Leyland National troubles flare up
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PROBLEMS with Leyland Nationals flared up in two areas this week. Eastern National had its second vehicle fire involving an LN within weeks and a group of drivers in the West Midlands PTE organized a petition criticizing the bus.
Eastern National's first LN fire was caused by a starter motor pilot switch which stuck in, according to the company's chief engineer Mr R. J. Hawkins..The complete power pack was removed from the latest vehicle to catch fire and examined on Monday by a team from British Leyland, CAV and BUTEC. Mr Hawkins told CM that in both cases all maintenance procedures had been followed closely.
A British Leyland spokesman told CM on Tuesday that preliminary investigation of the recent vehicle showed that the fire had begun in the starter area. I-le pointed out that a service modification had been circulated to operators some time ago after a similar fire in a Northern General bus. This modification — involving reclipping wiring — had not been made to the bus being investigated.
At the West Midlands PTE 29 men at the Sutton garage (total complement: 110 employees) signed a petition criticizing the LN. Points they complained of were: "vicious" brakes, no feel in the steering, inadequate handholds at the front, starter motors burnt out, simple maintenance jobs difficult and handbrake too close to gears. The petition claimed that 85 per cent of drivers at the garage did not like driving the bus The petition was followec by a statement from thi PTE's chief engineer sayini that, as with any new model the LN was subject ti modification. However PTE experience has beei that drivers' reports for th, LN were no more nun-ierou than for any other vehicle. / joint management-unioi bus construction committe, had examined and road tested an LN in March an the union side had full: accepted the vehicle afte two minor modification were made.