Commercial Vehicle Thread

5th August 2009, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Transsenger

APSRTC's Semi Low Floor A/c bus named "Sethala Hamsa". Seems to be built on an Ashok Leyland "Viking SLF" chassis and the body by HMM coaches. Nice alternative to expensive Volvo LE buses.
(picture - apsrtc.gov.in)

Ashok Leyland has struck the right note by developing "Viking SLF". This bus chassis with front engine and a lowered floor height with 2 step entry & rear air suspension, it can be voted - the best application specific designs by any manufacturer in bus segment. Because, taking into consideration the indian operating conditions, ultra low entry buses or Low floor buses with rear engine could be expensive in to maintain in the long run. It seems even under Jnnurm project many STU has opted for Viking SLF.

had seen them in HYD they look very elegant and are well maintained i guess a very good option interms of pricing

5th August 2009, 14:20

have been seeing this front engine trucks from Ashley quite a few at construction sites near the Mumbai international airport....any feedbacks or knowledge on this...check out the pic

fx45 · 5th August 2009, 15:15

did u get pics of the Tata 1109/909 replacement trucks?

SAHIR.KITTUR · 5th August 2009, 15:49

santoshnair, Its a Ashok leyland.

sajo · 5th August 2009, 16:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by fx45

did u get pics of the Tata 1109/909 replacement trucks?

No dude, but the cabin is pretty similar to the one on the 407 replacement (pic posted elsewhere in this thread).
The wheels are much better though,and look somewhat like these.

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Name: fig6a.gif
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Size: 233.6 KB

5th August 2009, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAHIR.KITTUR

santoshnair, Its a Ashok leyland.

ya sahir i know its an ashok leyland but not see many of them are they entering the market in this segment now?

SAHIR.KITTUR · 5th August 2009, 17:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by santoshnair

ya sahir i know its an ashok leyland but not see many of them are they entering the market in this segment now?

I remember test driving one in 2000 with the same cowl. If I am right it was termed as " BISON "

Transsenger · 5th August 2009, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAHIR.KITTUR

I remember test driving one in 2000 with the same cowl. If I am right it was termed as " BISON "

Yes you are partly correct. Ashok Leyland introduced semi forward truck way back. The first was "Comet NC". This was not so successful. Later came "BISON" and again no way near Tata SE/SK. Both CometNC & Bison had a boxy design cowl.
Later during the end of 90's, AL developed a new design with the help of some european design agency. But this model was not launched in the market. And now the subject vehicle in discussion "SFC1613 & ST1613" was introduced during 2008. It has 130hp Hino BS2 engine. This model is comparitively successful. We find a lot of tippers in Kerala. Market feedback - good mileage, better in case of overloading as its heavyduty aggregates, etc.
Here are some pictures from AL website.

fx45 · 5th August 2009, 22:51

this bison or whatever its now called looks promising, seen a lot of them around airport perimeter in Mumbai. I think even now Tata makes only the SWB SE models, i hardly see any LWB 1613SE model trucks these days.

Trapezio · 6th August 2009, 09:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by sajo

No dude, but the cabin is pretty similar to the one on the 407 replacement (pic posted elsewhere in this thread).
The wheels are much better though,and look somewhat like these.

Attachment 170161

Could not find the picture of 407 replacement in this thread. Do you have a link?

7th August 2009, 13:18

i saw 2 Ashley Luxuras parked on the western express highway below the jogeshwari flyover on the left side of the road in a compound towards andheri side.
One can see it just before u hit the JVLR signal junciton.

meghan · 7th August 2009, 13:56

Saw 3 tractor trailers being tested by Tata on NH4 near Pune. Looked pretty modern and picked up speed real fast!

Also testing around them were a yellow truck of the size of 407 and with a flat front (no bonnet).

Are any of these new or am i re reporting old news?

amit_mechengg · 7th August 2009, 14:21

^^ world trucks from tata. they look like giants when you view them from your tiny cars

fx45 · 7th August 2009, 14:37

so when are these giants launching? and any idea when is the 407 replacement is coming over?

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 7th August 2009, 19:34

Guys, if you want to refer to Ashok Leyland in an abbreviated form, please use AL or AshLey. I was wondering what / who this new player "ashley" is.

