Operators saw the value of this impressive bus with its large seating capacity and soon many fleets had the Daimler rear engine passenger vehicles. These varied in design depending upon specifications required by the customer. Some preffered shortor chassis than those offered as standard; SHMD and Walsall were examples of this sort of client, the Walsall models carrying 65 passengers on CRG6-27 chassis. The CRG6LX-33 double deckers and SRG6LX-36 single deckers proved to be popular with transport authorities such as West Bromwich, Middlesbrough, Birkenhead, Midland Red, and Glasgow.
The end of the 1960's witnessed the merger of Daimler with Leyland, whose Atlanteans were already in a strong position on the bus market, and soon a Leyland 680 engine was employed by Daimler, the chassis being referred to as a CRL6, the start of a renaming period of Daimler chassis. However the end of the 1970's saw Daimler's name disappear on new models, to be replaced by the Leyland Fleetline insignia.
Today there are a few Fleetlines still operating with UK companies although they are disappearing. Travel West Midlands ran their last Fleetlines in the late 1990's.
The bus featured is a Greater Manchester Transport fleetline 4753. Following de-regulation and a succession of sell offs the GMT livery has now been well and truly lost. The orange and white livery belongs in Manchester. Stagecoach and Arriva liveries do not.
|
