ENGINEERING ENDEAVOURS – FLEETLINES & ATLANTEANS
SDA757S – Leyland Fleetline –
West Midlands PTE 6757
Since the last article on this vehicle, a vast amount of work has been carried out.
First of all, the offside upper deck panels have been replaced and all the joint straps have been stripped of paint.
The upper deck interior has had all the seats stripped out, the seat frames have been cleaned, primered and then recoated. At the time of writing, the seats are being refitted to the upper deck. Some of the seats have been recovered also.
Over the winter months the rear chassis has had an extensive overhaul. The nearside and offside main body bearers have been replaced. Peter Murphy has carried out this task and fabricated the replacements. The nearside chassis flitch was found to need more work than first expected. However, with the guidance and skills of Chris Hatton this has been rectified. This particular area is always a problem on Fleetlines – Walsall 116 suffered similarly about ten years ago. The job involved stripping out the lower deck flooring around the nearside wheelarch, along with part of the wheelarch itself. The inner flitch was then cut away, twenty-five years of road dirt removed and a steel angle section was made to fit within the chassis rail. Heavy gauge steel was then cut in order to make the chassis into a box section, where the flitch had been removed. The job took three days of hard labour. Thanks go to Peter Murphy, who carried out the welding, and also to Chris Hatton for his efforts. A job such as this is regarded by some as too much, and there have been many incidents over the years when people have been advised to scrap vehicles, rather than carry out such a task. However, completion of this task shows how the Museum's capabilities have improved over the years.
The nearside and offside wheelarches have both had extensive work to the steel surrounds, which have been replaced. At the time of writing, the lower deck is stripped out, with new flooring around the wheelarch areas cut to size and placed in position.
Work is now being concentrated on the lower deck interior, as the platform area has been refitted, with new flooring also.
KON311P – Leyland Fleetline –
West Midlands PTE 6311
I have been steadily working towards a Class VI Test for this vehicle, in between work on 6757. Various tasks have been carried out, including work to a nearside floorbearer, which has been replaced. The automatic lubrication system (autolube) has been cleaned out, enabling it to work a little better than before. Also, the ticket machine base has been secured, while various electrical jobs have been undertaken. Finally, the screenwash pump was replaced and the washer jets and supply pipes cleaned out.
After completion of other small matters, 6311 was submitted for, and passed successfully, its Class VI Test on 5 April 2003.
JKW290W – Leyland Atlantean –
South Yorkshire PTE 1790
Over the winter months this particular vehicle developed an electrical fault, whereby the main cab master switch would not function correctly. The main electrics board has been stripped out and a broken wire was found in the main circuit. Ray Ward is now carrying out the repair and an overhaul to the board, prior to refitting.
Various fuel pump assembly parts have been obtained, along with a pump drive. These have been acquired to try to rectify the ongoing problem of the pump drive plate fracturing.
PDU135M – Daimler Fleetline –
Coventry City Transport 135
Since its arrival at Wythall, Geoff Hodkinson has been making good progress on his vehicle. A missing window was refitted and then the body was flatted down. Geoff has now started to undercoat the bus, ready for repainting into Coventry City Transport colours.
James Munro
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
