Bristol develops transverse rear-engined version
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ofVR By A. J. B. WILDING, AM! Mach, E, MIRTE
rro meet demands for a 30 ft. overall length on the VR design, Bristol Commercial Vehicles has developed a version with a transverse rear engine. The entire Tilling Group's orders for the Bristol VR next year will be to this design.
In general the chassis design of the VRT follows that of the original VRL introduced last August. There are two wheelbases-16 ft. 2 in. which allows for a 30 ft. Sin. overall length and 18 ft. 6 in. which will accommodate bodies up to 32 ft. 9 in. long.
Repositioning the engine and transmission from behind the offside rear axle to a transverse location reduces the rear overhang from 9 ft. 5 in. to 6 ft. 9.25 in. The same engines are available—Gardner 6LW, 6LX or 6LXB, Leyland 0.680 or 0.600 and AEC AV69 I . There is also no change in the basic transmission with Bristol/Self Changing Gears fouror five-speed semiautomatic units offered.
But instead of concentric input and output shafts and the drive coming out between the engine and gearbox, the transmission line is conventional and the output from the gearbox (on the offside of the chassis) is taken by a shaft passing along the gear casing to bevel gearing which connects to the propeller shaft.
Ahead of the engine-transmission support platform the VRT is identical to the VRL but small changes have been incorporated in the design since the prototypes were built and the model was shown at the Commercial Motor Show.
Instead of the rear arch members of the chassis being bolted on to the forward sidemembers the frame now has a continuous sweep over the rear axle to the cut-off point behind the rear wheels. Spring-brake actuators are now employed to provide for the parking brake which apart from eliminating mechanical linkage also allows the handbrake lever to be dispensed with.
This was the only item in the VR specification out of character with an advanced design and it is replaced by a simple hand-control valve which provides for progressive application of the parking brakes.
Accessibility to electrical and braking components on the original design was very good and this has been improved still further. The electric connections and units and valves for the air brake system are all located on the right-hand side of the driver's seat support structure. Only a slightly larger detachable panel on the exterior of the body is required for complete access.
By having a transverse engine the VRT does not have the same adaptability for entrance and exit locations as the original VR but the model allows for single-step entry at the front end or within the wheelbase.
Another new development by Bristol Commercial Vehicles is a version of the RE horizontal-rear-engined single-deck bus and coach chassis suitable for 12 m. (39 ft. 3.4 in.) long bodywork. Wheelbase is 20 ft. which conforms to the agreement between p.s.v. chassis manufacturers for standardization in this respect and the chassis designation is REMH, the "M" standing for "metric".