Now, the Panther Cub
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A SMALLER version of the Leyland rl.Panther has been developed by Leyland Motors Ltd. Called the Panther Cub, it will be shown at the Commercial Motor Show with a 43-seat Park Royal body for Manchester.
The Panther Cub is designed basically for 33-ft-long by 8-ft. 2.5-in.-wide bodies —wheelbase is 16 ft. 6 in. against 18 ft. 6 in. for the Panther. The bare chassis weighs 4 tons 10 cwt. compared with 14 tons 17.5 cwt. of the Panther, most of the weight being saved by using the Leyland Power-Plus 0.400 diesel engine instead of the 0.600. Engine location at the extreme rear of the chassis is similar to the Panther, and the Pneumo-Cyclic gearbox is again used, driving forward to the rear axle. Fuller details and illustrations of the Panther Cub will be included in next week's issue.
Also announced by Leyland is a version of the Atlantan rear-engined bus with a drop-centre rear axle. This is designed to allow a low, continuous-level floor in the lower saloon and, in designing the new axle, the units in the rear power pack have been changed and repositioned so that they can be removed individually. A fluid coupling and lock-up clutch is unit mounted to the engine still, but the drive is taken to an independently mounted Pneumo-Cyclic gearbox which incorporates a right-angle drive to the drop axle. The stepped double-reduction axle incorporates two-stage reduction gearing, the first stage being spiral-bevel offset to the right-hand side and the second reduction by pairs of spur gears in offside and nearside casings.