thE basics
“Leyland Tiger” refers to the chassis, engine and just about everything you can’t see.
“Plaxton Supreme V Express” refers to most of what you can see, inside and out.
Leyland Tiger
Leyland bus and coach chassis were manufactured in Leyland, near Preston.
Although previously used by Leyland from 1927 to 1968, in this case the name ‘Tiger’ refers to a successful chassis design (factory designation B43) built from 1981 to 1993, which superseded the Leopard. “Mary” is therefore an early example and is powered by Leyland’s turbocharged TL11 engine, which was the only option at the time. These engines developed 220 – 245bhp.
Engine capacity: 11,100cc with a four-speed (originally five-speed) electro-pneumocyclic semi-automatic gearbox.
Engine number 8161175; chassis number 8101925.
Plaxton Supreme V Express
Plaxton’s of Scarborough are global leaders in coach bodywork manufacture and have been in business since the 1920’s.
In its full-size version the Supreme was first introduced in 1975 and took over from the Panorama Elite; and in turn was superseded by the Paramount by 1983. The ‘V’ suffix denotes a design change most readily identified by the squared-off rear end with its single window and large, square light clusters, and was the last version of the series in parallel with the VI (which had smaller passenger windows designed for overnight work). The rear end section was carried over to the Paramount.
‘Express’ was an option provided with wider, double passenger doors. OK ordered these coaches primarily for their long-distance stage-carriage (i.e. bus) routes; a government grant was available to operators buying vehicles for bus (rather than coach) operations, one of the conditions of which was to fit these doors for multiple on-off passenger movements at stops. Hence they are known as ‘grant doors’.
“Mary” and her sisters were not pure Supremes. OK Motor Services specified windscreens from the previous Elite design, which were shorter. This was to accommodate a deeper destination board so that multiple ‘via’ destinations could be shown on those long bus routes. The upper edge of the windscreens is lower than the top of the passenger windows and the destination board splits the difference.
However “Mary” has had her front end replaced at least once and possibly twice and was delivered to me with a ‘Leopard’ badge, no doubt the result of a later front-end change cannibalised from one of the latter.
Notwithstanding, by noting the dates and specification details above, it can be surmised that “Mary” is almost certainly the only surviving example of a rare and short-lived design combination.
“Plaxton Supreme V Express” refers to most of what you can see, inside and out.
Leyland Tiger
Leyland bus and coach chassis were manufactured in Leyland, near Preston.
Although previously used by Leyland from 1927 to 1968, in this case the name ‘Tiger’ refers to a successful chassis design (factory designation B43) built from 1981 to 1993, which superseded the Leopard. “Mary” is therefore an early example and is powered by Leyland’s turbocharged TL11 engine, which was the only option at the time. These engines developed 220 – 245bhp.
Engine capacity: 11,100cc with a four-speed (originally five-speed) electro-pneumocyclic semi-automatic gearbox.
Engine number 8161175; chassis number 8101925.
Plaxton Supreme V Express
Plaxton’s of Scarborough are global leaders in coach bodywork manufacture and have been in business since the 1920’s.
In its full-size version the Supreme was first introduced in 1975 and took over from the Panorama Elite; and in turn was superseded by the Paramount by 1983. The ‘V’ suffix denotes a design change most readily identified by the squared-off rear end with its single window and large, square light clusters, and was the last version of the series in parallel with the VI (which had smaller passenger windows designed for overnight work). The rear end section was carried over to the Paramount.
‘Express’ was an option provided with wider, double passenger doors. OK ordered these coaches primarily for their long-distance stage-carriage (i.e. bus) routes; a government grant was available to operators buying vehicles for bus (rather than coach) operations, one of the conditions of which was to fit these doors for multiple on-off passenger movements at stops. Hence they are known as ‘grant doors’.
“Mary” and her sisters were not pure Supremes. OK Motor Services specified windscreens from the previous Elite design, which were shorter. This was to accommodate a deeper destination board so that multiple ‘via’ destinations could be shown on those long bus routes. The upper edge of the windscreens is lower than the top of the passenger windows and the destination board splits the difference.
However “Mary” has had her front end replaced at least once and possibly twice and was delivered to me with a ‘Leopard’ badge, no doubt the result of a later front-end change cannibalised from one of the latter.
Notwithstanding, by noting the dates and specification details above, it can be surmised that “Mary” is almost certainly the only surviving example of a rare and short-lived design combination.