Leyland Leopard PRA109R Evening Drive in the Peak District - Unrefined and throaty 680 Roar!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 30 дек 2021
- Here we have a very nice Alexander T-type bodied Leyland Leopard, PRA109R, being driven by myself around parts of the Peak District in Derbyshire. We were running as part of a 4 vehicle convoy, which by coincidence were all Alexander bodied single deckers.
PRA109R was new to National Bus Company subsidiary, Trent Motor Traction, in October 1976 as fleet number 109. It later spent time with Lancaster City Transport, Chesterfield Transport (Whites of Calver), Stagecoach Bluebird and Silver Fox Coaches of Renfrew. It was acquired by members of the Chesterfield 123 Group in 2006, and restored into the Whites of Calver blue and yellow livery it previously carried. A very nice example of a vehicle being restored in a later livery rather than the usual as new.
I've not driven that many Leopards, as I didn't pass my test until most of them had long since gone. I have had a short drive of this one in the past, a few years ago, but without a camera on hand then ti film it. I thought I was jinxed, as my first attempt to film it during the daytime ended in failure, so I was very lucky to have been allowed to have another go, many thanks go to Shayne Howarth for making this happen.
Alexander T-type bodied vehicles are relatively rare compared with the much more common Y-type that was in production at the same time. It is even rare still having been supplied new to a company south of the Scottish border. It is a fairly utilitarian vehicle, and certainly unrefined, but all the better for it in my opinion. It makes all the right noises, including the direct-air gear selector and honking braking system, which most Leopards seemed to have.
This video is the edited highlights of my 45 minute drive from Castleton to the outskirts of Chesterfield. I was trying to keep up with the Tiger in front, but lost him in the end, and with this being a fairly high geared Leopard, I just couldn't catch up on the long Peak District hills!
Please like subscribe and comment as you wish.
Enjoy! - Авто/Мото
wayfarer ticket machine 🤩 that takes me back
Wow that brings it back. Love the soundtrack. I drove a few of these in the early 80s on Eastern Counties Omnibus Company. One I remember was just like this (I think) although that one had no power steering which made the job of turning it around in the rather tight yard at Saxmundham quite hard work!
A wonderful sound brings back many memories
Because we used the Mersey tunnel mostly on a daily basis, I used to love that deep throb inside the tunnel. And the engine was married with a newmosyclic gearbox and worked in harmony together 😀
I remember PRA109R when it was with Trent, It brought us back from Chapel St Leonards to Derby August 1985. Great video as always Craig, love the sounds of this one!
Love the Leyland leopard I drove them all at national travel west Liverpool, mostly on Plaxtol bodies
Then the paramount arrived Leyland Tigers.
A great engine and the lovely throb of the beautiful Leyland leopard engine 😀
Nice video thanks for posting 👍
Tigers are good, but they don't sound quite as good as a Leopard. It's amazing how different the TL11 engine in the Tiger sounds compared to the 680 it is based on too.
I drove PRA13R when i worked for Scarlet Band, lovely motor but it had a Plaxton Paramount front on it
I literally watched the national yesterday then this well timed in deed
You can't beat the sound of a 680 with a pneumocyclic box Craig :-) LIked that you were following an ex Strathtay bus - Strathtay were my local bus operator at one time.
I did drive the Tiger too, but the footage wasn't usable. Very nice drive though.
I worked for Strathtay Scottish between 1996 and mid 2000. Drove the Leopard's out of Dundee bus station. Fond memories and a great video too boot.
We had several ex Strathtay Leopards at RoadCar, sadly I didn't get to drive any of them, although I rode on a few. Great buses.
@@scatmancraig1974 Hi Craig, I am now working in Zurich, Switzerland driving Hess double bendy trolleybuses. If you ever decide to come, give me a shout and you are welcome to film with me driving. Regards Edi
Nice nostalgia trip. 👍👍👍 Plenty of these running around the west of Scotland at one time...
Great video there 👍,, brings back memories, I've never had the opportunity to drive one but, I'm just as happy in restoring the gear shifters off them..!!!!!!
The Leopards that Ellen Smith ran had two speed axles and would do well over 75mph on a motorway run.
I keep expecting the Crossroads theme to start playing after that intro, lol
The Crossroads theme was excellent, I have it on CD somewhere.
@@scatmancraig1974 I'm sure I did/do somewhere, on a CD of TV themes. It'll no doubt be on RUclips anyhow.
@@scatmancraig1974 ruclips.net/video/3sYlfErOdO4/видео.html
Nice one Craig. Have a good 2022. Hopefully catch up this year.
I shall be out and about with my National, as I fully intend to get it to as many events as I can afford to take it to.
D477FAS WAS NEW TO HIGHLAND SCOTTISH IN INVERNESS I THINK THERE WAS 6 NEW FROM ALEXANDER AND THEY WHERE SOLD TO FIFE JUST BEFORE THE SCOTTISH BUS GROUP WHERE SOLD OFF SAID DAY .
