54-624: The Leyland Lynx was a step-entrance integral single-deck bus manufactured by Leyland in Workington , England between 1986 and 1992. After the takeover by Volvo , it was succeeded by the Volvo B10B . The Leyland Lynx (B60) was designed in 1984 as a replacement for the ageing Leyland National , being unveiled at the 1985 International Bus & Coach Exhibition at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre . Although
108-425: A bus war with local independent operator Connexionsbuses in 2011. It concerned bus services operating in and around the market town of Wetherby . In the same year, a retendering exercise by North Yorkshire County Council saw all of the company's council contracted routes transferred to other operators. An exception was service X59, which operated between Harrogate and Skipton via Bolton Abbey . Initially,
162-471: A step entrance , Leyland offered the option of a floor with a step in the middle or one that gently ramped from aft of the front platform to the rear. A plan for offering this bus with a single-piece flat windscreen was considered, but was not carried out. A common feature, therefore, is that the Lynx has two separate windscreens and has the driver's windscreen raked back, resembling 1950s single-decker buses and
216-676: A combined ten minute frequency between Harrogate and Knaresborough, with services extending at a reduced frequency to housing estates within Knaresborough – Aspin (1A), Eastfield (1B), and Carmires/The Pastures (1C). The non-suffixed route 1 serves Harrogate, Starbeck, and Knaresborough only. As of November 2024, services are operated by a fleet of Mercedes-Benz eCitaros in a red livery. Features include free WiFi, USB charging and audio-visual next-stop information. The 7 runs between Harrogate and Leeds via Wetherby , Boston Spa and Seacroft at an hourly frequency. Services are operated by
270-522: A flat floor ranging between 760 and 1,370 mm (30 and 54 in) above the top of the railhead (ATOR). To enhance accessibility and optimize dwell times , railway platform heights at stations are sometimes standardised to allow level boarding for commuters on high platforms. According to one definition, level boarding means the gap between the platform and the floor of the track varies by no more than 76 mm (3 in) horizontally and 16 mm ( 5 ⁄ 8 in) vertically. Level boarding
324-429: A fleet of Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE single-deck vehicles, dedicatedly branded for the route in a two-tone red livery. Features include free WiFi, USB charging and audio-visual next stop information. The 36 is one of the group's flagship services, running between Leeds and Harrogate via Harewood up to every ten minutes, and extending to Ripon via Ripley every 30 minutes. Services are operated by
378-484: A fleet of high-specification Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL double-deck vehicles, dedicatedly branded for the route in a two-tone black and red livery. Features include free WiFi, USB charging, coach-style seating with a 2+1 arrangement upstairs, an on-board library and audio-visual next stop information. The former West Yorkshire Road Car Company depot at Grove Park in Harrogate was sold for redevelopment in
432-569: A frequency of every 20 minutes, the 4 operates every hour, and the 6 operates every 30 minutes. In October 2018, the 24 to Pateley Bridge became mainly electric-bus operated, with 2 battery-electric Optare Solo SR EVs branded in the Harrogate Electrics livery allocated for the route, however these buses have since been withdrawn from use. The 1 brand encompasses a group of routes (1, 1A, 1B and 1C), which operate between Harrogate and Knaresborough via Starbeck . Routes operate at
486-477: A new red and black colour scheme. During 2013, the remainder of the fleet underwent a transformation. All services (except for the dedicatedly branded route 36 ) adopted the Harrogate Connect identity. In 2016, the company underwent a significant transformation. As part of this, the company rebranded as The Harrogate Bus Company , and initiated a fleet modernisation program. The first phase involved
540-503: A new underground light rail line is equipped with platforms for low-floor trams and will be permanently operated with low-floor vehicles. This form of design and construction will avoid the need for subsequent rebuilding of stops on tram routes, even though both cities already have underground lines with high-floor platforms. Buses in the UK were traditionally step-entrance built, however this has created problems for people who use wheelchairs as
594-434: A railcar more rapidly if they do not have to climb stairs to enter, reducing dwell time at a stop, and reducing overall travel time. In addition, high-platform railcars have more floor space for passengers if space is not required for stairways, and wheelwells needed to accommodate train bogies . Because bilevel rail cars have two passenger levels within a standard height rail car, the lower level, where passengers board,
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#1732801411089648-441: A refurbishment program. The route received a new identity – named ‘36 City Connect’ – and a new red and black livery was introduced, alongside the addition of new leather coach-style seats, and the introduction of a 2+1 seating arrangement behind the staircase upstairs. The buses were also fitted with new new front fascias, as seen on their facelifted second generation model , and new powertrains. The company also became involved in
