Leyland National

Leyland National
London Transport Leyland National on Finchley Road on route 268 in July 1978
Overview
Manufacturer	Leyland
Production	1972–85
Body and chassis
Doors	1–3
Floor type	Step entrance
Chassis	Integral
Powertrain
Engine	Leyland 510 Leyland 0.680 Leyland TL11 Gardner 6HLXB Gardner 6HLXCT
Transmission	Leyland Voith 851
Dimensions
Length	10.3 m, 10.6 m, 10.9 m, 11.3 m, 11.6 m
Chronology
Predecessor	AEC Swift Bristol RE Daimler Fleetline Daimler Roadliner Leyland Panther
Successor	Leyland Lynx

Preserved Ex NBC Western National Leyland National. This bus was preserved by Richard Gilmore in 2001 into NBC leaf green with a white band and Western National legal lettering and fleetnames. This particular vehicle has a DAF 1160 engine fitted. This was fitted in 1989 to replace its original Leyland 510 engine. Currently owned and preserved by Steve Kirk of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.

The Leyland National was a British single-deck bus manufactured in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries – the National Bus Company and British Leyland.^[1] Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall Industrial Estate, Workington. Styling was carried out by the famed Italian vehicle stylist Giovanni Michelotti, well known to British Leyland, having worked for both Triumph (Herald, TR4, GT6, 2000/2500, 1300, Dolomite and Stag) and Scammell lorries (Routeman GRP cab).

It was intended to replace all the rear-engined single-deckers offered by British Leyland, including the AEC Swift, Bristol RE, single-deck Daimler Fleetline, Daimler Roadliner and Leyland Panther.

Design

Midland Red South Leyland National in Tamworth in 1986

Green Line Coaches Leyland National on Oxford Street in June 1976

East Kent Road Car Company Leyland Nationals in Dover

Midland Red West Leyland National 2s

Jamaica Omnibus Service Leyland Nationals at the Workington factory in August 1975

Preserved Westnederland Leyland National in The Hague in September 2002

The Leyland National was built with integral, modular construction and a rear engine. All components were designed for ease of construction and replacement. Until 1978, it was always built with a distinctive roof mounted pod at the rear, housing the heating equipment, which consequently blew warm air out at roof level. At first the pod was almost the length of a bay and appeared designed to give a Trans-Atlantic feel. In 1976 a new shorter version of the roof pod was introduced along with the battery being relocated to the front under the cab. The Leyland National was available in three lengths, the majority being 10.3m and 11.3m. It was easy to spot the longer ones as its main side windows were all the same length, on the shorter models the windows were shorter except for one in the middle (where the exit doors were on dual door variants) which was the same length as on the longer models.The third length was 10.9m, specially produced for Australian operators due to stringent axle weight limits. This used the front section of the 11.3 metre bus and the rear action of the 10.3 metre bus. One 10.9 metre bus (the prototype) was sold to a Scottish operator (Rennies of Dunfirmline) and was fitted out to dual purpose specification for use on express services.

The Leyland National was a simple design: all parts could be replaced. Some operators, like London Transport, bought dual door models, and then later configured some of them to single door. This was helped by the design of the body, the fact that parts were inter-changeable and that the bus was constructed using advelock rivets, a rivet specially designed for the National, instead of the more usual welding.

The earlier vehicles were only available in three colours: the National Bus Company's two standard colours of poppy red and leaf green, and white. At London Transport's insistence, London bus red was added to the colour card, and their fleet eventually amounted to over 500 examples acquired between 1973 and 1980.

In 1978, Leyland brought out a simplified model (10351B/1R) to replace the elderly Bristol LH, a type popular in NBC companies for rural routes. It was available in a single length (10.3m) and had a revised interior that had minimal lighting and without the rear roof-mounted heating unit in previous models. Heating was under the seats, and was basic but effective. These vehicles were lighter, and this characteristic and the lower cost helped make extra sales. London Country bought quite a number of these, which other operators snapped up when London Country was broken up.

The National 2 was introduced in 1979. It differed from its predecessor mainly by having a wider choice of engines, along with a new nose moulding giving it a more bulbous look and a grille to cool the new front-mounted radiator, and a revised rear end with new lights and a different engine door.^[2][3]

Engines

The Mark I Leyland Nationals had an 8.3-litre straight-six turbocharged Leyland 510 headless diesel engine. The Leyland 510 engine had an unusual design, in that it featured non-detachable cylinder heads; any work on the valves required the crankshaft and pistons to be removed to enable access from the cylinder bore. This engine did not prove popular with all operators, being prone to poor fuel consumption and heavy smoking if not maintained to high standards.

Some operators experimented with a different engine and found they could avoid the 510, which had the reputation of being a high maintenance unit and hard to work on.

Later on a simplified model (10351B/1R) was offered, with an engine that was reduced in power to 150bhp instead of the usual 180bhp setting for the heavier duty version of the National.

The National 2 was powered by initially the 0.680 engine then later the TL11, the Leyland 510 engine no longer being offered.

In 1981, a Gardner 6HLXB engine was experimentally installed in accident-damaged Eastern Counties Omnibus Company National. This paved the way for many engine conversions. Leyland were taken to court by Gardner for not offering their engine as an option in the fast selling National and as a result began to offer the Leyland National 2 with Gardner engines from 1982, initially the 6HLXB and later the 6HLXCT.

