manufacturer
*[[Leyland Atlantean]] - competitor
*[[Bristol VR]] - competitor
*[[Leyland Olympian]] - successor

[[Category:Buses]]
{{bus-stub}}

Leyland Atlantean

2007-02-12T01:44:58Z

Quackdave: Tweaked significant municipal customers - removed Cardiff (!) and inserted Liverpool and Nottingham

The '''Leyland Atlantean''' was a [[double-decker bus]] built by [[Leyland Motors Ltd|Leyland]] in the [[United Kingdom]] from [[1958]] to [[1986]]. It pioneered the design of rear-engined, front entrance double deck buses in the UK, allowing for the introduction of 'one person operated' buses, dispensing the need for a [[Conductor (transportation)|conductor]].

==The prototypes==
In the years immediately following the [[Second World War]] bus operators in the UK faced a downturn in the numbers of passengers carried, and manufacturers began looking at ways to economise. A few experimental rear-engined buses had been produced before the war, but none successfully made it beyond the prototype stage. The need to minimise the intrusion of the engine into passenger carrying space was a priority, leading to several underfloor engined single deck designs. However, such designs raised the height of the floor of the vehicle, forcing additional steps at the entrance. On double deckers, these problems were amplified, causing the overall height of the vehicle to increase, or an inadequate interior height.

In [[1952]] Leyland began experimenting with ideas for a rear engine double decker. A prototype was built with a [[Saunders-Roe|SARO]] body to the maximum permitted width of 7[[Foot (unit of length)|ft]] 6[[inch|in]], fitted with a turbocharged version of the Leyland O.350 [[Internal combustion engine|engine]], which was transversely mounted at the rear of the sub frame. The chassis was a platform type frame of [[steel]] and light [[alloy]] with deep stressed sidemembers. An automatic clutch and self change [[Transmission (mechanics)|gearbox]] were also fitted. The vehicle, numbered 530001, registered STF90 was designated the PDR1 (R for 'Rear-engined').

In [[1956]] a second prototype, XTC684 (No. 542209) was constructed with a MCW body, but this time fitted with the more powerful O.600 engine fitted across the frame, with a centrifugal [[clutch]], pneumatic cyclic gearbox and angle drive. This vehicle was 13ft 2.75 inches in height, with a 16ft 2.875 inches wheelbase and overall length of 29ft 10 inches, and had a [[seating capacity]] of 78. Leyland christened this prototype the '''Lowloader'''.

Though two prototypes were thoroughly tested, the same problem of a front-engined bus remained - they had rear entrances with the space alongside the driver being wasted.

==PDR1==
[[Image:First_Production_Atlantean.jpg|thumb|150px|The first production Atlantean, Wallasey 1]]
An amendment to the Construction and Use Regulations in [[1956]] saw the maximum length for double-deckers increased to 30ft, allowing a wider entrance to be located ahead of the front axle. This was initially to allow the driver to supervise boarding whilst the conductor collected fares, but quickly it became apparent that the design would allow for one-person-operation. Leyland took advantage of the new regulation to launch the first prototype '''Atlantean''' at the 1956 Commercial Motor Show at [[Earls Court]]. Though it featured the front entrance design that would redefine the bus industry, several factors prevented the bus going on the market. The main problem was the high level of engine noise inside the lower saloon, as the engine was still inside the body, with the compartment being used for bench seating.

Mechanically the prototype Atlantean was similar to the Lowloader - O.600 transversely mounted engine with a pneumo-cyclic gearbox situated in the rear offside corner providing drive in a straight line from the engine. The Atlantean had a light and strong fabricated frame. Light alloy floor plates were riveted direct to the framework, fulfilling the dual purpose of reinforcing the frame and providing a foundation for the saloon floor. The platform type sub-frame concept from the Lowloader was retained for the prototype. A drop-centre rear [[axle]] allowed the flat floor, only one step up from ground level, to continue for the full length of the bus.

This first 'true' Atlantean was 281ATC, now scrapped, it was demonstrated around the country to various operators. It also had an unregistered sister vehicle, which was used as a testbed, and also scrapped.

By [[1958]], Leyland had overcome the majority of the problems and moved the engine to a rear-mounted compartment enclosed from the main body, and the first production '''Atlantean PDR1/1''' with a 16ft 3in wheelbase was launched at the 1958 Commercial Motor Show. It had simpler mechanical specification than the prototype, with conventional front and rear axles, leaf springs all round and a channel section frame. Glasgow Corporation became the first operator to put the type in service later that year.

