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Fleetlines for Central London
Page 53
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Q 0 impressed is London Transport with the performance of its eight experimental Daimler Eleetline double-deckers that it has decided to introduce these buses into experimental operation on central area route 24 (Hampstead Heath—Charing Cross—Pimlico), starting on Sunday (April 17). Eight of the Leyland Atlanteans at present working the 24 route will take the place of the Fleetlines country bus route 424 whilst the trials are taking place.
As a further experiment, one of the Fleetlines is to have its Gardner 6LX engine replaced by a Cummins V6 9.6-litre engine. Extensive trials have already been conducted by Transport Vehicles (Daimler) Ltd., Coventry, with Cummins-engined Fleetlines, and an announcement that this engine will become an optional alternative to the Gardner can be expected at any time.
The LTB Fleetlines will retain their green country bus livery whilst operating route 24; this is to facilitate a quick return of the buses to the 424 service as soon as regulations
permitting the use of double-deckers as oneman vehicles with the top-deck sealed off have been authorized by the Ministry of Transport.
It was reported in this journal on November 5, 1965, that the Fleetlines were returning an average fuel consumption of 10.6 m.p.g. on route 424, rather better than that of the similar-sized 72-seat RML, despite the fact that the latter bus is more than a ton lighter than the Fleetlines (7 tons 12 cwt. as against 8 tons 18 cwt.). Obviously a similar fuel consumption can hardly be expected on the more arduous 24 service, which passes right through the heart of central London, though I understand that the fuel consumption of the Atlanteans on this service has been rather disappointing, and it will be very interesting to see how the Fleetlines compare.
The Atlanteans are fitted with Leyland 0.680 engines, derated to produce 130 b.h.p. at 1,800 r.p.m., and the Gardner 6LX engines of the fleetlines are derated to give a similar output.