Leyland and Bristol Titan TD7 and Lodekka LD6G

On the left is AVA 363, fleet no.L138 with Central SMT. Built just before the 2nd World War, it carries a Leyland lowbridge body. Alongside is GM 8670, which was B70 in the Central fleet. It is a c.1957 Bristol Lodekka with E.C.W. body which seated 60 passengers, 7 more than the Leyland alongside. These two buses illustrate two different approaches to providing a low-height double-decker. The Leyland has a lowbridge body which features an upper deck with 4-abreast seating and a sunken off-side gangway which impinged on the lower saloon. The Lodekka achieved the same overall height, but maintained 2×2 seating and a central gangway in the upper saloon which gave much better access. This was achieved by lowering the gangway in the lower saloon by off-setting the differential on the rear axle among other modifications.