Cuban Buses " Thrashed " on 1,000 Miles of Pave
Page 30
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
IT is believed that a new precedent I was set when the chief engineer of Autobuses Modernos, S.A., stipulated that the prototype of the 624 Rivaloy single-deck bodies mounted on Leyland Royal Tiger chassis (ordered by the concern for Cuba) should complete an extended test on the Belgian pave section of the Motor Industry Research Association's prov ing ground at Nuneaton.
At the successful completion of the 500th run over the section, last week. Saunders Engineering and Shipyard, Ltd., Beaumaris, Anglesey, the bodybuilder, staged a demonstration on the proving ground to enable Press representatives to travel in the bus under test conditions and. to examine the effect on the fully . stressed all-metal body structure.
A Thousand Times Worse As a body test, it is claimed that one mile covered on the pave represents 1,000 miles over normal roads. When the bus was demonstrated, it had already convicted 250 miles on pave and was due to cover altogether 1,000 track
The bus is a 40-seater with a length of 31 ft. 6. ins, and a width of 8 ft. The body is rigidly mounted on built-in outriggers, and deep side girders extending from the floor to the waist reduce to a minimum flexing within the wheelbase. Cant plates extend the full length of the roof to provideadequate torsional strength over the two doorways and to distribute the pillar load evenly. Stress bays on both sides of each doorway eliminate lozenging of the roof relative to the side frame and relieve the window frames of all stress. Abrupt sectional changes at the pillarto-Cant-rail and pillar-to-waist rail joints are obviated by the introduction of reinforcing gussets, and high local stresses are avoided.
During the development of the design the body was tested on the pave to confirm stress calculations. In the course of the demonstration repeated runs were made, sometimes at speeds well in excess of the 18 m.p.h. at which the official test with a full load was carried out.
Deflection Insignificant Passengers could watch the effect of the rough treatment on six telescopic deflection gauges spanning the saloon at critical points and arranged across two opposite window frames. Deflection measurements were insignificant, no indication could be found of rivets working loose and the body was free from rattles. Saunders' engineers commented favourably on the suspension of the Royal Tiger. No spring breakages were experienced throughout the test.
The weight of the body, with riveted steel panels forming the outer skin, is approximately 2i tons. The strcss is taken mainly by the inner panels and light-alloy sheet could be used externally.
Before the demonstration. Mr. D. G. Stokes, general sales manager of Leyland Motors, Ltd., announced that in addition to the Royal Tigers, Autobuses Modernos had ordered fourwheeled, Six-wheeled and eight-wheeled heavy-duty oil-engined lorries, three Comets with two-speed rear axles, and two left-hand-drive 60-seater doubledeckers which would be used experimentally. Two of the lorries will have Brinnilow and Edwards steel bodies and tipping gear.