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Now Bedford plans a double-decker
Page 25
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by CM reporter BEDFORD has reached an advanced stage with plans to build an under-the-staircaseengined double-deck bus. Selected operators have already been shown detailed drawings and asked for their opinions.
The news comes hard on the heels of plans by Fodens and Northern Counties (exclusively revealed in CM February 7) to build a double-deck prototype. Undoubtedly it is full order books for British Leyland's double-deckers which have tempted these makers into the potentially lucrative big bus market.
There is, however, a very different outlook behind the two projects. The Foden project was initiated by Northern Counties, worried about the prospect of Leyland chassis supplies drying up once the switch is made to production of integral vehicles, like the new B15 double-decker. The Foden chassis design is conventional in layout, has a rearmounted Gardner engine and can take a standard Northern Counties body.
Bedford's plans seem to be prompted by a large predicted market for a lightweight integral vehicle as a competitor to the B15. This would doubtless be cheaper initially than the Leyland integral and is evi dently designed to be popular with smaller operators who prefer a more rapid turnover of low cost vehicles. Shrinking waiting lists for Bedford's single-deck chassis have also played a part in the move.
The Bedford design seems to incorporate a low floor, and a side-engined layout with the power unit located between the axles under the stairs to the top deck. If design difficulties can be overcome this could result in better weight distribution than either a frontor rear-engined layout. Air suspension could also be incorporated.