• Home
• Used vehicles
• Product news
• Dealer news
• Compliance
• Buying advice
• Archive

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155156157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186187188189190191192193194195196197198199200201202203204205206207208209210211212213214215216217218219220221222223224225226227228229230231232233234235236237238239240241242243244245246247248249250251252253254255256257258259260

BRITISH BUSES OR CANADA

Zoom page

27th May 1966

Page 114

Page 115

Page 114, 27th May 1966 — BRITISH BUSES OR CANADA

Close

Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Please select an option... Headline has errors Article text has errors Article is incomplete Submit

DEREK MOSES

ONE of the most significant export orders for British buses received in recent years was the Canadian contract from Edmonton, Alberta, for three Daimler Roadliners with Willowbrook 45-seat bodies, a contract subsequently followed by one for 25 similar buses. It is an order significant not only because it comes from a country which usually buys local or American buses; it also represents a British success in a market for which there is fierce, world-wide competition—a market for which Japanese manufacturers are currently making a strong bid, for example.

Undoubtedly one of the attractions of the recently introduced Roadliner chassis, from the Canadian point of view, is the fitting of an American engine with a very flexible range—the Cummins V6 9.6-litre diesel with an output which can be varied from 127 to 192 b.h.p. is employed. Furthermore, the willingness of Daimler to fit an American automatic transmission in place of the standard epicyclic gearbox no doubt helped to clinch the deal.

The first approach came from Mr. D. L. MacDonald, general manager of the Edmonton Transit System, about March or April, 1964. This was at a time when the Roadliner chassis was still in the design stage, the first models to be completed actually being shown for the first time at the Commercial Motor Show in September, 1964. Edmonton, apparently experiencing some dissatisfaction with existing buses, was interested in three prototypes, and a suitable body design had been established by the Duple Group, in conjunction with Daimler. Quite a number of Duple-bodied buses had been sold to Canada in the early post-war years, thus establishing a precedent for this make.

This initial tentative approach was followed by a visit to this country of a party of Edmonton officials, who met the directors of the Jaguar group, and also visited the Radford works of Transport Vehicles Daimler Ltd., where the chassis would be built. The Edmonton party also visited other manufacturers in Europe. As a result of this visit, the pilot order for three buses was confirmed.

One of the facts which had transpired from the initial discussions with Edmonton was that the undertaking was interested in purchasing 25 similar buses, and to follow up the British visit by Edmonton officials, Mr. S. W. (Stan) Shears, central England area sales manager, made a trip to Canada in December, 1964 and had discussions with the Edmonton cornmissioners (Lord Mayor, town clerk and another two officials). This visit resulted in the order for 25 similar vehicles being clinched.

A great deal of development work remained to be done, however. The Edmonton Transit System required a torque converter in place of the Daimler four-speed epicyclic gearbox, this form of hydraulic transmission being the accepted practice in America and Canada where one-man operation is the rule rather than the exception. This problem was studied by Daimler engineers who decided to offer the Allison MT41 torque converter, manufactured by General Motors Ltd., and widely used in Canada and the States. No difficulty has been experienced in obtaining these units, which are manufactured in the States and shipped to Coventry.

Important development work had also to be done on the body side of the contract, and Mr. G. J. Lynch, engineering director of the Duple Group, visited Edmonton in March of last year in the company of Stan Shears. The most important part of this exercise was to develop a heating and ventilating system to cope with the extremes of climate experienced in Edmonton— temperatures ranging from as low as —40°F in winter to 90°F in the shade in summer.

A tremendous amount of time and money was spent in developing a satisfactory system in conjunction with Clayton Dewandre, who are supplying the units. Two heat exchangers bolted to the chassis, one on each side near the front of the frame which supports the rear air-suspension units. Hot 'mom these is blown through special ducting in the body sides. m a pre-determined saloon temperature is reached, the fans reversed, thus discharging air from the interior.

leanwhile a number of modifications were being made to the rimMs engine, mainly to make the engine acceptable to ish operators. This work was done jointly by Daimler and neers at the Cummins factory in Columbus, Indiana, where power units for Daimler buses are being manufactured ding the day when the Jaguar Group can start production of ntnins vee power units in this country. The engine has now made to run more smoothly at low speeds than the prototype ines, a better fuel consumption has been achieved, and a new -piece cover over the valve gear has resulted in much quieter rung.

'he first of the prototype Edmonton vehicles was built last r, the chassis also qualifying as a further Roadliner prototype the Duple Group Willowbrook factory. completed the 1-entrance bodywork in time for the Duple Show at Hendon October. Further proving trials followed, and more developwork was done on the heating system. The bus was finally Ted on March 19 last, arriving in Montreal on March 28, Ti where an overland journey by rail followed. Its first appointIt was at the North-west Canadian Trade Fair, staged in nonton earlier this month, where the bus was a centrepiece he exhibition.

Ai.. R. R. (George) Fabel, a Daimler development engineer, Tiled to Edmonton on April 12 to supervise trials of the bus 11* to 'the exhibition, and to deal with any "teething troubles" the spot. The second prototype left this country immediately Easter, and the third vehicle is almost complete.

-laving completed development work on the Roadliner chassis general, Daimler has now laid down a new production line this model and some of the first Roadliners to come off this ing include the first of the 25 production models for nonton. Undoubtedly the introduction of these buses into nada will interest other operators there, and one contract ;ady secured is for three similar chassis for Calgary.

[his brings me to a point which is impeding chassis 'elopment in this country—the British Construction and Regulations which limit buses to 11 m. (36 ft. 1 in.). Many !rseas countries permit the use of 12m. (40 ft.) buses, and nada is no exception. British bus builders have either to go to the expense of building one model for the home market and another for overseas, or to limit the sales of export vehicles to those customers only requiring 1 lm. units. Calgary is an exam pie.

The standard bus in Calgary is 40 ft. in length, but some time ago the undertaking tendered for three 36 ft. buses. Robin Nodwell vehicles employing AEC running units were originally ordered, but when this deal was dropped for some reason, Daimler asked if the tender was still valid, and offered Duple Group-bodied Roadliners similar to the Edmonton vehicles. The tender was accepted.

It would appear, however, that in order to increase sales abroad. Daimler must give serious consideration to building a 40 ft. version of the Roadliner and such a development seems very probable. It would be a great help to standardization if this vehicle length could be legalized in this country. as campaigned for by many operators.

To follow up the arrival of the initial Roadliners in Canada. Stan Shears set off on April 22 for an extended sales tour there. Amongst city undertakings he was due to visit are Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Regina, Vancouver and Fort William, not to mention Edmonton and Calgary. A number of inquiries have been received from some of these operators. The Canadian market is, however, as already suggested, a very difficult one— to gain the Edmonton order Daimler competed against nine other suppliers in Europe, Japan, Canada and North America. With one foot already firmly planted in the Dominion the company stands a very good chance of expanding its sales there.