Now, here is my version of history of "long nose" AL trucks.

Ashok leyland used to have 0% market share in "local" segment of the trucking business. More specifically, in the short haul (less than 100 KM) which moved construction raw material, and food grain (from railway sidings to FCI godowns). This was waaaaay back, mid to late 1980s.

Tata's had a monopoly in this segment. Unlike AL, tatas had both the long nose and engine in cabin type trucks. Some smart wiz kid at AL did some analysis, and found that only the long nose trucks from Tata's were used in the short haul segment. For some reason, the operators did not like the engine in cabin type of trucks here.

So, the frist "long nose" vehicles came out from AL. And IIRC, some trucks were sold for short haul use, in Kerala.

Now, it is the age of Tippers. And they are owned by construction companies / fleet owners, who are smarter at analysis and groking the specifications. Hence, there are not many long nose tippers (in the construction raw material sub-sub-sub segment). But for non-construction short haul, (like near the rail sidings), we still continue to find the long nose trucks.

Feel free to trash my theory.

5th August 2009, 14:20	#1412
santoshnair Posts: n/a	have been seeing this front engine trucks from Ashley quite a few at construction sites near the Mumbai international airport....any feedbacks or knowledge on this...check out the pic Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

5th August 2009, 15:15	#1413
fx45 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,823 Thanked: 384 Times	did u get pics of the Tata 1109/909 replacement trucks?
	() Thanks

5th August 2009, 15:49	#1414
SAHIR.KITTUR BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Belgaum / Doha Posts: 298 Thanked: 113 Times View My Garage	santoshnair, Its a Ashok leyland. Last edited by SAHIR.KITTUR : 5th August 2009 at 15:51.
	() Thanks

5th August 2009, 22:51	#1419
fx45 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,823 Thanked: 384 Times	this bison or whatever its now called looks promising, seen a lot of them around airport perimeter in Mumbai. I think even now Tata makes only the SWB SE models, i hardly see any LWB 1613SE model trucks these days.
	() Thanks

7th August 2009, 13:18	#1421
santoshnair Posts: n/a	i saw 2 Ashley Luxuras parked on the western express highway below the jogeshwari flyover on the left side of the road in a compound towards andheri side. One can see it just before u hit the JVLR signal junciton.
	() Thanks

7th August 2009, 13:56	#1422
meghan BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mountain View Posts: 114 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Saw 3 tractor trailers being tested by Tata on NH4 near Pune. Looked pretty modern and picked up speed real fast! Also testing around them were a yellow truck of the size of 407 and with a flat front (no bonnet). Are any of these new or am i re reporting old news?
	() Thanks

7th August 2009, 14:21	#1423
amit_mechengg Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 2,488 Thanked: 2,252 Times View My Garage	^^ world trucks from tata. they look like giants when you view them from your tiny cars
	() Thanks

7th August 2009, 14:37	#1424
fx45 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,823 Thanked: 384 Times	so when are these giants launching? and any idea when is the 407 replacement is coming over?
	() Thanks

7th August 2009, 19:34	#1425
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR BANNED Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,522 Thanked: 752 Times	Guys, if you want to refer to Ashok Leyland in an abbreviated form, please use AL or AshLey. I was wondering what / who this new player "ashley" is. Now, here is my version of history of "long nose" AL trucks. Ashok leyland used to have 0% market share in "local" segment of the trucking business. More specifically, in the short haul (less than 100 KM) which moved construction raw material, and food grain (from railway sidings to FCI godowns). This was waaaaay back, mid to late 1980s. Tata's had a monopoly in this segment. Unlike AL, tatas had both the long nose and engine in cabin type trucks. Some smart wiz kid at AL did some analysis, and found that only the long nose trucks from Tata's were used in the short haul segment. For some reason, the operators did not like the engine in cabin type of trucks here. So, the frist "long nose" vehicles came out from AL. And IIRC, some trucks were sold for short haul use, in Kerala. Now, it is the age of Tippers. And they are owned by construction companies / fleet owners, who are smarter at analysis and groking the specifications. Hence, there are not many long nose tippers (in the construction raw material sub-sub-sub segment). But for non-construction short haul, (like near the rail sidings), we still continue to find the long nose trucks. Feel free to trash my theory.
	() Thanks