Volvo B7L
Encyclopedia
Volvo
B7L was a low floor citybus chassis with a rear engine mounted vertically on the left of the rear overhang, it was built as a replacement for the Volvo B10L
. It was used as both a single and double-decker chassis largely in Continental Europe
.
The B7L was also available as a complete Volvo bus - the Volvo 5000 (later renumbered 7500, with aluminium structure) and Volvo 7000 (later renumbered 7700, with stainless steel structure).
Whilst similar to the B10L in design, both featuring a side-mounted engine, the B7L's engine was a Volvo D7C unit mounted vertically, as opposed to the horizontally-mounted Volvo DH10/GH10 engine of the B10L; the radiator was mounted above the engine instead of the right-hand side, allowing the rear door to be located as rearward as possible. As with the B10L, B7L was also available in articulated form
as the B7LA.
Outside Continental Europe, the B7L was introduced in the United Kingdom
in 2000, as a replacement for the Volvo B10BLE
single-decker. It could be fitted with Wright Eclipse
body (and Eclipse Fusion
body for B7LA), but proved unpopular due to the arrangement of engine and radiator limiting seating capacity, with First Group being the only major customer. Volvo responded by introducing the B7RLE
for the UK market. The double-deck version of B7L was also sold in UK, used as citybus (East Lancs Nordic
body) or sightseeing bus (Ayats Bravo City
open-top body).
Volvo B7L and B7LA-based buses are used in Greece
. In Athens
, Volvo B7LAs constructed by Saracakis have been used since 1999, when Volvo B7L and B7LAs constructed by ELBO
were introduced by OASTH, the local bus operator.
In 2005, Wright
unveiled the Wright StreetCar
which is a tram-like articulated bus built with modified B7LA chassis. The chassis has a shorter front overhang, the driver's cab relocated to above the front axle and the radiator relocated to the roof, giving a full-width rear window.
The Volvo B7L was superseded by the Volvo B9L.
Volvo Buses
Volvo Buses is a subsidiary and a business area of the Swedish vehicle maker Volvo, which became an independent division in 1968. It is based in Göteborg....
B7L was a low floor citybus chassis with a rear engine mounted vertically on the left of the rear overhang, it was built as a replacement for the Volvo B10L
Volvo B10L
The Volvo B10L is a rear-engined, low-floor single-deck city bus chassis built by Volvo between c. 1993 and c. 2005. An articulated version of the B10L, known as the B10LA, was also produced.-United Kingdom:...
. It was used as both a single and double-decker chassis largely in Continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
.
The B7L was also available as a complete Volvo bus - the Volvo 5000 (later renumbered 7500, with aluminium structure) and Volvo 7000 (later renumbered 7700, with stainless steel structure).
Whilst similar to the B10L in design, both featuring a side-mounted engine, the B7L's engine was a Volvo D7C unit mounted vertically, as opposed to the horizontally-mounted Volvo DH10/GH10 engine of the B10L; the radiator was mounted above the engine instead of the right-hand side, allowing the rear door to be located as rearward as possible. As with the B10L, B7L was also available in articulated form
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
as the B7LA.
Outside Continental Europe, the B7L was introduced in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 2000, as a replacement for the Volvo B10BLE
Volvo B10BLE
The Volvo B10BLE is a low-entry city bus chassis which was popular in Scandinavia, the United Kingdom and Australia. It was launched around 1992 with the engine mounted on the rear overhang of the bus. It was the successor of the citybus version of Volvo B10B and is used as a base for single-deck...
single-decker. It could be fitted with Wright Eclipse
Wright Eclipse
The Wright Eclipse is a low-floor single-deck bus body built by Wright on Volvo B7 chassis. It shares its design with the Wright Solar on Scania L94 chassis....
body (and Eclipse Fusion
Wright Eclipse Fusion
The Wright Eclipse Fusion is a low floor articulated single-deck bus body built by Wrightbus on the Volvo B7LA chassis. The articulated version of the Wright Eclipse, it succeeded the Wright Fusion....
body for B7LA), but proved unpopular due to the arrangement of engine and radiator limiting seating capacity, with First Group being the only major customer. Volvo responded by introducing the B7RLE
Volvo B7RLE
Volvo B7RLE is a low-floor single-deck citybus launched initially in Australia in 2001, and then in the United Kingdom in 2003 to supplement the B7L single-decker, which was unsuccessful in both countries. It is similar to the B7L's predecessor, the B10BLE...
for the UK market. The double-deck version of B7L was also sold in UK, used as citybus (East Lancs Nordic
East Lancs Nordic
The East Lancs Nordic is a type of double-decker bus body built by East Lancashire Coachbuilders. It is built on tri-axle 12 metre Volvo B7L and later tri-axle Volvo B9TL chassis, and have around 73 seats....
body) or sightseeing bus (Ayats Bravo City
Ayats Bravo
The Ayats Bravo is a range of coaches manufactured by Ayats. There are four variants, the Bravo 1, Bravo 2, Bravo 3, and Bravo City, all featuring similar styling cues. They are custom manufactured in Spain to order, on a wide variety of chassis or as integral products.-Bravo 1:A tri-axle...
open-top body).
Volvo B7L and B7LA-based buses are used in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. In Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Volvo B7LAs constructed by Saracakis have been used since 1999, when Volvo B7L and B7LAs constructed by ELBO
ELBO
ELBO , is a Greek vehicle manufacturer based in Thessaloniki...
were introduced by OASTH, the local bus operator.
In 2005, Wright
Wrightbus
Wrightbus is an independent coachbuilder and pioneer of the low-floor bus. Based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, it was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and currently run by his son William Wright.-History:...
unveiled the Wright StreetCar
Wright StreetCar
The Wright StreetCar is an articulated bus developed by Wrightbus and Volvo Buses for FirstGroup. It consists of an adapted Volvo B7LA chassis, featuring a separate driver compartment at the front, resembling to some extent similar designs in continental Europe.They feature air-conditioning and a...
which is a tram-like articulated bus built with modified B7LA chassis. The chassis has a shorter front overhang, the driver's cab relocated to above the front axle and the radiator relocated to the roof, giving a full-width rear window.
The Volvo B7L was superseded by the Volvo B9L.
See also
- ftr - a trial scheme using Wright StreetCars