First of Ribble's New Single-deckers
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• THE first of a fleet of new single-decker buses built to WET. specification and incorporating a new rear-end design was handed over to Ribble Motor Services Ltd. at an informal ceremony last week. It is one of an order for 100 mounted on Leyland Leopard chassis.
Bodywork to the maximum dimensions of 36 ft. by 8 ft. 24 in. was built by Marshalls of Cambridge (Engineering) Ltd., with seats for 53 passengers. It is understood that 10 of the batch, to be delivered next year, will be 49-seaters for express work.
Wrap-round windscreens are fitted to the front of the body to the design adopted as standard for WET. group vehicles and which first appeared at last year's Commercial Motor Show. The new rear-end, developed by Ribble engineers, is virtually a repeat of this
design, with shallower screens and higher skirt panels. It obviates the rather square appearance so often found on service bus bodies, and has been adopted by other B.E.T. companies as well as Ribble.
Construction of the bodywork conforms to the Marshall lightweight metalframework specification, modified to conform with B.E.T. standard dimensions. An interesting feature is the provision of fixed glazing throughout the saloon, ventilation being provided by three liftup roof lights, two roof vents at the rear and a concealed air intake louvre over the windscreen.
Tubular-framed seats are upholstered in moquette, and the specification includes three recirculatory heaters, three 4-ft. fluorescent tubes mounted above the gangway, Formica window finishers and Darvic interior roof panels. F.K.M.