Though some operators initially continued to buy front engined vehicles for reliability, the Atlantean became a hit. Though the [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]] and the [[Scottish Bus Group]] favoured the [[Bristol VR]] and [[Daimler Fleetline]] respectively, the Atlantean proved popular with municipal operators. [[Aberdeen]], [[Glasgow]], [[Edinburgh]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]], [[Manchester]], [[Liverpool]] and [[Nottingham]] Corporations purchased large numbers of the type, and by [[1972]] over 6000 had entered service.

==AN68==
In February [[1972]] Leyland announced the '''AN68''' series to replace the PDR1. The new chassis provided a wider entrance and several new safety features were included. An audible and visible alarm prevented engine overheating by giving the driver due warning. A fail-safe parking [[brake]] was introduced, while the [[steering]] box and brake controls were protected against damage from severe head-on collision, and stainless steel air-piping gave greater resistance to corrosion.

Two models were offered: AN68/1R (9.4m in length) and AN68/2R (10.2m in length). [[Power steering|Power assisted steering]] was standard on the AN68/2R and optional on the AN68/1R. The steering pump was power driven, which replaced the early belt driven system, while the only available engine was the new Leyland O.680. A wide variety of body styles from various manufacturers continued to be offered, allowing the Atlantean to be tailor made to requirements from operators ranging from the small independent to the large city corporation.

The Atlantean continued to sell in large numbers, with many operators proving loyal to it. [[London Transport]], however, notably chose the [[Daimler Motor Company|Daimler]] (later Leyland) Fleetline over the AN68 for its first large rear-engined double deck order. Though over a thousand Fleetlines would be purchased by LT, reliability problems caused their very premature withdrawal.

The creation of [[British Leyland]] in the [[1970s]] saw rivals Daimler and [[Bristol Commercial Vehicles|Bristol]] merged with Leyland, bringing the two competing rear-engined chassis together with the Atlantean. Though the Bristol brand was retained, Daimler was dropped and products were rebadged as Leylands. After the re-organisation, Leyland set out to develop a new rear-engined double deck bus for the London market to replace the troublesome Fleetlines. This new vehicle, the [[Leyland Titan (B15)|Titan B15]] spawned a simpler, non-integral offshoot, the [[Leyland Olympian|Olympian]], which debuted in [[1980]]. Though the Olympian was meant as a direct replacement for the VR, Fleetline and Atlantean, the venerable AN68 continued in production alongside the Olympian until 1986. The last Atlantean for the domestic market rolled off the production line in [[1984]], the last of a batch for [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive|Merseyside PTE]], while the export version remained in production for a further two years, with deliveries to the city operator in [[Baghdad]], the capital city of [[Iraq]].

At the end of production, over 15000 Atlanteans had been built. [[Greater Manchester PTE]] (and its predecessors) was the largest operator of the Atlantean, the second being Glasgow Corporation/[[Strathclyde Passenger Transport|Greater Glasgow PTE]], the third one being by [[Singapore Bus Service]] from [[Singapore]], it had received 520 Leyland Atlantean AN68/2Rs in 1977-1986 with the bodywork provided by [[Duple Metsec|Metal Sections/Duple Metsec]], [[British Aluminium Company]] and [[Walter Alexander]].

==Competitors==
Though the Atlantean was the first high volume rear-engined double decker on the market, other manufacturers were quick to catch up, namely Bristol and Daimler with their VR and Fleetline models respectively.

The Bristol was favoured by the state-owned [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]], several of whose predecessors had standardised on Bristol vehicles. Several early examples were also purchased by NBC's Scottish sister company, the Scottish Bus Group, where the front-engined Bristol Lodekka had proved popular. However, the Scottish customers did not share the same enthusiasm for the VR, and the vehicles purchased were swapped for ex-NBC Lodekkas. The Scottish Bus Group then standardised on the Daimler Fleetline for its double-deck needs.

After the re-organisation of [[British Leyland]], both VR and Fleetline became Leyland offerings, and when production of both ceased in 1981, over 6400 VRs and 11500 Fleetlines had been built. Frustrated at the lack of competition to Leyland, some operators turned to other manufacturers, who began to offer alternatives to the state-owned manufacturer. Supply problems at Leyland didn't help matters and products such as the [[Scania Metropolitan]] and [[Dennis Dominator]] began to make small inroads into the rear-engined market, while the [[Volvo]]-backed [[Volvo Ailsa B55|Ailsa]] reintroduced a front-engined double deck chassis, with a front entrance, to some success. The Scania/Metro Cammell Weymann partnership, which produced the Metropolitan, ended in the late 1970s and forced MCW to introduce its own rear-engined product, available as an integral or chassis, the [[MCW Metrobus|Metrobus]]. The success of the Metrobus, particularly with [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive|West Midlands PTE]] and London Transport, would spur Leyland on to develop a new heavy duty rear-engined bus, sealing the eventual withdrawal of the Atlantean from the market.

