SOUTHEND'S HYBRID
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Southend Transport has rebodied, re-engined and revamped an cx
Midland Red Leyland Leopard. Noel Millicr takes it for a test run THREE new coaches for the price of two claims Southend Transport of its scheme to renovate, rebuild, repower and rebody old heavyweight coach chassis.
And to prove its point, the operation has just taken delivery of its first example — a Berkhof Espritc express style bodied 1972 Leyland Leopard chassis powered by a brand new Dar
DKTL engine coupled to an SCG • pneumocyclic gearbox. A second chassis will soon go to Holland for bodying.
Southend's coach fleet has expanded rapidly since deregulation allowed it to develop a series of commuter services. In 1980 the fleet included six Leopard coaches and around 60 Daimler Fleetline double-deck buses.
The bus fleet has dropped to around 55 Fleetlines and the coach fleet has 58 assorted vehicles including Leyland Tigers and Leopards, Daf MB200s and Van Hool Astromega double-deckers.
Around 47 coaches are required for the daily Southend to London commuter run. Southend Transport coaches operate on a variety of work including London sightseeing, private hire and occasional hire to other operators for long-distance express work.
The rpaid expansion has meant Southend buying second-hand coaches front almost every dealer in the country as well as some private operators. New velmcles include some Leyland Tiger 218 vehicles with Duple Dominant and Caribbean bodies, an assortment of Leopards and sonic new Daf MH200DKFL coaches with Duple Laser bodywork. The Dais have ZF fully automatic gearboxes.
Flagships are three Van Hool Astromega vehicles delivered around two years ago. These will soon he joined by another two. The Leopard fleet includes vehicles purchased from a number of independents including Wallace Arnold and Guards of London.
Some Leopards have been re-engined to improve performance and fuel consumption. These vehicles cover about 160,0041 km per year. Southend now has Da; Volvo THD100 and Leyland '11.11 engines in Leopards.
The first vehicle chosen for rebodying and repowering was an ex-Midland Red 11-metre Leyland Leopard Willowbrook bodied bus first registered 1971/72. The original body was scrapped and the chassis completely stripped and refurbished. Original axles were stripped down and rebuilt where necessary. The mechanical handbrake and complete air system were replaced with a spring parking brake, new air system with multi circuit protection, slack adjusters and nylon air pipes. The original Leopard brake drums were retained.
Out came the original four speed pneurnocyclic gearbox and in went a reconditioned second-hand unit. The original non-powered Leopard steering has been improved by using a Leyland conversion kit for hydraulically powered steering.
Accommodating the turbocharged Daf DKTL 11.6 litre engine in the Leopard frame meant lowering the engine and drive-line by 38nmi. Southend produced the mountings for the engine and radiator and a new Eminox stainless steel exhaust system was fitted.
The Leopard fuel tanks were discarded and the chassis shipped to Holland where Berkhof fitted a 454-litre Volvo tank across the rear. Southend invited tenders for the supply of the first two bodies on its refurbished chassis. ticrkhof dealer Ensignbus won the contract with Hestair Duple apparently a close second. The Ensign deal included the necessary work for recertifying and reregistering.
The first vehicle has little in common with the Leopard bus but uses its chassis. It will have to go through a complete certificate of initial fitness check including a tilt test before being issued with a new index number, probably with a Q prefix. When the first of the two coaches arrived back at Southend from Holland CM had the opportunity for a brief test drive.
The coach still needs a few minor adjustments so some of the initial criticisms may be overcome before it reenters service.
Our test drive was during a heavy rainstorm, so cautious driving was the order of the day. First impressions showed the coach to he particularly lively and acceptably quiet.
Lierkhof had fitted a new large diameter steering wheel and Southend Transport a foot brake pedal from a Dennis municipal vehicle. These combined to give an odd feel ro the driving position. However, Southend engineers had decided to refit a Leopard steering wheel and adjust the position of the pedals if required.
The cable-operated throttle seemed a little stiff and the brakes powerful but a little difficult to "feather." On the wet road this proved disconcerting.
On the positive side the newly powered steering seemed to have adequate assistance while retaining plenty of feel. The gearchange also worked well. The air control turret has been replaced by a Tiger-style electric change lever arrangement by Southend engineers.
It was easy to change gears smoothly and to keep the engine revs in the green band on the tachometer.
Despite its steel spring suspension the passenger ride was acceptable and created an impression that this was a brand new coach.
Southend should he able to enjoy a number of advantages from its
revamped vehicle: the benefit of a one year unlimited Daf engine warranty coupled with the option to purchase Daf "engine protector" for a further two years and a 53-scat coach suitable for all types of front operation and which is suitable for "cascading" to other duties as it gets older.
The Berkhof body on die 11.3-metre coach has express type doubly leaf doors and a destination indicator which makes it suitable for bus operation if required. The 3.4-metre high body has plenty of room for luggage in its rear boot, side lockers and an over-engine locker area. In fact luggage capacity is increased because of the rear mounted fuel tanks.
Daf engineers have looked at and approved the Southend engine installation. A spokesman said Dal would have to be satisfied with the engineering ability and facilities of any operator considering such a conversion. It has already approved a number of such conversions.
Leyland is a little reticent about the conversion, of which it does not approve. However, potential problems, like the capability of the transmission to cope with the increased torque from the Daf engine and the Leopard brakes to cope with a significantly more powerful vehicle have not proved a problem for the first Duple-bodied, Daf-eng,ined Leopard. It has been in service with Southend for about a year.
Such conversion work does require engineering time so it is probably carried out better in the well equipped workshops of a public sector bus operator.
At Southend this work has produced two "good as newcoaches at a much reduced price equatable at three for the price of two.
The stripping down and rebuilding of the chassis has also been used to advantage as it has involved both apprentices and engineers to whom it has given a rare insight into the construction and design of the Leopard chassis.
Such a method of acquiring new coaches does have disadvantages. Care has to be taken in assessing a suitable candidate for rebuild and snags can become apparent only after considerable time has been spent removing the original body and running units.
The vehicle warranty is not as allembracing as that for a completely new machine and the eventual second-hand value of such a coach is difficult to predict.
In terms of fleet image and seats available both rebuilding and repowering are undoubtedly a cost effective alternative to the higher investment required for brand new coaches.