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The FRM story
Page 67
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I want to add a few comments to the FRM story. As the engineering foreman in charge of FRM 1 at present and for the past two and a half years I speak with some authority.
May I start by correcting Mr Lee ? (CM April 16). FRM is not a prototype Fleetline but the product of a superb design team from LT, Park Royal and AEC, the same team who years earlier designed the RT and RM. With their experience came the FRM made up of 60 per cent RM parts and an AV691 engine.
The layout of the vehicle leaves little to improve on, and is the maintenance man's dream. Performance is better than stated with a sustained 50mph loaded. With the RM front coils and air rear-suspension plus RM braking, the ride and handling are near perfect.
Another point is that FRM is only 8ft wide, Do we really need that extra 2fin ? I dont think so.
What a pity the AEC marque has disappeared in the BL conglomerate. Barbara Castle in 1965, interfered with the running of LT by allowing the operation department to say what buses were needed, thus killing off the engineering design teams. Had it not been for this action forcing LT to buy "off the peg," and what a catastrophe that was, we could have been operating thousands of FRM and " variants with greater efficiency, lower costs and a universal bus. Instead, we have the monstrous DMS type with all their problems.
The B15 looks nice, but what will be the cost of maintaining it ? FRM would beat the lot with a little updating.
D. C. HAYES, Lt Garage, Potters Rar, Iferts