Leyland Panther
{{Short description|British rear-engined single-decker bus chassis}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{confused|Leyland Panther Cub}}
{{Infobox UK Bus
|background =
|name = Leyland Panther
|image = Winchester_Broadway_-_King_Alfred_UOU419H.JPG
|imagesize =
|caption = Preserved Plaxton bodied Leyland Panther in Winchester in January 2013
|interiorimage =
|interiorcaption =
|manufacturer = Leyland
|assembly = Farington, England
|production = 1964–1972
|operator =
|length = 11.0 metres
|width = 2.5 metres
|height = 3.0 metres
|floortype = Step entrance
|doors = 1 or 2
|weight = 16 tonne GVW max
|chassis = Stepped ladder frame with straight high ladder frame option
|engine = Leyland 0.600H
Leyland 0.680H
|capacity = 9.8 litres
11.1 litres
|powerout = 125-200 bhp
|transmission = Leyland SCG Pneumocyclic with ZF or Voith options
|predecessor =
|successor = Leyland National}}
The Leyland Panther was a rear-engined single-decker bus chassis manufactured by Leyland between the years 1964 and 1972. A version with a smaller engine was released as the Leyland Panther Cub.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/4th-september-1964/57/leylands-panther-has-a-cub Leyland's Panther has a Cub] Commercial Motor 4 September 1964
History
The Leyland Panther was introduced in 1964. In total, over 600 Panthers were built for operators in the United Kingdom, while about 700 Panther chassis were built for export.[http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/index.htm?http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/list.asp?ListName=661&Type=Chassis&Page=2&WW=0 Leyland Panther] Bus Lists on the Web{{better source needed|date=January 2022}}
Operators
= United Kingdom =
Sunderland Corporation Transport ordered 30 Panthers in 1965 with Strachans bodies, all of which were delivered by December 1966;[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/3rd-september-1965/39/leyland-panthers-and-strachans-bodies-for-sunderla Sunderland Bus Switch Proposals] Commercial Motor 3 September 1965[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/19th-december-1969/18/sunderland-may-buy-foreign Sunderland may buy foreign] Commercial Motor 19 December 1969 by 1971 the fleet was 90 strong.{{cite web|title=Bus Lists On The Web |url=http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403115910/http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/ |archivedate=3 April 2007 }} Liverpool City Transport ordered a total of 110 Panthers with Metro Cammell Weymann bodywork while Southport Corporation Transport ordered 22 with Marshall Bus bodywork.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/27th-january-1967/39/liverpool-order-may-include-swifts Liverpool order may include Swifts] Commercial Motor 27 January 1967[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/13th-august-1971/19/smart-panthers-from-marshals Smart Panthers from Marshalls] Commercial Motor 13 August 1971[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/19th-april-1968/48/first-o-m-o-panthers-for First o-m-o Panthers for Liverpool] Commercial Motor 19 April 1968 Preston Corporation amassed a fleet of 41 Panthers, including a number with Seddon Pennine bodies and the last six Panthers built.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
Hull Corporation Transport were an early adopter of the Leyland Panther with Charles H. Roe bodywork, with one Panther being built in 1964 initially for exhibition by the manufacturer at the Commercial Motor Show. The Hull Corporation eventually took delivery of a total twelve Roe-bodied Panthers.{{cite magazine |date=4 September 1964 |title=Park Royal Body on New Panther Cub |url=http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/4th-september-1964/58/park-royal-body-on-new-panther-cub |magazine=The Commercial Motor |volume=120 |issue=3081 |page=58 |location=London |publisher=Temple Press |access-date=25 October 2021}}{{cite magazine |date=29 October 1965 |title=More Roe-bodied Leylands for Hull |url=http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/29th-october-1965/39/titish-after-all |magazine=The Commercial Motor |volume=122 |issue=3141 |page=38 |location=London |publisher=Temple Press |access-date=25 October 2021}}{{cite book|last1=Wells|first1=Malcolm|last2=Morfitt|first2=Paul|title=Hull Corporation Buses |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L_owDwAAQBAJ|date=2017|publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited|isbn=978-1-4456-6754-6|page=6|access-date=9 January 2022}} East Yorkshire Motor Services also ordered Panthers, ordering 19 with Marshall bodywork in 1965 and 1966,{{cite magazine |date=16 July 1965 |title=Large Orders for Marshall |url=http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/16th-july-1965/37/large-orders-for-marshall |magazine=The Commercial Motor |volume=121 |issue=3126 |page=37 |location=London |publisher=Temple Press |access-date=25 October 2021}} while the West Riding Automobile Company took 45 Leyland Panthers in 1967 with both Marshall and Roe bodywork.{{cite magazine |date=1 April 1966 |title=More Bus Bodies from Marshall |url=http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/1st-april-1966/37/more-bus-bodies-from-marshall |magazine=Commercial Motor |volume=123 |issue=3163 |page=37 |location=London |publisher=Temple Press |access-date=25 October 2021}} One has been preserved at the Dewsbury Bus Museum and is restored to "as delivered" condition.
= Exports =
Storstockholms Lokaltrafik in Sweden had 200 left-hand drive Panthers bodied by Park Royal Vehicles.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/11th-june-1965/40/leyland-gets-stockholms-order Leyland Gets Stockholm's Order] Commercial Motor 11 June 1965
The largest quantity of Panthers was purchased by Australia's Brisbane City Council, who purchased 341 between 1966 and 1970.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/8th-july-1966/52/brisbane-goes-for-may-panthers Brisbane goes for Panthers] Commercial Motor 8 July 1966 The Metropolitan Transport Trust in Perth purchased 127 between 1968 and 1974.{{cite book|last1=Tilley|first1=Bruce|title=MTT Perth|date=1985|publisher=Railmac Publications|location=Elizabeth|isbn=0-949817-47-3|page=18}} A few operators including Forest Coach Lines, Grenda's Bus Service, Melbourne-Brighton Bus Lines and Rover Coaches also purchased Panthers."Melbourne-Brighton Bus Lines" Australian Bus Panorama issue 8/4 December 1992 page 8{{cite book|title=New South Wales Bus Operators and Fleet Listings|year=1993|publisher=Historic Commercial Vehicle Association|location=Sydney|page=26}}
Some second-hand Panthers were imported into Australia from Sweden and the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and operated by Fearne's Coaches, Forest Coach Lines, Grenda's Bus Service, Invicta Bus Services and Keiraville Bus Service.{{cite book|last1=Tilley|first1=Bruce|title=British Buses in Australia|date=1986|publisher=Railmac Publications|location=Elizabeth|isbn=0-949817-52-X|pages=38, 39, 46}}
Ten Panthers were sold to Dunedin City Transport in New Zealand,{{cite book|last1=Millar|first1=Sean|last2=Lynas|first2=Ian|title=Leyland Buses in Australia and New Zealand|date=1983|publisher=Millars Transport Books|location=Auckland|page=15}} while another ten went to Egged in Israel and were locally bodied by Ha'argaz.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/25th-september-1964/118/leylands-for-s-africa-and-israel Leylands for S Africa and Israel] Commercial Motor 25 September 1964
{{-}}
References
- Jack, The Leyland Bus (Mark 2), Glossop 1981
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Leyland buses|state=collapsed}}
Category:Vehicles introduced in 1964