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No frills, but stil great value for monei

26th February 1983
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Page 36, 26th February 1983 — No frills, but stil great value for monei
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A Duple Dominant Ill body on a Leyland Tiger chassis has been the choice of the Scottish Bus Group on its EdinburghLondon route since July '81. The combination has let down neither custom( nor firm, as Noel Millier reports

FOR VALUE for money, the scottish Bus Group "supercoach" services from London take some beating. Although the fare works out at about two and a half pence per mile, the coaches are very definitely not economy models and have been specified and built with long, overnight, express-coach service in mind.

Still, the prospect of spending a winter's night going north in one of Scottish Omnibuses' supercoach fleet did not overwhelm me with enthusiasm as I approached Victoria Coach Station.

These feelings subsided, however, when driver Bill Stanley and the Scottish Bus Group London inspector welcomed all the passengers onto the 21.30 Edinburgh service. Reassurance about the state of the weather and the timetable of the journey, together with information on the lighting, seating and toilet arrangements on the coach all incident-free, performance so in the well-appointed and carpeted interior of Duple Dominant III-bodied Leyland Tiger BGS 549W.

Outside, the blue and white coach looked almost new and inside only the carpet in the gangway showed any sign that this Tiger had covered 284,995km 1177,242 miles) since being delivered to Scottish Omnibuses on July 1, 1981.

For passengers the coach was warm and draught-free. The ride was good, firm enough to avoid inducing any sickness, yet soft enough to allow most passeng ers a reasonable night's sleep.

The engine noise was noticeable but not unpleasant. The TL11H engine did not miss a beat throughout the long journey north and as a passenger I noticed no problem with the 218bhp coach pulling up the motorway slopes.

A combination of expert driving from Bill Stanley and the familiar Pneumocyclic transmission ensured a smooth ride with no jerky gearchanges.

Despite the constant wee threat the journey was only terrupted by breaks at the service areas at Corley e Southwaite, and EGS 549W rived on time after yet anotl incident-free journey from Li don.

As the weary passeng( headed off for breakfast, coach was quickly cleaned made ready for the return jo

r at the SOL New Street .age.

he coach was one of the first :eh of Tigers supplied to a tish operator and its perform has been carefully monied for CM by SOL engineers. ring its first year of operation ary defect and drop of fuel and used has been logged, and ale its life has not been totally ident-free performance so can be described as impresre, and undoubtedly profitai.

rhe coach was received from !pie on July 1, 1981 and was iced in service on the Londonlinburgh route. By the time our pnitoring exercise started on igust 31, the coach had alady covered 35,215km (21,886 les) at an average fuel conimption of 29.41Ft/100km fimpg).

Before the monitoring, an offle rear air-suspension bellow id been changed under warnty by Kirkby Hogarth. In Sepmber the coach covered 1,476km (10,240 miles). During e month, all the air-suspension :flows were changed under arranty and two new compresir flex pipes were fitted. The igine was topped up with 24 nts of oil during the month. The following month, BGS 19W suffered a minor accident its front and was repaired at le bus company's central orks. Repairs did not keep the iach off the road for long and it !corded 13,258km (8,240 miles) iring the month. It used 20 nts of engine oil in top ups and 3c1 an engine oil change. No lechanical defects were

recorded although a minor body water leak needed attention and a minor oil leak at the timing case cover was rectified.

In November the coach travelled 14,252km (8,858 miles). It used eight pints of engine oil and no mechanical defects were recorded. New exterior mirrors were fitted and a sticking windscreen wiper needed attention.

In December, during worsening winter weather, it covered 15,279km (9,496 miles), and according to its records did not require any engine oil top-ups although a routine oil change was carried out.

During this month the revcounter failed and a new cable was fitted. One headlight lens was replaced and a torn rear mud flap repaired. The windscreen washers and wipers required attention, presumably as a result of the bad weather.

Into 1982, and the coach continued earning revenue for its operator and providing comfort and value for its passengers. It covered 7,903km (4,912 miles) in January. A cracked mirror, leaking boot and faulty heaters were reported and a new demister radiator was fitted.

February was a full month for the coach — (13,237km (8,227 miles) were clocked. Apart from its routine maintainance oil change, no engine oil top-ups were necessary. A leaking toilet was repaired. The toilet doorhandle broke, two light bulbs were renewed and a flashing oil pressure light was reported. The oil cooler was removed, repaired and refitted. In March the rev-counter cable again broke and was replaced. An oil cooler problem again required attention and repair. The windscreen wipers, which had required adjustment previously, were modified and a number of forced — air ventilation jets needed tightening.

During this month the engine oil was changed and 10 pints of oil were used in topping-up the levels. During the month the coach operated 14,269km (8,868 miles).

In April our coach covered 13,302km (8,267 miles). Apart from its monthly oil change it was not reported to have required any top-up oil. Drivers reported a leaking heater hose in the boot, a sticking locker door and a demister-fan electrical problem.

The toilet door was also reported; apparently it opened everytime the coach went round a corner. During the month, the coach also needed more minor body repairs as a result of an accident.

During May the rev-counter cable needed replacement for the third time and a rear hub oil seal was renewed. Four light bulbs were changed. BGS 549W covered 17,937km (11,157 miles).

June was a busy month — 19,983km (12,420 miles). The only driver's reports concerned broken windscreen wiper arms and light bulb failures. The brakes were relined and rear hub oil seals renewed.

In July the only item was another failed bulb (for the oil pressure warning light). In the workshop at New Street a condensor valve and throttle valve were fitted. BGS 549W covered another 20,574km (12,787 miles) without incident.

During August, as the coach completed its first year in service, it travelled another 11,271km (7,005 miles) before being prepared for its annual DTp inspection. On August 19 the off-side windscreen wiper was replaced and two days later it was reported as sticking.

During the overhaul before inspection, front-brake diaphragms were renewed and rearbrake actuators fitted. The coach passed its test.

During September the loose toilet door became loose again. (7,358km (4573 miles) were covered and a new transfer box, gearchange, and a radiator (for the centre heater unit) were fitted.

In October BGS 549W was transferred to the operator's Baillieston depot and it entered service on the Glasgow-Corby route. It remained at Baillieston until late January when it was temporarily returned to New Street for the London service. It has since returned to Baillieston. From October to today, although the performance-monitoring exercise has ended vehicle records reveal ro major unit failures or non-routine occurences. Fuel consumption records show that this Tiger has averaged 29.11it/100km (9.7mpg) during the 115,061 miles of its monitored performance.

Predictably, as the coach has operated in all conditions and has been driven by a large number of drivers, fuel consumption has varied considerably from week to week. The Tiger returned its worst-ever average fuel consumption during the week commencing October 26, 1981. It averaged only 34.91it/1100km (8.1mph). In November 1982 it recorded its best fuel figure, returning 22.21it/100km (12.7mpg).

Overall, the fuel consumption is creditable for a coach open ing mostly on motorways.

In conclusion, the Tiger Dur combination has covered above-average mileage with major unit failure and rem& kably few inconveniences 1 the driver or passengers.

Although the Scottish B Group service can be describ as a "no-frills operation" (thE are no on-board refreshments video films) I found that t warmly-furnished Duple bo provided far more comfort th. the faster no-frills jet-plane st vice I returned to London on.

At £8.50 single, it must repr sent one of the best deals in ti country.

The Tiger seems to have f filled much of the promi offered by the new Leyla premium chassis during t early part of 1981.

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Locations: Glasgow, London

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