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Leylands Storming Ahead in Municipal Field
Page 106
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THE positionin the municipal bus industry today so far as the composition of individual makes is concerned must be very gratifying to Leyland Motors Ltd. After last year's increase of 362 more Leylands in service (itself surely a record) a further 435 are now operated by municipal operators, making a grand total of 7,963 Leylands. The only other makes to increase in number are: Daimler, with a modest 15 to a new total of 4325: Dennis, who have gone up by six to 71; and Commer up by eight to a total of nine. Seven of the Commers were introduced by Coventry Corporation as school buses and relief stage buses.
Meanwhile the total of AECs in service has slipped by 182. thus emphasizing the need for a new design from this stable. However, the overall total of buses and trolleybuses in service has also fallen. There are 212 fewer p.s.V, in service with municipal operators, so perhaps they are genuinely feeling the pinch. The drop may be partly accounted for by the increasing trend towards larger-capacity double-deckers, resulting in fewer buses doing the same amount of work as before.
The trend towards rear-engined double-deckers continues. with an extra 651 in service, compared with an increase of 658 of this type last year. Whilst many of the smaller undertakings favour the Daimler Fleetline, the Leyland Atlantean continues to score with some of the largest municipalities, and there are now 1.337 of the latter in service compared to 791 Fteetlines. The Atlantean also leads in-the totals on order for next year. with 697 recorded to Daiiiiler's 355 Fleetlines. In addition.
three Atlantean single-decker buses are also on order.
Also catching on with municipal operators is the rear-engined single-decker chassis, 78 out of 143 single-deckers on order having a rear-engined layout_ Most of these are to be fitted with front entrance, central exit bodies. Despite the trend towards rear engines the front-engined orthodox chassis remains surprisingly popular. with even more double-deckers of this type on order than last year (402 against 352). Again the most popular chassis is Leyland with 177 on order, followed by Daimler (96). Guy (68) and AEC (61). Only 35 front-engined low-height buses are on order, however, compared with last year's 61. Of these, 30 are AEC Renowns and five Dennis Lolines. and 10 of the Renowns will have rear entrances, which are favoured for 205 of the 437 front-engined double-deckers on order.
• Leading makes of bus now in municipal service are as follows: Leyland 3.638 ahead of their nearest rival with, as already stated. 7.963, followed by Daintier (4325). AEC (3,423) and Guy (1,531), Totals of known bodywork are: MCW (570), East Lancashire (208), Chas. H. Roe (136), Park Royal (124), Alexander (110), Strachans (84), Weymann (67). Northern Counties (44). Massey Bros. (41), Willowbrook (6) and Longwell Green (2).