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Caetano Alpha

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Caetano Alpha
Drawing of a Caetano Alpha coach
Overview
ManufacturerSalvador Caetano
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2 doors
Floor typeStep entrance
Dimensions
Length8,1, 11,3 and 12 m

The Caetano Alpha was a design of coach bodywork built by Salvador Caetano of Portugal between 1976 and 1983.

History

Released in late 1976, the Caetano Alpha was intended to become the flagship model of the coachbuilder's offerings, replacing the Estoril coach model. The Alpha had a more streamlined design than the Estoril, but still conservative.

In late 1977, by the time Estoril was discontinued, a heavily revamped version of the Alpha is presented, Alpha 77, with design motifs new to the Portuguese coachbuilding scene, such as windows with square corners and thin window pillars covered by black frames.

The styling introduced by 77 version became a success and got facelifted in late 1978 with totally renewed front and back sections, version known as Alpha 79. The same version started to be imported into the UK, initially by Moseley of Loughborough and was badged as "Moseley Continental", as happened with its predecessor, the Estoril.

The model would receive another two facelifts, Alpha 80, by the end of 1979, with very few differences from 79 and by 1981, Alpha 81, that introduced the two stripes front topping design and front turning and position lamps moved from the panel under the windshield to the side of the headlamps.

In 1979, a version of Magirus-Deutz R81 midibus with Alpha 77 design, named Alphete, was introduced.

In Portugal, this was a widely popular coach, being a very representative model on Rodoviária Nacional fleet, becoming a symbol of their express services in the whole decade of the '80s, as well as on most private touring operators.

In the final year of production of the Alpha, 1983, Salvador Caetano would launch two new coaches, the Coral to celebrate company's 35 years of activity and, later that year, the effective replacement of the Alpha, the Beta.

Technical details

In 1970, Salvador Caetano and Magirus-Deutz AG signed a partnership agreement in order to produce integral buses, this agreement had a somewhat slow start as Volvo B58 kept being a much more common choice for Salvador Caerano costumers. The Alpha, in fact, assured the success of the technical partnership as most of the coaches built were based on Magirus-Deutz mechanics.

Both 232 and 256 PS Deutz V8 air-cooled engines were installed, but, in the final years of production, integral coaches could be also specified with Type 370 water-cooled Iveco engines, commonly badged as Iveco-Magirus. Chassised versions of diverse manufactures were also offered and the coaches could be ordered with Pegaso, Volvo and Scania mechanics. Alphete was powered by 130 PS Deutz type F6L913, 6.1 L straight-6 air-cooled engines.

From 79 model and beyond the overall length of the coaches was more commonly 11.3 metres, while earlier models were 12 metres long. The seating capacity was typically of 49 to 53 seats, but lower specification 55 seat coaches were also built, as well as higher specification with less than 49 seats.

High-deck coaches were a possible choice on 81 models, most of these were Pegaso engined.

Chassis and model codes

Portugal

  • Magirus-Deutz - LCAnn (Original and 77); LCBnn (79 and 80); TCBnn (81)
    • 260 C 120 (Original and 77)
    • 230 E 113 (79-81)
    • 260 E 113 (79-81)
    • 130 R 81 (Alphete).
  • Iveco
    • Type 370 water-cooled engines on later coaches, commonly badged as Iveco-Magirus
  • Pegaso - TPAnn (79-80); LPBnn (81)
    • 5035
    • 5036
  • Scania - LSAnn (79-80); TSBnn (81)
    • BR145
    • BR116
  • Volvo - TLVAnn (Original and 77); TLVBnn (from 79)

nn=number of seats

UK

Vehicle histories

Registration Chassis Picture Registered DVLA Expiry Orig. Owner Other Owner
KRS 85V Volvo B58 None found 24/07/80 30/11/93 Rapson, Brora Not Known
FUJ 359V Volvo B58 http://johnnelson.fotopic.net/p57163728.html[permanent dead link] http://johnnelson.fotopic.net/p57163727.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? ABC European Not Known
EAK 87V Bedford YMT http://coaches-aplenty.fotopic.net/p24438617.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Globe, Barnsley Not Known
EDA 831V Ford R1114 http://coaches-aplenty.fotopic.net/p40665588.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Meadway, Birmingham Not Known
EWE 760V Ford R1114? http://gallery41664.fotopic.net/p37290005.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Not Known Not Known
HAY 201V Bedford YMT http://steve-foster.fotopic.net/p40927562.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Not Known Harris, High Wycombe
JBC 281V Ford R1114 http://steve-foster.fotopic.net/p42456890.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Not Known Horseman, Reading
JUT 183V Volvo B58 Yes - but website link dead ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Not Known Not Known
LRT 281V Volvo B58 http://coaches-aplenty.fotopic.net/p24895865.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? JDW, Ipswich Cedric, Swivenhoe
MUM 318V Volvo B58 http://adamsbusphotos.fotopic.net/p10201318.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? SYT Not Known
UJY 572V Volvo B58 http://www.hookways.com/ (See Enthusiasts Link) ex Trathen, Yelverton ??/??/?? Hookways Not Known
TNP 6V Volvo B58 http://gloshirebuses.fotopic.net/p24892335.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Halford, Kempsey Jones, Ffosheliog
WCO 731V Volvo B58 http://www.tgw.fotopic.net/p31603792.html[permanent dead link]
http://gallery41664.fotopic.net/p34396314.html[permanent dead link] 		??/??/?? ??/??/?? Trathen, Yelverton Not Known
WCO 733V Volvo B58 http://buckielugger2001.fotopic.net/p36670049.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Trathen, Yelverton Not Known
KAB 100X Bedford YMT http://gloshirebuses.fotopic.net/p24832963.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Griffiths, Leintwardine Not Known
MEW 150W Bedford YMT https://web.archive.org/web/20070930101742/http://www.bedfordgathering.com/thebusman/mew150w.JPG ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Miller, Foxton Not Known
MEW 151W Volvo B10M http://coaches-aplenty.fotopic.net/p24686750.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Miller, Foxton Harding, Redditch
PSO 85W Volvo B10M http://coaches-aplenty.fotopic.net/p24686750.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Not Known Not Known
WGA 624W DAF MB200 http://buckielugger2001.fotopic.net/p36670098.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Not Known Not Known
WGB 621W DAF MB200? http://withdrawnbuses.photos.gb.com/p13363678.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Not Known Not Known
JNM 55Y Volvo B10M http://thebusgalleryarchive.fotopic.net/p42083656.html[permanent dead link] ??/??/?? ??/??/?? Not Known Not Known

See also

Pictures

See links below for re-registered coaches (original registration number not known):


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