702-717: Is also known as stepless entry since passengers do not have to negotiate a staircase to board the passenger car. For newly constructed routes, routes primarily located in tunnels, or routes with a dedicated right of way and enough space, high platforms are usually preferred, since high-floor vehicles are cheaper to manufacture, and have better operating characteristics. High platforms do have significant advantages beyond level boarding for wheelchair accessibility. Physically disabled passengers (e.g. those using wheelchairs or who have difficulties climbing stairs) also benefit, as do travelers pulling wheeled luggage or small folding shopping carts. Even physically non-disabled passengers can board
756-430: Is generally lower than a conventional high-floor car. Hence level boarding with a bilevel car is accomplished using a lower platform, as low as 460 mm (18 in) ATOR. Because tram/light-rail/streetcar vehicles often share loading gauge sizes with heavy rail vehicles, these passenger vehicles usually also use high floor designs. Existing tram/streetcar/light-rail networks generally feature low platforms as many of
810-582: Is now served by the Flyer A2 service, operated by Transdev York & Country . It was introduced in September 2020, as part of a joint partnership between Leeds Bradford Airport, Transdev Blazefield and West Yorkshire Combined Authority . In January 2006, French-based operator Transdev acquired the Blazefield Group, along with 305 vehicles. In 2010, the company was rebranded under
864-566: Is the city railway in Cologne; in the mid-1990s, it was decided to divide that city's partially high-platform network into two separate networks: high-floor and low-floor. In contrast with some light rail underground lines, which are often provisionally equipped with low platforms or with tracks laid on raised ballast, there are new developments in the German cities of Düsseldorf (Wehrhahn line) and Dortmund (east–west line). In each of these cities,
918-585: Is the removal of all of the patterned body skirts, combined with the replacement of the square wheel arches with non-patterned round ones. Both of these modifications were made to make it easier to replace such parts in the event of an accident. In Australia, the JW Bolton bodied demonstrator has been preserved by the Sydney Bus Museum . [REDACTED] Media related to Leyland Lynx at Wikimedia Commons High-floor High-floor describes
972-667: The State Transit Authority , but the trial never occurred and they were sold to John J Hill , Wollongong . In 1988, Singapore Bus Service took delivery of an Walter Alexander bodied Leyland Lynx. Originally serving feeder bus routes in Ang Mo Kio , it eventually ended up on employee bus services between Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot and Yishun . It was involved in an accident in August 2001 and had its original Lynx-style front replaced with an Alexander PS type style. It
1026-761: The Wright Handybus . Engines offered were the Leyland TL11, Gardner 6HLXCT and Cummins L10, while the Lynx II was also available with the Volvo THD102KF. In 1990, the updated Lynx Mark II version was introduced. It could be recognised easily by its protruding front dash/grille panel, whilst the original design was flat. Additionally, a select few of the 140 vehicles produced featured Volvo engines, which drastically reduced performance in pursuit of more environmentally friendly engines. The Mark II
1080-493: The deregulation of bus services in 1986, Harrogate Independent Travel was set up by a number of West Yorkshire Road Car Company drivers, in a bid to challenge their former employer. The company was subsequently purchased by AJS Group in April 1989. In August 1991, Harrogate & District Travel was included in the purchase of AJS Group by Blazefield Group , following the sale of seven of the company's eight remaining bus firms at
1134-625: The 21 (Knaresborough to Boroughbridge and Roecliffe ), the 24 (Harrogate to Pateley Bridge ), the 59 (Harrogate to Skipton ), and the X98/X99 ( Wetherby to Leeds ). Local services operating in and around Harrogate are operated by a fleet of eight high-specification, battery-electric Volvo 7900 single-deck vehicles in dedicated branding. The vehicles, which were announced in February 2017, were introduced into service in July 2018. The project
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#17328014110891188-449: The B60 was the first bus to carry the Lynx brand, Leyland had previously used it on truck chassis between 1936 and 1940, and again between 1968 and 1979. The Lynx name has since been revived by Ashok Leyland for use on a midibus . Production vehicles began to enter service in 1986, the majority were bodied by Leyland at its Workington factory where the underframe was produced. All have
