The Tata 1510 and its sister model 1512 are bus chassis built by Tata Motors in India. They are among the most widely used buses in the country and in neighbouring states, and they also run on the Seychelles. Tata builds the chassis with its front end and driveline; independent coachbuilders add the body to each operator’s order.
Tata 1510/1512 at a glance
| Maker | Tata Motors, India |
|---|---|
| Models | 1510 and 1512 |
| Type | bus chassis with front-mounted engine |
| Engine | Tata-Cummins diesel, turbocharged and intercooled (Cummins 6BT, 5.9 litres); the 1510 also used a Mercedes-Benz engine |
| Layout | front engine, rear-wheel drive through a propshaft |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual, fully synchronised; six-speed with synchromesh on the overdrive gear |
| Steering | power-assisted |
| Brakes | air brakes, dual circuit, S-cam |
| Retarder | fitted |
| Seating | about 60 seats |
| Bodies | by independent coachbuilders such as Khira Motors, Sutlej, Bharat, Standard and ARCO |
| Operators | state transport corporations, city bus companies and private intercity operators |
There is no English Wikipedia article on these buses; the page is based on the Russian and German articles, which describe the same two models.
History of the Tata 1510/1512
The 1510 and 1512 are described in the German and Russian Wikipedia articles as the most widely used buses in India and in neighbouring countries. The two models were meant to combine a good level of equipment with low running costs for the operator, which is why they appear in every kind of service, from the cheapest city routes to long-distance private lines.
Chassis and engines
Tata supplies the chassis with the front end and the driveline already fitted. A Tata-Cummins diesel of the 6BT family, 5.9 litres with a turbocharger and an intercooler, sits at the front and drives the rear wheels through a propshaft. The 1510 was also built with a Mercedes-Benz engine. The gearbox is a five-speed manual, fully synchronised, or a six-speed with synchromesh on the overdrive gear; steering is power-assisted and the brakes are dual-circuit air brakes of the S-cam type. A retarder is part of the specification.
Bodies and operators
Because the body is not part of the Tata product, each bus is finished by a coachbuilder to the customer’s requirements. Among the leading firms the German article names Khira Motors, part of Jayanard Khira & Co. Pvt. Ltd., the state transport company of Maharashtra with its head office in Pune, together with Sutlej, Bharat, Standard and ARCO. The finished buses carry about 60 seats and are used by every kind of transport company, from government and municipal operators to the private companies that run expensive intercity and country routes.
Design and features
- Front-mounted Tata-Cummins diesel: 5.9 litres with turbocharger and intercooler, driving the rear wheels through a propshaft.
- Simple, strong chassis: five- or six-speed manual gearbox, power steering, air brakes and a retarder.
- Coachbuilt bodies: the body is made to order by firms such as Khira Motors, Sutlej, Bharat, Standard and ARCO.
- Every market segment: from city and state transport corporations to private long-distance operators.
Tata 1510/1512 versions
- 1510: also offered with a Mercedes-Benz engine.
- 1512: the sister model with the Tata-Cummins engine.
- City and state corporation bodies: high-capacity bodies for urban and regional routes.
- Private intercity bodies: coachwork for long-distance operators.
Tata also builds the smaller 407, whose platform became the basis of the Cityride and Starbus city buses. More Tata vehicles are in the Tata collection.
Sources
- Tata 1510/1512, Russian Wikipedia: engine, gearbox, brakes, operators
- Tata 1510, German Wikipedia: seats, layout, coachbuilders
