Finding a Single-decker to Su inderland
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Double-decker fleet is iighly standardized
WHEN a bus undertaking runs a very mixed fleet of some 25 single-deckers side by side with a highly standardized fleet of 158 double-deckers, one cannot help feeling that something iFt wrong. And after chatting with Mr. Norman Morton, Sunderland's enterprising trans
• port chief, to whose fleet these facts relate, I discovered that this was, indeed, the case. It is not Sunderland Corporation Transport that is eccentric, but the bus manufacturing industry--which simply does not cater for the operator who, quite legitimately, wishes to standardize on lightweight single-decker buses fitted with Gardner engines, and selling at a competitive price. .
Way back in 1954, when Mr. Morton first wanted to expand single-deck bus operation in Sunderland, there was no problem. The Guy Arab L.U.F. chassis was then available, and as Sunderland Corporation was at that time expanding its dominantly Daimler double-deck fleet with quite a number of basically similar Guy Arabs, all fitted with Gardner 5LW engines and pre-selective gearboxes, the introduction of four Guy L.U.F. single-deckers with 5HI.W engines, and similar transmission, was a logical step.
Not Satisfactory
The operation. of these vehicles was not entirely satisfactory, as the underfloor-engine layout led to unequal tyre wear, engine accessibility was not as good as on the halfcab double-deckers, and, above all, the buses had, of necessity, a high floor line. Mechanically, however, they were very reliable, and Sunderland Corporation approached Guy Motors, and asked them to build a special singledecker, 30 ft. long, with a front-mounted Gardner 4LW engine, suitable for full-fronted bodywork. A firm order was placed, but, after a considerable delay. Guy decided they could not handle this " one-off " job, and the order was transferred to Atkinson Vehicles Ltd., who produced a satisfactory vehicle, modified from a lorry chassis, and fitted with a 41-seat, forward-entrance body by Chas, H. Roe Ltd. to Park Royal design.
Although the new Atkinson had only a 5.6-litre engine, the complete vehicle weighed just 5 tons 4 cwts, and was claimed to have a b.h.p./weight ratio actually slightly better than the standard 5LW-engined 63-seat double-deckers operated by Sunderland Corporation, the latter vehicles weighing 7 tons 3 cwts. unladen. Had there been an opportunity to further expand single-deck bus operations at that time (1956) there would undoubtedly have been a fleet of buses to this unique design. As it happened, however, only one additional single-decker was required, for delivery in 1957, and a similar Atkinson was purchased.
Whatever the theory about b.h.p./weight ratios, the Atkinson seemed to be slower off the mark, and a lot oi transmission judder occurred when pulling away from rest, which was rather disconcerting. David Brown synchromesh gearboxes were fitted to the two Atkinsons, which created the first break from standardization, so far as the drivers were concerned, the lack of an epicyclic gearbox being due to the non-availability of a suitable unit for a vehicle of that particular size. Like the L.U.F.s, the nechanical reliability was good, and the fuel consumption igures excellent.
No further development of single-decker bus services ook place until 1960, the services until then being restricted o two routes, one with a twenty minutes basic frequency ,nd the other with an hourly basic frequency, two 1950 :my Arabs of half-cab layout, and with 35-seat Roe bodies ugrnenting the newer vehicles when necessary. These Guys .1so had 5LW engines and pre-selective gearboxes.
any Single-deckers Tried
It was, however, the aim of Sunderland Corporation to ntroduce one-man single-deckers on some of the lighterrafficked double-decker routes, and with this aim in view Imost every new model of single-decker introduced by lritish manufacturers was experimentally operated on ;underland's two single-decker routes in an attempt to find . satisfactory vehicle. When a new single-deck bus service vas introduced in 1960 to serve a new private housing estate put which, in an indirect way, marked the first step of a louble-deck to single-deck switch (it paralleled the withtrawn section of a re-routed double-decker service) the purchase of additional vehicles became an urgent matter.