1242-583: The Carmires route 1C. Following the rebrand of the company in 2016, a two-tone red livery was introduced for local bus services in and around the spa town of Harrogate. As well as serving as a corporate livery, it is also used as a base for dedicated route brands such as the 1, the 7, and the Harrogate Electrics network. In addition to these routes, the Harrogate Bus Company operates several other services under its corporate brand, including
1296-544: The Eclipse Urbans were equipped with new front fascias, as seen on their facelifted second generation model . The refurbished Wright Eclipse Geminis entered service in June 2016, while the Eclipse Urbans entered service on route 1 on 17 July, replacing older Wright Renown bodied Volvo B10BLE single-deckers that were branded for the route. In July 2017, a new brand was introduced for the route 770/771 , resulting in
1350-777: The North East of England, Cleveland Transit , Busways Travel Services and Go-Ahead Northern also took delivery of Lynxes. Other operators of Leyland Lynxes included municipally-owned operators Lothian Regional Transport , who in 1991, took delivery of twelve Lynxes uniquely built with dual doors, Isle of Man Transport , who took delivery of two Lynxes in 1989, and Nottingham City Transport . Lynxes were also ordered by former municipals and National Bus Company subsidiaries such as Brighton Transport, Boro'line Maidstone and Merthyr Tydfil Transport. The AJS Group also purchased Lynxes for its Harrogate & District and Keighley & District operations. The last two Lynxes to roll off
1404-717: The Tilling Group, West Yorkshire Road Car Company was nationalised. In 1968, West Yorkshire Road Car Company became a subsidiary of the National Bus Company . In 1987, West Yorkshire Road Car Company was sold in a management buyout to the AJS Group, owned by former East Yorkshire Motor Services managing director, Alan Stephenson. The business was split into smaller companies in December 1988, one of which became Harrogate & District Travel. Following
1458-545: The buses are not wheelchair accessible, as well as being somewhat difficult for passengers with reduced mobility and parents who may be carrying prams and pushchairs. Despite low-floor buses first being phased into the UK in 1994, a large number of step-entrance buses remained in use as well as being manufactured. However with the popularity of low-floor buses expanding by the late 1990's due to their easy accessibility for elderly passengers with reduced mobility, passengers with disabilities and parents carrying prams and pushchairs,
1512-415: The delivery of fourteen brand new high-specification Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL double-decker buses for operation on route 36 . These new buses replaced older Wright Eclipse Gemini vehicles, and the route received a new identity – named ‘Riding Redefined’ – along with a new two-tone red and black livery. The new fleet entered service in late January. Later that year, a new two-tone red livery
1566-520: The early 1990s. Following which Harrogate & District Travel operated from two depots; minibuses being based at Camwal Road in Starbeck and conventional buses at Manse Lane in Knaresborough . Both depots soon became too small to accommodate an increasing fleet and the former Vibroplant depot on Prospect Road in Starbeck was purchased. The whole fleet was then operated from a single site, with
1620-890: The end of their economic or maintainable life. To get around this, a wheelchair compliant step-entrance bus introduced by Wrightbus, the Eclipse SchoolRun was produced in 2006, fitted with a wheelchair lift to allow wheelchair-bound passengers onto the bus, but no further wheelchair compliant step-entrance bus designs were produced. Due to the Terms Of The Disability Discrimination Act requiring all buses in public service to be wheelchair accessible, non-compliant step-entrance single deckers and their low floor counterparts were outlawed after 31 December 2015, with non-compliant step-entrance double deckers and their low floor counterparts following suit after 31 December 2016, however exemptions apply for
1674-463: The first Enviro400EV revealed at an unveiling event in June. They were announced to be expected to start entering service from early September. The first five eCitaros entered service on 18 November on route 1. 2024 also saw the introduction of route 4, a service linking King Edwin Park housing estate with Harrogate. In October 2024, route 1D to The Pastures estate of Knaresborough was merged with
Leyland Lynx - Misplaced Pages Continue
1728-404: The interior floor of these vehicles. The term is used in contrast with low-floor designs, which offer a decreased floor and entry height above the street surface. Since low-floor designs generally were developed after high-floor vehicles, the older high-floor design is sometimes also known as conventional or the “traditional” design. A rail vehicle of conventional or high-floor design usually has
1782-473: The interior flooring of commuter vehicles primarily used in public transport such as trains , light rail cars and other rail vehicles, along with buses and trolleybuses . Interior floor height is generally measured above the street surface or above the top of the rail. High-floor designs usually result from packaging requirements: mechanical items such as axles, motors, crankshafts, and/or transmissions, or luggage storage spaces are traditionally placed under
