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'ying Britain's first DAF coach
Martin Hayes
)tographs by Harry Roberts TISH OPERATORS may n be able to order DAF 3h chassis: the Dutch corny's UK subsidiary, DAF cks Ltd at Marlow, Bucks, well established on the :k market and is now lookto the UK coaching indusfor potential development. 1AF Trucks has supplied first DAF coach, which I e recently been able to try, an Appleby operator. That rator is planning to order ther DAF and other opera. may be allowed to follow before long.
rought over on a one-off, icet-testing operation, the F MB200 DKL chassis has n fitted with a 55-seat )1e Dominant coach body. vehicle is in service with Robinsons Coaches of Appleby and the concern's proprietor, Mr J. L. Elliot, reports that it is giving a good account of itself alongside other heavyweights in the eight-coach fleet.
In layout the DAF, which has been available for some time on the Continent, has considerable similarities to the AEC and Volvo vehicles alongside which it operates. The engine is mounted amidships under the floor and the sixspeed overdrive gearbox is very similar to that used on the AEC models. Not surprisingly, therefore, the DAF on the road handles very much like its British and Swedish competitors.
I was able to try the DAF unladen over a representative route, including a lengthy stretch of M6, around Appleby. Moving off I was struck by the excellent power steering, which feels very similar to the set-up on the Volvo. It shares the delicate feel at low speed while retaining easy controlability during high-speed cruising in cross-winds.
The gear change has a con ventional 1 to 6 gate. The lever is sprung loaded in the 3-4 plane and I thought the downchange into second needed rather more pressure to overcome the spring than really necessary. This may improve as the coach gets more miles under its belt, however. Reverse gear — located to the left of second — needed both hands to engage.