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Carrus City L
[introduction, details, picture page]
Introduction
The Carrus 204 L, or City L amongst friends, was the firs low floored bus model in Finland to be build in large quantities. The first of these buses appeared on the streets of Helsinki in 1992. Carrus had made some low floored buses on a Scania chassis before, but this model finally reached mass production. The body is built of stainless steel like all Carrus models. The frant and rear masks are made of composite plastic. This model is now the most popular low floor bus in the region and it is used by all the large operators.
The City L bus is a low entry bus, which means that the low floor extends from the front to the middle doors after which there is a single step. The rear slopes to the height of a high floored bus so there are two steps at the back door. The middle door has a ramp for easy boarding of disabled passengers. Some of the first buses had automatic ramps but they had problems withstanding Finnish winter weather so newer buses have manual ramps. A kneeling function can lower the bus to near curb height further easing boarding. Older City L's suffer somewhat from the teething problems of low floor technology which include a rattling interior and occasionally noise and shakyness, especially on Scania's 113 chassis models. Some companies have decorated their buses rather cosily with high backed soft seats and curtains.
The City L is also made in bogie-, CNG bogie- and midi configurations.
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Details
HKL-Bussiliikenne 9301
Chassis: Volvo B10B LE (low entry)
Engine: Volvo THD 103 KF (10l, 245hp)
Transmission: ZF 4HP500 (4-gear. automatic)
Length: 12m
Passengers: 36+2/38
Year: 1993
This was HKL's first City L and its prototype nature can be seen among other things in the interior design and the exceptional seating plan.
HKL-Bussiliikenne 9402-9411
Chassis: Scania N113 CLL (low entry)
Engine: Scania DSC11 24 EDC (11l, 260hp)
Transmission: Voith D863.3
Length: 12m
Passengers: 37+2/35
Year: 1994
The next lot for HKL contained ten buses built on a Scania chassis. Teething problems are still evident in these models and the Scania chassis occasionally shakes the bus like circus ride. These are also getting rather worn by use and at least one has already been partially refurbished and completely repainted.
HKL-Bussiliikenne 9852-9854, 33-36
Chassis: Volvo B10B LE (low entry)
Engine: Volvo DH10A 245 (10l, 245hp)
Transmission: ZF 5HP500 (5-gear. automatic)
Length: 13m
Passengers: 43+4/37
Year: 1998, 2000
These specimen represend the de facty standard City L configuration for the region, with a length of 13 metres and 43 seats. This is a neat basic bus.
Connex 221-225
Chassis: Scania N113 CLB (low entry)
Engine: Scania DSC11
Transmission: ?
Length: 12m
Passengers: ?
Year: 1992
The firts City L buses in the region were these buses with Scania chassis owned by the then Vantaan Liikenne. Some of these have carried the same full-body advertisement all their lives. These can be distinguished from other City L's used by Connex from the missing black stripes near the roof and the rather late-sloping window line.
Connex 162-166, 173-187
Chassis: Volvo B10B LE (low entry)
Engine: Volvo DH10A 245 (10l, 245hp)
Transmission: ZF 5HP500 (5-gear. automatic)
Length: 13m
Passengers: 43+4/37
Year: 2000, 2001
The first buses with Connex's own livery appeared in to traffic in the autumn of 2000. The second series from the sping of 2001 has full-sized matrix displays at the front and new sheek interior lights from Teknoware.
Concordia 70, 117 ym.
Chassis: Volvo B10B LE (low entry)
Engine: Volvo DH10A 245 (10l, 245hp)
Transmission: ZF 4HP500 (5-gear. automatic)
Length: 12m
Passengers: 38+2
Year: 1995
Espoon Auto brought low floor buses into Espoo with these 25 buses. These buses are really comfortable. The back of the seats are pleasantly tilted back and the seat has plenty of cushioning although it is a cup seat. The moquette is an interesting red-black "lava design". The imitation wood panelling make the interior rather cosy altough the red curtains have later been removed. Theses can still be spotted in both EA and Concordia livery.
Concordia 7-9, 17-20 ym.
Chassis: Volvo B10B LE (low entry)
Engine: Volvo DH10A 245 (10l, 245hp)
Transmission: ZF 5HP500 (5-gear. automatic)
Length: 13m
Passengers: 43+2/37
Year: 1996
Espoon Auto's/Transbus's fors 13-metre low floor buses are functional basic buses, but the interior design is rather bleak. These are mostly in the newer light green Espoon Auto livery. Bus number 20 (shown here) has Concordia's second prototype livery.
Concordia 290-292, 294-295, 297-300, ym.
Chassis: Volvo B10B LE (low entry)
Engine: Volvo DH10A 245 (10l, 245hp)
Transmission: Voith D863.4 (4-gear. automatic)
Length: 13m
Passengers: 43+3/37
Year: 1998-2001
Stagecoach started the aquisitions of large amounts of new City L buses and a constant flow could be seen from 1998 to 2000. All of these buses carry Concordia's own livery and the interior is livened up by the blue poles. Very stylish buses.
Concordia 62, 63, 67, 97, 98
Chassis: Volvo B10B LE (low entry)
Engine: Volvo DH10A 245 (10l, 245hp)
Transmission: ZF? (4-gear. automatic)
Length: 13m
Passengers: 43+3/37
Year: 2001
The newest Concordia City L's and probably the last ones to be built in Finland arrived in the summer of 2001. Otherwise like the previous buses, but these have destination text displays.
STA 251-260, 268-282
Chassis: Volvo B10B LE (low entry)
Engine: Volvo THD103KF (10l, 245hp)
Transmission: ZF 4HP500 (5-gear. automatic)
Length: 12m
Passengers: 37+2/34
Year: 1993, 1995
The first larger series of low floored buses were delivered to STA in 1993 with ten of these buses and an equal amount of Lahti 402's. These top models of their time are now slightly worn out, but still functional tools. The differences between these two batches are mostly limited to the outwards opening doors of the latter batch and a slightly altered interior.
The City L is also used by Pohjolan Liikenne.
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