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NATIONAL ASSISTANCE

8th June 1985, Page 44
8th June 1985
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 44, 8th June 1985 — NATIONAL ASSISTANCE
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

FOR DISABLED PASSENGERS

Can a service life-expired Leyland National be successfully reincarnated as a welfare bus? Noel Millier borrowed a converted London Country example to find out

/ T IS EASY to be cynical about public sector operators' converting old buses especially to meet the needs of the disabled. After all, even if the bus is never used it generates good publicity. And it stops a secondhand bus falling in to the hands of a prospective rival operator.

There is no doubt that specialised regular services for disabled and wheelchair-hound passengers, such is operate in Leicester, Doncaster and London, have identified and met a previously uncatered for need, but how practical is a more or less time-expired single-deck bus adapted to meet undefined special needs?

To help me find out, and to help sonic patients and nurses from a Surrey hospital, London Country allowed me to put its first Leyland National adapted for work with the disabled through its paces on what would he a typical job.

The L registered bus had been converted for its new role by NBC subsidiary Eastern National. Contributions towards the cost of the conversions had been made by Essex County Council and Harlow Council.

Our passengers for the day were longstay elderly patients who normally have little opportunity to see anything other than the inside of their hospital wards. Many could only be moved in their .wheelchairs, but all were keen on the bus trip.

Loading the National proved easy. The bus had been fitted with valves to allow the nearside air suspension bags to be lowered to make it a leaning rather than kneeling National.

Instead of a wheelchair lift Eastern National had designed a ramp fated into the side panel immediately in front of the nearside rear wheel,

The counterbalanced ramp had been skilfully incorporated into the panel, which was hinged at the bottom. A lock reached from inside the saloon allowed the side to be dropped. It proved to be fairly heavy, but could still be handled with one person inside and one out.

The ramp proper unfolds from the door to reveal a non-slip surface. Once folded, the laminated back panel merges into the interior trim of the bus.

The original window had been replaced by a single perspex sheet. Inside, all scats M the front lower section of the saloon had been removed, except for the forward rear facing one, which had been removed and replaced by tracking to allow eight people to be carried in their wheelchairs. Different sizes of chair could be accommodated.

Coach seats had replaced the normal seats in the rear of the saloon. The height of the step to the rear of the vehicle had been lowered by the fitting of a second step.

Even though the front step height had been reduced still further by deflating the nearside suspension, we elected to load most of our passengers in their chairs by using the ramp.

Driver Jim Clark used Unwin clamps provided to secure the chairs in the front of the saloon. I was impressed at his concern that all were seated where they could easily see out of the windows without obstruction from side pillars.

Staff attitudes are particularly important on this type of vehicle — and driver Jim Clark indeed seemed to have just the right attitude. He was cheerful and friendly while being confident and efficient and, above all, patient.

From the start of our test it was obvious that the headroom and low floor in the National made securing wheelchairs and helping passengers into the seats to the rear much easier than in a smaller mini or midibus or a higherfloor coach.

Quickly. the bus was loaded to capacity, with 21 seated passengers — eight in wheelchairs. Before the final wheelchair was secured the ramp was folded and the door closed.

The engine took around a minute to pump up the air in the nearside suspension. An inhibitor is fitted to prevent the vehicle being driven before the air is built up.

drove the bus from the hospital for the trip of around 30 miles to Windsor. Eike all London Country Leyland Nationals the bus had a semi-automatic Pneumocyclic gearbox.

Despite its age the bus was easy and pleasant to drive. The much-maligned Leyland 510 engine proved to have more than ample power for the urban part of our journey and the passengers were more than happy to travel on the dual carriageways and M25 motorway at the maximum possible 50mph.

Although the condition of some of the roads left something to be desired the air suspension gave a good ride and none of our passengers reported any discomfort.

The nursing staff enjoyed being able to move comfortably about inside the vehicle — something not possible in many welthre or ambulance vehicles.

Our destination was Windsor Safari Park. As I took the National slowly through the game reserves our passengers were able to see animals in their natural habitat at reasonably close quarters without having to leave their seats.

Although the front doors and windscreen wipers withstood the onslaught of baboons, the mirrors faired less well and the journey through the reserve had to be completed with very limited rearward vision. On reaching the end of the secure section of the park they were quickly readjusted and seemed to have suffered no lasting damage.

Windsor's facilities include coach parks where the patients could take tea and the air before the return journey. Toilet facilities are nearby.

Jim Clark took the wheel for the return journey to the hospital. He varied the route to include a trip past Windsor Castle before heading back through Runnymede to the M25 and home.

The passengers, whether patients or staff, had no complaints. The wheelchair passengers in particular seemed to feel secure. The combination of Unwin clamps, wheelchair brakes and lap safety belts ensured no movement.

Opening side windows gave adequate ventilation without too many draughts, and the front nearside luggage pen accommodated a limited amount of luggage as well as the box used for storing wheelchair clamps when not in use. But we could have done with an area or rack to store a spare wheelchair.

The old National gave the impression of being well maintained. There were few rattles other than the common one on the driver's cab door.

My test convinced me that the bus was no gimmick. The passengers were typical of many who would enjoy and benefit from such a vehicle. The age of the bus seemed irrelevant, as our passengers would find longer distances and more intensive journeys too tiring anyway.

From the operator's point of view, the vehicle was cheaper to hire than a newer bus as its value had already been written down and depreciation was no longer a consideration.

London Country offers the bus for hire in the Harlow area at a rate that covers only the driver's wages, fuel and maintenance. Cost of the conversion by Eastern National was around £.6,0(X), which means that for many specialist purposes the National provides better per seat or passenger value than a mini or midibus. It also proved easier for both patients or staff to use, although its size reduces its capability to penetrate housing or rural areas accessible to smaller vehicles.

It was perfectly suitable for our trip, however, and could be fully used by patients from the hospital we selected if the money to hire it could be found.

London Country is currently having a second bus converted and has three more L registered long Leyland National buses available for conversion if demand warrants it.

The Leyland National body structure has a king life potential and the bus can be expected to remain viable in a new role for many years. But it is large and needs fairly specialist maintenance so it would not he an ideal proposition for a voluntary body without the specialist help of a bus or coach operator.


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