{{commonscat|Leyland Atlantean}}

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:Leyland vehicles|Atlantean]]

[[zh:利蘭亞特蘭大巴士]]

Leyland Titan (B15)

2007-02-06T19:10:51Z

Quackdave: Add image

[[Image:LeylandTitanBusGlenvaleLiverpool2969.jpg|thumb|right|240px|A Leyland Titan operated by GTL Glenvale, in Queen Square Bus Station, Liverpool.]]

:''For the front-engine Leyland Titan built between 1920s and 1970s, see [[Leyland Titan]].''

The '''Leyland Titan''' was a model of [[double-decker bus]] produced by the '''Leyland Truck & Bus''' division of [[British Leyland]] from 1977 until 1984, almost exclusively for [[London Transport]].

==Development==
[[Image:Leyland_Titan_B15.05.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Leyland Titan B15 prototype 05 (BCK 706R).]]
The Titan was first conceptualised in 1973 as project B15, and was intended as a replacement for the [[Leyland Atlantean]], [[Daimler Fleetline]] and [[Bristol VR|Bristol VRT]]. Following the success of the single-deck [[Leyland National]], it was decided from the outset that the vehicle would be very standardised, and of integral construction. This allowed more flexibility in the location of mechanical components, and allowed a reduced step height. The move away from body on chassis construction caused concern for the bodybuilders who had already lost market to the Leyland National. Talks regarding licensing agreements were held with [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]] and [[Northern Counties]], both major suppliers to their respective local markets, but no agreements were reached. This, in combination with other factors, led Northern Counties to develop the Foden-NC, and Alexander to develop a close working relationship with Volvo with the [[Volvo Ailsa B55]].

London Transport was seen as a major market, and so the specification was heavily influenced by London preferences. London Transport was suffering problems with its DMS class of [[Daimler Fleetline|Daimler/Leyland Fleetline]] one-man-operated double-deckers and wanted rather more input into the design than they had had with the DMS. Leyland too wanted to gain more operator input than had been the case with the Leyland National.

Five prototypes (B15.01-B15.05) were constructed in 1975-1977, two of which were evaluated in London.

==Specification==
The Titan was offered as one size - 9.56 m long by 2.50 m wide by 4.4 m high. The main body structure was aluminium, and the body was assembled using 'Avdelok' rivets similar to the Leyland National. Single-door or dual-door layouts were offered, with a number of options for the location of the staircase. Mechanically, independent front suspension and a drop centre rear axle were used, with air suspension and power hydraulic brakes as standard. The prototype engine was a turbocharged version of the Leyland 500 series, although this was changed to Gardner 6LXB for production as a result of customer preference, and concerns over fuel economy and reliability of the 500 series. The Leyland TL11 engine was available for later production versions. The engine was mounted vertically at the rear, with the radiator located separately in a compartment above the engine. This led to an unusual off-centre square rear window. The overall design was advanced for the time, and exceeded noise and emission requirements by a considerable margin.

==Production==
The Titan name, steeped with considerable [[Leyland Titan|history]], was revived for production in June 1977. It was intended that the first one hundred vehicles would be built at [[Park Royal Vehicles]], with production switching to [[Associated Equipment Company|AEC]] in [[Southall]]. This caused industrial relations difficulties at Park Royal, and some 200 skilled craftspeople left. Production was very slow, and the first vehicle was not delivered until August 1978. In October 1978 Leyland announced the AEC factory would close, with the intent of keeping Titan production at Park Royal. The very slow production rate continued, causing cancellation of a number of existing orders. The industrial relations problems continued as Leyland sought to replace the skilled staff who had left with semi-skilled workers. Finally Leyland announced in October 1979 that Park Royal would close in May 1980. Once this decision had been made, and a productivity-related redundancy package negotiated, production increased dramatically. The final 150 Park Royal vehicles were built in seven months, while the first 100 vehicles had taken fourteen months. After initial efforts to transfer production to [[Eastern Coach Works|ECW]] in [[Lowestoft]] failed, again due to industrial relations problems, it was finally decided that production would recommence at an expanded facility in [[Workington]], which also built the [[Leyland National]]. It took almost a year to expand the facility, transfer the jigs and tooling from Park Royal, and recommence production. The continued delays caused the loss of further orders.

