Bristol SU
| Bristol SU | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer |
Bristol Commercial Vehicles Eastern Coach Works (ECW) |
| Production | 1960–1966 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class |
Bus chassis Coach chassis |
| Body style |
Single-decker bus Single-decker coach |
| Doors | 1 |
| Floor type | Step deck |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 9.0m to 12.0m |
| Width | 2.55m |
| Height | 3.4m |
The Bristol SU was a single-decker bus and single-decker coach chassis built by Bristol Commercial Vehicles between 1960 and 1966. The bodies for these vehicles were built by Eastern Coach Works (ECW). Some of them were built as medium length chassis whereas most of them were built as full length chassis.
The Bristol SU ("small, underfloor-engined") chassis featured the same Albion EN250 engine and BMC rear axle as the Albion Nimbus NS3AN with a David Brown overdrive-top five-speed constant-mesh gearbox and a front axle by Kirkstall. The major difference from the Nimbus was that the radiator was mounted at the extreme front of the chassis. EWT 386C (West Yorkshire's SMA17) was later rebuilt with a Perkins H6.354 5.8-litre engine to test its design for use in the Bristol LH, which superseded the SU as Bristol's lightweight chassis.
The single-decker ECW body was just 7.50 feet (2.29 m) wide and used some similar styling elements to those built for the heavier Bristol MW. The bus bodies were 9.42 feet (2.87 m) high but the coaches were a little taller at 9.83 feet (3.00 m); the length varied depending on the chassis and whether it was to bus or coach style (see table below). A forward entrance was provided opposite the driver's position. Seats were forward-facing in pairs, but where wheel arches protruded above the floor of the bus body, the seats were turned sideways to give sufficient leg room.
The SUs were concentrated in the south-west of England, with 73% of them being built for the shared fleet of Southern National and Western National (Southern National was formally merged into Western National in 1969). The remainder were sold to six other companies that were owned by the Transport Holding Company.
...
Wikipedia