First Belfast-built Fleetline
Page 36
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THIS week Sir William Lysons, chairman of the Jaguar group, handed over to the Lord Mayor of Belfast the first of 63 new Fleetline double-deck buses for Belfast Corporation Transport depart
ment. -These are basically similar to 88 Fleetlines already in service in Belfast, except that the chassis assembly was also undertaken by M.H. Cars Ltd.
When the possibility of a repeat order was first considered, concern was expressed at work going out of Northern Ireland at a time of high unemployment there. The challenge was taken up by Sir William, and arrangements made for Daimler chassis to be supplied c.k.d. for assembly in Northern Ireland. This assembly is undertaken in a special bay of the M.H. Cars premises, and is belieVed to be the first example of passenger chassis assembly being undertaken in the province. A description of the original M.H. Cars Fleetlines, together
with the factory adaptation required to enable production of the buses to begin, was published in The Commercial Motor of June 7 this year.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Eastern National Expands Tours: Following a successful 1963 touring programme, the Eastern National Omnibus Co. Ltd. has enlarged its plans for next year and will offer 24 different tours, with a total of some 280 departures throughout the season.
Longer Double-deckers for Liverpool?— LiverpoolCorporation passenger transport committee has received a report from the general manager, Mr. W. M. Hall, with regard to the luggage accommodation on the new Atlantean buses. The committee has decided that advantage should be taken of the new Construction and Fitness Regulations, and an increase of 6 in. in the wheelbase be specified when quotations are received for the next 120 buses.
London Transport Safety Awards: Nearly 12,000 London Transport drivers and more than 12,000 conductors qualified in 1962 for awards made by the Road Operators' Safety Council. Awards to drivers included 9,520 central bus drivers, 1,992 country bus and coach drivers, and 235 drivers of lorries, vans, and other vehicles. For the first time a gold emblem for 41-years' safe driving was gained. This was awarded to a 63-year-old lorry driver, Mr. H. Chaplin, of the Chiswick lorry depot. Gold crosses for 40-years' safe driving were gained by two central bus drivers, Mr. George Landon, who retired from Kingston garage recently, and Mr. Arthur Brett, one of the London Transport drivers of the coach fleet.
Priority for Buses in Towns: Bus lanes and buses-only in town centres were suggested as possible solutions to bus operators' difficulties by Mr. W. Leese, general manager of the North Western Road Car Co. Ltd., in a speech at Stockport on Monday. If transport was to continue to grow the road capacity must be increased, arterial roads into the centre of built-up areas being required. Parking should not be allowed within 45 ft. either side of a bus stop.
Fight to Save Trolleybuses: Hundreds of leaflets opposing the replacement of Newcastle upon Tyne's trolleybuses by motorbuses during the next three years have been sent to local councillors, M.P.s and organizations in the city. The next move will be a public meeting to discuss approaches to city authorities in the fight to save the trolleybuses, said Mr. A. Wickens, one of the campaign organizers.
B2