Daimler Fleetline
Daimler Fleetline of Greater Manchester Transport
The Daimler Fleetline - 1975 Leyland Fleetline - was a rear-engined double-decker bus, which was from 1960 to 1973 in Coventry, Warwickshire, from 1973 to 1980 in Farington, Lancashire built. The Fleetline was built mainly for the domestic market, but many copies were also exported to Portugal, South Africa and Hong Kong. He was replaced by the Leyland Titan INTEGRALBUS (mainly London) and the Leyland Olympian Chassisbus.
Model development
The Fleetline was the second rear-engined double-decker bus, which a British manufacturer constructed after the then rival Leyland Leyland Atlantean introduced in 1958. From the beginning of the Fleetline had a rear axle, which was designed so that, although a small height to accommodate the aisle was, however, hereby created without the uncomfortable seating, as in the model of Leyland Atlantean. After the launch of the Leyland Fleetline responded with a so-called drop- rear axle as a special feature. The then owner of Jaguar Daimler merged in 1966 with the British Motor Corporation (BMC ) to form British Motor Holdings ( BMH ). After its merger with Leyland for British Leyland Motor Corporation ( BLMC ) of May 1968, this option was abandoned at Leyland again.
The prototype of the Fleetline 1960 had used a cross standing in the stern built Daimler diesel engine, however, were in series production either Gardner 6LX engines with 10.5 liters displacement and 150 hp or 0.4 -liter 6LW -8 with 112 hp. From 1968 there was either the more powerful Gardner 6LXB 10.45 - liter engine with 188 hp and from 1970 the Leyland O.680 11.1 - liter diesel engine with 185 hp. Gardner engines had spent an excellent reputation for reliability and economy, while Leyland engines were temperamental, but more fuel. Most customers preferred the Fleetline Gardner engines. But when Gardner could not meet the demand, the Leyland engines were popular.
In the late 1960s, Daimler developed the longer 36 -ft - Fleetline double-decker, which was based on the design of the chassis of the single-deck bus or coach, Daimler Roadliner. This chassis had a transversely mounted engine in the tail lying among other things, Cummins V6. It was intended primarily for export, but was also purchased from the Walsall Transport Company.
There were significant problems with the too noisy Leyland engines in the Fleet Lines, one mid-1970s developed a noise-reduced version of the Fleetline, the B20 with the Leyland 0.690 11.3 -liter turbo diesel engine, the two fan " chimneys " was on both sides to recognize the lower rear window and a smaller hood. This version has also been produced for the London Transport Executive with constructions of Park Royal and MCW.
As with many British bus chassis including the Leyland Atlantean comparable constructions were mostly supplied by the body manufacturer. Therefore, the manufacturer of the chassis is often is not externally identifiable. Some wore a manufacturer emblem on the rear. A major difference between the Atlantean and Fleetline was that the front of the bonnet was inclined on the back of the tail at the Daimler to about 10 degrees during this the Atlantean was perpendicular with a notch at the top.
Fleetline in the various countries
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Fleetline in London
Already in 1965, was the London Transport Board a small series of eight Daimler Fleetline double-decker with PRV- building taken ( XF - type) in operation and compared with the competition - type Leyland Atlantean (XA - type). The eight fitted only with double door in the front of the buses XF - type went in 1970 to the successor company for the outer area of London Country Bus Services ( LCBS ), where it remained in operation until 1979. Early 1972 were provided with Leyland O.680 11.1 - liter diesel engine and two-door Northern Counties building in LCBS Depot Godstone in service eleven Fleetline CRL6 - 30, which were originally intended for Western Welsh.
Greater London Council (London Transport Executive ) was the largest British Fleetline customer - 1970s. Meanwhile, in 2646 DMS and DM models were produced from 1970 to 1978, the last 400 as noise -reduced Leyland B20. At the time of delivery of the first DM / DMS London Transport Models ( December 1970 ) Daimler Fleetline was already a successful model with more than 3500 produced for other operators Fleetline buses. The structure of the DM / DMS came from MCW or Park Royal Vehicles that were distinguished only by minor differences (eg higher Notausstiegstür on the right side of the MCW- construction).
The first vehicle was in service DMS 1 at 04:54 clock on January 2, 1971, the line 220 The last vehicle was DMS 2438 on January 2, 1993 at 18:45 clock the way back.
The first series of London Fleet Lines had Gardner engines, but overall had Leyland engines in the majority. The last copies of B20 were the least reliable, and many of them were fitted in the 1980s with Iveco engines ( 836- S11). The successors of the DMS-/DM-Fleetlines in London were the 1978 parallel procured double-decker Leyland Titan series (T) and MCW Metrobus (M ), from the mid-1980s and the Leyland Olympian (L).