United Kingdom

The first was delivered in March 1972 to Cumberland Motor Services (ERM35K) and the bus quickly became a common sight on British roads.^[4] Although developed for the National Bus Company (whose subsidiaries effectively had to purchase it), it was also bought by the Scottish Bus Group subsidiaries,^[5] London Transport,^[6] SELNEC^[7] and British Airways^[8] (which chose the 3 door version) and other operators.

Refurbishment

In years to come, with all of the pressures created by deregulation, operators began refurbishing their Nationals for extended service, often retrofitting DAF or Volvo engines.^[9][10] The riveted body parts were easily replaced. In some cases a vehicle could be repaired and returned to service on the same day. All new parts were painted with grey primer so operators could paint to their requirements.

A more extreme approach was offered by East Lancashire Coachbuilders with their Greenway, that saw virtually everything other than the frame and axles replaced.^[11]

Exports

The export version of the Leyland National was constructed in the standard way, although some were what might be called a hybrid, consisting of longer windows up to the rear axle and shorter ones after. This resulted in a 10.9 metre bus as opposed to either a 10.3 or 11.3 metre version.

Given the design it was very easy to produce left hand drive vehicles and these were used as a way of generating orders.

However, the Leyland National was not very successful in the export market - the largest export order of 450 was to Caracas, Venezuela in 1975/76. Around 125 Leyland Nationals were shipped to Kingston, Jamaica, between 1972 and 1974 to be operated by the Jamaica Omnibus Service, a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction company. Forty were exported to Trinidad and Tobago for use by the National Bus Company.

Nederlandse Spoorwegen in the Netherlands purchased 25, but problems with windscreen glare resulted in the windscreens being removed and a different version being fitted.^[12] In France, Dijon purchased six, while St Etienne Municipality purchased 20.^[13]

In Australia, ACTION purchased 70 Nationals in 1974/75, 16 being fully assembled in England and 54 in Australia. Some were repowered with MAN engines.^[14] In 1975, Brisbane City Council purchased seven^[15] while the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board purchased 30.^[16]

The Metropolitan Transport Trust purchased 63 in 1975/76 for use in Hobart. These were all 10.3 metre units, however one was rejected and its replacement was a 10.9 metre unit.^[17] Surfside Buslines were the largest Australian private bus operator with a fleet of 38 purchased new and second-hand.^[18]

The chassis of the Leyland National was also sold as the Leyland B21 in limited numbers to overseas operators.^[19]

Replacement

In all over 7,000 Leyland Nationals were built.^[20][21] It was replaced by the Leyland Lynx.

Survivors

Very few Nationals remain in service, the last major operator was Chase Bus Services, Chasetown who sold out to Arriva Midlands and ceased operating as a separate entity on 28 April 2007.^[22] Notably all but two retained Leyland 510 engines to the end.

Over 100 Leyland Nationals have been preserved.^[23] The Workington factory has closed, though part of the building now forms part of a Stobart Group depot.

Articulated bus derivative

The prototype railbus LEV1, based on the Leyland National at Weybourne station in September 2005

In 1980, some underfloor-engined articulated buses with bodywork derived from the Leyland National were assembled by Charles H Roe.^[24][25]

Railbus derivatives

In the 1980s, Leyland National bus components were also used to build the following classes of railbuses for British Rail:

• Class 141
• Class 142
• Class 155 (many later converted to Class 153s)

Despite the best intentions, the front end of the Leyland National was not considered substantial enough to allow for a standard bus front end to be used on train carriages. The body was very similar to a National, the components used were identical but the configuration was to a different format.

References

1. Enter Leyland National with an integral bus Commercial Motor 18 July 1969
2. Ribble to try new National Commercial Motor 20 April 1979
3. Norwegian launch for Leyland National II Commercial Motor 8 June 1979
4. NBC receives its first Leyland National Commercial Motor 17 March 1972
5. Leyland on top in Scots order Commercial Motor 30 June 1978
6. LT to buy Nationals Commercial Motor 19 December 1975
7. LT to run National Metro trial Commercial Motor 17 November 1972
8. BA fleet revamp Commercial Motor 19 July 1990
9. DAF repowers for Leyland National Commercial Motor 15 November 1986
10. New DAF power for Nationals Commercial Motor 14 April 1988
11. E Lancs revamps Red Arrow bodies Commercial Motor 15 October 1992
12. National chassis goes international Commercial Motor 8 October 1976
13. First French orders for Leyland National Commercial Motor 8 June 1973
14. Leyland National ACT Bus Wiki
15. Enthusiast's guide to Brisbane Transport buses - Fleet lists BTBuses
16. Leyland Nationals Australian Bus Fleet Lists
17. Travers, Greg (1989). The Australian Government Bus. Beverley: Railmac Publications. pp. 20–22. ISBN 0 949817 75 9.
18. "Surfside Buslines Today" Australian Bus Panorama issue 8/3 October 1992 page 5
19. Leyland B21 Bus Lists on the Web
20. Leyland National Mk 1 Bus Lists on the Web
21. Leyland National Mk 2 Bus Lists on the Web
22. Last Day of Chase Bus Operations Telford Bus Group
23. Welcome to the Leyland National Group Leyland National Group
24. Leyland's National artic is coming Commercial Motor 3 November 1978
25. Bending the flag Commercial Motor 17 January 1981

External links

• Media related to Leyland National at Wikimedia Commons
• Leyland National Group