Denning is one of the more storied of Australia’s coach and bus manufacturers. Much like GM’s models in North America, they were the default image that many Australians had of an intercity bus – and still do to this day.
1960 Denning body on Bedford J6 chassis
The Mono was one of Denning’s first rear-engined large coaches – and was developed as a domestic competitor to GM’s popular 4104 and 4106 which were imported by Ansett in limited numbers but would likely increase as trade restrictions were being lifted in the early 1960s. Denning up to that point had been building coachwork that went over Bedford, AEC, Commer, and other OEM chassis.
GM 4107 Buffalo
Similar to what we saw in Brazil, given the popularity of GM’s coaches, Denning decided to “follow the leader” – in this case the soon to be introduced 4107 “Buffalo.” In fact, Denning’s engineers visited GM in the US in the early/mid 60’s and saw the 4107 prototypes. While GM didn’t participate in any of the design work for the Mono, Denning reached some form of agreement with the company to use their name in marketing it, likely in exchange for using GM’s engines as the sole powertrain option. Thus the “GM Denning Mono” name. Denning dropped the “GM” in 1976…perhaps the agreement expired, but many even today still refer to it as the GM Denning Mono.
1966 Denning Mono Squareline
The Mono’s appearance was very “Buffalo-like” – a “deck and a half” design with a lower driver’s cockpit and higher passenger area, maximizing underfloor storage. Aluminum fluting on the sides also mirrored North American buses. Additionally, it had Denning’s first fully monocoque body, hence the “Mono” name. The only major differences were Denning used much larger windows, and mounted the engine longitudinally rather than a transverse orientation. The Mono went through many revisions and updates during its eighteen year model-life – the initial 1966 model was called the “Squareline”, and was 34 feet long, powered by a GM 6V53 engine with a Fuller 5-speed transmission.
1968 model. Note GM badging on front below windshield
1974 37 footer
Just two years later in 1968, a major refresh was launched with the new name “Classic.” The GM Buffalo appearance was even more pronounced. In 1971/72, longer 37 and 40 foot versions with a tag axle were added, and these came with DD 6 and 8V71 engines.
In 1976 the bus was given a front-end revision with a forward leaning destination sign and a wrap-around grille. Then in 1979, it would surrender its old leaf springs and get a full air-bag suspension, with the updated name “DenAir Mono”. Denning was worried about failures of the new air suspension over the tough Outback roads, so it conducted extensive and rigid testing in the remote wilderness before approving it for production.
For its last several model years the newer 6V92TTA engine was added to the powertrain options, once again paired with a Fuller T905D 5-speed transmission, with an Allison HT-740 automatic optional.
This beautifully restored DenAir is part of the Driver Bus Lines historical fleet – it is a 1983 model purchased new and was in service until 2008 – over twenty-five years! More in the video below.
These Dennings had a reputation of being rugged, fast, reliable, well-built, and comfortable coaches.
The DenAir Mono was superseded by the Landseer, which we’ll review in an upcoming post.
When I was about 15, our school hired the EXACT bus in the leading pic and about 40 of us travelled 4500 miles return in about 9 days from Melbourne via Uluru to the tropical sea at the Gulf of Carpentaria at the top of the country (though Oz still has another 1500 miles to the tip of Queensland). Roughly 3,000 of those miles were unsealed. We did it super-cheap, camping at the roadsides, and eating our own (dubious) campfire meals. It was a magical experience: there is a mesmerizingly endless variety and beauty in the outback.
The main highway up the middle of the country was still largely unmade, and our route back was entirely unsealed. Believe me when I say the roads were ROUGH, as in hundreds upon hundreds of miles of deeply corrugated dust. Our driver was a bit mad, and we sat on 70+ mph all the way and let me tell you, that Denning was simply magnificent. Silent, fast, hugely comfortable, I only felt bumps when swooping over an endless series of sand dunes (at 70+mph) near Birdsville (middle of absolutely nowhere) where it bottomed out. Actually, that’s the only time it broke: something came loose in the engine compartment, and the guy did back off a bit afterwards on that stretch. Oh, and the A/C was a bit choked up with bulldust by the end, which made it stink of wet blanket, though it still blew cold.
One very, very impressive machine.
Thanks for this post, Mr B. I don’t have access to my wonky old photos for now, but I have it in my head that it might even have been a Diamond Coaches bus!
Glad it brought back some pleasant memories Justy.
Great research Jim, on a bus I was not familiar with. Possessing two of the most important qualities for an intercity bus, working in harsh conditions. An impressive reputation for durability, and long life. Plus, it looks great.
So pretty .
Its been a while since I rode the hound but I still have pleasant memories .
-Nate
Thanks for another new chapter in my ongoing bus education. Very fine looking buses, especially the later ones. I imagine that the air suspension was welcome on those endless rough roads.
Never heard of these before, learning all the time! The last one (Driver Bus Lines) is my favorite.
This I did not expect! Thanks Jim.
I’d never stopped to think about our buses and coaches. Like Justy I have many memories of seeing these on the road, but unlike Justy positively zero experience of touring in one. I did have a neighbour who drove these for Ansett Pioneer, and remember seeing ‘his’ coach when he brought it home once (bet that wasn’t authorized!) to grab something he needed. Parked it on the bus stop across the road (as you would), but the driver of the local suburban bus wasn’t impressed to see ‘his’ spot taken by this big shiny beastie.
Having travelled a little in the centre, I can confirm that drivers there tend to go faster than you would expect, so it wasn’t Justy’s driver – they all do that! Huge distances to cover, familiar routes, conditions they’re used to, and the nearest law enforcement might be hundreds of kilometres away. Road conditions generally are a lot better that they were in these coaches’ heyday, but it’s still as empty as ever out there, so I can understand them being a bit slow to adopt the air suspension.
I rode in some of these in the mid 70s on school trips, nothing as impressive as the one justy went on though. They introduced me to the beautiful sound of the GM diesels.
I will include this photo from the Bus & Coach Society of Victoria website (Bruce Tilley photo) it is a Denning body on an Albion VK43L chassis, I rode on this actual bus on school trips, the forward leaning pillar is different to the one above in the article
I thought the Panoramic Clipper name was very cool back then, still do.
Of course I just realised it lacks the stepped roof of the one in the article as well.
Thanks for teaching us about Australian coach builders. The GM influence explains why it has the uncanny valley look of a 4107 Buffalo, but not a Buffalo.
Like a cross between a Buffalo and an MCI.