FGW Class 142

[richw]

Or the build quality of British Leyland

obviously a hell of a lot better than there cars, What pecentage of BL cars havent rusted away by now?

 

[Schnellzug]

I think (perhaps wandering slightly off the topic), one the whole the design of BL cars was pretty good, it was build quality that let them down. Although to be fair, any car from the early 80s that's still in regular use would have to be exceptionally well looked after. The commercial vehicle side, though, I don't think there were many grounds for complaints about build quality, even if the design was sometimes eclipsed by foreign competitors (and Leyland scored a bit of an own goal with the 500 series engine). But after BR put Cummins engines in the Pacers, they seem to hit upon a pretty good recipe really.

 

[WillPS]

Or the build quality of British Leyland combined with the skills of the Maintenance staff at Newton Heath and Heaton to keep them going?

I expect the part interoperability with Leyland Nationals helped them somewhat. As far as build quality, remember that the gearbox and doors have all been completely replaced (fairly early in their life!) because they weren't up to the job!

 

[fgwrich]

I expect the part interoperability with Leyland Nationals helped them somewhat. As far as build quality, remember that the gearbox and doors have all been completely replaced (fairly early in their life!) because they weren't up to the job!

And control systems - though they still seem to be rather slower on the 142s - fairly noticeable when one engine fires up / changes gears / powers down several seconds before the other one does So all in all, they've had new engines / transmissions from Cummins & Voith, New control systems from Voith, New doors from Bolton Brady and some pipe insulation probably from Wickes or B&Q to go around the cab bulkhead!

Though there was one thing to be said about the build quilty of British Leyland & their workers - take for example the interior ceiling holding clips...That it's said that by monday morning, you would find all the roof clips gone in the cars - none left on the workbenches...By friday, half the clips would be left as the workers left the factory!

But as for Leyland Engines - Ive worked with a few on Bristol Buses (Can't beat the sound of an LH With a Leyland 401 Engine, or an RE/VR With a 680though!), But certainly for a while, it seems the basic Leyland Engines did remain in Volvo's commercial vehicle range for a while, as there's a fair few Fire Engines / Appliances & Lorrys from just after the Volvo takeover with Leyland based engines - There's a couple of Fire & Rescue appliances preserved with Leyland based 401 Engines...

As for the 142s - It's an ironic testiment to the Leyland design - seeing as there still with us, with several more years to come...whilst there certainly isnt many/any Leyland Nationals in everyday service anymore (National 1s - Shoddy build, you'd almost have to be mad to want to preserve one!...National 2 - Not bad, Better designed internally, externally and mechanically!)

 

[anthony263]

And control systems - though they still seem to be rather slower on the 142s - fairly noticeable when one engine fires up / changes gears / powers down several seconds before the other one does So all in all, they've had new engines / transmissions from Cummins & Voith, New control systems from Voith, New doors from Bolton Brady and some pipe insulation probably from Wickes or B&Q to go around the cab bulkhead!

Though there was one thing to be said about the build quilty of British Leyland & their workers - take for example the interior ceiling holding clips...That it's said that by monday morning, you would find all the roof clips gone in the cars - none left on the workbenches...By friday, half the clips would be left as the workers left the factory!

But as for Leyland Engines - Ive worked with a few on Bristol Buses (Can't beat the sound of an LH With a Leyland 401 Engine, or an RE/VR With a 680though!), But certainly for a while, it seems the basic Leyland Engines did remain in Volvo's commercial vehicle range for a while, as there's a fair few Fire Engines / Appliances & Lorrys from just after the Volvo takeover with Leyland based engines - There's a couple of Fire & Rescue appliances preserved with Leyland based 401 Engines...

As for the 142s - It's an ironic testiment to the Leyland design - seeing as there still with us, with several more years to come...whilst there certainly isnt many/any Leyland Nationals in everyday service anymore (National 1s - Shoddy build, you'd almost have to be mad to want to preserve one!...National 2 - Not bad, Better designed internally, externally and mechanically!)

Personally if i have found leyland buses to be loverly to drive, that said i have only driven lynz's & alanteans. The best idea i think leyland should have done is used the lynz chasis (Only problems with it was corrusion on the bodywork) and used the national body.

There was talk that leyland did come up with an idea for a low floor version of the lynz (Shame volvo didnt keep the design, would have been much better than the low floor volvo's we have now.)

 

[WillPS]

The Lynx chassis was more or less what the National2 would have been if it was not an integral design though.

 

[Schnellzug]

As for the 142s - It's an ironic testiment to the Leyland design - seeing as there still with us, with several more years to come...whilst there certainly isnt many/any Leyland Nationals in everyday service anymore (National 1s - Shoddy build, you'd almost have to be mad to want to preserve one!...National 2 - Not bad, Better designed internally, externally and mechanically!)

When they were launched in 1972, and the last were built about 1983, is that really surprising? Look out a few pictures of Nationals after they were in accidents to givem an idea of the basic strength of them.