Ford R series: Difference between revisions

Ford R series
Ford R series
	Ford R1114 with Plaxton body
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford
Assembly	Dagenham
Body and chassis
Doors	1
Floor type	Step-entrance
Powertrain
Engine	Diesel
Power output	140 bhp
Transmission	Manual or automatic
Dimensions
Length	R192 and R1014, 10 metres; R226 and R1114, 11 metres
Width	2.5 metres
Height	3.0 metres

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The Ford R series was a range of single-decker bus and single-decker coach chassis, built by Ford that evolved from designs made by Thames Trader until the mid-1960s. A number of components were shared with the D-series lorry, including the engine which was mounted vertically at the front of the vehicle, ahead of the front axle so as to provide a passenger entrance opposite the driver.^[1] The original R192 and longer R226 models later became the R1014 and R1114 variants (nominally 10 and 11 metres long respectively with 140 bhp engines) which with constant revision and upgrading had become R1015 and R1115 by the mid-1980s. In an attempt to lower the floor height of the vehicle, the turbocharged diesel engine was tilted over to one side around 1978. Synchromesh transmission was fitted as standard but some later examples were equipped with Allison automatic gearboxes to ease the driver's workload in urban areas. It ceased production in 1985.^[2]

Hyundai licensed this bus to 'R Bus' in 1970s.^[3]

Popularity

In the United Kingdom the design was popular during the 1970s, when considerable financial assistance was available to operators for fleet renewal, but following the election of the Conservative Government in 1979, the subsidy money began to dry up causing demand for full-size buses and coaches to decline and the last R series was built around 1986. Front-engined buses have generally fallen out of favour in Europe, as new accessibility requirements favour rear- or side-engined designs so a low front entrance can be provided. Few examples of the Ford R series remain in current passenger use, but many have gone on to second lives as mobile homes and stock car transporters.

Major users

A significant user of the type was Jersey Motor Transport, who, during the 1970s and 1980s, purchased little else. Its fleet consisted 100% of this bus model for several years during this period, and was chosen because of the manufacturer's willingness to supply chassis of non-standard width and length to suit local size limits. Many of these vehicles received bodywork by Duple whose narrow-width Dominant also found buyers on other chassis in the UK, but earlier examples were constructed by Willowbrook and later versions by Wadham Stringer. JMT also had a number of longer and wider examples, which had started life in the late 1960s with Trimdon Motor Services in North East England: these Plaxton-bodied buses required special dispensation to operate on the island, being restricted to certain services where the roads could accommodate them. All were sold for further use after a few years. A similar model was used by the Inner London Education Authority as school buses.

References

^ R-Series Commercial Motor 21 June 1968
^ Ford drops R-series Commercial Motors 13 April 1985
^ [1] 보배드림 20 April 2006

