BIGGER DOUBLE-DECKERS OR CRUSH-LOADED SINGLES?
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There is a growing feeling in some quarters that the double-decker bus is on the way out in Great Britain. This view is not universal, however, and there are strong indications that, while the proportion of double-deckers to single-deckers in service will certainly decrease, a strong future remains for the former, although in a more specialized field. by Derek Moses TS THE double-decker on the way out? I don't believe it for one imoment, but! am convinced, after talking to many manufacturers in recent months, that there is a growing feeling that its days are numbered.
Developments in certain areas certainly contribute towards this impression, and it's true that the proportion of double-deckers compared to single-deckers in service is likely to decrease.
This feeling is so widespread that at least two leading coachbuilders have dropped plans for building double-deckers. Strachans (Coachbuilders) Ltd. of Hamble, Hants, which has built a number of double-deckers, is concentrating on single-deck bus bodies, although the company would build further double-deckers if specifically asked. Marshall of Cambridge (Engineering) Ltd., which so far has built only single-deck bodies, has decided not to proceed with a double-deck design because of the present "trend".
But what is the actual trend? For every example of an operator switching to single-deckers there is another showing a new interest in double-deckers. I believe we are on the edge of a "renaissance" for the latter type of bus.
Firstly, however, look at some of the developments which have contributed to the impression that the double-decker is a "back number". Most prominent of these is the interest in one-manoperated buses, linked with revised regulations permitting longer, and therefore greater capacity, single-deckers. The purchase of 60-passenger double-deckers can hardly be justified in the present economic circumstances when the same number of passengers can be accommodated in a front entrance single-decker, ideal for one-man operation.
Ministry encouragement
Then there has been encouragement from the Ministry of Transport, under successive Goverpments, to introduce one-man standee-type single-deckers. London Transport is leading the way and has announced plans for a big switch to single-deckers.
To many operators, however, the standee bus is too extreme. It won't, they argue, encourage people to return from their cars to commuting by public transport. Some operators have opted for the happy medium of 11-metre (36ft) single-deckers with dual entrance layout, seating about 47 passengers and carrying 18/20 standees. Sunderland has pioneered this type of operation, and is changing over completely to o.m.o. single-deckers.
Other undertakings which are similarly switching to singledeckers include Hartlepool, Chesterfield, Reading, Brighton and now, it seems, Eastbourne. Liverpool City Transport has also gone into the question of one-man single-deck operation in a big way, although these buses will not necessarily take-over the complete operation of the city's services. The future of doubledeckers in Liverpool is likely to be reconsidered in two or three years' time, and meanwhile the city's fleet of 380 modern rearengined double-deckers is likely to remain the backbone of its services for many years.
Dramatic switch
On the face of it, it would appear that in many of the small and medium-size towns operating their own transport services, a gradual switch to single-deckers might be expected. But this does not necessarily follow.
It is in the company field of operation that the most dramatic switch to single-deck operation is likely to take place. Compare, for example, the Tilling group intake of double-deckers in 1966, when 53 per cent of all new buses were of this type with the proposed intake for 1969—when only 17 per cent of the buses to be purchased will be double-deckers, and these will be front entrance, rear transverse-engined vehicles mainly for town work. The days of the Tilling double-decker running on inter-urban and country services would appear to be numbered.
Why is the Tilling group buying double-deckers for town and city work? Tilling's chief engineer says that they use less road space, carry more passengers in a lesser overall ground space and greater comfort than a corresponding single-decker. These reasons lead many medium-sized municipalities to remain faithful to doubledeckers.
If public transport is to compete with the private car, passengers must be made as comfortable as possible, and many operators believe in a "seats for all" policy. Even the 48-seated 18 standing concept is foreign to them. Many country towns have narrow, congested streets which are a handicap for 36ft single-deckers, but which will accept 30ft double-deckers without much difficulty.
Colchester, for example, is to introduce rear-engined doubledeckers instead of switching to rear-underfloor-engined singledeckers and delivery has recently been taken of the town's first three Leyland Atlanteans, which have Massey bodies. Another seven are on order. Colchester also feels that the maximum seating capacity available is an added advantage of the Atlanteans.
The double-decker, therefore, in many applications has a lead over the single-decker. Can it be made into an economical proposition—in other words can o.m.o. be extended to this type of vehicle? An increasing number of operators say "yes". And the relaxation of MoT regulations permitting the use of suitably designed double-deckers as one-man vehicles has encouraged developments on these lines.
In the days when the front-engined, rear entrance double-decker was universal o.m.o. waS out of the question, but now only a limited number of front-engined buses is being built, and most of these have forward entrances. In its place has come the rear-engined doubledecker, with entrance ahead of the front axle, making o.m.o. a possibility. Further developments in the layout of double-deckers have taken place recently, to assist one-man operation.
