LRT bus trials
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THE RESULTS of London Buses' double-deckers are unlikely to vehicles orders have been placed According to LRT News, the staff newspaper produced for London Regional Transport employees, London Buses' vehicle engineering manager Colin Curtis expects the trials on three South London routes to continue until the end of this year.
LB is seeking Department of Transport sanction now to order 260 double-deckers for 1986 (CM, March 23), and this order is not seen as a straight contest between the MetroCammell Weymann Metrobus, Leyland Olympian, Volvo Ailsa and Dennis Dominator involved in the trials.
According to the newspaper report, the trials are more a comparison of fuel consumption, vehicle reliability, availability of spares, brake lining life and accessibility, and availability of units on the 12 trial buses.
A telling point made by Mr Curtis was : "Good and bad points of the vehicles have been highlighted in service, and we now have a good idea of the type of bus that other operators use."
He added that LB management already had gathered "much useful information" on the buses.
Drivers' opinions canvassed by LRT News suggest that the Dennis and the Metrobus have the best cab arrangements and driving positions, with the Dennis having the edge.
The front-engined Volvo's roadholding won drivers' praise, but its relatively cramped and noisy cab was less popular, The Olympian's soft suspension and low and cramped driving position came in for criticism.
The 1986 order for the next stage of LB's extensions of oneperson operation, is unlikely to be large enough to be split between the two main contenders, the Metrobus (of which over 1,400 will be operated by the end of this year) and the Olympian.
Very keen pricing can be expected from both makers.