1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150 
What do operators want in coach design?
Page 71
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
BUS and coach operators are very individualistic and small independent operators tend to be the most extreme in this. Discussing with them what they really want in the way of coach designs can be a tantalizing exercise—one builds up what appears to be a fair summary of their ideals, then speaks to an operator who, for logical reasons, contradicts almost all the former conclusions!
Even so, we thought we would try to find out what the independent operator wants. taking into account that he is virtually confined by simple economic factors to two makes of chassis. Bedford or Ford, and two styles of body. Duple Viceroy or Plaxton Panorama Elite. Certain definite trends do begin to emerge from the tangled web of conflicting views.
Furthermore, some independents can afford heavier-duty coach chassis—mainly restricted to AEC Reliance and Leyland Leopard models or the -intermediate" British LH chassis—and a new element of competition with the advent of the Moseley Continental coach body must not be forgotten. Nor must the availability of the Mercedes-Benz 0.302 integral coach modified for the British market and the new Plaxton Panorama Elite body on a Mercedes -chassis" be overlooked. A few discerning operators can and will pay over-the-odds to get a quality product which is different from the normal standard. Ideally, it seems, what the operator wants is a cheaper but better coach than the Dupleor Plaxton-bodied Bedford and Ford models offered for the 1970 season, with the engine anywhere but at the front, with fixed windows, adequate ventilation without forced-air systems, and all the optional extras included! And it must look quite different from the Viceroy or Panorama Elite 1970 models, which are practically unaltered from the 1969 models. Clearly, such coaches are merely a dream, although at least one operator made the point to me that with increased export, cheaper home-market models to the same designs should be available.
Salesmen's view More by accident than design I recently found myself in conversation with coach salesmen from a South Eastern dealer (not a coachbuilder) who gave me their views of what operators wanted. Their opinions were a useful yardstick by which to measure the actual comments I later received from coach operators.
Many of the improvements wanted were on the chassis rather than the body. For example, the Bedford, I was told, needed an hydraulic throttle, Dynair fan coupling (to reduce engine noise) and a retarder as standard equipment because the vehicle was underbraked. Another quality body was
needed in plentiful supply to compete with Duple and Plaxton, but must not come from a normal bus builder (the failing, they claimed, of the MCW and Park Royal luxury coach building exercises of the mid-60s).
The quality coach market was increasing. they stressed; coach radios were "out" for touring coaches; and heaters. public address systems and power-operated doors should be standard and not optional extras. And they could see little point in buying expensive Continental coaches ("chassis" price about £6.000) when AEC and Leyland chassis, claimed to be as good, cost about £4,000, complete with the optional extras to bring them in line.
Operators' views Quite a number of the points described above were, in fact, confirmed during my conversations with operators. Certainly the brakes on the Bedford chassis seem to require urgent attention, and the engines are considered too noisy. By comparison the Ford turbo-charged R192 or R226 coach. with its dual-line air-assisted hydraulic brakes, claimed by all the Ford operators with whom I spoke to be adequate for the job without resorting to a retarder, and with a quieter engine and good fuel economy, has become a formidable competitor.
In the case of a Bedford, it would seem