Alexander stands firm but certainly not still
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Bodybuilders have been bashed and buffeted recently but bearing the bludgeoning better than most has been this Falkirk firm. Noel Millier has the story FOR BRITISH bus bodybuilders the future could hardly look bleaker. What with the disappearance of new bus grants, the almost universal public spending cuts and the continuing recession, many could be forgiven for thinking they were about to fall over the edge of a precipice.
At Scotland's largest bodybuilder, Walter Alexander, which is one of Britain's largest too, I found qualified optimism for the future. This is based on an updated bus body range which has been well received and continuing success in export markets.
Despite the fierce competition for the remaining bus business at home, Alexander has retained its market share. In 1981 the company produced 353 complete double-deck bodies. In 1982-3 this number fell to 305 but was partly compensated for by a rise in sales for single-deck bus and coach bodies.
The company is remaining profitable and is currently investing in new design techniques at its Falkirk base to ensure it remains in a position to react to customer demand in what remains an unpredictable home market.
The coachbuilding company is a member of the diverse and strong Walter Alexander Group of companies, which include a filter manufacturer, a liquid fuel distribution company and a number of other companies involved in engineering and the motor trade.
The coachbuilding interests include Walter Alexander (Belfast) Ltd, which produces many of the new buses for Ulsterbus and Citybus. The recession in
Northern Ireland has meant a reduced demand from these cus
tomers but this was anticipated and has been compensated to an extent by increased sales of fire engine and ambulance bodies.
In 1978-9 the Falkirk plant won a number of large orders from bus operators in the Far East for double-deck bus body kits. Since then, the demand has been variable but the company has remained successful with its products gaining an enviable reputation.
At the last NEC motor show, an 11rn integral double-decker based on a Mercedes-Benz underframe appeared on the Alexander stand.
The bus was a demonstration vehicle which entered service with Singapore Bus Service. Its evaluation was a success and Alexander has won an order for 200 similar vehicles. The Mercedes-Benz buses will be joined by 200 Leyland Atlanteans, which are also to be fitted with Alexander R-type bodies, making this the company's largest ever single order.
The new buses will join a large fleet of Alexander-bodied Atlanteens in service in Singapore and their building will enable Walter Alexander (Far East), h was set up in 1981, to start e trading.
exander-bodied buses are idy a familiar sight in Hong and a number of Asian 'tries including the Phillis and Indonesia as well as apore. The Alexander boMercedes has also demons d the modern double-deck :ept in Kuala Lumpur, Maa. The Singapore company ell placed to respond to the Is of the market as well as ide a strong back-up ser home, Alexander's R-type 31e-deck bus body, which launched at the 1980 NEC v, is already in service with e numbers of operators.
r 600 have been built, to it 23 different specifications. pe bodies are mounted on and Olympian, Ailsa B55, nis Dominator, MCW Metroand Scania BR112DH chas : this year's motor show, :ander is showing its first R1 double-deck on Volvo's unloor-engined Citybus chasThis bus is unusual in a iber of respects. Built for thclyde PTE it is the first Rto be fitted with a front ence wheelchair lift in addition eing the first to be mounted he innovative Citybus chasThe company is also to build mch version of the R-type year.
le second exhibit at the N will surprise many and
d well be of interest to indeident bus and coach rators. The Alexander TE ch body was introduced y this year and has already been supplied to a number of operators in both the National Bus Company and the Scottish Bus Group. The aluminium body features conservative styling that should enable the coach design to remain fresh throughout the body's 15-year design life.
Two other new models will also be revealed at the Show. The TC coach shares the same long-life aluminium structure as the TE but offers a more luxurious and fashionable specification. It features soft interior trim, bonded glazing as well as a plug-type entrance door and Eberspacher water heater.
The first TC is an 11m example built for the Scottish Bus Group's new Citylink network of coach services. It is mounted on a Leyland Tiger chassis.
Although managing director Wesley Keyes did not suggest that the Scottish bodybuilder was to make a major thrust into the competitive independent coach sector of the market, he made it clear that the company would be happy to quote for business in this sector.
The TE and TC bodies are both light and strong and should appeal to operators planning on running coaches for their whole operational life. Although aluminium prices have risen faster than steel, the bodies are likely to be competitively priced and are now available through Cotters Coach Sales of Glasgow. Alexander TE and TC type bodies can be fitted to any chassis make within reason.
Completing the line-up of new Alexander products at the Show is the P-type single-deck bus body. Prototypes have already entered service with Scottish Bus Group operator Alexander (Northern). The P-type is designed to be cheap to build and operate. It is both robust and roomy and well suited to be incorporated into integral bus designs.
With the emphasis now on real value for money, Alexander sees an increasingly important reawakening of the roomy single-deck bus concept.
The P-type is well suited for assembly in Third World countries yet is designed to meet all current and proposed European regulations. The first examples have been built on Leyland Tiger chassis and others are expected to be fitted to Dennis Lancet and the forthcoming Leyland B60 rear-engined chassis.
The P-type does not look stylish but is designed for reliability, strength and value for money — all ingredients that should be in demand for stage-carriage buses.
For the future, the new Alexander range can be readily adapted to meet any requirements. The company has already introduced the latest in computer-aided design techniques, which enable its range to be speedily adapted to demand. Computer terminals can be installed in both Belfast and Singapore as well as different sections of the Falkirk factory to extend the design techniques to other aspects of service and production.
All this means that the Alexander name should continue to be significant in the British bus industry.