Besides the production difficulties, other aspects of the Titan specification, which was strongly influenced by London Transport, were unpopular. Power hydraulic brakes, a fixed height of 14 ft 5 in and an inability to specify local bodywork all limited Titan's appeal. Outside of London, fifteen were purchased by [[Greater Manchester PTE]] (against an original order of 190), and five by [[West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive|West Midlands PTE]] (against an original order of 80). The 1978 [[British Motor Show]] at the [[National Exhibition Centre]] in [[Birmingham]] featured the first vehicles for both operators. [[Reading Transport]] took two Park Royal Titans to full London specification, and a further ten from Workington, five of which featured high ratio rear axles and coach seats for express services into London. One vehicle was exported to [[Hong Kong]] and became [[China Motor Bus]]'s TC1 (CD1213). A 36ft long version of the Titan had been planned for this operator, but that too was cancelled as a result of the difficulties at Park Royal. A demonstrator built in 1982 failed to secure any further orders, operators preferring the flexibility and lower cost of the [[Leyland Olympian]].

London's orders were being split between the Titan and the [[MCW Metrobus]], but production of Titan for London only was proving uneconomic. Strong pressure was brought to bear to increase the Titan share of the London orders. As a result, Leyland received the entire order for 275 vehicles in 1982. This led to layoffs at MCW. The 1983 order also favored Leyland, with 210 Titan and 150 Metrobus. The decision was made to end production upon completion of a final batch of 240 ordered in 1984. The final Titan, London Transport T1096 entered service in October 1984.

==The Titan in London==
[[Image:LC-t991b.jpg|thumb|right|300px|London Central-owned Leyland Titan T991 (A991 SYE) at Forest Hill on route 171, 5 May 2001.]]
The orders from London Transport were as follows:
* 1979: 50 (T1-50)
* 1980: 150 (T101-250) - reduced from 250 due to industrial relations difficulties at Park Royal.
* 1981: 150 (T251-400)
* 1982: 275 (T401-675)
* 1983: 210 (T676-885)
* 1984: 240 (T886-1125)

The first production Titans were delivered in August 1978, and entered service from Hornchurch in December 1978 on routes 165, 246 and 252. The Titan's London Transport service career saw it working in the eastern half of the capital, though a surplus of the type following tendering reverses in the later 1980s saw Ts spread to some northern garages. Withdrawals began in December 1992, with large numbers passing to other operators, including Merseybus, Oxford and Kinch. Further buses remained on London work under the ownership of independent contractors like London Suburban Buses, London & Country, BTS and London Coaches (later Atlas Bus).

Upon the privatisation of the London Buses Limited subsidiaries, the remaining Titans fell between [[London Central]], [[East London (bus company)|Stagecoach East London]] and [[Selkent|Stagecoach Selkent]]. The latter pair began cascading their Titans away almost immediately, spreading them throughout the country. Stagecoach East London's last Titans operated in September 2001 and Selkent's were withdrawn in November 2001, leaving London Central with a small number of spare buses which were eventually whittled down. Amid a small ceremony, the last one, T1018 was retired from the 40 on 19 June 2003.

==The Titan today==
The only Titans remaining available for service in London (though only as a very last resort) are owned by [[Blue Triangle]]. A fleet of three Titans is used for school bus services in the [[Aylesbury]] area by Z&S coaches, but these retain their previous liveries. [[Sullivan Buses]] operate a fleet of eleven Titans, most painted in a version of [[London Transport]] 1970's corporate colours. These are used mostly for School contracts but are often seen on various Rail Replacement work, their last public service route work with SB being occasional turn on [[Hertfordshire]] Route 398 in 2005. Outside London, many remain in service, particularly with independents - [[MASS Engineering]] having a large fleet.

==References==
* Jack, D; (1984). ''Leyland Bus Mk2''. The Transport Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903839-67-9
* Jack, Doug; (1994). ''Beyond Reality - Leyland Bus - the twilight years''. Venture publications. ISBN 1-898432-02-3

==External links==
*[http://www.londonbuspage.com/030619.htm London's Leyland Titan Breathes Its Last] - The London Bus Page, 19 June 2003

[[Category:Buses]]
[[Category:London buses]]
[[Category:Leyland vehicles|Titan]]

[[zh:利蘭泰坦B15巴士]]