Arran gets first demountable
Page 20
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
It has a Dodge Commando GOB 136in wheelbase midibus chassis, a 2.28m-wide Marshall Camair 80-derived front body module, Ray Smith demountable gear, and separate 20-seat Marshall passenger body and Aitken of Linlithgow van body.
The bus, which is a brainchild of SPTE director-general Alan Westwell, is to be operated by Arran Transport as a school and summer tourist bus and as a parcels delivery van.
It will replace an SPTE Seddon midibus and an Arran Transport parcels van already being used on the island, and according to Mr Westwell it will show a "definite financial saving" in total-life costs.
He added that it fitted in with the Government's White Paper proposal for specific grant aid to projects which could bring savings to rural services.
For the future, Marshall is looking at the potential for larger demountable buses and the PTE believes that other lorry bodies, welfare bus bodies and mobile libraries could be added to such a flexible type of vehicle.
Picture above: The demountable Dodge with van body fitted and the bus body alongside on its landing legs.