Dennis Falcon

Dennis Falcon
Mayne Coaches Marshall bodied Dennis Falcon
Overview
Manufacturer	Dennis
Production	1981–1993
Assembly	Guildford, England
Body and chassis
Doors	1 or 2
Floor type	Step entrance
Powertrain
Engine	Gardner 6HLXB Gardner 6HLXCT Perkins Daimler-Benz
Transmission	Voith DIWA851
Dimensions
Length	9.0m to 12.0m
Width	2.5m
Height	3.0m or 4.4m
Chronology
Successor	Dennis Lance

The Dennis Falcon was a rear-engined single-decker bus, double-decker bus and coach chassis manufactured by Dennis between 1981 and 1993. It was mostly built as a single-decker bus, although some express coaches and a small number of double-decker buses were also produced. The total number built was 139, plus one development chassis.

The Falcon was closely derived from the Dennis Dominator, the front half of the chassis being identical. The original horizontal-engined Falcon H had a layout recalling that of the Bristol RE with the longitudinally-mounted Gardner engine driving forward above the Dennis-built portal rear axle to a Voith gearbox and reversing unit which then took drive rearward into the driving-head of the axle. The later Falcon HC had a more orthodox continuous driveline, resembling that of the Seddon Pennine RU, the C (for continuous drive) denoted the Voith transmission close-coupled to the Gardner engine with a short propeller shaft taking drive into a straight Kirkstall spiral-bevel double-reduction rear axle. For these types the frame was raised aft of the rear axle to provide clearance for the underslung engine.

The Falcon V, with Daimler-Benz V6 engines in the double-decker buses and Perkins V8 engines in the coaches, was even closer in frame-concept to the Dominator.

Single-decker buses were based on the Falcon H and HC chassis. Six English municipal operators bought Dennis Falcon single-decker buses between 1981 and 1993: