Duple Group 1963 Exhibition
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THIRTEEN basic designs were exhibited at the Hendon works of Duple Motor Bodies Ltd. this week on the occasion of the Duple Group's latest biennial exhibition of buses and coaches. Rationalization within the group is now complete, all luxury coaches coming from the Hendon works or the Blackpool works of Duple Motor Bodies (Northern) Ltd., whilst service bus production is the responsibility of Willowbrook Ltd., Loughborough.
In fact, Hendon was responsible for the design of six of the eight basic coach designs on show, including the new Astrocoach, a vehicle of distinctive appearance, and the Marauder, the latter a body specially designed for the new Thames 36 chassis. The third new model on show was the Dual-Purpose Coach, designed and built at Loughborough. A fourth design, the Commander, is still in the process of development. The Astrocoach and the Marauder were both described in The Commercial Motor, October 4, 1963.
The two Blackpool designs are a Firefly 41-scat coach on Albion Victor chassis and a Continental 51-seat body suitable for A.E.C. or Leyland 36-ft. chassis, both basically unchanged from last year's models, though fitted with the latest Duple Group coach seats. There are two standards available, either shoulder height seats with straight tops, or full height with separate headrolls.
The Willowbrook dual-purpose coach is based on the standard service bus frame with wrap-round rear windows and large, fixed side windows.. Full coachstandard seats are proVided • for • 49 passengers, and ventilation is by three opening • roof-lights only. Three 4-ft. fluorescent light fittings "above the gangway are a typical B.E.T. group standard; the entrance is by a hinged carriage-type door, and two steps. Basic body price is £3,650.
A super-luxury version of the Vega Major, on Bedford VAL chassis has a seating capacity limited to 38, with individual reclining seats, and facing seats at the rear of the body with tables between. All windows are again sealed, and there is full power-ventilation system. This and all coaches at the show are fitted with the standard coach lighting now adopted by the Duple Group.
Service buses at the show include a Bedford VAL with restyled frontal appearance, the interior finish including stoved window frames and three 4-ft. fluorescent fittings, and a Leyland Leopard-based 54-seat service bus with a modified design at the rear. An interesting feature of the interior trim of both this latter bus and the dual-purpose vehicle is the use of Formica covering for the flanged window frames as well as the pillar inserts. Basic body price of the VAL bus is £2,920 and the Leopard (or Reliance) body is £3,035.
A 71-seat Willowbrook double-deck body on A.E.C. Renown chassis is also to be seen. This vehicle incorporates combined illuminated interior advertisement panels and saloon lighting in each saloon. Whilst ample head room and leg room is provided in way of the front top-deck seats of this forward-entrance vehicle, the resulting almost vertical external profile is not aesthetically pretty. A better rake would still have allowed sufficient room. Otherwise the standard of finish is quite good, and the deep rear top-deck emergency door window of characteristic Willowbrook design gives a much better appearance from the rear compared with the very narrow window so popular these days.
The full range of coaches on show includes all those models described and listed, with prices, in The Conmiercial Motor, October 4, 1963. The exhibition closes tonight (Friday) at 6 p.m.
F.K.M.