Foreign Manufacturers - MAN
MAN have been represented in a small way on the French bus market before - MAN SG192 and SG220 artics
were sold on the French market back in the early
1980s while the Renault PR180 was under development, however these were rebadged
as Saviems or Renaults. MAN were also responsible for
supplying the engines used in the Saviem/Renault SC10 and S-series ranges.
However, it was the
early 1990s before MAN buses began appearing in any number in France under their
own name.
Large batches of MAN buses can be found in Bordeaux and Montpellier, along
with a small batch of MAN trolleybuses in Lyon. The most recent major customer
in France is Paris - RATP now have a substantial batch of NL223 single deckers.
MAN NG272
CGFTE, Bordeaux no. 9396 (1777 LT 33) - August 1999
MAN's major customer in
France is Bordeaux. Keen to try low-floor artics, Bordeaux began receiving
NG272s like this one in early 1994. Eventually a fleet of 43 NG272 (and similar
NG262) artics were purchased, as well as 76 NL222 rigids. This one was
photographed on a public holiday, hence the small tricolore flags flown from the
small flag carriers either side of the destination display. This is a common
practice across France.
MAN N
L222
SMTU, Montpellier no. 506 (7488 XV 34) - September 2000
When Montpellier wished
to buy their first low-floor buses, they were impressed by the economy of the
MAN NL222s already in use in Bordeaux. 31 NL222s were bought by SMTU, 506 being
one of the first batch bought in 1997. Unlike those in Bordeaux, they have air
conditioning. By the time this one was photographed, Montpellier's fleet had
officially changed its title to TAM, however the MANs (being relatively new) all
retained the old livery.
MAN N
MT222
TCL, Lyon no. 1713 (171 WE 69) - September 2000
Lyon's trolleybus network
still includes the tortuous route 6. This starts at the Hôtel de Ville and
winds its way up through the old Croix Rousse district to Place de
la Croix Rousse at the top of the hill. The streets are narrow, the gradients are steep and the corners are
extremely tight. The route was therefore completely unsuitable for the ER100
trolleybuses that replaced Lyon's ageing trolleybus fleet in the late 1970s. For
this reason, TCL retained seven wonderful old Vetra-Berliet VBH85 trolleybuses,
built in 1963, and refurbished them for further service. These were much smaller
than the ER100s and better able to cope with the demands of the route. The
Vetras continued shuttling up and down the hill until their venerable age caused
their final removal from service in 1999-2000. However, the problem of what to
replace them with remained, and Lyon invested in seven of these MAN NMT222
midi-trolleybuses with Kiepe equipment and bodywork finished by Hess.
MAN NMT22
2
TCL, Lyon no. 1713 (171 WE 69) - September 2000
Another view of one of Lyon's MAN
trolleybuses at the Hôtel de Ville terminus. The little MAN trolleys are very
smart (although I'm not sure about the 'panoramic' livery), however they'll
definitely never have the character of the Vetras they replaced!