Scania-Vabis Buses in London?

12th November 1965, Page 81

12th November 1965

Page 81

Page 81, 12th November 1965 — Scania-Vabis Buses in London?

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Keywords : Road Transport, Södertälje Municipality, Buses, Double-decker Buses, Manufacturing, Scania Ab, Scania-vabis, Routemaster, Leyland Titan, Associated Equipment Company, Scania, Ceylon Transport Board

BY DEREK MOSES

RECENT reports that Scania-Vabis trucks are to be marketed in this country take 11. on a new significance when one learns that London Transport is interested in the possibility of importing a Scania-Vabis bus for experimental operation. This might be startling news at first, but if British buses can operate in the Swedish capital, why not Swedish buses in London?

The London Transport Board, together with its predecessors, has always been committed to a policy of placing a certain proportion of its bus contracts with manufacturers other than AEC. In practice London Transport has, for many years, operated a fair proportion of Leyland buses in its fleet, but Leyland have now merged with AEC. In short, LT has to seek a new source of supply and . • au : accounts is very anxious to do so.

To rue, the obvious alternative source wool I appear to be Daimler, hut Mr. Kenneth Shave, chief mechanical engineer (road services) feels that too strong a support for Daimler might merely encour:ge a Leyland take-over bid and

—" Bob's our uncle !" Personally, I think suet] a step on the part of Leyland would be both ill-advised and unlikely, as Leyland must realize that some competition. at least, is desirable. However, Mr. Shave 'night have stronger grounds for his view, hence his interest in

SCEIrif;1-Vahi,

Make Own Vehicles?

e Another way out would he for LTB to man ufaentre its own vehicles, hut this would he possible only if special powers at present iackine were granted to the Board. Again, manufacturing its own buses might be quite uneconomical for LT-B--unless they were allowed to sell to other operators and could do so at a competitive price.

Men a while, the Leyland Atlan Leans which entered service in the capital last ..Sunday could well he the last buses of this make to be bought by [TB. I. understand that no more Leyland engines are to he fitted in new Routemasters. At the Moment Me Board is experimenting with extra sound insulation On three Leylandengined Routemasters to try to 'reduce the noise emitted to an 'acceptable level. Nest year will see the new AEC dry-liner

Nobody Wants Colombo Trolleys: The Colombo Municipality will have to write off shout Rs6m.—the cost of hi trolleybuses. spates and garage equipment— because nobody wants to buy them, writes out Colombo correspondent. Tenders were invited, both locally and abroad, without any response. Now the Council is trying to sell the trolleybuses to the Ceylon Transport Board. hut such a deal is most unlikely as the vehicles and plant would he of no use to the Board_ The trolleybus service ceased on December 1, last year.

Subsid.N for Rural Buses?: Northumberland County Council planning committee is pressing tire Government to give urgent consideration io the subsidizing of rural bus serviecs. The committee states that it is concerned because the Government has done nothing to afeguard or restore services in country ;,e;1,;,

engine adopted as the standard power unit for new Routemaster buses.

What with one development and another, it would appear that art interesting future lies ahead for London Transport—but only if something is done to speed the traffic flow and give the bus, whatever make or design is adopted, a fair crack of the whip.

IN BRIEF •

South Shields Bonus: South Shields Corporation transport committee has approved bonus scheme for drivers, conductors and semi-skilled workers. The bonus will be a payment of all additional 10s. a week, which will be lost for failure to perform efficiently arty duties due to late renorting, absenteeism. missing. relief, or suspension.

Bonus Scheme in Middlesbrough: Middlesbrough Corporation Transport's 400 husmen will receive an extra Is, a week for every 50,000 passengers carried over 3m. in each monthly period . The number of passengers on the town's buses has rarely dropped below this figure and at its highest was just under 4m. and the bonus could therefore range from nothing to shout El a week. Ald. W. Flynn, chairman of he transport committee, said the scheme should encourage employees to report o15 time for duty and not ' skip " any stops.•

Scania-Vabis Buses in London?

Page 81

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