Biglorryblog has received a threatening e-mail from that young whipper snapper Simon Wood, senior press & public relations wallah at Mercedes Commercial Vehicles and all because I took a pop at the Axor crew cab. Well duh! Anyway he's obviously taken his brave pills as he says: "Ere! Any more comments about Axor Crew Cabs and you'll be needing one of these... If you get my drift!" And he's sent me this link to the website featuring what's claimed to be the world's largest ambulance (which naturally is a Mercedes Citaro) only I'm not so sure about this...http://www.autoevolution.com/news/worlds-largest-ambulance-citaro-based-6632.html I recall seeing a much-bigger bendy 'Jumbulance' based on a UK-operated Van Hool bendy coach that took sick people down to Lourdes in the 1980s and 90s... So is this really the World's Biggest Ambulance? Let me know what you think! And click through here for the full story on the Citaro!
Anyroadup the Citaro ambulance seen here has been purchased by the Government of Dubai which reckons that large-capacity ambulances are a good idea not least when it comes to situations where rapid medical assistance needs to be rendered in case of major emergencies, such as accidents or disasters with large number of victims injured. Apparently the two-man crew can normally take care of only one patient in a normal ambulance, while in the Citaro-based ones, up to 20 persons can receive medical assistance.
The three Citaro ambulances versions have been developed: Bus variant A is designed as a mobile intensive unit; variant B for the large-scale treatment and transport of medium-to-slightly injured patients; and variant C as a combination of both. This last variant has enough treatment and transport capacity for more than 80 patients!" Blimey better tell the NHS! It can also function as an operating theatre. It takes around 700 hours to convert a Citaro bus into an ambulance and I'm reliably informed that: "They are the only large-capacity ambulances to feature roll-in systems for stretchers such as those used by paramedical services, so that patients can be rolled into the vehicle in a prone position." Sounds like the perfect 'recovery room' for journalists...
Our own MOD has operated many buses that can be converted into large ambulances since at least the 1960s and probably earlier. These have been based on various AEC, Leyland, Dodge, Bedford and Dennis chassis and can be regognised by the provision of one or two large doors in the rear panel of the bus body.
Indeed Dave's quite right; the rear doors are at railway carriage height and able to fold back against the body thereby permitting loading of casualties ex train carriage at a level crossing. The overhead luggage racks are also strengthened to carry squaddies guns and kit. I know what you're thinking BLB (this IS a sad bunny alert) and I worry myself too sometimes.
I believe there was a Van Hool articulated coach ambulance called 'Jumbulance'. It was 18m long I think, I remember seeing it at the RAF Cosford airshow years ago.
I remember the articulated Jumbulances. They were operated by the Across Trust on pilgrimages to Lourdes, carrying the terminally ill and chronically sick. These days Across Trust uses rigid coaches, specially built by Van Hool for the task.
These Citaros are more like fully equipped casualty units for dealing with large scale emergency situations.
The concept is not new though. Leyland built a specially equipped Leyland-National bus, known as the Lifeliner, and exhibited it at the 1974 Commercial Motor Show:
http://midlandred.net/pix/ln/438/01.shtml
After the show it was rebuilt as a standard bus and entered service with Midland Red in 1975.
The concept, design and project management was performed by "Von Bergh Global Medical Consulting":
More information at www.globalmedicalconsulting.net
You were right about the Van Hool Articulated 'Jumbulances', The Across Trust had 4 built between 1980 and 1986. URL above has loads of pictures. I travelled in all of them at one time or another to various places in the UK but mostly Europe. These were known as 'Alligator Jumbulances' after the Van Hool classification TG821 Alligator.