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Private Owner (preservation)/
Daimler Fleetline XF #XF3
5 april 2009 - Cobham (UK). The first rear-engined double deckers in the London Transport fleet were some experimental Leyland Atlanteans and eight similar Daimler Fleetlines, bought for comparative trials in 1965. This Fleetline ran on the route that turned on the corner of the road where I was living, so I saw it often. During peak hours, it carried a conductor, but at quieter times the upper deck could be closed off with a gate and it ran as a driver-only bus. At this time, the trade unions would not allow one person to operate a double deck bus without a conductor. These and the Atlanteans were the first serious attempt to introduce front entrance/rear engine buses into London. The Fleetline was selected and many were built – this was the DM/DMS Class.
Author: dvigar
Author: dvigar
Daimler Fleetline XF #XF3
11 april 2010 - Surrey, UK - Wisley: One of six 1965 Daimler Fleetlines bought to compare with fifty Leyland Atlanteans to see which was most suitable (so given "X" fleet numbers). The famous Routemaster was the last bus specially built for London - to save money, all new buses would now be `off the peg`. Conductors were also becoming too expensive to employ, so London Transport looked for a bus suitable for one person operation. The workers` Union, however, was opposed to making bus drivers act as conductors on larger buses and would not allow their members to drive them, so a compromise was reached - the top deck would be closed with a locking gate except at peak times, making the bus a single decker for most of the day. This arrangement was fine until peak time ended, when the driver often had to leave the bus to go upstairs and ask passengers to come down so the gate could be closed! This nonsense continued for some years until a new agreement was reached with the Union to allow bigger buses. In actual fact, the Daimler beat the Atlantean in the comparative trials and many more were purchased for use in London.
Author: dvigar
Author: dvigar
Comments: 1