Willowbrook integral coach for Euro-sale only

22nd September 1972, Page 100

22nd September 1972

Page 100

Page 101

Page 102

Page 100, 22nd September 1972 — Willowbrook integral coach for Euro-sale only

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by Martin Hayes A LAST-MINUTE announcement today by Willowbrook Ltd heralds the launch at Earls Court of the first British-built integral coach. Based on Mercedes-Benz 0.302 running units, the new model will be initially available to Continental operators only.

The company is also showing a completely revised version of its coach body which now incorporates as standard all the features of a luxury coach. The name Expressway has been dropped indicating the change in emphasis from the express coach market towards the luxury end of the business. Just to rub the point hcane. Willowbrook is showing an executive coach based on the 002 body, as it is now known.

Both the Mercedes-based model — or 007, as it is called — and the 002 can largely be said to be the products of a 4000-mile trip made earlier this year by Mr George Hughes, Willowbrook's chairman. He made the trip through Europe in an Expressway-bodied vehicle and the lessons he learned have caused the re-orientation of the company's whole approach to coach marketing. Operators who saw the vehicle were impressed by the body but wanted mechanical units which were proven in Continental operation. This led to the development of the 007. Mr Hughes, meanwhile, learnt at first hand what a passenger experienced in the vehicle. His thoughts led to more than 70 detail improvements which together added up to the launch of the 002.

' First, then, the 007. On his return from the Grand Tour, Mr Hughes decided to investigate the possibility of building his body on foreign chassis. What eventually developed was a deal with Mercedes. This is mutually beneficial because Mercedes receives a boost for its now ageing 302 design and Willowbrook gets the full service backing and sales support of the German company's well-established dealer network. Though there is no contractual obligation to this effect, I understand that Willowbrook's intention is to offer the 007 to foreign operators only at first. Only left-hand-drive models will be built and the coach will be shown at the Continental exhibitions. Mr Hughes told me that sales to British operators might be possible later if demand was sufficient.

Subtle changes During the transformation of the Expressway body into the integral 007 remarkably few technical modifications have had to be made. Although, as the accompanying photographs show, the appearance has been subtly changed by the use of new front and rear mouldings the basic layout of the body remains little changed. Basically the additional stresses imposed by an integral design are carried by additional diagonal side-members below the waist rail. These transfer the extra loads up to the side pillars which are braced by a stronger cant rail. Above waist height there are very few changes from the standard all-steel, non-integral job, and the standard roof is used. In fact, window size has been fractionally reduced because of problems with overall height. The strengthened steel structure is welded to the frame supplied by Mercedes.

The 007 is being offered in 12m form only, initially with the Mercedes 210 bhp engine and manual transmission as standard. Before giving it their approval, Mercedes' top engineers visited Willowbrook's Loughborough plant. They are reported to have been surprised at the high standard of workmanship employed in the conversion to integral construction.

Glass reinforced plastics exterior panelling is used for the restyled rear dome and the rear panelling around the engine. The completely new front panel below the waist is in steel. This is cleverly, designed to blend in the Willowbrook screen with more than a hint of the traditional V-shaped

Mercedes nose. In fact the screen is a ;lightly different shape to that used previously but it is still a one-piece Laminated unit a good deal larger than most pt. its competitors. The familiar Mercedes star and rectangular headlights are incorporated in the front end styling.

Being rear engined, of course, the 007's luggage accommodation has to be provided by side lockers. These give a total of over 215 cu ft of space and have concealed hinges for the lids. Once a lock hds been released, the lids open automatically.

Inside, too: the 007 is a blend of Mercedes practice and Willowbrook ingenuity. The driver's cab is the same as that found on any other 302 model and a Bremshey seat is standard. Fresh air heating and ventilation, with individually controlled outlets, are standard and air conditioning is available as an optional extra.

Reclining and standard coach seats are available and the interior generally is claimed to be particularly spacious. Height in the 'gangway is 6ft 4in. Power doors are fitted at the front of the vehicle and these are fully glazed and demisted.

'Third force' manufacturers The derivation of the 002 from the Expressway will be more immediately apparent to operators visiting Earls Court. Outwardly there is little change but most effort has been put into •the interior appearance. The body is now aimed very strongly at the operator wanting a ful luxury specification and it is evidently intended to compete on level ground witt the offerings from Plaxton and Duple. Jr fact, Mr Hughes is adamant that a "thirc force" is necessary in the Britist coachbuilding industry.

The detail changes — over 70 — whict have produced the 002 specification are toc numerous to mention in total. Probably the single most important new feature inside the coach is the seating. Not only are seats no more comfortable (and Chapman reclining seats are also available) but they are claimed to be safer. Adopting the Americar standard for school bus seating as its guide Willowbrook has made significanl improvements to its seats. These include solid mounted seat anchorages using 1: gauge metal runners, tubular steel seat legs crash pads mounted at the back o: headrests for the passengers who art behind, and a strengthened axis poin capable of progressive collapse in impacts Considerable efforts have gone into testing the new seats.

Other passenger-related improvementl include standard forced-air ventilation restyled luggage racks, Vynair roo trimming, heavier sound deadening materia on front-engined chassis and a host o. minor changes in interior trim. Driver! should benefit from the Chapman Superide seat, a new switch panel incorporating rocker switches and a boosted output fron Conventional Mercedes 0.302 mechanical unit; and running gear are used, including the rearthe demister motors. There is an improvec

dust seal in the rear locker. The body i! guaranteed against structural failures fo: three years and (except on front-engini chassis) has a safety bumper to the lates Californian standards.

As if to emphasize its new strength in thi

luxury market. Willowbrook is showing Ample luggage space is provided, the side flaps being self-supporting. Willowbrook' s upright a £20,000 executive coach on its stand Destined for use by Hutchinson's Coache: (Overtown) Ltd on weekend trips fron Glasgow to Paris this vehicle has many o the features now almost commonplace or super luxury coaches. Most of the items art now offered as line-fitted extras on 002 models.

side members are welded and bracketed to the Mercedes frame.

The coach has 30 reclining seats, a cocktail bar and galley which includes a fridge. Two llin. television sets are incorporated and there is a stereo eartridgt system. A toilet with washbasin is fitted tc the rear offside of the coach. Other features include wall-to-wall carpeting, Sundym glass for side windows, Webasto paraffin-fired heaters, concealed offside step foi Continental use and a Honda generator fot galley power supply. The coach is on e Bedford YRT chassis.

Willowbrook has a total of eight vehicles at Earls Court (including the demonstration park) and is claiming that all of them are brand new. With the service bus introduced last month this is probably fair comment, though operators may feel that the changes which have produced the 902 are confined to trim details rather than fundamental design improvements. The now obsolete Expressway title was never even aired al Earls Court, such is the pace of today't model changes.