MCW in 'Concord' deal with the Rumanian bus industry
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LAST Friday a delegation from the Rumanian bus industry visited the Elmdon works of Metropolitan-Cammell-Weymann Ltd., to study manufacturing techniques and discuss arrangements for the part-manufacture of the Metropoli tan-Superior c.k.d. bus in Rumania.
The agreement concluded between MCW and the Superior Coach Corporation, Lima, Ohio, for the manufacture and marketing of Superior bodies in this country was announced in COMMERCIAL MOTOR on March 10.
Rumania has a bus manufacturing industry which produces about 2,000 units a year. The new arrangement with MCW would enable the Rumanians to manufacture the Metropolitan-Superior "basic bus" for their own use and also to make their excess production capacity available for joint export ventures in cooperation with MCW.
Mr. R. T. Knowles, general sales manager of the company, described the venture as a sort of Concord project operating in the bus industry. MCW would make its technical knowhow available to the Rumanians and provide certain components in the c.k.d. kit, while other components would be manufactured in Rumania.
Meanwhile further details have been released of the Metropolitan-Superior. The body is designed to fit any foreign or British dieselengined chassis and delivery can be made within eight weeks of receipt of order. The bus will be manufactured and marketed complete and in c.k.d. and p.k.d. form. The aim is to produce a basic bus at extremely low cost.
For example MCW can supply a c.k.d. body 36 ft. long with 44 upholstered seats at the f.o.b. price (British ports) for export at about 11,500. This means that the finished bus can be assembled inthe operating country at a price of about £3,000 fully equipped. For this price the customer will receive a bus complete with heaters and air-operated automatic front and rear entry doors.
An extensive selling operation has already commenced in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Far East. Since the preliminary announcement enquiries have started coming in large numbers from many potential customers both here and overseas, the company claims.
SWIFTS FOR BELFAST
AN ORDER for 18 AEC Swift rearunderfloor-engined chassis has been placed by Belfast Corporation Transport, with 70passenger bodies by Potters of Belfast Ltd. The undertaking's first one-man pay-as-you-enter buses, they will be 36 ft. long overall and powered by the AEC AH691 diesel engine, with semiautomatic Monocontrol four-speed transmission.
Fleetline Repeats: Repeat orders for Daimler Fleetline double-deck bus chassis have been placed by Tynemouth and District Transport Co. Ltd. and Halifax Passenger Transport department. Tynemouth has ordered another 10 Fleetlines, with Alexander bodies and Gardner 6LX engines rated at 130 b.h.p., bringing its Fleetline total to 35, while Halifax has ordered three, bringing its total to 16 Fleetlines, including five single-deckers.