Re: Townobile
  prescottt

There is an excellent article on the Townobile in the current issue of Australian Bus. One thing I didn't appreciate is that Leembruggen also incorporated a stepless floor (gangway) in the interior, which was really a world-leading thing to say the least, as it was almost another 20 years before this became standard in European citybuses (and still hasn't in Australian buses).

I might call on your recollections Tim, but it seems it was not quite a "low" floor in respect of outside access, as the ground clearance was significantly higher back then (before the likes of portal axles were used), but it did have a ramp that could be used if level access was required. It looks as though there was a low entry at the doors though and I assume the gangway must then have ramped into the interior. Anyone recall?

There is a Townobile still stored away somewhere but nobody seems to know where, so personal observations of the interior might be the best bet on these details.

With the state of battery technology at the time, of course new battery packs had to be loaded in at regular intervals so it wasn't a greatly practical proposition. Just some typical Aussie innovation that ended up being rejected here (e.g. also Comeng's low-entry B class tram for Melbourne) and then adopted in the rest of the world.

Tony P

---InTramsDownUnder@..., <mmmoop@...> wrote :

G'day all, Interesting that the Townobile should get a mention. I think I went for a ride on one back in the 70s when I lived in Orange.

It was visiting Orange for some kind of transport convention or something & this was also the time a Melbourne Z class car (86 I think) came to town on the back of a table top truck.

I have pics of both but don't think they're scanned into the computer.

Regards,

Tim, in Sydney.