Atkinson Vehicles Ltd.
UK Passenger Chassis Production 1950-1963

Although more widely known for the construction of heavy lorries than with the production of passenger chassis, Atkinson Vehicles Ltd., of Walton-le-Dale, Preston, made a late entry into the PSV market in 1950.
Their manufacturing technique was basically to assemble components produced by outside companies, such as Gardner engines, David Brown gearboxes and Kirkstall axles, by hand. Minor components, designed by Atkinson, were manufactured by Atherton Brothers Ltd, a subsidiary.
At the time, there was a move towards the underfloor engine in single-deck chassis, and Atkinson thought that there might be a market for a horizontally mounted version of the Gardner engine with a constant-mesh gearbox (a combination that only Guy Motors were offering in any quantity).
Collaborating with local operators, North Western Road Car Company and Lancashire United Transport, Atkinson Vehicles produced chassis to individual specifications.
The Alpha chassis' were given the designation either PM745H or PM746H, the first letter of which represented the type of chassis (P = Passenger); the second letter represented the weight of the chassis (Medium or eventually Light); the first figure represented the nominal payload + body (7 tons); the second figure represented the number of wheels (4); and the final figure represented the number of engine cylinders (5LW or 6LW); the final letter stood for the plane of the engine (Horizontal). There was a choice of gearbox, either the Atkinson-manufactured HO556 five-speed gearbox, or the David Brown 557CM five-speed gearbox. The top speed (with 6LW engine fitted) was 42 mph with the David Brown gearbox, or 55 mph with the Atkinson gearbox.
The North Western Road Car Company ordered the first Atkinson chassis in 1950 (Nos. 394-395), although it was not until August 1951 that they entered service. They had Weymann rear-entrance bodywork in a style popular with North Western at the time. The very first Atkinson chassis to enter service (MTJ807) was with Sandown Tours of Burnley in June of the same year, sporting a Trans-United C41C body.
By 1952 North Western had 10 more Atkinson PM746H vehicles (Nos. 500-509) in service and two of the PM745H-type (Nos. 510-511; the only chassis of this type to be manufactured). Lancashire United purchased its first examples of Atkinson chassis in the same year with 10 PM746H-type chassis being delivered (Nos. 479-488).
Atkinson introduced a new lightweight chassis in 1952 with the option of Gardner 4LW engine. North Western took one PL744H chassis (No. 512), but found the engine too small and it was replaced by a Gardner 5LW. The sister vehicle (No. 513) already had a 5LW engine, but both vehicles had single tyres on the rear wheels. Twin tyres were fitted in October 1955. In the event these chassis proved to be the last Atkinson chassis ordered by North Western.
The following year Lancashire United purchased ten PL745H chassis (Nos. 490-499) and a further nine (Nos. 522-531) in 1954.
By this time the PL745H chassis was interesting other operators and was fast becoming the most popular. In 1954 the Stalybridge, Mossley, Hyde and Dukinfield undertaking put two PL745H chassis in service, and took a further six Atkinson chassis over the following years. The PL745H chassis was also popular amongst independents, including coach operators.
In 1955, Atkinson introduced the PD746 double-deck chassis, of which only one was built. It was purchased by the Stalybridge undertaking (No.70) and remained the only Atkinson double-deck to enter service.
In 1956, Sunderland Corporation took delivery of an Atkinson chassis, specially constructed with extended wheelbase of 18ft 3¼in, with a vertically mounted engine at the front. It was numbered 30. A similar vehicle was delivered the following year.
Thereafter, Atkinson received only two minor orders, one in 1959 from the Stalybridge undertaking and the last in 1963 from Sunderland Corporation for three PL746H chassis, just a short while before Atkinson Vehicles announced that it was to cease production of passenger chassis altogether.

Atkinson Vehicles Ltd.
UK Passenger Chassis Production 1950-1963

Chassis No.	Type	Reg. No.	Body	Seating	Operator	Fleet No.	

