gingerfold:
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Pete.
Hi Pete, Yes, the Bristol Lodekka was an unusual machine, particularly in the line of the transmission.
First picture shows the driveline coming down the chassis on the offside, and then dividing at the diff
to the drivewheels. The second picture shows the diff is further up the chassis, and the driveline going
rearwards and across from this point. I believe the Lodekka was a reliable vehicle, they had a choice
of engines from the start, Gardner 5LW, Gardner 6LW, Bristols own engine, and later, some were fitted
with Gardner 6LX. Ray.
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Sorry Ray but the transmission line you describe was standard industry practice for all low body double decker chassis, and also for most standard height bodied chassis. There’s nothing unusual about that layout.
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Certainly the Lodekka was the first really successful low floor design, the drop centre rear axle which is a feature of modern low floor buses really started with this vehicle.
The second photograph shows one of the prototype designs with the drive being split through 90 degrees mid chassis … vaguely similar to the Albion Reiver in principle. The important thing about the Lodekka/Loline transmission in production was that the dropdown gears for the gearbox output shaft reversed propshaft direction.
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