[TejasKinger]

In fact, almost every bus that I saw in Sri Lanka right from getting off the aircraft at the Colombo airport to my journeys through Colombo city, Nuwara Eliya, and Bentota were Ashok Leyland buses. For every 5 AL buses, I'd see one Tata bus.
Interestingly though, they were branded as 'Lanka Ashok Leyland.' Attaching a photo from my trip there.

[Rahul Rao]

Originally Posted by Rajat347

Actually AL has a huge presence in TN and Kerala. Its hard to find any other brand there.
They say that AL is powered by Hino engines and are longer in length. Hence they are best suited for planes.

Both Tata , Leyland and the third Eicher make larger buses (16/19 Ton Chassis) in various length from 9M to 12M
All have wheel base options between 5.2M and 6.2M, front overhang options of 1.2, 1.8, 2.2 and 2.4 M and rear overhang between 50% and 60% of wheelbase not exceeding 3.5M.

So length is not an issue, it is not manufacturer controlled but regulation controlled.
Among smaller buses 12 Ton chassis lengths vary between 7.5M to 10.2M

Originally Posted by Rajat347

Where as Tata is powered by cummins engine which has a greater torque and the buses are shorter in length. So one will find hardly any AL bus in North India. Infact I have never seen an AL bus in Jammu and Himachal. The terrain is conquered by Tata and Tata.

Torque is also a matter of choice. Torque and HP rating are optional with Tata offering 137Bhp, 160 BHP 180 BHP and 220 BHP, where as Leyland offers 164BHP, 180 BHP and 220 BHP. Now in CV's higher BHP does'nt mean higher speed capacity, A 137HP engine is geared for redline of 90kph restricted to 80 kph, 160 hp is geared a bit higher and 180 and 220 HP even higher, but all are restricted to 80. What differs is the 1300rpm to 1800 RPM green / high efficiency range. A 137 HP engine will get it between 45kph and 60 kph, where as a 180 HP engine will get it between 60 and 80 kph. Driver of the 180HP bus will also be able to achieve 80 kph in 4th gear and use 5th and 6th only to keep the RPM in the efficiency range.
Another fact is smoothness. Tata and Eicher offer 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder options, where as Leyland sells only 6 cylinder engines.
In the planes the 4 cylinder engine is more efficient, where as in the hills the 6 cylinder is more efficient and tractable. Even when Torque figures and BHP figures are same, a driver of a 6 cylinder engine can go down to 20kph for a turn, and then stamp on the throttle and accelerate slowly without weird noise, engine knock etc. In a 4 cylinder he has to shift down to second, and shift up again.


Rahul

[V.Narayan]

This is a proud moment for all us Indians to find Ashok Leyland now the 3rd largest bus producer in the world. And Tata Motors being ranked 5th best regarded company, by Forbes, from amongst Auto companies world wide. When I started my career in 1982 the total car production licensed permission in India was around 100,000 to 120,000* cars per year. And truck/bus production license for Telco (as Tata Motors was then known as) was I think 60,000 to 75,000* in 1980 and had just been increased to 90,000* in 1983. That was the pathetic state of India's industry then throttled by the license raj and bureaucrats who pretended to be all knowing. I was then a flunkey's flunkey and one of my jobs used to be collating data on paper spreadsheets (the pre-XL era) for the senior management to use. One such data collation was in response to a Govt firman demanding an explanation as to why Telco had committed the cardinal sin of producing slightly more trucks than the licensed capacity. I was too junior to attend those meetings with the Govt but I got to be a fly on the wall in the debriefing sessions later. Govt's in those days believed that as soon as the licensed capacity for the year was completed the production line should stop. It is a relief and joy that today, freed at least from some of the stupidities of that era our companies are taking their place in the world.

* Figures are from memory. They might be off a bit but are directionally correct.

[alisajid]

Most buses in Telangana (TSRTC) are AL, infact buses plying on district routes are mostly AL. Although new volvo buses have started getting visible on Hyderabad city routes, however its AL all the way.

The only grudge with AL buses was their gear changing was crude, shaking up the whole thing. I hope with newer models they have rectified it. I find them more spacious and better lit than TATA buses.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Rahul Rao

Both Tata , Leyland and the third Eicher make ... Tata and Eicher offer 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder options, where as Leyland sells only 6 cylinder engines.
...

AL also makes 4 cylinder engines for the 12T buses - the Lynx range of midi-buses use the H4 engines, which generate 130PS power and ~450Nm torque. A lot many tour operators in the southern states swear by the Lynx models, for their fuel efficiency and ruggedness.

Eicher is probably the only one among the lot to use a 4 cylinder engine in large buses (16T)

[Rahul Rao]

@silversteed
Every one has 4 cylinder engines in 12 Ton buses, govt regulations do not allow more.
Tata has 3 turbotron series engines available in 4 cylinders. A 3Lit 123Bhp in light trucks. a 3.3Lit 137HP which is used in the 12 Ton Ultra bus range.
A third 5 Lit 4 cylinder 180HP available as an option in 16 ton buses and trucks.
The other 3 power ratings are offered only with 6 cylinder engines.

Rahul