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Titain's Bus Fleets Analysed
Page 105
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BY DEREK MOSES
Rear engines gaining ground
GROWING number of passenger vehicle operators are starting to comment on the dominant position of Leyland in the bus field. It was, in fact, on the I of many executives even before the announcement Leyland-THC shares " swop " recently. Last year. ly introduction to the municipal bus analysis, 1 pointed that 59-6 per cent of the buses in municipal and cornbus fleets had been built by companies now owned he Leyland Motor Corporation, whilst 20-7 per cent been built by Bristol, and 13-6 per cent by the Jaguar !p.
forecasting the freeing of Bristol from the restriction uilding only for THC companies in my introduction to first company bus analysis in the same issue (The 'Inertial Motor, November 6, 1964), 1 never dreamed this freedom would be obtained by a link--whatever strings —with the Leyland Motor Corporation.
), in welcoming the prospect of new Bristol buses !aring in municipal and BET service, I have to report no less than 72.12 per cent of the buses on order for pany and municipal bus fleets at September 1, 1965, to be built by companies now associated with Leyland. ) far. Leylands have kept to their promise that AEC be allowed to continue designing and selling their own !s, and after the recent correspondence in the columns us journal, seine of which seemed gloomily to be foreing the demise of the AEC double-decker, it is rather resting to note that the number on order for municipal .ators has dropped by only one this year. Excluding temasters, there are more AEC than Leyland double:ers on order for company operators!
he actual figures are Leyland 97 and AEC 100 in the ,r case, so admittedly AEC are just ahead; but then only logical to include Routemasters on order with AEC total, as they build the mechanical parts. The of AEC double-deckers on order then becomes 580, 71 including those for municipalities.
owever the fact remains that AEC do not, as yet. pro! a rear-engined double-decker, and a renewed trend irds this type of bus has developed in the company field, whilst the number of municipal " converts " to type of vehicle has also increased. The news last week production of the AEC Renown is to cease will also 1y result in a further drop in orders for AEC hle-deckers.
gain, a new single-decker trend is towards a rearned chassis whether of the underfloor, vertical or veene type. Whilst AEC do offer two rear-underfloorned chassis, the Swift and the Merlin, these have yet ;et off the ground. The Leyland competitors, the ther and Panther Cub, can chalk up scores of 46 already ervice and another 78 on order. There are no Swifts derlins in service, and only 29 on order, understand that municipal bus operators are showing rest in the new 33 ft. version of the Swift, now avail able with Monocontrol transmission, so that the position next year may be rather different.
Whilst some people may think there is a threat of monopoly from the Leyland group and its satellites, the only real competitor, the Jaguar group, is continuing to have success with the Daimler Fleetline. Even the rearengined Daimler Roadliner, with its rather unknown engine, has secured orders totalling 43 to date. No doubt the ideal chassis layout contributes to the comparative success of this new design, and it will be very interesting to see how the Roadliner performs in large-scale service.
Only time will tell how many operators outside the THC group will plump for Bristol chassis now that the embargo has been lifted. Or, or that matter, whether former Tilling group operators will now go for makes other than Bristol—and, if so, what they will choose. Next year's analysis might reveal some very intereting trends. Already there are 65 Bristol REs on order which are to be fitted with Alexander, rather than Eastern Coach Works' bodies.
Finally, the "top of the league positions for company and municipal buses in service on September 1; and those known to be on order for delivery during the next year. Leading makes in service are as follows: -16,999 Leyland (including two prototype Routemasters); 14,488 AEC; 11,044 Bristol; 4,694 Daimler: 2,443 Guy and 1,640 BMMO. Totals on order are: 1.519 Leyland; 899 AEC (including 480 Routemasters): 809 Daimler; 670 Bristol: 296 BMMO: 68 Guy: 31 Albion; 17 Bedford and five Dennis. Totals of bodies known to be on order are as follows: Eastern Coach Works (694), Park Royal (693), MCW (610), Alexander (397), East Lancashire (208), Marshall (150), Roe (136), the now-doomed Weymann (127), Strachans (126), Northern Counties (100), Plaxton (91), Willowbrook (86). Harrington (47). Massey Bros. (41), Duple (30) and Lon2well Green (2).