1836-621: The last three withdrawn from passenger service in March 2009, although 10 remained in the driver training fleet until March 2010. Another significant operator of Leyland Lynxes were Caldaire Group companies West Riding and Yorkshire Woollen. The companies purchased 129 Mk1 and Mk2 Lynxes new or second-hand until late 1991, replacing former National Bus Company vehicles as part of a yearly fleet replacement programme. Other Caldaire Group operators who purchased Leyland Lynxes included Tees & District and United Automobile Services , while elsewhere in
1890-550: The limited use of non-compliant heritage buses on vintage bus services, as well as Transport For London's Heritage Routemasters due to their service being overlaid on the high-frequency low-floor Route 15. In San Francisco , the Muni Metro light-rail system, which has both on-street and underground stations, uses a combination of high and low platforms, and the vehicles feature retractable stairs to accommodate both platform types. For on-street stations, stairs are deployed within
1944-508: The name Transdev in Harrogate . As part of this, a new butterscotch and burgundy livery was introduced across the fleet, with the exception of the double-decker Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL vehicles dedicatedly branded for the company's Leeds to Harrogate and Ripon route 36 , which received a revision to its original black, red and grey livery in 2009. In 2011, the Wright Eclipse Gemini route 36 fleet underwent
1998-439: The new fleet commenced service on the route, gradually replacing the entire existing fleet of Volvo B10BLE Wright Renown vehicles, which were phased out of service in Harrogate by 2018. However, in April 2018, due to the loss of council funding for the 70 to Connexionsbuses , the 71 was once again renumbered and rebranded, now operating as the “Simple 7". In partnership with DalesBus , the service between Harrogate and Skipton
2052-404: The occasional regular service. In October 2010, all of Halton's remaining Lynxes were sold, the last Lynx produced going into preservation, with the penultimate Lynx used to donate spares. Following the takeover of Leyland by Volvo in March 1988, the Lynx was superseded by the Volvo B10B in 1992. Total production of Lynxes was approximately 1,060 vehicles, including six prototypes (one of which
2106-402: The production line entered service with Halton Transport in August 1992. The Lynx was the core of Halton Transport's fleet for over 10 years; the company was the first municipal operator to order Lynxes and took delivery of the first Mk2 Lynx in 1990, with the operator owning a total of 36 Lynxes at the end of production. In later life at Halton, they were used on a number of school contracts and
2160-541: The production of step-entrance buses slowed, with the last ever non-compliant step-entrance bus design being the double-decked East Lancs Pyoneer in 1997. The production of step-entrance buses in the UK almost fully ceased by 31 December 2000, with the legal requirement for new buses produced to be wheelchair accessible, which forced bus manufacturers to concentrate on making low-floor buses, however bus operators were still allowed to order secondhand non-compliant step-entrance buses and run them on their services until they reach
2214-550: The retrofitting of high platforms on existing routes, while still providing improved accessibility. Although low-floor vehicles began to be developed in the 1920s, the first low-floor tram is generally recognized as the Duewag / ACM Vevey design of 1984 deployed in Geneva, providing a floor height of 480 mm (19 in) ATOR. Tourist coaches generally have very high floors, sometimes greater than 1,000 mm (39 in) above
Leyland Lynx - Misplaced Pages Continue
2268-709: The road surface, in order to have ample room for luggage under the floor. Since boarding must be allowed directly from flat ground, long and steep staircases are needed. Transit buses also use high floors to provide mechanical clearances for solid axles, but the use of dropped axles has enabled the creation of low-floor buses and by 2008 in the United States, the majority of new transit bus orders were for low-floor types. Today, in Germany, all rapid transit railways, most commuter trains , and many light rail vehicles operate as high-floor networks. A notable exception
2322-461: The service was operated commercially and at a reduced frequency, prior to its eventual withdrawal in March 2013. In 2012, the company introduced eight brand-new single-decker Optare Versa vehicles to serve local routes within Harrogate. These buses operated on routes 2 (to Bilton ), 3 (to Jennyfield), and 6 (to Pannal Ash) under the new brand name Harrogate Connect , with the original butterscotch and burgundy livery being revised and replaced by
2376-460: The services being renumbered and rebranded as the “Superior 70/71”. The fleet underwent significant upgrades, with Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE single-deck vehicles transferred from Transdev’s Burnley operations and refurbished to match the WiFi connectivity, USB charging capabilities, and audio/visual next stop information features as seen on the refurbished route 1 buses. On 23 July,
