THERE CAN be few local authority work-shops in the country that are required to cater for a greater range of vehicles than the City of Coventry Engineer’s Depart-ment. Apart from major servicing the department undertakes rebuilds and con-versions resulting in savings of many thousands of pounds to ratepayers and the immaculate fleet of red vehicles bears witness to the standards of professionalism.

The department is also responsible for the purchase of all transport for the City and also for the drawing up of specifica-tions in consultation with those depart-ments requiring vehicles.

Three years ago the City’s Leisure Services Department conducted a study of its needs in connection with the various land roles it carries out including mowing and spraying and it was decided to change from agricultural-type tractors to Land Rovers. The main advantage of the change was the increased capacity of Land Rovers in terms of load carrying and personnel movement. Gangs can now be moved swiftly and economically to places of work without the need for additional transport and the Land Rovers are able to carry out all grass cutting and land maintenance previously carried out by tractors.

Other departments also have a need for Land Rovers. The Building Services Department uses a long wheelbase model to move men and materials and also to tow caravans when necessary. Another long wheelbase fitted with a power winch is used by the workshops as a recovery vehicle for both vehicle and plant servicing and a Land Rover station wagon is permanently based in Wales where it is used by the Education Department.

Petrol engines are preferred to dicscl engines owing to the wider availability of fuel and the fact that drivers find them easier to start. The Department has tried hoth 6-cylinder and 4-cylinder versions of the petrol engine and finds that the latter provides ample power at a saving of some 25 per cent in fuel.

Minimum expected life of Land Rovers on the fleet is seven years after which time the disposal ofa vehicle will depend on the level of maintenance costs. Even when sold the vehicles are still fully roadworthy and the most recent vehicles sold by tender fetched excellent prices despite the fact that they were all very nearly ten years old.

Close association

Evidence of the close association be-tween the City and British Leyland appears in vehicles ranging from Marinas to the Lord Mayor’s Daimler but even this did not prevent the department having to look elsewhere for a rapid intervention vehicle recently to meet the various requirements of the local ground con-ditions at Coventry’s airport site.

In total over 40 Land Rovers are at work in Coventry daily engaged in roles as varied as cutting verges to servicing a JCB on site and it is this very diversity of roles that makes the Land Rover unique in its ability to be all things to all drivers.

OTHER SERIES III ARTICLES:

Technical Specifications

All of the following articleswere published between 1980 and 1983, a period that saw the introduction of the County models, the Hi-Cap Pick Up and the Stage 1 V8

• 2 new Pickups and a Station wagon
• A company with £200 million to spend
• Land Rover Assembly
• Service Sells
• 30 Years Experience
• Transport Costs Reduced
• City Council does own conversions
• No real Alternative
• Demand for work vehicles
• Constant Off-Highway use
• Mixed Fleet for broadcasters
• All Sorts of Landrover
• Conversions extend Applications
• Back to Buyers Guide - Past Masters