"Mait001" wrote in message
...

But what about the "lost" space on bendy-buses in the following areas:-

- each side where the "bendy mechanism" is situated - narrowing the
available
space;
- the seat lost on the rear offside back row where is the engine
compartment;

I doubt that, overall, there is any saving over a Routemaster.

What is undeniable is that these monsters take up much more roadspace, and
require greater turning space than normal-length buses.

I've not been on one of the London ones yet, but on the typical Ikarus
articulated bus in Eastern Europe the area near the doors at the rear and in
the centre was all standing space, and minimal seating was provided. They
were high-floor with underfloor engines, so the side rear engine was not a
feature.

By bendy mechanism, I assume that you mean where the concertina joint is,
and where there would probably be a turntable plate over the centre of the
joint in the floor. Narrowing is a consequence of having the joint. I'd be
surprised if the turning circle was significantly more than a rigid bus with
the same wheelbase.
--
Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society
75th Anniversary 2004, see http://www.omnibussoc.org/75th.htm
E-mail:
URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/