by Bill Godwin
Page 24
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THE BLAST-OFF earlier this month of the US Space Shuttle from its base in Florida on its 18th mission was the first occasion on which all 14 vehicles of a new $5ni bus fleet were in use carrying visitors to the launch site.
Built by Neoplan, in West Germany, the 15m four-axle double-deckers represent the largest single fleet of this type in the world.
They were bought by TW Services, the company which operates Spaceport USA on behalf of Nasa (the space authority), to replace 25 10year-old single-deckers which offered less than half the passenger capacity.
The first of the Neoplan 106-seaters was delivered to the Kennedy Space Centre in January and since then the vehicles have become something of an attraction for the two million visitors who tour the Florida site each year.
The Super Skyliner — Type 128/4 — has a Detroit Diesel 8V 92A diesel engine of 404hp driving through an Allison automatic transmission.
Both units are mounted on a sliding cradle to enable engine/transmission changes to be effected in a minimum of time.
Two separate Siitrak airconditioning packs, for upper and lower decks, are powered by the main engine.
Mercedes-Benz axles arc used in conjunction with the well-proven air-suspension system of Neoplan pattern.
The twin-steer axles have a modified ZF system with a second steering ram on the second axle.
Michelin XZA tyre equipment 12R 22.5 is fitted.
The vehicles operate from a purpose-built bus station at