MCW gets ready
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METRO-CAMMELL WEYMANN is to offer three rear-engined coaches on the British market in time for next season, and these will be available through a dealer. The first of its Metroliner coaches went into service last week, reports NOEL MILLIER.
In addition to the six-wheel double-decker and the normal height single-decker unveiled at the Motor Show in October last year, work is proceeding on an integral high-floor coach which will be announced in June. It will have a more stylish front end than the existing single-deck design.
Metroliners will also be available as separate chassis for bodying by other coachbuilders.
All three models will be available from a national dealer, Stuart Johnson Ltd, based at Harthill, near Sheffield, and an announcement to this effect is expected shortly. The company is already working closely with MCW's newly appointed coach sales manager, Peter Crawford, on details of the new designs.
The spectacular three-axle double-decker is now in service with Western SMT and will operate on the London-Glasgow service for the next five weeks. It will then be transferred to other Scottish Bus Group companies for evaluation on both express and excursion and tour work for the rest of this year.
It is based on a version of the three-axle Metrobus chassis developed for Hong Kong. It is powered by a rear-mounted transverse Cummins L10 six-cylinder turbocharged engine rated to produce 290bhp at 2,200rpm
Below: One of the first batch of five Metroliner coaches to be delivered to East Kent.
and 840 lbft torque at 1,400rpm. It has a fully automatic fourspeed Voith 854G gearbox with a built-in retarder. The radiator is mounted at the offside rear. The coach is driven via the rear axle.
The prototype coach is fitted with 69 reclining Diplomat seats and a toilet/washroom and servery area. The interior is fully soft trimmed and carpeted. The coach features a large walk-in luggage area and has glued-in tinted windows. ZF eight-speed transmission is offered among the options.
In service between Glasgow and London, the coach proved quiet and comfortable. From the top deck the ride is particularly quiet and although there is a slight nodding effect this is not pronounced and only discernible when looking forward at the horizon.
On scheduled express services operated by the Metroliner Western SMT is asking for passenger reactions and offering hostess service. On its inaugural run passenger reaction proved almost completely favourable.
MCW says its double-decker will beat its European competitors on price although demand may be lessened by its 4.23m overall height, though this does not preclude use of the vehicle on French or Spanish shuttle services.
A 4m coach would need to be an integral design, and would be very expensive to develop.
The first single-deck Metroliner coaches have now been delivered to East Kent and will be used on National Holidays tour work, Like the double-deck vehicle the rear engined coaches also use the Cummins L10 engine although in this application it is mounted longitudinally, rated at 250bhp and it is coupled to a ZF S6.80 six-speed manual gearbox. The air sprung coach has a straight ladder frame chassis.
It has a full soft-trimmed interior with 53 reclining seats. MCW sees this vehicle as its front runner in its bid for coach business.
Meanwhile in addition to the first five coaches for NBC, MCW is expecting an order for four vehicles for the Scottish Bus Group and is to supply two examples fitted with front wheelchair lifts to Strathclyde PTE.