I have been told that a complete mechanical assessment of Tiger 340 was made by a group up north - I think they took 343 instead. Can anyone involved let us know what was found so that we may become aware of any possble problems which we know nothing about?

Michael Grimes

The Irish Transport Trust had first option on 340 which would have been our preference as the first "Alexander "N" type Tiger. However, in consequence of a fairly comprehensive inspection it was decided by the ITT Committee that they could not commit the membership to the sort of expenditure which would have been necessary to bring it up to the restored condition desired and the condition necessary to pass our annual PSV/MOT test. This takes account of our policy in so far as possible of having our vehicles tested annually and therefore available for use at any time. It also takes account of our policy to have the vehicles maintained by those who have maintained them over the years and are thus totally competent on their maintenance and repair. As you state we eventually decided on 343 because it not only was in extremely good condition overall but also had a certain meaning for us in that when new in February 1984 was the first Tiger to be demonstrated to the Trust by Ulsterbus Engineering.

Moving to 340 it has to be said that there is nothing about the vehicle that cannot be repaired and had it not been for the delivery of new vehicles it unquestionably would have been PSVed by Ulsterbus in the normal course of events for continued service. However, we in the ITT had to look to the future and also our wish to have a Tiger that was going to be available for show and use at an early date.

I should just mention that we also have an understanding with Translink that the Trust's vehicles will be made available to them at all reasonable times. Thus they must be in good overall condition to meet any such requirements. Indeed this has just happened when our Leopard 1591 was made available for use by them for a film that is currently being made in Northern Ireland.

Rather than discuss the issue further in open forum I will e-mail you with details of the areas of 340 which would require attention, if not immediately, certainly at some reasonably early time especially if going to be used on the public highway.