Now Metrobus Mk2 challenge for LT
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THE UNOFFICIAL favourite last week entered London Transport's Routemaster-replacement trials when the first of three Metro-Cammell Metrobus Mk2 double-deckers was handed over by the manufacturer.
The three Mk2s, two with Gardner engines and one with a Cummins L10, have many features in common with LT's standard Mk1 Metrobuses, but the body structure employs 60 per cent fewer parts. LT bus managing direct David Quarmby said at the ceremony last week that considerable stadardisation benefits had accrued to LT by sticking to the earlier body design for its initial fleet of 1,440 Metrobuses, the last of which will be delivered next year.
The Mk2s will undergo trials alongside the three Leyland Olympians already on trial, and will be followed by three Volvo Ailsa B55s and three Dennis Do minators. The first of the Ailsas has been delivered.
While LT insists that the vehicle trials are totally objective and will lead it to decide which one type wins the competitive trials to replace all 2,000 or so Routemasters between 1987 and 1992, few doubt that the Metrobus has a head start as its mechanical specification has already been proven in LT service.
David Quarmby pointed out that the Metrobus has superior headroom to that of some of its competitors for LT's orders.
Interior headroom was one reason why the Volvo Ailsa Citybus was omitted from the 12-bus comparison, but LT might rent one in the future to evaluate Volvo's energy-saving flywheel drive system. Citybuses are also too high for some LT garages.
A Deutz air-coaled engine may yet be fitted in an LT Metrobus, but plans to fit one in a Mk2 have been dropped.
The 1,000th Metrobus for LT was also handed over at last week's ceremony, and Voith Engineering marked the occasion of supplying its 1,000th D851 gearbox by donating a cheque to LT's benevolent fund.
Also on display was one of 22 uprated Metrobuses just delivered for LT's Airbus services from central London to Heathrow Airport They have coach seating and carpets on the upper saloon, and are equipped with Voith D854 four-speed gearboxes which give a maximum speed of around 65mph.
While LT claims a growing percentage of the HeathrowLondon coach travel market with Airbus which has carried 2.5 million passengers in over three years, it has been conscious of the original fleet of standard Metrobuses appearing to be slower than competitors' coaches.
The new vehicles are expected to be kept on the routes for five years, after which it will be possible to refurbish and re-engineer them for normal service work.