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The safe bus
Page 41
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• As well as providing a Leyland National for the transport of delegates between lecture room and demonstration area, British Leyland used the opportunity to stress the safety aspects of this new single-decker.
BLMC also emphasized that it was well ahead with research into designs of bus seat which will "retain" passengers even in the event of a frontal impact, without recourse to safety belts, and prevent them from "flying" forward. The National is designed to incorporate such seats, which will provide "the most significant single bus passenger safety benefit ever offered".
The BLMC report reveals that considerable redesign of roof and side structure has been made in the National in achieving a structural strength that will enable the roof to support the vehicle in a roll-over. Even after initial redesign following tests on modular sections, tests on a full structure showed the need for more modifications. Leyland engineers are now confident that the National will meet the specification — it will, they claim, be the first
public service vehicle in Europe designed to meet such a specific roll-over requirement.
The significance of corrosion resistance in vehicle structures in maintaining accident avoidance and crash-worthiness characteristics is also emphasized by BLMC. The National is claimed to have the most advanced corrosion-proofing in the world: all structural members except the outer skin are coated with a fused epoxy powder which provides a tough plastic skin over the whole surface of the component, while outer skins are etch-primed and finished painted. The vehicle is completely undersealed. Components supplied to make good accident damage will be corrosion treated to the same levels as the original parts.
As well as anti-trap door edges, the National has a slip-resistant floor covering which also has low reflective properties to cut down reflections in the windscreen. The trim. panels are of low-flame-spread material and the floor is specially treated to prevent flame spread by heat conduction from below.