Dennis Loline

Dennis Loline
Preserved Aldershot & District Traction East Lancashire Coachbuilders bodied Dennis Loline I in Alton in July 2024
Overview
Manufacturer	Dennis
Production	1958–66
Assembly	Guildford, England
Body and chassis
Doors	1
Floor type	Step entrance
Powertrain
Engine	AEC AV470 Leyland O.600 Gardner 6LW Gardner 6LX
Dimensions
Length	8.5 m (27 ft 11 in) to 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Width	2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Height	4.12 m (13 ft 6 in)

The Dennis Loline was a low-height double-decker bus manufactured by Dennis between 1958 and 1966.

History

Preserved City of Oxford Motor Services Loline II

The Dennis Loline was basically a license-built Bristol Lodekka, being primarily supplied to municipal, private sector British Electric Traction fleets and independent bus companies in the United Kingdom, during a period when Bristol's sales were restricted to state-owned bus companies.^[1][2]

Production was to cease in 1962, however this was quickly reversed and it continued to be made until 1966.^[3][4][5]

Three versions of the Dennis Loline were built: the Loline with rear entrance, Loline II with front entrance and the later Loline III with a revised front grille in front of the radiator and a different clutch and constant mesh gearbox.^[6][7][8][9]

Barton's unique Dennis Loline II, 1984

In 1961, Barton Transport commissioned No. 861, which had lowbridge bodywork on a Loline chassis, and was the lowest ever roofed British double-decker. It was specially designed to pass under an ultra low railway bridge at Sawley Junction, now Long Eaton, station.^[10]

Aldershot & District Traction operated the largest number of Dennis Loline buses.^{[citation needed]}

China Motor Bus in Hong Kong put one Dennis Loline into service in 1963. It was the first double-decker bus on Hong Kong Island.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Four New Dennis Three Lorries and a Bus Commercial Motor 24 August 1956
2. A Lower Loline Commercial Motor 29 August 1958
3. Loline output to end Commercial Motor 8 December 1961
4. Loline Back on the Market Commercial Motor 7 December 1962
5. A double-decker comeback by Dennis Commercial Motor 19 March 1976
6. Townsin, AA (1965). British Double Deckers Since 1942. Ian Allan Publishing.^{[page needed]}
7. Dennis Loline Bus Lists on the Web
8. Dennis Loline II Bus Lists on the Web
9. Dennis Loline III Bus Lists on the Web
10. "Barton Transport – Dennis Loline – 861 HAL – 861". Old Bus Photos. Retrieved 20 June 2024.

Further reading

• Brown, S. (2013). The Lodekka Alternatives. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7110-3535-5

External links

• Aldershot & District Bus Interest Group