The KD story - 1981-1983

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (VWL119) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:37:31 GMT

Didn't the KEs have an Allison 3 speed gearbox and a GM 6V71 engine, a la the KDs?

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (KD 191) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:08:25 GMT

If you had travelled on on a KE you would remember it , loud is not the word for them , springy suspension , but comfortable seats , I once went from Dublin to Cork on KE 43 , it was.................memorable LOL but at that age they were great fun on back roads LOL

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (VC105) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:49:15 GMT

I don't remember much about the KE's at all, in fact i'm not even sure if i was ever on one or not, i can't remember, but i was on alot of KR's and i did like the KR's, they were a nice enough little bus. I remember a bit about the KC's too and i hated them, i know there wasn't an awful lot of difference between the KR's and KC's, but i just didn't like the KC's at all. Although i did like the KR's.

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (KD 191) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:00:31 GMT

I think KS 2 , which then became KR 227 , ended up as KS 227.

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (Nigel) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:55:50 GMT

There were 51 KE class built at Shannon, based on the original KE1 prototype which came from FFG in 1979. They were a fully integral design, of a similar construction to the KD class double deckers, but with a higher floor line. They were mechanically similar to the KDs too, with the GM two stroke engine and Allison 4 speed transmission. KE1 was identifiable by it's rounded roof profile, KE2 to 52 had the familiar squared roof profile.

There were two FFG prototypes for the...

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (green atlantean ) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:11:26 GMT

what is the difference between a KE and a KR .

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (griffin) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:26:01 GMT

GSI340 wrote:
Just to throw a spanner in the works LA25's seats came from KE 31. The seats fitted in LA 25 were standard KE seats in the 'CVH-PD' trim.

You are of course right GSI340, I had a feeling I had the numbers mixed up after posting, my own photo proves me wrong as well!!

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (GSI340) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:58:50 GMT

KR 226 recieved DAF engine sometime in the mid 90's.

Just to throw a spanner in the works LA25's seats came from KE 31. The seats fitted in LA 25 were standard KE seats in the 'CVH-PD' trim.

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (Nigel) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:52:22 GMT

That's a nice pic of United 1501, the GAC demonstrator which became KR226 some years later on return to Bus Éireann. Note the single headlights, an identifying feature of this bus even in Bus Éireann days.

Edit: I believe it had a Cummins engine, did it carry this engine to the end?

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (dublinbusdude) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:39:27 GMT

I think it is Wayne

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (wayne2107) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:27:03 GMT

Is this a KR?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24759744@N02/3638689847/

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (griffin) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:59:48 GMT

KD 191 wrote:
That was probarbly the first KC 124.

Spot on KD191. When I visited there during that period one of the staff offered to sell it to me as a shed!!!

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (KD 191) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:50:33 GMT

That was probarbly the first KC 124.

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (medtrain) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:43:59 GMT

there was also a kc body parked in inchicore outside the paint shop for years i remembe rit from 1988 to 1993 it was a full shell with floor and some bodywork but no engine windows or seats anyone know its id

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (griffin) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:24:30 GMT

KD 191 wrote:
I think (but will have to check) the bus that became KE 52 was a Bombardier demo.

Think you're right KD191. When it was withdrawn at Longford (its last allocation) its seats were transferred into ex Ulsterbus Leopard LA25 which was outbased in Roscommon Town. Strange seeing an LA with coach seats, took photos of it as well just in case someone in years to come tells me I was wrong!!!

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (KD 191) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:38:34 GMT

I think (but will have to check) the bus that became KE 52 was a Bombardier demo.

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (Redstarcastles) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:05:08 GMT

I have seen a picture of it and it did look odd.

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (C236) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 05:40:50 GMT

The coach which became KE52 was delivered with different coloured seats to the rest of the class, and in a livery of white with blue stripes. I heard a rumour at the time that it was destined for the PMPA Tours fleet, but have never been able to confirm that. Does anyone have more info on why it was a different spec?

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (KD 191) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:37:51 GMT

Yeah the K's had some odd numbering in their day , like the two KD 20's (the first becomming KD 191) and the brief period of two KE 51's (the latter becomming KE 52)

Re: The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (Nigel) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:51:22 GMT

Yes, the only difference was, there were two KC124s! The first KC124 was in an accident in Shannon, and was replaced by KC173, which became the second KC124. The eventual replacement KC173 arrived later than it's siblings. So technically, there were 203 finished KCs, though numerically in the fleet only 202. There were only 366 finished KDs.

The KD story - 1981-1983

feeds@yuku.com (Aquavid) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:19:31 GMT

At the time that the KDs were entering service, I was deeply involved in the hobby, and kept extensive notes of everything that was going on. As the KDs entered service, I recorded their allocations to different routes, and the detail mechanical and electrical changes in the different batches.

I then wrote this up in January 1983 as an article for an enthusiast magazine, updating it a few months later in September when the last of the class had arrived.

As it was written...