www.kellstransportmuseum.com - Irelands Operating Bus Museum

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www.kellstransportmuseum.com - Irelands Operating Bus Museum
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Tiger tour bus

hi,

in the photos off the tiger tour toach, the one with all the people who did the work on her, what decker is that in the backround

Re: Tiger tour bus

R 913 Is the Bus in Question

1962 Leyland - Park Royal Decker

Re: History of R 913 and theTiger tour bus

The history of R 913 is interesting.

In or about 1961 CIE were desperately short of double deckers. They hit on the idea of using rebuilt P's mechanicals coupled with new Park Royal Bodies and building them in Dundalk.

But it was not quite as simple as taking a P and making it an R900. They dismantled the P's and sort of put them in parts bins and then collected the parts to make a new chassis. The result is that nobody knows what P's parts are in, say R 913. All we know is that she is a collection of P bits but which bits come from what P nobody knows.

They were absolutely desperate things to drive and R 913 is no exception. A P was bad enough but add 50% more weight for an already heavy steering and you get a beast of a bus best designed for straight line routes and preferably never having to be turned. They also had vacuum brakes which means you get one chance and one only at stopping so you had better get it right! I need hardly point out that they were totally obsolete the day they went into service but they were reliable.

Then there was the gearbox which eas "crash" in more ways than one. This took real talent, foot off accelerator, clutch in, into neutral, shake the cogs free with an accelerator stab, wait for speed to match, clutch in, into gear, clutch out and accelerate.

As for reverse that also was fun. You stand up in the cab, put your foot on the clutch, grab the gear lever with both hands, lift up and lift over the lip into reverse.

One hour of this monstre gives me aching legs and arms.

Now can anyone answer a question on these that has puzzled me for years? My personal memory is that when they came out they had a R 1-137 type engine due to a shortage of engines but that these were soon changed to standard P type Leyland O500 as 913 has an O500. Is this true and if so where did the original engines come from and what were they? The early R had a smooth sound - also found in T 13 to T 22 - but the current and later R 900 had a standard P sound or if you want R 400-833.

We would also be interested in knowing where R 913 served. All help gratefully received.

Finally our 913 is in grade A condition. However on delivery from Dublin to Cork she developed a problema nd rather than risk the engine we sent her to Ballyraggett depot and then towed her down. We are waiting for the shed to look at it but the body is in superb condition. It is easy to say that she should be next for our power washer but there are so many in line that she will have to wait her turn. We will probably take her to Mogeely in 2007 all being well.

Michael Grimes