Largest coach enters service
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• Tomorrow (Saturday) will be a notable day in the development of long distance motorway express services, with the introduction into service between Blackpool and London of the largest double-decker to be built to date for regular passenger service in the UK. It is the 60-seat motorway coach built by Eastern Coach Works Ltd. on a Bristol VRL /LH chassis with Leyland 680 diesel engine mounted longitudinally on the offside, rear, of the chassis.
The coach was exhibited at Earls Court in September (CM September 20 and 27) and has since been extensively tested under simulated service conditions on the M6 and M1 motorways and also at the MIRA proving ground by its owner, the Ribble subsidiary W.C. Standerwick Ltd. Early in the New Year the coach will also operate from East Lancashire, the Lake District and Southport.
It is probable that it will be the forerunner of a fleet to replace the Ribble-Standerwick Gay Hostess double-deck coaches from 1970. The coach seats 10 more passengers than the existing fleet and is designed to travel at up to 70 m.p.h. One difference from the Gay Hostesses-the new coach is not designed to serve refreshments on the move, as the motorway service. areas situated at 24-mile intervals now supply this service round-the-clock.
A complete lack of a sensation of speed at 70 m.p.h., writes C. Hyams. is one of the pleasing features of the new coach. With the staircase at the rearand pillars reduced to a minimum, on excellent panoramic view will be in store for passengers, particularly when the bus starts the Lake District run in the New Year.
When idling the engine can hardly be heard and even at maximum speed ordinary quiet conversation is possible.
Tuesday was a cold day and upstairs I did not consider it quite warm enough for sitting for seven hours. However, I was told that combustion heaters were being considered so the vehicle can be warmed beforehand.