(first posted 11/20/2016) CC’er Robert Walter lives in Switzerland and posted pictures of this fine 1960 Saurer sightseeing bus at the Cohort. Saurer (and the badge-engineered Barna) was a major factor in trucks and buses in Central Europe from the teens until its demise in 1982. Their quality and durability was legendary, and there were Saurer affiliates in several other countries. The Austrian Saurer was particularly successful, and big Saurer buses and trucks were a formative part of my early years.
You might wonder why this bus has its driver compartment on the right side, given that Switzerland does not drive on the left side of the road.
Here’s why. In the mountainous regions of Switzerland and Italy, with the roads being so narrow, drivers much preferred to be seated on the right side, so that they could better see the edge of the road when another vehicle came the other way, especially a bus or truck. Squeezing two buses by on these roads can be hair-raising, so the benefits of RHD was kept for a long time in these two countries.
Here’s the view from the driver’s seat. And yes, that long lever sprouting from behind the steering wheel is the shifter, probably for a four speed transmission, possibly five.
Here’s a better view. Why a column shift?
At least in part so that the shifter doesn’t get in the way (or hit by) of the two passengers riding up there in the front seat across the aisle from the driver. Now that’s the seat to have on an alpine pass ride.
Of course the view’s not to shabby from any seat, given all the pre-global-warming glass.
Here’s the builder’s plate (how else did you think I knew it was a 1960?) The only reference I could find on the DCU engine lists it having 10.3 liters. That’s a pretty big engine, for a not all-that big bus. But then having a bit of extra muscle on an Alpine pass can be handy.
This one is still at it, and I’d love to ride up there next to the driver, watching him handle that column shifter, never mind the scenery.
So awesome! I only recently learned that right hand drive was dominant in Italian cars until the 1950s for the same reason, narrow mountain roads. I was watching the Godfather and noticed that the Alfa Romeo 6C was right hand drive. I looked it up to discover that Italian cars began switching over to left hand drive during the course of the 1950s…
*SO* beautiful ! .
It looks like there’s a pre selector gear shift to the left of the steering wheel…. (?) .
-Nate
I think that’s what it is, and it’s possibly that the other lever is for activating the trailer brakes (these often towed a trailer filled with post and packages to be delivered).
I agree the shifter is on the left and it is for a pre-selector transmission. The big lever on the right is most likely for the trailer brake and this vehicle is equipped with a hitch and two connectors out back.
Awesome story! I’ve never visited Switzerland. I’d like to eventually. Nice looking bus.
I’ve always had an interest in right-hand driven vehicles. Don’t ask me why. Probably because here in the USA, they’re used by the USPS to deliver our mail. it seems more convenient in most cases than having to get out of the vehicle and walk around to the other side of the vehicle. I also like the steering column mounted gear shift, preferably to the left of the driver. It looks more convenient than having the shifter on the floor between the driver and the front seat passenger.
I get the same convenience here in in Australia with my LHD Buick. Downside is the passenger has to open his or her door into traffic.
Great story, I’ve sent the link to a bus obsessed mate.
I agree. That can certainly be a problem. But I reckon there are ways to deal with it. I have ridden as a passenger on the left side of a car. When I was visiting England in September, my dad’s cousin would drive us around England in his Range Rover.
This looks really close to the bus the Beatles featured on their “Magical Mystery Tour” album in the included photos!
That was a Bedford VAL with Plaxton coachwork.Belonged to Fox of Hayes .
Such a cool bus. It seems to me that another good solution would’ve been to keep the driver on the left and a stalk-mounted convex mirror on the right to view the curb (like modern American school buses).
Though maybe there wasn’t much need to have the driver on the left at all; I imagine these buses didn’t usually need to pull into the passing lane.
I envy the bus driver. I wish my workplace offered such a view!
Cool!
I had seen pics of these buses but didn’t know their background – very enjoyable article. That is one big engine for this size bus. Jim.
Right hand steering was “de rigueur” for high-end cars in France and Italy until 1952-3. These were supposed to be chauffeur-driven, so it would be easier for the man to climb out and open the door for the owner/passenger. WW II changed that scenery and everybody went LHD.
Spectacular.
And the scenery isn’t too bad either.
I sing in a hobby gospel choir, and we were engaged to perform at a wedding (we don’t get paid, except for mileage expense and we get fed and drinks during the Apereó.) The bus was there in support of the wedding but I’m not sure how as the church and hotel were on opposite sides of the street in this nice alpine town (we drove there in our own cars), but maybe brought out of towners in from the train station in style.
