HOW AN EXECUTIVE COACH PERFORMS
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Willowbrook 002/Bedford YRT appraisal by Martin Hayes
WHEN I took a trip to Paris last year (CM, December 1) on an operator's Bedford YRT with Willowbrook exective coachwork there were a number of criticisms I made about standards of comfort. To see how these standards had been improved, I was able recently to conduct a brief appraisal of the second Willowbrook 002 executive coach to be built.
I took the coach over a 100-mile route around London. As well as spells of motorway and main road running, there was one around the tourist spots of the capital. This section in many ways resembled the sightseeing tours on which such coaches often spend a greater part of their working time. Because CM has conducted a full road test on the mid-engined YRT chassis (June 30, 1972) I do not intend to spend much time describing its performance here. Suffice it to say that the unladen coach returned a creditable 14+ mpg despite having less than 1000 miles on the clock.
Although a faulty clutch marred the gear change, it appeared that both steering and braking had been improved since the CM test. It was particularly easy to feed the coach through tight situations in congested London traffic.
Willowbrook's 002 body was launched at last year's Earls Court show. Outwardly it differs little from the same company's Expressway model which the 002, which is also available in 12m form, supersedes. The test vehicle was fitted with many of the features now apparently almost obligatory on an executive coach. These included 35 Chapman reclining seats, four individual tables, stereo and public address unit, bar, sink, Honda generator, hot and cold water supply, individual lights and ventilation units, carpets, Cona coffeemaking machine, extractor fan, side-locker (giving a total capacity of 140 cu ft) and Sundym glass. Price of the body in this form was about £10,400, compared with the basic 002 body price of £6,845. Other extras like washbasin with hot and cold and toilet (£1,025), fridge (£100) and two televisions (£225) could boost the body price to well over £12,000. To this must be added the YRT chassis price of £3,250.
Unrivalled vision
Opinions are undoubtedly divided about the merits of Willowbrook's "square-section" body design but without doubt it provides unrivalled vision for drivers and passengers alike. On the test vehicle I felt that too much of this was lost by the rather obtrusive curtains. Restraining dips would improve these. With only 35 seats, passengers had plenty of room to stretch out and make full use of the reclining seats, even though the Chapman mechanism is awkward to operate.
From a driving point of view, the body has much to recommend it. Vision is excellent forwards and is good to the side at slip roads. too. However I felt that the wiper pattern did not make full use of the giant screen (replacement cost is under £60, incidentally). The wipers themselves (airoperated) seemed particularly noisy at either of their two speeds, though this was no doubt accentuated by the notably quiet Bedford chassis.
The coach was fitted with two-piece Zanetti mirrors. This was the first time I had driven a vehicle so equipped and I welcomed the extra information about overtaking traffic these were able to offer. Willowbrook has grouped the instruments ahead of the driver and all are easy to read. Switches are on a panel on the left of the dash and are of -organ" type. They are well labelled and I did not confuse them.
However, I found the wiper control — to the right of the dashboard — a little difficult to reach. The same comment applies to the handbrake control, mounted to the right of the driver's seat. Even adjusting the Chapman Superride seat did not help much. It seemed about 6in. too low.
Three heaters The appraisal was conducted on a cold day earlier this month which gave ample opportunity to sample the revised heating arrangements. There are now no less than three heaters — one each side and one in the rear footwell. I soon found that switching on both side heaters produced an acceptable temperature. The rear unit tended to raise the temperature too much. Though the heaters are said to be thermostatically controlled it proved a little difficult to produce an even temperature throughout the coach.
Part of the trouble was no doubt due to the "bus grant" passenger doors which allowed too many draughts to enter the body. These would be improved, too, if they were faced with some form of finish; bare paintwork does not fit the executive image.
The body itself seemed remarkably taut and vibration-free. However, this was marred by a number of minor squeaks and rattles, many of which seemed to emanate from the tables. I am told that these are to be attended to before the vehicle goes into full demonstration service.
Overall the 002 Executive struck me as a sensible compromise for an executive luxury vehicle. Specification can be built up by operators themselves. The vehicles main advantage, it seemed to me, was that it made heads turn wherever we took it. Any operator who buys one will at least be able to claim that he is different from most of his competitors.