East Lancs' new body
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• The Blackburn-based bus building company, East Lancashire Coachbuilders, has launched a re-designed singledeck bus body. The first six have gone to Kingston-uponHull City Transport.
The bodies have been built on the Scania N112CR "ultralow" chassis; they are the first Scanias for Hull for 10 years, and its first single-deckers for almost 23 years.
The Scania DN11 naturallyaspirated engine is rated at 151kW (203hp), driving through a Scania four-speed fully automatic box. The vehicles feature integral retarders, ZF power steering and full-air suspension.
The East Lanes body has been completely re-designed; the most noticeable feature is the curved front end which blends in well with the deep two-piece double-curvature windscreen. The front panel is also curved, but with angled corners which are finished off with a skirt panel of similar profile. The sides feature square-cornered windows; the front one of these slopes down and the rear slopes upward to line up with the shallow tear window. The interior is light and airy, and the ramped floor gives all passengers a good forward vision.
Other features include a low step boarding height and 49 semi-coach seats or 55 localbus seats. Full soft trim or standard Formica panelling can be specified, and the body can be modified to suit most singledeck chassis.
East Lancs joint managing director Arthur Danson says: "We are very excited with this new body design which has been developed in close liaison with KHCT and complements our range of models. The design has already caused a great deal of interest. Hull can be justly proud in setting these new standards in bus travel
and, from the amount of prelaunch interest we have had, we are confident that the new model will be favoured by other bus companies."