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Wright Endurance

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Wright Endurance
Arriva North West & WalesEndurance bodiedVolvo B10BatLiverpool Airportin 2007
Overview
ManufacturerWrightbus
Production1992 - 1997
AssemblyBallymena,Northern Ireland
DesignerTrevor Erskine[1]
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2
Floor typeStep entrance
ChassisScania K93
Scania N113
Volvo B10B
RelatedWright Endeavour
Powertrain
EngineScania
VolvoTHD103
TransmissionVoith
ZF Ecomat4HP500
Dimensions
Length11.75 metres
Width2.50 metres
Chronology
SuccessorWright Axcess-Ultralow
Wright Liberator

TheWright Endurancewas a step-entrancesingle-decker busbody onScania N113and onVolvo B10Bchassis byWrightbusbetween 1992 and 1997.

Design

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The Wright Endurance was unveiled in November 1991 as the company's first single-decker 'city bus' body, having previously specialised on coach andmidibusbodies. It was the early basis of a Wright body suitable for alow-floor buschassis, with the bodywork constructed with anAlusuissebolted aluminium frame onto the chassis. The Endurance featured a 320 millimetres (13 in) low step at the entrance door, capable of being lowered to 240 millimetres (9.4 in) at the kerbside via the 'kneeling' function of the chassis, supplemented with the fitting of a manual extendable ramp for wheelchair users.[2][3]Design cues from the Endurance would be replicated on Wright'sEndeavourcoach body, with 25 built exclusively forUlsterbusexpress services in 1992 on theLeyland Tigerchassis,[4]as well as future Wright bus bodies through to the early‑2000s.

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First Greater ManchesterCityRanger bodiedMercedes-Benz O405inManchester

Endurance-style bodywork was also built on Mercedes-Benz chassis, in which forms it was given different names.

TheCityRangerwas based on theMercedes-Benz O405chassis, and though structurally similar to the Endurance, it differed visually by having Mercedes' own front-end design as well as shallower side windows. Only 22 were built, 20 of which were delivered to theGRT Group'sGrampianandMidland Bluebirdoperations during 1993; the 14 CityRangers delivered to Grampian were equipped with air-conditioning and double-glazed bonded window glazing.[5][6]

TheUrbanRangerwas more similar to the Endurance, being of almost identical appearance. Only sixteen were built, the first a demonstrator for Mercedes-Benz registered in July 1994; this was later sold toMidland ChoiceofWillenhall,who would purchase three new UrbanRangers in 1996.[7]A pair of UrbanRangers was delivered toUniversityBusofHatfieldfor services in and around theUniversity of Hertfordshirein 1995,[8][9]while the final four UrbanRangers were not sold until 1998, when they went to Chambers ofMoneymorein Northern Ireland. An UrbanRanger was purchased by theBuckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Servicefor conversion into a mobile command unit, while an UrbanRanger was delivered to theIrish Armyfor use as a troop transporter.[citation needed]

Operators

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Travel West MidlandsWright Endurance bodied Volvo B10B inWolverhampton
Preserved First Greater Manchester 'Superbus' Wright Endurance bodied Volvo B10B inKirkby,Merseysidein June 2013

The first production Wright Endurances came in the form of fivehigh-floorexamples built onScania K93chassis forYorkshire TractionofBarnsley,the only Endurances that were built on this chassis.[10][11]Midland Bluebird, meanwhile, were the only other operator to take delivery of Wright Endurances on Scania N113 chassis, with a first batch of 16 delivered to the operator in 1994,[5][6]followed by an additional eight delivered to Midland Scottish alongside two diverted to fellow GRT Group subsidiaryLowlandin 1995.

A majority of Wright Endurance bodies were built on Volvo B10B chassis throughout the body's production run. The largest operator of Wright Endurances on Volvo B10B chassis wasMTL North,who purchased a total of 120 between 1994 and 1996 for use across its coreMerseysidebus network as well as in competition with operators in the area.[12][13]The second-biggest operator,West Midlands Travel,took delivery of a total 65 Endurances on Volvo B10B chassis during 1996. Originally, the company had ordered 150 Endurance-bodied B10Bs, which would have made WMT the largest operator of Endurances, however the order was changed to the in-developmentWright Liberatoron theVolvo B10Lchassis.[14]

GM Buses North,meanwhile, first introduced a fleet of 20 Wright Endurances branded as 'Superbus' for service onManchestertoBuryservices in early 1995, where the operator was running services in competition with MTL Manchester'sVolvo B6midibuses;[15]a further 35 built to Superbus specification were delivered later in 1995 to the operator'sBolton,Bury andOldhamdepots.[16]A smaller operator of Wright Endurances on Volvo B10B chassis included theBlazefield Group,who took delivery of a total 25 Endurances before moving onto theVolvo B10BLEbasedWright Renown;the group'sSovereign Bus & Coachoperation first took delivery of five Endurances in early 1995, which were followed by an additional four Endurances and the purchase of a former demonstrator model during 1996, while Endurances were also operated byHarrogate & Districtfor the36 service,Keighley & DistrictandYorkshire Coastliner.[17][18]

