Scania Metropolitan

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Scania / MCW Metropolitan
Leicester City Transport bus 301 (GJF 301N), Showbus 2010 (2).jpg
Overview
ManufacturerMCW
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2 doors
Floor typeStep entrance
ChassisScania BR111DH
Powertrain
EngineScania D11
Dimensions
Length31 ft 10 in (9.7 m)[1]

The Scania Metropolitan was the first double decker bus model built jointly by MCW and Scania. It was built between 1973 and 1978.

It was the second bus model jointly built by these two companies. The first model was the Metro-Scania single decker based on the BR110/CR110 chassis, which was the first Scania bus built for the United Kingdom market in 1969 and sold in small numbers.

Construction[]

The Metropolitan was the double deck equivalent of the Metro-Scania. It was based on Scania BR111DH chassis and the body was constructed by MCW, who claimed it to be built with 70% British content.[1] The distinguishing feature is the asymmetric windscreen being deeper on the nearside to give the driver an improved view of the kerb, a feature which was carried over to the MCW Metrobus. It was noted for its performance from the turbocharged Scania engine when compared to the earlier Gardner and Leyland diesel engine used in many buses of the time, its smooth and quiet ride due to air suspension, and high fuel consumption, particularly an issue for operators when the price of fuel rose during the 1973 oil crisis.[2] However, severe body corrosion and mechanical problems led these buses to have a short life in service.[1]

Customers[]

West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive MCW bodied Scania Metropolitan in Bradford in July 1975
A preserved, Ex London Transport Metropolitan, now owned by Ensignbus

London Transport was the largest operator of Metropolitans, with 164 being delivered between 1975 and 1977, but all of them were withdrawn by 1983.[3] Some continued in service with other operators for several years, including Reading Transport, Whippet Coaches,[4] Charles Cook of Biggleswade, Black Prince Buses of Morley, Alec Head of Lutton and Camms of Nottingham. MD1 (KJD 201P) appeared in The Human League's music video Life On Your Own in 1984 and is now preserved in a Scania museum in Sweden[where?] while MD60 is currently preserved by Ensignbus, its restoration completed in 2014.[5]

Tyne and Wear PTE were the second-largest operator of Metropolitans, purchasing 140 of the type from 1975 to 1977. In 1985, most of the Tyne & Wear Metropolitans were withdrawn and sold for scrap due to corrosion issues, although a handful did pass to the new arms-length private company Busways Travel Services brought about by deregulation of bus services in 1986.[6] 499 (RCU 499S) was the last to be withdrawn in 1989, and the only vehicle to be repainted in the Busways livery. A significant proportion of them were acquired by various operators throughout the UK and some of the Tyne & Wear Metropolitans have also survived into preservation.

West Yorkshire PTE purchased 95 Metropolitans between 1975 and 1977.[1] They were all withdrawn by 1985. One example entered preservation, but was eventually scrapped in the early 1990s.

Preserved Leicester City Transport MCW bodied Scania Metropolitan in Duxford in September 2010

Leicester City Transport bought 35 single-deck Metro-Scanias and following their success bought 68 double-deck Metropolitans in several batches between 1974 and 1977 (and a handful of second hand ones for further service and spare parts), both in dual door configuration, and a final batch of 5 in single door configuration in 1977.[7]

Merseyside Transport was another major customer for the Metropolitan, eventually purchasing 60 in the mid-1970s following on from 20 single-deck-based BR110 Metro-Scanias in 1972/73. Allocated to the Green Lane and Prince Alfred Road depots in Liverpool, they were all withdrawn by the summer of 1986. Some of the Merseyside Metropolitans were sold for further service with other operators, with Kingston Upon Hull City Transport being a notable example. However the vast majority were scrapped and by the 1990s all of the Merseyside examples were believed to have been scrapped.

  • Greater Glasgow PTE

Greater Glasgow PTE purchased 40 Metropolitans in 1975.[8] All were withdrawn in 1981-82.

Reading Transport MCW bodied Scania Metropolitan at Dover Eastern Docks on a visit to Reading's twin town of Düsseldorf in Germany in April 1978.

Reading Transport took 33 Metropolitans from 1975 to 1978, and added to these with a number from the London Transport and Tyne & Wear Transport fleets.[4] The last one was withdrawn in 1992.

Kingston upon Hull City Transport (KHCT) bought 30 Metropolitans from 1975 to 1978, dissatisfied with incomplete orders from Leyland Bus. KHCT later added second-hand Metropolitans from Merseyside Transport to their fleet. They were all withdrawn by deregulation in 1986 and none are known to survive today.[9]

Greater Manchester Transport purchased 10 Metropolitans in 1974 for use on the Trans-Lancs Express service 400 linking Bolton to Stockport via Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne.[8] Greater Manchester Transport withdrew them from service in the early 1980s.

  • Newport Transport

Newport Transport bought 10 Metropolitans in 1975 which were withdrawn from service in 1985.[10]

South Yorkshire Transport purchased four Metropolitans in 1975. These were sold in 1980 due to reliability issues and high costs.[11]

Five Metropolitans were purchased by Maidstone & District in 1975 in comparative trials. These were the only Metropolitans to be purchased by a subsidiary of the National Bus Company, with no orders being made following the trial period.[1]

The large Hong Kong bus operator purchased two Metropolitans in 1975.[12] They were withdrawn in the late 1980s.

End of production[]

The production of Metropolitans was finally terminated in 1978, the last examples going to Reading Transport,[1] with two built to dual-purpose specifications with high speed rear axles to operate the express X1 service to London.

In all 661 Metropolitans were built.[1] MCW launched the Metrobus in 1977, and Scania launched the BR112DH chassis in 1980 as the replacement of BR111DH.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Millar, Alan (9 June 2021). "A half century of integrals". Buses. Stamford: Key Publishing. Retrieved 15 October 2021.(subscription required)
  2. ^ "Metropolitan is logical development of single-decker". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 2 November 1973. p. 46. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Smooth power is the trend". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 24 September 1976. p. 200. Retrieved 12 October 2021. Highlight of the two doubledeckers from MCW is one of the latest Metropolitans destined for service with London Transport, and part of an order for 164 similar models for LTE.
  4. ^ a b "Reading buys LT deckers". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 19 January 1985. p. 15. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Scania Metropolitan - MD60". Ensignbus. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Rusty Metros for scrap". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 19 January 1985. p. 20. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  7. ^ Harvey, David (2016). Leicester Buses. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-4712-8. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b "New models galore on PSV body stands". Temple Press. 20 September 1974. pp. 171–172. Retrieved 12 October 2021. There are two models on show one for the Greater Glasgow PTE and one for Greater Manchester Transport. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  9. ^ Wells, Malcolm; Morfitt, Paul (2017). Hull Corporation Buses. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-4456-6754-6. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Newport plays the Scania variations". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 15 September 1981. p. 27. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  11. ^ "PTE sells Scanias". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 15 September 1981. p. 26. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  12. ^ "First export Metropolitan". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 31 October 1975. p. 23. Retrieved 12 October 2021.

External links[]

Media related to MCW-Scania Metropolitan at Wikimedia Commons

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