Glad you liked the pics Paul! (And thanks for the RHD explanation as I had been wondering about it.)
Ps I recommend reading the Wikipedia article on Saurer, it’s fascinating.
Wow, that is a beautiful coach.
I love your automotive passion and knowledge, Paul. That being said, every time a bus article comes up on this place, it feels like the parsley in front of the steak that I’m about to eat…..it’s just in the way of what I really came here for. 🙂
That’s a really narrow center aisle. Some modern corn-fed Americans won’t be able to get through, even sideways …
I don’t know how the legislation is now, but the max. width of buses and trucks in Switzerland used
to be 2.30 m (instead of 2.50 m. elsewhere).
I assume that’s the reason of the narrow aisle.
As an aside, MAN and Saurer were the (truck) diesel pioneers. In 1924 a M.A.N.-Saurer was the first truck with a direct injected diesel engine. And in 1938 Saurer introduced the first truck diesel with a turbocharger.
I visited a friend of mine who lived outside Chur. What marvelled me the most was the Postbuses and their remarkable abilities to squeeze through the narrow and sometimes crooked streets in small mountain towns despite their garguntan size. It never dawned on me that the buses are more narrow than the normal buses.
Thanks for the cherry on top of ice cream dessert! Keep bringing them on!
Very nice steering wheel.
I asked the Saurer guys – the big handle on the right is for the exhaust brake, which was possibly a later fitment.
Known in America as a ” Jacobs Engine Brake ” , colloquially referred to as the ” Jake Brake ” .
They’re very effective if *LOUD* .
Basically they hold all the exhaust valves open to increase compression braking .
-Nate
You are confusing a compression release brake, which opens the exhaust valve at the end of the compression stroke, the “Jake Brake” with an exhaust brake which is just a valve in the exhaust system that almost completely blocks the exhaust. You can actually have both.
I’m guessing this style is operated by a purely mechanical linkage hence the need for the long lever to get enough leverage.
THANK YOU for the clarification ~
I don’t work on Big Rigs, I did look at the lever on an older one labeled ” Jacobs Engine Brake ” it linked directly to the valve cover, not the exhaust….
When I asked one of the Heavy Duty mechanics they told me it held the exhaust valves open and that’s why they’re so damn LOUD .
I can’t see how blocking the exhaust would make it louder…? .
-Nate
You can use both a compression release (Jake) and exhaust brake at the same time.
The following applies to 4 stroke diesels.
The problem with the diesel and “compression braking” is the lack of throttle. Every cylinder gets fully filled every intake stroke. So while it does require significant energy to compress the full cyl of air on the other hand the compressed air makes the cyl act as an air spring pushing back down on the piston with much of the original force. So by opening the exhaust valve as the piston nears TDC compression prevents the spring effect from pushing the piston back down. That valve opening when the cyl is full of compressed air is what makes for the noise.
The exhaust brake works on the exhaust stroke. When the piston is going back up with the exhaust valve open closing off the exhaust makes the piston compress the air in the cylinder and exhaust system before the brake. This doesn’t cause the loud noise like the Jake does.
So by combining both types you get braking effect on two out of the 4 strokes.
With a gas engine the throttle makes the engine work on the intake stroke and the cyl is relatively empty of air on the compression stroke meaning that the spring effect is minimal. So you get the braking effect on 1 of the 4 strokes.
I partook a bike tour on North Yungas Road, a.k.a. the world’s most dangerous road, from La Paz to Coroico in Bolivia. After the construction of new and wider two-lane asphalt road, the traffic was diverted to the safer road. This older and unpaved 64-kilometre segment is very popular with mountain bike riders.
However, the guide instructed us to observe the left-hand rule of road. After riding a few kilometres down the road, I saw the necessity of driving (and riding) on left-hand side of road for safety reason.
My oldest aunt in Zürich told me that Switzerland considerd passing the mandate, requiring the vehicles to be right-hooker for this reason. The steady head and long outlook prevailed: Swiss instead rebuilt many roads in the mountains to be safer and bit wider.
Beautiful old bus, and what a way to see the scenery with all that glass!
A work of art. The rear window section reminds me of the famous Wurlitzer 4008 wall speaker.
I noticed in some Italian films than a few commercial vehicles like some vans and trucks were RHD. And these were 1960s and 1970s models. Perhaps a reason for this was to navigate tight streets?