Q-firsts for United fleet
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• The first two revamped Qtype bodies from Alexander of Belfast to enter service in England have joined the United Automobile Services fleet.
Both single-deckers are on Leyland Tiger chassis. Darlington-based UAS and its stablemate Tees and District already operate 36 Tigers: the Alexander-bodied Tigers also break new ground for UAS by using Cummins L10 engines. The purchase follows trials with an L10-powered Tiger loaned by Shearings of Wigan.
Modifications to the Q-type body include a deeper windscreen and revised radiator facing. The UAS Tigers also have ZF 5HP automatic boxes, integral retarders and econocruise speed limiters.
Unlike the 10 low-floor citybuses which UAS is evaluating, the Tigers are permanent fleet additions.
They have a dropped frame to accommodate a low step, but their higher floors makes them unsuited for intense urban services, says UAS, so they will work the 50km route between Darlington and Middleton-in-Teesdale from the Barnard Castle depot.
The 11.3m Alexander-Tigers are the longest vehicles in the UAS fleet. With 55 seats and room for 24 standing, they replace two double-deckers.
Other features specified by UAS include high-visibility grab-rails, illuminated step nosings, special seating for the disabled, flame-resistant seats, fuel fillers on both sides and Purmo convection heating. El Back in Northern Ireland, Alexander has supplied another 45 bodies for Volvo-engined Tigers which are entering service with Citybus and Ulsterbus.