I've ridden on this bus a few times when it belonged to trent in the national period, quite good on a faster road,well compared with a low geared RE lol!
I'd quite like to take it out on a route that includes a stretch of higher speed driving on a dual carriageway or motorway.
RE's weren't particularly low geared, certainly not the coach RELH version. The RE's with Leyland engines particularly were usually faster than the Leopards.
@@scatmancraig1974 They certainly were faster!
I happened to see PRA109R last year when it was involved in the "Hulley's of Baslow 100 Years" bash. I'd taken my mother shopping in Chesterfield, and as we were returning home I happened to see the cab poking out from the bus lane coming onto A619 Markham Road. As it emerged from the bus lane, I passed her my camera phone and said "Take a photo, please!" She managed to photo the back of the bus before it went up into Chesterfield coach station!
What's the TV ident at the start?
The TV ident is ATV, who were the predecessors of Central. I always try and use an ident relevant to the area the bus was originally operated in.
Is the strathday reg plate D477FAS the ex fife scottish bus?
Nice sounds. The two in front are not holding back are they😄
Tigers got better performance.
I drove the Tiger early in the day, its got the 260bhp TL11 in it and it does go well.
@@scatmancraig1974 didn't know they had a 260 version. Must be for long distance work. My local bus company in Sydney's northern suburbs had 215 and 245hp Tigers.
There were coaches with a tag axle and ZF 6 speed synchros. They must have been 260hp. They were quite successful in our coach scene.
@@jamesfrench7299 yes, originally the TL11 powered Tiger was available in either 218 or 245bhp versions. The 260 came later on, as did the 290 with the L10 Cummins engine. The 290 was only available with the manual or auto ZF transmissions though. There was also a Gardner 6HLXCT version too, which was approx 230bhp, and a Volvo THD engine version came right at the end of production.
Leopards are alot quieter than National 2's, Atlantean's and RE's. It must be down to it's exhaust an acoustics. Does this one have a high speed rear diff?
I'd argue that they aren't, we'll certainly not for the driver anyway. Some Leopards (not this one) have a lot of fan drive noise forward of the engine.
Yes, this Leopard appears to have a coach diff. It'll do over 40 in 4th, I didn't get chance to see what it would do in 5th, well over 60 I should imagine, possibly over 70 on a long enough road.
@@scatmancraig1974 I've been on a few preserved coach spec Leopards and service spec ones and passenger wise i could tell how much quieter they are even sat near the exhaust. They're great buses and when Stagecoach East Midland had a batch of them they made them last over 20 yrs. Some got rebodied fairly early in their lives.
@@jaggass I guess it depends on what body is fitted and how much soundproofing material was fitted. A Plaxton coach bodied Leopard will be quieter inside, but they also weigh a lot more too.
@@scatmancraig1974 I do like the airshift gear changes. Does it have the Pneumocyclic gearbox?
@@jaggass yes, all semi-auto Leopards had the Pneumocyclic box.
That exhaust leak needs to be fixed.
Spoils the sounds. Good driving and night time makes a good change in a preserved bus. You're right about the camera being good at night time footage.
I'm sure it will be. Very difficult to fault the way this drove, I could have stayed in the cab all day. I'd have liked to have recorded some audio towards the back of the coach too, as I suspect transmission is quite tuneful on this one, but you just can't hear it from the cab.
Sounds authentic, they'd run these all day long, little exhaust leak makes it sound proper. .. thumbs up from me
Nothing beats an Australian Leopard with airbag suspension.
ruclips.net/video/0ZyLv7tvUdY/видео.html
Why do bus steering wheels never point straight?
Because fitters never clamped the steering wheel when doing the tracking.
where abouts was this bus heading to?
We were on our way to Chesterfield.
I've heard that those transmissions are supposed to be shifted much slower? It seemed to jolt the buss when doing so.
Otherwise awesome footage
Gear change speed depends on both the engine and gearbox. If you change too quickly, the engine revs will be to high and you'll get a jolt when the next gear engages. Change too slowly, and the a engine revs will be to low, and it will lurch. Your basically trying to engage the next gear so that w the engine speed matches the speed you're travelling at for the gear you want. So timing is crucial, as you don't have a clutch pedal to control it like on a manual. This is also why you blip the throttle when changing down, so that it increases the engines revs to match the lower gear. The basic principle is exactly the same as an old non synchromesh or crash gearbox, but the semi-automatics are always more forgiving if you get it wrong!
I always remember the beautifully controlled pneumocyclic downchanges on United RE's as they smoothly reduced motorway speed to enter a service station on the run to and from Victoria. As a child I decided that their exceptionally controlled, smooth driving style would be my role model when I passed my test!
"I've heard" lol I love people like this
@@dubbeh The love is appreciated, but not necessary.
From reputable sources may I add? Like instructional videos on these transmissions.
@@scatmancraig1974 You can't 'slam' the gears on a Pnuemocyclic like you could on VR's etc?
Over revving!!