Smaller fleets of Endurances includedBus Éireann,who had ten dual-door examples delivered in 1997,[citation needed]Caldaire Holdings, where five examples were delivered to subsidiary operatorsSMTandWest Ridingrespectively in 1993,[19]andCMT Buses,who had four Endurances delivered in 1995.[20]

References

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  1. ^"Obituary: Trevor Erskine, Wrights' legendary designer".Buses.No. 781. Stamford: Key Publishing. 19 March 2020. p. 16.Retrieved12 December2023.
  2. ^"Wright extends range with 53-seater citybus".Commercial Motor.Temple Press. 14 November 1991. p. 18.Retrieved19 December2023.
  3. ^"Evolution of the Endurance".Coach & Bus Week.No. 31. Peterborough: Emap. 19 September 1992. p. 6.
  4. ^"Wright launches intercity coach".Commercial Motor.Temple Press. 28 May 1992. p. 21.Retrieved19 December2023.
  5. ^ab"Scania order goes to Wrights instead".Coach & Bus Week.No. 55. Peterborough: Emap. 6 March 1993. p. 10.Retrieved13 May2024.Wrights also got the body order for 20 Mercedes O405s, 14 of which will be air-conditioned and double-glazed.
  6. ^abMillar, Alan (7 August 2022)."The Rise of Wrights".Buses.No. 810. Stamford: Key Publishing. p. 60.Retrieved5 December2023.GRT placed orders for the 12m step-entrance Endurance body on Mercedes-Benz O405 and Scania N113CRB chassis for its Grampian and Midland Bluebird fleets. The 20 O405s were delivered in 1993, 14 of them for Grampian built with air conditioning and double glazing. Midland Bluebird received six to a more modest specification, followed in 1994 by 16 Scanias.
  7. ^"Midland Choice choose Mercedes".Bus & Coach Buyer.No. 343. Spalding: Glen-Holland Limited. 2 February 1996. p. 19.
  8. ^"Merc Urbanrangers go to university".Coach & Bus Week.Peterborough: Emap. 1995.
  9. ^Izatt, Andy (25 October 1996). "Universitybus: Building a market".Bus & Coach Buyer.No. 381. Spalding: Glen-Holland Limited. pp. 14–18.In 1995 the company also bought the first two Mercedes OH1416 Urbanrangers which carry 47 seat Wright bodies.
  10. ^Jarosz, Andrew (19 September 1992). "Excellent Endurance".Coach & Bus Week.No. 31. Peterborough: Emap. p. 5.
  11. ^"Wright choice for YT".Commercial Motor.Temple Press. 16 April 1992. p. 18.Retrieved5 December2023.
  12. ^Jarosz, Andrew (19 November 1994). "New vehicles to fight competition".Coach & Bus Week.No. 143. Peterborough: Emap. p. 6.
  13. ^"First new orders part of bigger investment plan".Coach & Bus Week.No. 82. Peterborough: Emap. 11 September 1993. p. 7.Retrieved21 May2024.
  14. ^"West Midlands B10Bs enter service".Bus & Coach Buyer.No. 342. Spalding: Glen-Holland Limited. 26 January 1996. p. 24.
  15. ^"Superbus for GMN Buses".Coach & Bus Week.No. 153. Peterborough: Emap. 4 February 1995. p. 7.Retrieved21 May2024.
  16. ^"Fleet Additions".Bus & Coach Buyer.No. 332. Spalding. 10 November 1995. p. 21.Retrieved30 April2024.GM Buses North is currently placing in service 35 Wright Endurance bodied Volvo B10Bs in addition to 20 similar buses delivered earlier.
  17. ^Izatt, Andy (8 August 1997)."In service report: Wright Endurance Volvo B10B".Bus & Coach Buyer.No. 421. Spalding: Glen-Holland Limited. pp. 16–18.Retrieved30 April2024.
  18. ^Morgan, Mike (23 March 1996)."Sea change at Coastliner".Coach & Bus Week.No. 210. Peterborough: Emap. p. 10.Retrieved30 April2024.
  19. ^"First Wright Volvo B10B".Coach & Bus Week.Peterborough: Emap. 1993. p. 6.
  20. ^"Paladin Darts mean 25 per cent new replacement".Coach & Bus Week.No. 195. Peterborough: Emap. 25 November 1995. p. 27.
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