2430-440: The stations or stops are in the streets. The high construction/conversion cost of high platforms and the difficulty of making high platforms compatible with other features of the urban landscape are a significant obstacle to converting tram networks these into urban or commuter rail networks with high platforms. These problems were a major motivation for the development of low-floor trams , which allow transit operators to avoid
2484-409: The time – a deal valued at £2.2 million. In October 1996, the company further expanded, following the transfer of Cowie Group 's operations in the cathedral city of Ripon . In April 2005, the company was awarded the contract to operate service 767, which ran between Harrogate and Leeds Bradford Airport . The contract was subsequently awarded to Dales & District in April 2010. The route
2538-493: The vehicle to allow boarding from low platforms; as the trains move underground, the stairs rise until they are flush with the floor to allow boarding from high platforms. Harrogate %26 District The Harrogate Bus Company operates both local and regional bus services in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire , England. It is a subsidiary of Transdev Blazefield . In November 1906, The Harrogate Road Car Company
2592-824: Was also available as a bus underframe for other coachbuilders to body. Although the large majority of Lynxes carried the Leyland body, seven chassis were bodied by Alexander with N-type bodywork for Citybus (Belfast) , including the first prototype. Northern Counties also catalogued bodies for the Lynx but none were built. The type saw service all over the United Kingdom, with the largest fleet owned by West Midlands Travel . A total of 258 were purchased, including six demonstrators, delivered early in 1986 equipped with Gardner engines and semi-automatic Leyland Hydracyclic gearboxes (which were later converted to ZF automatic). They were gradually withdrawn from 2000 onwards, with
2646-577: Was also introduced for the standard fleet, and ten Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B7RLE single-deckers were refurbished for operation on route 1 , including six existing buses and four new transfers from other Transdev subsidiaries. These, along with two Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL and B9TLs recently replaced from the 36 fleet, were upgraded with modern passenger amenities such as WiFi connectivity, USB charging capabilities and audio/visual next stop information, and were also fitted with superchargers to reduce NOx emissions. Additionally,
2700-826: Was eventually withdrawn and scrapped in 2005. Conversely one Leyland Tiger received a Lynx-style Leyland body for export to New Zealand, initially being operated by Newmans Coach Lines and later Go Bus Transport . In 1990, three of the order being built for West Midlands Travel were sent to Australia as demonstrators. Two operated with ACTION , while the third was demonstrated to the State Transport Authority and State Transit Authority , before all three were sold to Southtrans . Several Lynxes have now entered preservation, with some requiring extensive rebuilding to bring them back to original condition, due to body corrosion, as well as reversing modifications made by operators during their history. One such example
2754-467: Was formed. Initially operating steam-powered buses, the company adopted conventionally-fuelled petrol buses in 1911. In 1924, the company was absorbed into Tilling & British Automobile Traction and renamed the Harrogate & District Road Car Company. Following the company's expansion, it was further renamed West Yorkshire Road Car Company in 1927, to reflect the wider service area provided. In 1948, along with other companies that were then part of
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#17328014110892808-534: Was funded partly by Transdev (£1.7 million), with a further £2.25 million of funding granted from the Government's Low Emission Bus Scheme. Features include free WiFi, USB charging and audio-visual next-stop announcements. The Harrogate Electrics network encompasses the company's local routes within Harrogate – the 2 to Bilton , the 3 to Jennyfield, the 4 to King Edwin Park, and the 6 to Pannal Ash and Beckwith Knowle Business Park. The 2 and 3 operate at
2862-522: Was not bodied) and several development vehicles. About 140 of the total were Lynx Mark IIs. A small number of Lynxes were exported as demonstrators, but no sales ever resulted. In 1984, a framed chassis was sent to Australia. After being completed by JW Bolton in Perth , it operated for Transperth , ACTION and Hornibrook Bus Lines before being sold to Lever Coachlines in 1987. In 1989, two were bodied by Pressed Metal Corporation as demonstrators for
2916-570: Was reintroduced in May 2021 – the first direct service between the two towns for eight years. As of April 2022, four buses per day operate on summer Saturdays. In 2024, the company's entire fleet will be converted to operation with battery-electric buses. Partially funded by the UK government's Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme, 20 Mercedes-Benz eCitaro single-deck vehicles and 19 Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double-deck vehicles – worth £21 million collectively – have been ordered, with
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