Right after the Second World War large numbers of buses were needed to recover the public transport system. Buses based on semi-trailers were more rapidly available, and cheaper, than complete (foreign) rolling bus chassis. The bus bodies, mounted on single axle DAF AA semi-trailers, were built by Verheul, Werkspoor, De Schelde and Fokker. Initially the tractor units were Crossleys from Manchester UK.
In 1948 the well-known Philips company from Eindhoven founded VIPRE: Vervoer Industrieel Personeel Regio Eindhoven, that’s the transportation of industrial personnel in the Eindhoven-area. In the morning and in the evening the tractors towed the semi-trailer buses. During the day the same tractors were towing semi-trailers loaded with Philips products. Later the VIPRE bus company also transported employees for other companies, like DAF.
The Beukenlaan (Beeches Lane) in Eindhoven in the late fifties, literally filled with VIPRE buses (Photo courtesy of Stichting Eindhoven in Beeld / Jan Weijers).
This fully restored semi-trailer started its career as one of those Philips VIPRE buses and has been converted into a camper.
The bus body by coachbuilder Deckers from Leiden is built on a 1963 DAF AA1600-960B semi-trailer chassis.
The tractor is a 1964 DAF T13, more commonly known as a (first gen) DAF Torpedo, with a turbocharged 5.75 liter 6-cylinder DS 575 diesel engine.
1943 DAF pre-studies of public transport, displayed in the DAF Museum. A double-decker semi-trailer bus included.
There’s a recently restored combination in the museum too. This is the best picture I could take that day.
In the next -and last- article we will have a look at a real specialty, a Philips experiment that didn’t work out quite well.
Previous Bus Stop Classics in this series:
As long as they triple secured the fifth wheel somehow (and removed the fifth wheel release handle…) and segregated the glad-hands and power cord from public touch, I wouldn’t mind working for transit so much if I was separated from the passengers like this.
Missed a stop? Oh well, go spit on passenger next to you and tell it to the camera. Doo de do… turn up the tunes!
Seriously, though, I think this would be a more secure solution for transporting prisoners.
I do too, but Con-Bus just doesn’t sound right…
DAF tractor looks a bit like a 50’s era Dodge.
As noted above, these likely provided the best bus driving jobs ever!
I had never known that buses of this sort ever existed. A fascinating concept, really. It would certainly make maintenance or accident repair simpler, with the ability to swap tractors and bus bodies as the need would arise.
Those cabs are indeed interesting, and awfully late to incorporate those Studebaker-style side cowl vent doors.
The tractor looks like a Chevy pickup truck cab. Cameo, anyone?
The trading, capitalist Dutch would be the ones to figure out how to get double use out of the tractor unit. They are a clever, smart people and I think this rig is a statement to the national character.
At the 1933/34 World’s Fair in Chicago there was a Greyhound rig that was similar – tractor towing bus/trailer. I think the trailers there were open sided but the concept was the same.
In basic training and AIT in Ft Knox and Ft Leonard Wood, in 1968, we were sometimes transported to the boondocks in cattle cars. These were semi trailers for short trip troop transport. No seats, just grab bars. Capacity unknown; as usual practice was to fill until full than add another 10%
The drivers were experienced in turning around on narrow dirt roads. The weren’t used if it were too muddy; they might get stuck. OK conditions for troops, as slogging through the mud and snow is always good training!
How cool! Never seen the likes of this.
They used similar setups here in Australia after the war – my late father-in-law used to drive one for Murray Valley Coaches.
Interesting article, and great photos Johannes. Your story reminds me of reading back in the early 70s, of the world’s longest bus in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“1972 – World’s Longest Bus. The world’s longest bus has been built. The giant unit measures over 76 feet long and will carry 120 passengers. Produced by the Wayne Corporation at Richmond, Indiana, the bus has 56 windows and weighs 22,500 lbs. It is to be used for transporting oil workers in the Middle East”
Ive seen something similar here being converted to horse transport with accomodation in the front it looked like a bus body I cant think of any other semi trailer application with windows. Cool old rig.
I remember ‘Trailer Tours’ in Sydney, Australia operated rigs like this, at least until the early 70’s. According to Dr Wiki, TT was the charter offshoot of Parramatta-Ryde bus service.
Beautiful machine, it would be a great school bus from a drivers standpoint.
Great article and very nice pictures Johannes, These type of tractor-trailer buses were used quite extensively in the US to transport workers at defense factory plants during WW II. Jim
I’m assuming that there would have been a conductor / ticket-taker stationed in the trailer?
Correct.
What a rather ingenious idea! Very modular indeed…