NEWSBRIEF
Page 37
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• Cleveland Transit, the Teesside municipal bus operator, is having a batch of Leyland Atlantean PDR1 double-deck buses rebodied by Northern Counties.
The 16-year-old chassis are being updated and overhauled by the operator before being rebodied. Modifications to the chassis include the fitting of spring parking brakes in place of mechanical hand brakes.
Eventually all 15 Atlanteans in the fleet will be rebodied and are expected to remain in service until the late 1990s. A pilot rebodying exercise on a Leyland Leopard single-decker is also underway at Northern Counties' works at Wigan.
• South Wales independent Clayton Jones has attacked National Welsh for running extra services on its Pontypridd to Ynysybwl bus route. A hearing has been called by South Wales Traffic Commissioner to consider his objections.
• Belgian coachbuilder Jonckheere has officially opened the new Northampton premises of its British subsidiary, Jonckheere UK.
The British subsidiary was set up seven months ago after the demise of Roeselare Sales which was also based in Northampton.
The new premises house a 24-hour parts service and carry out new and used vehicle preparations as well as most types of accident repair.
Jonckheere had hoped to launch its new Transcity bus at the opening but was thwarted by industrial action by ferry operators which delayed the vehicle's first extnaples delivery.
Jonckheere UK managing director Heinz Theyssen described the Transcity as a step into the "deregulation gap".
• Optare has delivered a Freight Rover Sherpa 310 to the Kingston, Richmond and Merton Dial-a-Ride in West London. The longwheelbase, high-roof conversion incorporates a full-height power door.