External links

Ford R series brochure

[1] R-Series Commercial Motor 21 June 1968

[2] Ford drops R-series Commercial Motors 13 April 1985

[3] [1] 보배드림 20 April 2006

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
 {{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
-{{Unreferenced|date=December 2009}}
+{{refimprove|date=February 2021}}
+{{Infobox automobile
+ | name             = Ford R series
-{{Infobox UK Bus
- | background       =
- | name             = Ford R-Series
  | image            = George Wards Ford R1114 - Plaxton PPE675R at the seaside 1978.jpg
  | imagesize        =
  | caption          = Ford R1114 with [[Plaxton]] body
- | manufacturer     = [[Ford of Britain|Ford UK]]
+ | manufacturer     = [[Ford of Britain|Ford]]
- | factory          =
+ | assembly         = [[Ford Dagenham|Dagenham]]
- | related          = [[Volvo B57]]
+ | related          =
  | capacity         =
+ | length           = R192 and R1014, 10 metres<br>R226 and R1114, 11 metres
- | operator         = Various
- | length           = R192 and R1014, 10 metres <br />R226 and R1114, 11 metres
  | width            = 2.5 metres
  | height           = 3.0 metres
@@ Line 23: / Line 20: @@
  | engine           = Diesel
  | powerout         = 140 bhp
- | transmission     = Manual or automatic
+ | transmission     = Manual or automatic}}
- | options          = Various customer options
-}}
-The '''Ford R-Series''' was a range of [[single-decker bus]] and [[single-decker bus|single-decker]] [[coach (bus)|coach]] [[chassis]], built by [[Ford of Britain|Ford UK]] that evolved from designs made by [[Thames Trader]] until the mid-1960s. A number of components were shared with the [[Ford D-series|D-series]] lorry, including the engine which was mounted vertically at the front of the vehicle, ahead of the front [[axle]] so as to provide a passenger entrance opposite the [[bus driver|driver]]. The original '''R192''' and longer '''R226''' models later became the '''R1014''' and '''R1114''' variants (nominally 10 and 11 metres long respectively with 140&nbsp;bhp engines) which with constant revision and upgrading had become '''R1015''' and '''R1115''' by the mid-1980s. In an attempt to lower the floor height of the vehicle, the [[turbocharged]] [[diesel engine]] was tilted over to one side around 1978. [[Manual transmission|Synchromesh transmission]] was fitted as standard but some later examples were equipped with [[Allison Transmission|Allison]] automatic gearboxes to ease the driver's workload in urban areas.
+The '''Ford R series''' was a range of [[single-decker bus]] and [[single-decker bus|single-decker]] [[coach (bus)|coach]] [[chassis]], built by [[Ford of Britain|Ford]] that evolved from designs made by [[Thames Trader]] until the mid-1960s. A number of components were shared with the [[Ford D series|D-series]] lorry, including the engine which was mounted vertically at the front of the vehicle, ahead of the front [[axle]] so as to provide a passenger entrance opposite the driver.<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/21st-june-1968/18/r-series R-Series] ''[[Commercial Motor]]'' 21 June 1968</ref> The original '''R192''' and longer '''R226''' models later became the '''R1014''' and '''R1114''' variants (nominally 10 and 11 metres long respectively with 140&nbsp;bhp engines) which with constant revision and upgrading had become '''R1015''' and '''R1115''' by the mid-1980s. In an attempt to lower the floor height of the vehicle, the [[turbocharged]] [[diesel engine]] was tilted over to one side around 1978. [[Manual transmission|Synchromesh transmission]] was fitted as standard but some later examples were equipped with [[Allison Transmission|Allison]] automatic gearboxes to ease the driver's workload in urban areas. It ceased production in 1985.<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/page/13th-april-1985/20 Ford drops R-series] ''Commercial Motors'' 13 April 1985</ref>
+[[Hyundai Motor Group|Hyundai]] licensed this bus to 'R Bus' in 1970s.<ref>[https://www.bobaedream.co.kr/view?code=truck&No=22371] ''보배드림'' 20 April 2006</ref>
 ==Popularity==
-In the [[United Kingdom]] the design was popular during the 1970s, when considerable financial assistance was available to operators for fleet renewal, but following the election of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] Government in 1979, the [[subsidy]] money began to dry up causing demand for full-size buses and coaches to decline and the last R-Series was built around 1986. [[Front-engine design|Front-engined]] [[bus]]es have generally fallen out of favour in [[Europe]], as new accessibility requirements favour rear- or side-engined designs so as a low front entrance can be provided. Few examples of the Ford R-series remain in current passenger use, but many have gone on to second lives as [[Motorhome|mobile homes]] and [[Stock car racing|stock car transporters]].
+In the [[United Kingdom]] the design was popular during the 1970s, when considerable financial assistance was available to operators for fleet renewal, but following the election of the [[First Thatcher ministry|Conservative Government]] in 1979, the [[subsidy]] money began to dry up causing demand for full-size buses and coaches to decline and the last R series was built around 1986. [[Front-engine design|Front-engined]] buses have generally fallen out of favour in [[Europe]], as new accessibility requirements favour rear- or side-engined designs so a low front entrance can be provided. Few examples of the Ford R series remain in current passenger use, but many have gone on to second lives as [[Motorhome|mobile homes]] and [[Stock car racing|stock car transporters]].
 ==Major users==
-Another significant user of the type was [[Jersey Motor Transport]], who, during the 1970s and 1980s, purchased little else.  The operational [[Fleet vehicles|fleet]] consisted 100% of this bus model for several years during this period, and was chosen because of the manufacturer's willingness to supply chassis of non-standard width and length to suit local size limits. Many of these vehicles received bodywork by [[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]] whose narrow-width Dominant also found buyers on other chassis in the UK, but earlier examples were constructed by Willowbrook and later versions by Wadham Stringer. JMT also had a number of longer and wider examples, which had started life in the late 1960s with Trimdon Motor Services in the north-east of [[England]]: these [[Plaxton]]-bodied buses required special dispensation to operate on the island, being restricted to certain services where the roads could accommodate them. All were sold for further use after a few years. A similar model was used by the [[Inner London Education Authority]] as [[school bus]]es.
+A significant user of the type was Jersey Motor Transport, who, during the 1970s and 1980s, purchased little else. Its fleet consisted 100% of this bus model for several years during this period, and was chosen because of the manufacturer's willingness to supply chassis of non-standard width and length to suit local size limits. Many of these vehicles received bodywork by [[Duple Coachbuilders|Duple]] whose narrow-width [[Duple Dominant|Dominant]] also found buyers on other chassis in the UK, but earlier examples were constructed by [[Willowbrook (bus manufacturer)|Willowbrook]] and later versions by [[Wadham Stringer]]. JMT also had a number of longer and wider examples, which had started life in the late 1960s with Trimdon Motor Services in [[North East England]]: these [[Plaxton]]-bodied buses required special dispensation to operate on the island, being restricted to certain services where the roads could accommodate them. All were sold for further use after a few years. A similar model was used by the [[Inner London Education Authority]] as [[school bus]]es.
 ==References==
@@ Line 40: / Line 37: @@
 ==External links==
 {{Portal|Buses}}
-* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/29197902@N06/4857464896/ Ford R series brochure]
+*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/29197902@N06/4857464896/ Ford R series brochure]
+{{Ford of Europe}}
-[[Category:Ford of Europe vehicles|R-Series]]
+[[Category:Ford of Europe vehicles|R series]]
 [[Category:Bus chassis]]
 [[Category:Buses of the United Kingdom]]
 [[Category:Coaches (bus)]]
 [[Category:Step-entrance buses]]
-[[Category:Road vehicles manufactured in the United Kingdom]]
+[[Category:Vehicles introduced in 1965]]