The Duple Caribbean was design of a coach bodywork built by Duple between 1983 and 1986. It replaced the high-floor Goldliner variant of the long-running Duple Dominant range as Duple's premium coach body of the mid 1980s.
| Duple Caribbean | |
|---|---|
 Duple Caribbean II body on Leyland Tiger chassis | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Duple |
| Production | 1983–1986 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Doors | 1 |
| Floor type | Step entrance |
| Chassis | Auwärter Neoplan N716 DAF MB200 Dennis Dorchester Leyland Tiger Volvo B10M |
| Related | Duple Calypso Duple Laser |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 12 metres (39 ft) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Duple Goldliner |
| Successor | Duple 340 |
Variants
editThe original Caribbean was introduced in 1983 as Duple's upmarket / high-floor coach and was available on 12 metre long mid-engined DAF, Dennis, Leyland and Volvo chassis. At the time Duple was attempting to develop its own integral coach designs and a one-off rear-engined semi-integral Caribbean was built on Neoplan running gear as a prototype.[1] The design bonded glazing which distinguished it from the contemporary low-floor Duple Laser (early examples of which had gasket glazing). Quad headlights and a narrow chrome grille were standard, although twin headlights and a wider grille (as used on the Duple Calypso) could be specified as an option. The bonded-glazed Calypso was similar in appearance to the Caribbean, but was closer in height to the Laser.[2]
At the end of 1984 the Caribbean range was given a facelift and renamed the Caribbean II. The main difference was a revised front with twin headlamps and plastic grille, shared with the contemporary Laser 2 (which gained bonded glazing at this time, becoming closer in appearance to the Caribbean II).[3]
Replacement
editAt the end of 1985 the new Duple 320 and 340 were launched as replacements for the Laser and Caribbean ranges respectively.[4] The remaining stock of Caribbean coaches entered service during 1986.
Gallery
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Duple Caribbean on Leyland Tiger chassis -
Duple Caribbean II on Leyland Tiger chassis
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See also
edit
References
edit- Miller, Alan (1992). Bus and Coach Recognition; 3rd Edition. Ian Allan Publishing.
- Townsin, Alan (1998). Duple: 70 Years of Coachbuilding. Venture Publications Ltd. pp. 147–153. ISBN 1-898432-46-5.
- ^ Townsin 1998, p. 147-148.
- ^ Miller 1992.
- ^ Townsin 1998, p. 150.
- ^ Townsin 1998, p. 153.