New Red Rose has luxury look
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Deansgate's new Red Rose retains the Transit chassis-scuttle but has a new look profile. Good vision is provided by the extra large windows.
A NEW version of the wellknown Red Rose 17-seat minibus and coach body has been announced by the Deansgate division of the Williams Motor Co (Manchester) Ltd. The body has a completely new profile with extra large windows all round. Initially, it is being based on petrol-engined versions of the Ford Transit.
The new Red Rose utilizes the chassis-scuttle from the Transit which carries the light alloy framework of the body. Timber is used only for front and rear end styling support. Exterior panelling is of aluminium sheeting with the front and rear domes being produced from grp. The body has received a Certificate of Fitness.
Basic dimensions are: length, 5.3m (17ft 5 in); width, 2. 13 m (7ft); height, 2,53m (8ft 4in); unladen weight, 2.13 tonne (2 tons 0 cwt 2 qtr). All seats are forward facing and, in the coach version, are high-backed, mocquette trimmed models produced by Transport Seating of Birmingham.
The Red Rose will be limited to petrol-engined versions of the Transit because of a problem with overloading the front axle on the diesel model.. Customers wanting a diesel engine will have to specify the Bedford CF chassis.
Early versions of the Red Rose are to coach -specification. Bus versions, to be introduced later, will have bus seats and, it is hoped, an electrically powered glider bus grant door. A standard feature on all models is a wiper on the rear offside screen. The rear window also serves as an emergency exit and is double hinged.
There are no opening passenger windows but two roof vents are provided. Heating and ventilation ig by means of an adjustable KL , system with an air inlet above the waist at the rear offside. Fluorescent lights are fitted in the centre of the roof. Cost of the standard coach is £5,695, but this will be raised when current chassis stocks are exhausted.
Road impressions
On the road, the Red Rose proved to have a particularly comfortable ride, writes Martin Hayes. It did not have the rather lurching suspension normally associated with the Transit, even in an unladen condition. Performance seemed more than adequate and noise levels were low. The value of the rear wiper seemed dubious, however, as it was not possible to see through the rear window from the driving seat.
Deansgate also took the opportunity of showing off the latest model of its Safari model. To psv regulations, it has 12 seats together with sufficient space to take 14 full-sized suitcases inside the body.
The company is also developing what will be the first psv variant of the British Leyland CV306 van. This will have a raised roof line and 12 passenger seats and should be announced early in the New Year.