1951
FC2118	PM746H	EDB321	Weymann	B42R	North Western	394	
FC2119	PM746H	EDB322	Weymann	B42R	North Western	395	
FC2120	PM746H	MTJ807	Trans-United	C41C	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC2386	PM746H	BCW314	Trans-United	C41C	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC2387	PM746H	NTF670	Trans-United	C41C	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC2388	PM746H	OMA600	Plaxton	C41C	Altrincham Coachways	-	

1952
FC2389	PM746H	OTE228	Trans-United	C41C	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC2390-2393	PM746H	OTD531-533	Northern Counties	B44F	Lancashire United	479-481	
FC2737-2742	PM746H	FDB500-505	Weymann	B42R	North Western	500-505	
FC2743	PM746H	OTD537	Northern Counties	B34C+27	Lancashire United	485	
FC2744-2746	PM746H	FDB506-508	Weymann	B42R	North Western	506-508	
FC2747-2748	PM745H	FDB510-511	Weymann	B42R	North Western	510-511	
FC2878	PM746H	EM5357	Burlingham	C41C	Lawrenson, Bootle	-	
FC2996	PM746H	FDB509	Weymann	B42R	North Western	509	
FC2997	PL745H	FDB512	Weymann	B44R	North Western	512	
FC2998	PL744H	FDB513	Weymann	B44R	North Western	513	
FC3049-3050	PM746H	OTD535-536	Northern Counties	B44F	Lancashire United	483-484	
FC3051-3053	PM746H	OTD538-540	Northern Counties	B34C+27	Lancashire United	486-488	

1953
FC3076	PL745H	RTC688	Roe	B44F	Lancashire United	497	
FC3077-3078	PL745H	RTC686-687	Willowbrook	B44F	Lancashire United	495-496	
FC3079	PL745H	RTC681	Northern Counties	B34C+27	Lancashire United	490	
FC3080-3081	PL745H	RTC689-690	Roe	B44F	Lancashire United	498-499	
FC3082-3085	PL745H	RTC682-685	Northern Counties	B34C+27	Lancashire United	491-494	
FC3197	PL745H	TTC882	Burlingham	B44F	Camplejohn Bros.	-	
FC3204-3205	PL745H	SMA868-869	Northern Counties	B34C+27	SHMD	106-107	
FC3233	PM746H	CCW708	Trans-United	C41C	Bracewells, Colne	-	

1954
FC2362-2363	PL745H	NWW806/
805	Burlingham	B44F	Kitchen, Pudsey	-	
FC3198	PL745H	KVA317	Burlingham	C39C	Fitzcharles, Grangemouth	-	
FC3234	PM746H	STD833	Trans-United	C41C	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC3300	PL745H	NWY44	Burlingham	C41C	Everett, South Kirkby	-	
FC3303-3311	PL745H	TTD291-299	Roe	B44F	Lancashire United	522-530	
FC3312	PL745H	TTD300	Northern Counties	B34C+27	Lancashire United	531	
FC3476	PD746	UMA370	Northern Counties	H60CD	SHMD	70	
FC3480	PL745H	DYJ191	Duple	C39C	Watson, Dundee	-	
FC3587-3592	PL745H	RPT126-131	Willowbrook	B45F	Venture	166-171	
FC3593	PL745H	VS6440	Duple	C41C	Doig, Greenock	-	
FC3594	PM746H	DCW222	Trans-United	C41C	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC3750	PM746H	UTJ306	Trans-United	C41C	Bracewells, Colne	-	

1955
FC3836-3841	PL745H	RUP433-438	Willowbrook	B45F	Venture	172-177	
FC3927-3936	PL745H	WTB61-70	Roe	DP40F	Lancashire United	552-561	
FC4127-4128	PL745H	XLG477-478	Northern Counties	B34C+27	SHMD	108-109	
FC4214	PM746H	ECW363	Plaxton	C43F	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC4215-4216	PM746H	XTD664-665	Plaxton	C43F	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC4240	PL745H	SWX768	Duple	C41C	Pemberton, Upton	-	
FC4355-4360	PL745H	TPT109-113	Willowbrook	B45F	Venture	179-183	

1956
FC4361-4363	PL745H	VPT547-549	Willowbrook	DP41F	Venture	184-186	
FC4385	L664LWEXL	GGR230	Roe	B41F	Sunderland Corporation	30	
FC4639	PM746H	987BTB	Plaxton	C43F	Bracewells, Colne	-	
FC4656	PL745H	JHL670	Plaxton	C41C	Young, Hornchurch	-	

1957
FC4364-4366	PL745H	VPT550-552	Willowbrook	DP41F	Venture	187-189	
FC4984	L644LWL	NHL127	Plaxton	DP37F	Simpson, Rosehearty	-	
FC5106	L644LWEXL	JBR631	Roe	B41F	Sunderland Corporation	31	

1959
FC5807-5809	PL745H	993-995GMA	Northern Counties	B34F+26	SHMD	110-112	

1963
FC9054-9056	PL746HL	WBR246-248	Marshall	B45D	Sunderland Corporation	46-48