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Britain's bus fleets
Page 56
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analysed by Derek Moses
The year which has passed since the publication of the 1967 analyses of municipal and company bus fleets has been a most eventful one for the bus and coach operating industry. In addition to the natural growth and evolution of the industry there have been important Government inspired changes, such as the shock sell-out of the British Electric Traction Company's UK bus interests to the Transport Holding Company, and Government-encouraged developments such as the formation of the British Leyland Motor Corporation.
We have now reached the position where 90 per cent of the bus and coach services operated in the British Isles are publicly-owned and can be divided into two main groups—municipally-owned transport undertakings and Stateowned undertakings. At the same time, the heavier-duty bus and coach chassis which form the vast majority of the above-mentioned fleets are manufactured either by member companies of the BLMC, or by the State-owned Bristol Commercial Vehicles Ltd., in which Leyland have a stake.
The whole structure of the industry is liable to change, with the formation of Passenger Transport Authorities swallowing-up many of the municipal operators. the formation of the National Bus Company to take over the operation of the State-owned undertakings in England and Wales, and the proposed Scottish Transport Group performing the same duties north of the border.
There is, however, every indication that, although the process of rationalization, admittedly necessary in some parts of the country, will be accelerated, it will be someconsiderable time before many of the State-owned undertakings lose their identity altogether. if, indeed, this situation is ever achieved, or even intended.
I have already referred to natural growth and evolution within the industry. Government boundary changes have brought about the amalgamation of the former Middlesbrough, Stockton and Teesside Railless Traction undertakings into the new Teesside Municipal Transport undertaking, while Haslingden and Rawtenstall, who have for many years shared the same transport manager with nearby Ramsbottom, have joined forces to form the new Rossendale Joint Transport Committee, Ramsbottom opting-out with a declaration to remain independent. The totals in parenthesis after Teesside and Rossendale indicate last year's combined totals of the fleets involved.
On the company side, the 400-strong fleet of West Riding Automobile Co. Ltd. was purchased by the THC in October, last year, while Mexborough and Swinton has come under the jurisdiction of the Yorkshire Traction Co. Ltd., together with the former jointly-owned fleet of County Motors. Lepton, which loses its identity. Meanwhile, in the North West. Scout Motor Services Ltd. has been absorbed by Ribble and its associate, Standerwick Ltd and in the North East United has absorbed Durham District Services Ltd.
Turning to statistics, the total of municipal buses and coaches in service on September 1 has dropped by 247 since last year, with a drop of 173 in trolleybuses still operated resulting in a new total of 17,790. Leyland remains by far the largest make to be represented, with a total of 8,400, although the number has dropped by 35. the first drop in the Leyland total for some years. The total of AECs has tumbled by 204 to 2.882. Second place continues to be held by Daimler, with a total of 4,587—an increase of 160, by far the largest Daimler increase for some years. A promising model is the Fleetline single-decker, the new 36ft model having earned some early orders.
The company buses are now grouped under the heading State-owned undertakings with separate groups for Tilling, Scottish Bus Group and former BET companies. Despite the addition of West Riding's 404 buses to the list and the absorption of the Ledgard's business by West Yorkshire, the company fleets have increased by only 132 to a total of 34,223, thus illustrating the decline in fleet sizes due to the thinning-out of rural services, rationalization of routes and the use of larger buses replacing a greater number of smaller vehicles.
Most numerous bus in the State-owned fleets is the Bristol, with 10,962 vehicles in service—a decrease of 27. AEC, on the other hand, have increased by 234 to a total of 8.889. largely through the policy of London Transport which is adding many AEC Merlin single-deckers to the fleet, while withdrawing only 10 AEC double-deckers during the past year, compared with the withdrawal of 314 Leyland RTL type. If one adds Routemasters to this total, AEC overtake Bristol with a total of 11,773 buses and coaches in State-owned service.
The proportion of single-deckers to doubledeckers is increasing, with 299 double-deckers, including 138 Bristol VRTs, recorded on order. compared with 1,499 single-deckers, a total of 1,798. Last year the companies had 1,564 buses and coaches on order, of which 473 were double-deckers. An increase of 309 brings the total of Daimlers to 994, including 96 single-deckers. Leylands have, on the other hand, dropped by 427 to 7,262.
Top of the league totals for municipal and company buses in service are: 15,644 Leyland (including 2 Routemaster), 14,645 AEC (including 2,874 Routemaster), 11,083 Bristol. 5,581 Daimler and 1,768 Guy. Known bodywork totals on order are 501 ECVV, 499 MCW, 429 Park Royal, 421 Alexander, 198 Marshall, 186 Roe, 160 Northern Counties, 72 Willowbrook, 68 East Lancs., 63 Plaxton, 31 Pennine. 14 Duple and 3 Strachans.
NB: Throughout this feature,comparisons with 1967 referto revised figures, and not those published in CM September 29 1967.