Leyland Titan (B15)

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Leyland
Leyland Titan B15 in action in London on May 5, 2001

Leyland Titan B15 in action in London on May 5, 2001

Titanium (B15)
Manufacturer Leyland Motors
design type double-decker bus
Production period 1978-1984
engine Diesel engine transversely in the rear
Leyland 0.500
Leyland TL11
Gardner 6LXB / 6LXCT
power 127 kW
length 9.59 m
width 2.5 m
height 4.39 m
Seats 22/25/27 below + 44 above
Perm. total weight 15,150 kg
Previous model Daimler Fleetline
Leyland Fleetline (at London Transport )
successor Leyland Olympian

The Leyland Titan (B15) was a self-supporting double-decker bus for left-hand traffic by Leyland Motors and was mainly produced for London Transport from 1978 to 1984 .

Development history

The Titan was first conceived in 1973 as Project B15 and was originally intended to be developed as a replacement for both the Leyland Atlantean and the Bristol VRT . After the Leyland National , a self-supporting single-decker bus, was successfully sold, Leyland decided not to develop a new platform due to the austerity constraints imposed by the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), but to use the National as a base for the construction. As a result, many existing mechanical components could have been used and the entry point would have been lower than with earlier double-decker buses. For bodybuilders , the move away from the previously common body-on-chassis design has raised concerns about stability. Talks with the two largest British bus body manufacturers Walter Alexander Coachbuilders and Northern Counties Motor and Engineering Company about possible bus bodies did not lead to any result.

Leyland saw London Transport (LT) as an important market for the new model, so the specification was heavily influenced by LT specifications, which in turn were shaped by their problems with previously delivered Daimler / Leyland Fleetline double-decker buses. Between 1975 and 1977 five prototypes (B15.01 – B15.05) were built, two of which were run on trial runs on city bus routes 24 and 16 by the London Transport Executive (LTE).

In the standard version, the bus was 9.56 meters long and 2.5 meters wide and 4.4 meters high. The smallest possible turning circle and low floor height were given. The riveted aluminum alloy structure was attached to the ladder frame , similar to the Leyland National. Versions with double doors in the front and in the middle (London) as well as only in front and various options for the installation location of the stairs to the upper deck (directly behind the driver's seat or more towards the middle) were possible. The wheels were individually suspended at the front, and at the rear there was an inverted portal axle with air suspension . The brakes were operated hydraulically as standard.

The prototype diesel engine housed in the rear was still a version of the Leyland 500 series with exhaust gas turbocharger and 170 bhp (127 kW), which was not considered reliable at the time due to problems with the fixed cylinder head. In series production, other engines were therefore used, initially the Gardner 6LXB, and later the Leyland TL11. Reading received a number of the regional bus versions with Gardner 6LXCT engines. The engine was placed transversely in the rear, with the cooler being placed separately in a compartment to the right above the engine. This led to an unusual arrangement of the relatively small, almost square rear window in the lower deck. Another distinguishing feature from the Leyland Olympian (double-decker bus with chassis), which was constructed in the late 1970s, is the greater height of the side windows in the lower deck compared to those in the upper deck.

Series production 1978–1984

Two Titans in London-Romford

The name "Titan" was used from 1927 (TD1) to 1942 (TD7) or 1969 (PD3) for a successful Leyland Titan double-decker bus series and was chosen again as the name for the new double-decker model.

Production of the B15 started in June 1977, initially with 100 units being manufactured at Park Royal Vehicles . Thereafter, production was to be relocated to the former AEC factory in Southall , which is now part of the Leyland Group . This led to trouble at Leyland's own Park Royal, where 200 skilled workers went on strike because of the uncertain future. As a result, production started very slowly, the first vehicle was only delivered to LT in August 1978. Production was not relocated to Southall after all, as Leyland decided in October 1978 to close the plant due to the difficulties in the BLMC group and to leave titanium production at Park Royal. Slow production continued, resulting in the cancellation of a number of existing orders. Leyland tried to replace the skilled workers with semi-skilled workers. Finally, in October 1979, Leyland decided to close the Park Royal factory in May 1980. Once that decision was made and a productivity-related social plan was negotiated, production increased significantly. While it took Park Royal 14 months to build the first hundred vehicles, it only took another seven months to build another contingent of 150.

Because of the same problems with the lack of skilled workers at ECW in Lowestoft to continue production there, it was finally decided to continue production in an expanded facility at the reopened plant in Workington , where the Leyland National was also built. It took almost a year for the facility to expand, transfer and install Park Royal's manufacturing facilities and resume production. The continuing delays caused the loss of further orders.

One of 15 copies for Greater Manchester PTE

In addition to the production difficulties, special titanium specifications, which were influenced by London Transport, were unpopular with other municipal bus companies and prevented sales outside of London. Apart from the hydraulic brakes, the main thing was that no other body, mostly locally tailored to the respective bus company, could be built. Sun acquired Greater Manchester PTE only 15 instead of the originally ordered 190, later to other operators such as Wrights of Wrexham and South Midland were sold, as well as West Midlands PTE just five instead of 80, which were later adopted by London Transport. Other customers were the non-municipal companies, Read Transport, who acquired two Park-Royal-Titans - with a raised roof, fabric-covered seats and no standing area for overland tours - as well as Workington ten Park-Royal-Titans.

A Titan B15 trial bus was exported to Hong Kong and operated by China Motor Bus as the TC1 (CD1213). A long version (3 copies) was planned for this customer, but as a result of the difficulties at Park Royal, two orders were canceled and a Leyland Victory Mk 2 was purchased instead. A revised and improved model was presented to the bus companies in 1982, but could not achieve any further orders. Companies preferred the flexibility and lower cost of the Leyland Olympian and the specimen was eventually sold to the Scottish company Ian Glass of Haddington.

The orders for new double-deck buses from London Transport were shared by Leyland with the Titan and Metro Cammell Weymann with the MCW Metrobus, but the production of the Titan just for LT would have been uneconomical. By December 1981, only 370 Titans had been delivered to London (for comparison: at that time there were already 700 Metrobuses in stock). Leyland therefore put pressure on London to increase titanium orders. As a result, Leyland received total orders for 1982 of 275 vehicles. This led to layoffs at Metro Cammell Weymann (MCW). In 1983 Leyland was also favored with 210 titanium copies compared to 150 metro buses. After another batch of 240 copies was ordered for 1984, it was decided to stop production of the titanium after this order was fulfilled. The last Titan was put into service in November 1984 as car no. T1125.

literature

  • A. Doug Jack: Leyland Bus Mk2 . The Transport Publishing Company, Glossop, Derbyshire 1984, ISBN 0-903839-67-9 .
  • A. Doug Jack: Beyond Reality - Leyland Bus - the twilight years . Venture, 1994, ISBN 1-898432-02-3 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Alan Millar: Bus & Coach Recognition . Ian Allan, Shepperton 1988, ISBN 0-7110-1816-2 , p. 18
  2. ↑ I-Spy Buses & Taxis , Michelin Tire, Harrow (Middlesex) 1992, ISBN 1-85671-112-9 , p. 37 (English)
  3. ^ John Reed: London Buses, A Brief History . Capital Transport, Harrow Weald 2000, ISBN 1-85414-233-X , pp. 64/65

Web links

Commons : Leyland Titan  - collection of images, videos and audio files