Neoplan N4016

The Neoplan N4016 was a low-floor single-decker bus built by Neoplan between 1988 and 1999, initially at Stuttgart in Germany and later also in Poland.[1] It is the larger version of the Neoplan N4009 midibus.

Neoplan N4016
Overview
ManufacturerNeoplan
Production1988-99
AssemblyPilsting, Bavaria
Bolechowo, Poland
Body and chassis
Doors1 (UK)
1-3 (Europe)
Floor typeLow entry
ChassisIntegral
RelatedNeoplan N4009
Powertrain
EngineMAN or DAF
Capacity3139 (seated)
TransmissionVoith or ZF Friedrichshafen
Dimensions
Length12 m (39 ft)
Width2.5 m (8.2 ft)
Chronology
SuccessorNeoplan Centroliner

The N4016 is remembered for being the first low-entry single-decker bus sold in the United Kingdom.

In Belarus, Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) took contacts with Neoplan in order to produce the MAZ-101, a low-floor bus closely related to the Neoplan N4016. While the MAZ-101 sold poorly, subsequent variants (MAZ-103, MAZ-105 and the three-axle MAZ-107) have been sold to a vast amount of Belarusian, Russian and foreign operators and are still in production today.

Specifications

The N4016 was 12m long and 2.5m wide, and is powered by a MAN or DAF engine with Voith or ZF Friedrichshafen transmission. The N4016 typically seated 31 or 39 with a large standing capacity. Some interesting features that it has a double-curvature windscreen, a separately mounted destination sign and a rounded roof dome that is more rounded than the existing Centroliner that is slightly different from the existing Centroliner.

Service

United Kingdom

Neoplan N4016 rear

Only twelve N4016s were sold in the United Kingdom. They were bought by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive in 1994 for use on Merseytravel SMART services in Liverpool,[2] and were operated by MTL. They later passed to MTL for use on other services, primarily between Liverpool and Croxteth Park.[3] MTL's successor Arriva North West & Wales continued to operate them until late 2008, also between Liverpool and Croxteth Park (route 18A),[4] when they were replaced by Wright Pulsars. Two examples survived until early 2009, and were also replaced by Wright Pulsars.

Rumours suggested that the Neoplans could have gone to Arriva Southend in 2009, however this never occurred, and instead the majority of the Neoplan fleet was scrapped. Three N4016s found their way into further service (with a fourth serving as a source of spare parts) with Tanat Valley Coaches in mid Wales.[5] After the loss of a contract, Tanat Valley placed their N4016s up for sale and they were sold, however their location is currently unknown.

Europe

Neoplan N4016 in Poznań in September 2006

Athens-based bus operator, OAS, purchased 93 Neoplan N4016s in 1994. All of them were retired in 2009.[6]

Poznań-based tram and bus operator, Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Poznaniu, purchased 32 Neoplan N4016s between 1996 and 1999. The last Neoplan N4016s were withdrawn in 2014.

References

  1. AG100 debuts at Geneva Commercial Motor 26 January 1989
  2. "Merseyside Transport (L409 TKB) (image)". Flickr. June 6, 1994. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  3. "MTL North 6410 L410 TKB Neoplan N4016, seen in Liverpool in late 1999. (image)". Flickr. October 1999. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  4. "Arriva 6408 L408 TKB Neoplan N4016, seen in Liverpool on 18/07/2005 (image)". Flickr. July 18, 2005. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  5. "Tanat Valley.1993 Neoplan N4016.L408TKB (image)". Flickr. July 13, 2009. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  6. "Home > Λεωφορεία Ελληνικών Operator - Greek Operators > Λεωφορεία Αστικών Συγκοινωνιών > Αθήνα > Οδικές Συγκοινωνίες (Ο.ΣΥ.) > Λεωφορεία > Αποσυρμένα (Ο.ΣΥ.) > Δεκαετίας '90". Bus Gallery (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  • Millar, Alan (2007) Bus & Coach Recognition : Ian Allan Ltd., ISBN 0-7110-3136-3

Media related to Neoplan N4016 at Wikimedia Commons

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