No Gardner-engined single-decker model of suitable lesign was manufactured at that time, however (apart, of purse, from the Bristol which was restricted to B.T.C. ompanics), and consequently only three• months after .chieving 100 per cent standardization on Gardner-engined 'uses, Sunderland Corporation introduced the first of three A.E.C. Reliance single-deckers, complete with A.E.C. engines. Even then, in order to gain anything resembling satisfactory delivery, these had to be taken "off the shelf" and were fitted with synchromesh gearboxes — although Mr. Morton favoured semi-automatic transmission. Later in 1961 delivery was taken of seven Reliances which did, in fact, have monocontrol transmission, but which also increased the variations of vehicle type and transmission in a fleet of singledeckers which ,still did not exceed 18 vehicles!
As circumstances turned out a proposed switch of bus services from Dene Estate and Humbledon to the town 'centre from double-decker to one-man single-decker operation led to strong opposition from the platform staffs, and the change, which should have taken place in July, 1961, was -postponed until January, 1962. Because of the lengthy dispute, plans to switch another service from the town centre to the docks, one mile away, to single-deck operation were dropped. Unrest among the crews continued after the settlement of the dispute and introduction of the new one-man services, and culminated in a one week's unofficial strike in April, 1962. This brought the whole business of one-man operation to a head, and one of the outcomes of the final settlement was an agreement from the men to work one-man buses on the docks' route.
The economies which the service reorganizations had been designed to achieve had already been reduced because of the delay in their implementation, and the switch-over on the docks' service was therefore treated as a matter of urgency. Another four A.E.C. Reliances were purchased-with synchromesh gearboxes for ouick delivery—and were introduced on the docks' service in July, 1962, bringing the total number of A.E.C.-engined buses in service to 14, half with two-pedal control and half synchromesh.
Unfortunately, however, the Reliances gave some trouble in service, mainly centred around gaskets. Furthermore, engine vibration at idling speed was very great, until modifications were carried out to the engine mountings, whilat the fuel consumption was no better than on the undertaking's new Fleetline donble-deckers. As fuel consumption is a very important item, the search for another iype of single-decker 41Iegan again, despite the department's belief that the Reliances were the most comfortable single-deckers to ride in.
Sack to Atkinsons
It was this search for economy that brought Sunderland Corporation back to Atkinson Vehicles Ltd. A logical bus for Sunderland would have been a lightweight, underfloor engined Daimler, with 5or 6-cylinder Gardner engine, and I understand that the Jaguar group was approached by the Corporation on the subject of building such vehicles to special order. Although Sunderland only required three buses, they were prepared to look ahead, and buy six if Daimler or Guy would produce them. This, apparently was impracticable and the three buses which the Corporation did, in fact, purchase, were Atkinsons.
The new Atkinsons were built to the dimensions of 33 ft. 24 in. by 8 ft. 24 in., with an unladen weight of 7 tons 4 cwts. and seated 45 in their dual-entrance Marshall bodies, compared with 42 in the Guy L.U.F. and A.E.C. buses. Gardner 6HLW engines were fitted, and the first bus had the standard David Brown constant-mesh gearbox, introducing yet another variation in transmission. However, a modification which the department was able to secure for the remaining two buses was the fitting of Wilson-type gearboxes and fluid lock-up clutches, with two-pedal semi-automatic control, the gearbox being air-operated. As Norman Morton remarked to mc, it is illogical to provide double-decker drivers with semi-automatic gearchange, and yet deny oneman bus drivers, who have the additional responsibility of fare collection, such a refinement.
Now Sunderland Corporation is operating another new housing estate, where a one-man operated, single-decker service will suffice, at least at present. Three more buses were required, and the transport committee, wishing to avail themselves of the latest developments, called for rear-cngined single-deckers to gain, the advantage of a low step at the front entrance. Dike again the department was out in the cold. The buses were required in the late spring of this year, had to be not more than 33-ft. long, and, preferably, have Gardner engines.
Notes 1 65 seats. 1 two-pedal control
Again; Daimler (or Guy) seemed to fit the bill. The new rear-engined Jaguar group chassis was not