MCW/ Park Royal Fleetline Bodywork

[craighu]

Hi all

Can anyone tell me just what was the difference between MCW and Park Royal bodies on the fleetlines in the 6301-6800/6866-7000 batches? I've seen so many photos and can never see anything to differentiate between them!

Any info much appreciated
Cheers
Craig ;-)

[Gareth]

The guttering over the emergency door is different shapes. (Looks like an upturned 'U' on MCW bodies)
MCW were oval around the fuel filler, rectangle on PR.
There is a beading strip on the front and rear roof domes on MCW bodies.
Offside emergency exits are different.
Upper emergency exit glass is different size.
Moulding around destination display is flatter on MCW and more rounded on PR.

I'm sure there are others that I have forgotten.

[craighu]

Cheers Gareth, a 20 yr old mystery that was bugging me solved! I'll enjoy going back through the photos to spot those.
Ta
Craig

[Bob]

Inside the bus the interior window on the panel thing by the doors and steps was totally different on park royals to mcw. I always thought park royals rattled a lot more when they got older but that said I always thought tbe back end of them looked much more attractive than the mcw

[Mike K]

Many of the differences were so subtle it was hard to put your finger on what many of them were, but I agree with Bob, the Park Royal ones were far better looking (from all angles in my opinion) than the MCW ones.

[Gareth]

I think a lot of people preferred the Park Royal bodies, but I much prefer the MCW examples. I think they are very handsome vehicles.

[Mike K]

I think a lot of people preferred the Park Royal bodies, but I much prefer the MCW examples. I think they are very handsome vehicles.

That's just your Washwood Heath bias Gareth  ;)

[Gareth]

I think a lot of people preferred the Park Royal bodies, but I much prefer the MCW examples. I think they are very handsome vehicles.

That's just your Washwood Heath bias Gareth  ;)

Haha, probably! Was always surprised that WH garage had such a large PR allocation!

[craighu]

Thanks for your comments guys :D...yes, I can indeed spot some of the subtle differences.Pity there aren't many back end photos, would be good to see a PR and Mcw from the rear!!:-()rear;-)

[Mike K]

Thanks for your comments guys :D...yes, I can indeed spot some of the subtle differences.Pity there aren't many back end photos, would be good to see a PR and Mcw from the rear!!:-()rear;-)

They're out there if you look, here's a Park Royal one:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZOX1B0UI8h0/Sw20ILQfKVI/AAAAAAAAJ78/Y1tjGxTP2z0/s1600/WDA-682T.W.M.jpg
The Leyland badges on the back started to appear from S reg onwards but tended not to be replaced after repaint or if they came off.

[Gareth]

I remember being a very small child asking my Mum why one bus said Leyland and one bus said Daimler on the back. Yet they looked just the same. That confused my small mind!

[Mike K]

I remember being a very small child asking my Mum why one bus said Leyland and one bus said Daimler on the back. Yet they looked just the same. That confused my small mind!

That always confused me too. The first Park Royal example with Leyland badges was 6630, and living on the Cotteridge operated Pershore Road routes at the time I was puzzled why, from 6621-6630 which were new to CE, 6621 to 6629 were Daimlers and 6630 was Leyland.

[4130Quinton]

They all appear to have been licensed as Daimlers though, mine all say Daimler on their log books anyway (6918, 6919, 6985). 4130 is my only genuinely Coventry built Daimler.....

[Mike K]

I read somewhere that the Leyland name began being used when production switched to Lancashire. Having said that, the Leyland badges on the WMPTE ones only started appearing a few years after that.

[4130Quinton]

I read somewhere that the Leyland name began being used when production switched to Lancashire. Having said that, the Leyland badges on the WMPTE ones only started appearing a few years after that.

That is correct Mike yes. I'm assuming that as mine were all licensed as Daimlers that the others were too or possibly only Coventry ones were, a patriotic choice as Daimler was a Coventry firm. It would be interesting to hear from other owners of preserved Leyland built Fleetlines to see what they are licensed as.