There were also a number of DMS-/DM-Bussen sold prematurely, even 306 cars to Hong Kong. In addition, nearly 50 vehicles went to the USA ( Chicago, New York, Washington, Denver) as sightseeing buses, of which some then received a bi-fold door on the right side before the rear axle.
Outside London
The second largest fleet in its home market operated the Birmingham Corporation and its successor West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive ( WMPTE ) with more than 1,000 buses, including the first monoplane Fleet Lines of 1965. Others, later belonging to WMPTE municipal transport companies increased the Fleetline fleet of WMPTE more than year 2100. WMPTE preferred Gardner engines. However, while Gardner 1974-1976 had supply shortages, 220 Fleet Lines were fitted with Leyland engines. However, the Leylands were less reliable, especially in the hilly landscape, which is why most of the buses were retrofitted in the early 1980s, Gardner engines. Until 1997 there were still 700 Fleet Lines at WMPTE in use.
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMP ) got over 500 Fleet Lines in addition to a similar number bought up by transport companies. One of them - # 583 of Lancashire United - 1992 to Chester City Transport sold and used there as No. 79 to May 2007 in the line of traffic. It is issued in the Chester City Transport paint and regularly participates in historical tours and the like part.
South Yorkshire PTE ( SYPTE ) operated a significant number of Lines Fleet during the late 1960s and 1970s. Most were replaced after a few years. An obtained Fleetline of SYPTE, WWJ754M, now in possession of Sheffield Transport Group is exhibited in a museum near Doncaster. To SYPTE were also a number of 1973 authorized Fleetline L, as it then took over Doncaster transport. These were on the popular Rotherham - Sheffield line 69 almost 15 years on the road. They had lower floor heights, large trunk and luggage racks above the seats, as they were used more in highway driving, and had subdued bluish interior lighting. But above all, all SYPTE Fleet Lines were furnished with comfortable upholstered in leather or fabric seats.
In addition, there was greater inter-regional purchasers, such as Municipal bus or Cardiff bus, bus tours of the BET group and Scottish Bus Group.
Unusual Fleet Lines
The Walsall bus companies operating some non-standard Fleet Lines with a short wheelbase, the first of which 1 UDH was only 7.8 meters long and had no front overhang. The door was behind the front axle. The next 29 vehicles were 8.38 m long with a short front overhang, but again only access behind the front axle. The remaining 69 cars were 8.68 meters long, with a narrow access to the usual position, along with a door behind the front axle. 1 UDH had a construction of the Northern Counties Motor and Engineering Company.
Several operators also bought the single-deck Fleetline, with Birmingham City Transport 1965, the first ones were. The Rotherham company bought two monoplane Fleet Lines with 45 seats and Duple Coach Builders construction. Mexborough Swinton Traction Company and ordered three similar vehicles with Marshall -bus structure for White Rose Express services. However, they were delivered by the acquisition in October 1969 to Yorkshire Traction. The end of 1970 Yorkshire Traction received nine 36 Fleet Lines with Walter Alexander W -type structure.
Many buyers had their Fleet Lines other than the usual engines equip so Walsall with a Perkins V8. Particularly noteworthy is a 1972 Fleetline from Teesside Municipal Transport (formerly Transport Middlesbrough ), which was equipped with a Rolls -Royce LPG engine.
Hong Kong
China Motor Bus ( CMB) imported 1972-1980 336 Fleetline double-decker, Kowloon Motor Bus ( KMB ) 1974-1979 450 Fleetline double-decker. CMB called their models Jumbo (Chinese珍宝). In the 1980s, CMB and KMB acquired ex- London Transport DMS-/DM-Fleetlines. Citybus Hong Kong and Argos Bus, operators of public transport, for example, not for private hire also acquired the thrift Fleet Lines, including Ex-London-Transport-DMS/DM-Fleetlines. Many of the Daimler / Leyland Fleetline from Hong Kong were sold in the 1990s to China, where they were in operation long.
Trivia
- Both the first and last to be built Fleetline was destroyed by fire. The demonstrator 7000 HP, the Blue Bus Services from Willington had (later Derby Borough Transport ) acquired, burned in Willington depot on 5 January 1976. The last built Fleetline, formerly of South Notts Bus Company with the approval Summer SCH 117X in use, a fire in the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre fell on 21 February 2007 to the victim after he had been originally purchased for restoration.
- In the late 1990s, Guangzhou Sightseeing Bus Ltd restored. (now Guangzhou Suijing Bus Co. Ltd.. ) some of the Ex-Hongkong-Daimler/Leyland-Fleetline-Doppeldecker. These were known as Eagle Fleetline (Chinese巨鹰 珍宝 巨鹰 珍宝). By October 2008, they were in operation.
Swell
- Townsin: Daimler. Ian Allan, Shepperton 2000
- James Adlam, Keith Hamer: The DMS Handbook. Capital Transport, Harrow Weald 1994, ISBN 1-85414-171-6