Experiments
To Manchester City Transport goes the credit for pioneering oneman double-deckers, and both existing and proposed developments there have been reported in COMMERCIAL MOTOR. Birmingham is also currently experimenting with o.m.o. on some of its rearengined double-deckers. Both cities have on order double-deckers specially designed for o.m.o., and a number of other municipal undertakings are following their example.
London Transport, too, is understood to be developing a new design of double-decker for o.m.o., which will be of two-door layout with central entrance and front exit, and a forward ascending staircase just ahead of the entrance. Passengers on these buses will pay as they leave, passing through special gates. As they get on they will receive a ticket showing the fare stage boarded, and as they insert the ticket into a machine at the exit gate the appropriate fare to be paid will be registered. These buses will be used on central area trunk routes. The layout chosen by Manchester for its future buses is a front entrance and central exit, with the staircase placed opposite the exit, to facilitate passenger flow through the vehicle. Passengers will pay as they enter and to assist this the fare stage system in the city has been simplified into three zones-6d, Is and 1 s 6d fares. Other operators also favour a similar arrangement.
For example Coventry, which will introduce its first doubledecker buses designed for o.m.o. early this year, has had a zonal fare system in operation since early last year. Mr. N. McDonald, general manager of Coventry City Transport, told me that 18 Daimler Fleetlines with Eastern Coach Works bodies are on order. An advantage of the staircase position, he said, was that it was now the right way round, in other words forward ascending. The staircase will be opposite the central exit of these dual door vehicles, which can be either crew or o.m.o. operated. The rearward ascending staircase of the now "traditional" rear-engined double-decker has always been one of this type's greatest failings.
Birmingham's new one-man double-deckers will also have a similar layout. Seating 72 passengers, their overall length is 30ft 6in.—no mean feat since the existing single extrance/exit buses in the fleet also seat 72. A total of 100 buses to the new layout are on order, 50 with Park Royal and 50 with MCW bodies, all on Daimler Fleetline chassis.
Many orders
Newcastle City Transport also has a number of double-deckers suitable for o.m.o. on order. Some 30 Leyland Atlanteans with Alexander bodies are expected about the middle of this year. The staircase will be situated roughly midway between the entrance and exit on these buses. As in most cases, agreement will have to be reached with the unions for one-man operation, and the buses will be crew operated until such agreement is reached. Such buses should, however, qualify for Mrs. Castle's proposed 25 per cent rebate for suitably designed vehicles.
Other municipal undertakings going in for one-man doubledeckers, all similarly designed to the Manchester ones, include Sheffield (30 Park Royal-bodied Atlanteans), Oldham (five Roebodied Atlanteans), Bury (three East Lancs-bodied Atlanteans) and Birkenhead, which is thinking along these lines at the present time, according to Mr. F. S. Brimelow, general manager. It is likely that Birkenhead will buy 15 Atlanteans with Massey Bros. dual entrance, centre staircase bodies.
It seems probable that many other municipalities will follow the lead being given by the above mentioned undertakings. Mr. E. G. Hardy, chief engineer of the Tilling Group, told me that one-man operation was also being considered for its future city and town double-deckers. The use of Bristol chassis with transversely mounted rear engines and extreme front entrances will facilitate such operation.
About 33ft long
An interesting point about the new dual-door double-deckers is that most will be built to a length of about 33ft. This brings me to the subject of double-deckers of single entrance layout designed for maximum passenger capacity and also built to a length of 33ft.
Bristol Commercial Vehicles Ltd., in conjunction with Eastern Coach Works Ltd., pioneered 33ft double-deckers with two exhibits of the VR longitudinal-rear-engined chassis complete with 80-seat coachwork at the Commercial Motor Show in 1966. A 33ft Roe-bodied Daimler Fleetline for Leeds City Transport also appeared at the Show.
Since then, Western SMT has introduced six 83-seat Alexanderbodied Daimler Fleetlines into service in densely populated areas around Paisley, and Edinburgh City Transport had an 82-seat Alexander-bodied Leyland Atlantean at the Scottish Motor Show last year. All these buses have single front entrance/exits, and are perhaps not suitable for one-man operation. However, they do illustrate the need felt by some operators for even larger doubledeckers.
It would indeed be paradoxical if, at the time that many operators on the Continent, traditionally single-deck minded, are showing a growing interest in double-deckers, this country was to reject this type of bus in favour of the Continental single-decker with its crush-load characteristics. As I have tried to illustrate, I think this is very unlikely to happen.