Ikarus 280 bus: specifications and photos

Buses brand "Ikarus" for more than half a century carry passengers, as before in the Soviet Union, and now in the post-Soviet space. During the USSR, the Hungarian manufacturer supplied 143 thousand buses of several modifications. One of the most popular models, though not the largest in terms of supplies, is the Ikarus 280 bus.

A little common history

The most famous in the sixties of the last century were Ikarus Lux, which mainly carried out long-distance transportation.

The first articulated model (the so-called "accordion") "Ikarus 180" was supplied to the USSR from October 1968. These buses could be met on urban routes for almost fifteen years.

In the late sixties the models of the two hundredth series began to be manufactured. They differed fashionable in those days with an angular body shape. For the European body market put on the chassis of MAN, Scania, Volvo. There were many models in this series, but city buses of models 260, 263, 280 and 283 and intercity buses - 250, 255 and 256 were delivered to the Soviet Union. City buses were all dark yellow, because this factory painting was adopted by the manufacturer for the USSR, Later for Russia - white and red models "Ikarus 280" (see photo below). Reds were delivered to Poland, to Germany - white, with orange front and back and doors, to Hungary - blue, with a gray roof and doors.

The main plant of the company "Ikarus" is ruined, but in the post-Soviet space the exploitation of Hungarian buses, which descended from the conveyor belt in the last century, continues.

History of the model

In 1973, the launch of the Ikarus 280 bus began. The model had more than fifty modifications and was withdrawn from production in 1993. Buses of this model were delivered to the countries of the socialist camp and the third world, assembled in Cuba from ready-made components. Buses that were produced for Iran, differed in the location and number of doors, and for Kuwait - the presence of air conditioning.

Since there were no articulated bus models in Russia, in 1994 buses began to be assembled at the Moscow plant "Tushino-Avto". Work began with the installation of seats and upholstery of almost ready buses, but in 1996 Icarus 280.33M was produced in the standard Moscow white-green color. Issued by the Tushino plant at the turn of the new century, the modification "Ikarus 280.33M2" worked on gas. The buses were completely discontinued in 2002.

Description of the popular bus model

"Ikarus 280" - articulated bus with increased passenger capacity, with a powerful engine, is designed for densely populated large cities. A wide passage made it easy to move around the cabin. In the Soviet Union and later in Russia were delivered modifications with the cabin completely separated from the cabin and three-row arrangement of single semi-soft seats. A large storage area in front of the rear doors made it possible to place a lot of passengers on it, which did not interfere with the traffic in the passage. The ventilation of the cabin was provided by ceiling hatchways with rubber gaskets and windshields in a quarter, and then half the side window.

The driver's workplace was equipped with a high-placed seat, which was adjusted not only for height, tilt back and cushion, but also for the driver's weight.

The switches of the main devices on the dashboard were located to the left, and to the right were the switches for opening four double doors of the bus. Double pneumatic cylinders allowed to open both halves of doors simultaneously. In the early models, the doors were screened, later - swivel. If there were four doors in city buses, there were two of them in the suburbs, where the boarding and disembarking of passengers were less frequent, in the tractor cabin and in the trailer.

Advantages and disadvantages

The model of the Ikarus 280 bus differs unpretentiousness, good adaptability to difficult natural conditions, high passenger capacity and convenient layout of the cabin. Employees of operating organizations say that the bus has not yet been created more reliable, economical and convenient to operate.

Ikarus is characterized by a high floor arrangement, although it is flat over the entire length, without steps and ramps, and two steps near passenger doors, which somewhat slow down the loading and unloading of passengers. This design feature is considered the main disadvantage of the city bus.

The disadvantage of this model is the design of the interior heating system. In winter time the salon was heated by two independent heaters "Sirocco", which actively consumed diesel fuel. In an effort to save fuel, drivers did not include heaters, and it was cold inside the bus.

It may be considered a disadvantage and a weak anti-corrosion treatment of the body, although the developers hardly planned a service life for their cars for more than twenty years, including the Ikarus 280 model.

Technical characteristics of the model

During the entire production of the 280th model bus the transmission remained mechanical, the rear wheels of the tractor were leading, the steered trailer bridge provided excellent long maneuverability for the long articulated bus. The elastic elements of the suspension were pneumatic cushions. The tractor and trailer were connected by a hinge joint. Inside the steering rod, the trailer wheels were closed with a two-piece turntable.

The motor was specially designed for buses, the layout of which provides for the horizontal position of the cylinders. The engine, which was manufactured under the license of the German company MAN, was changed and finalized in accordance with the requirements of environmental safety. Since it was located under the floor, the exhaust gases did not fall into the interior.

The braking system was specially designed for the safety of traffic in urban conditions. The parking brake was combined with a spare braking system. The motor retarder served as an auxiliary brake. In cold weather, the system protected from freezing a half liter alcohol guard.

The fuel tank is designed for 260 liters of diesel fuel. The package included a complete package of documentation, which facilitated not only the operation, but also the repair of buses.

Operator feedback

For ease of maintenance of the bus it is very important that access to the gearbox and the engine is possible through the hinged covers on the left side and special technical hatches in the floor of the cabin.

A mechanical gearbox may be an outdated technical solution, but in the conditions of a city winter (in Russia not less than four months a year), icing and rolled snow, it only helps the driver to lower the heavy machine to a slippery lift. The Ikarus drivers praise the clutch pedal and the convenient gearshift mechanism, which works very accurately, because in this model the thrust of the shift drive is a powerful shaft, not ropes, as in later models.

The large distance between the side handrail on the turntable and the bellows bellows casing forced the driver to frequently take out the fallen passengers' belongings, lifting the lid of the turntable at the stops.

On the cold in winter in buses, passengers have always complained, but it was not a question of heating system design, but of fuel economy. The repairers believe that in the new Ikarus 280 series, the stoves are warming badly because of design deficiencies, because the second thermostat that is installed behind the front panel lining with a delay passes the liquid from the cooling system to the stoves.

Scale model of the bus

Ikarus is such a landmark bus in the history of passenger transportation that it could not be ignored by the famous Russian digging company Classicbus, which produces collection models of vehicles. To date, the company has produced more than thirty bus models not only of the domestic car industry, but also of the world's most famous manufacturers. In 2011, the collection model "Ikarus 280" (1:43) was released. The prototype is the 1994-1996 bus.

The body of the model is made of metal ocher color, salon - made of plastic. To assemble a product with dimensions of 385x58x74 mm and a weight of 0.9 kg, it took 180 parts. The circulation of the issue is only three thousand pieces.

Trolleybuses of the brand "Ikarus"

In 1975-77, seventy-seven articulated trolleybuses with electric equipment of the decommissioned Soviet trolley buses of the plant named after Vadim Vinogradov were built on the basis of a bus jointly by Ikarus and the Budapest Transport Company. Uritsky. Then, after 1977, several experienced trolleybuses were built with equipment from various well-known manufacturers. These trials were conducted in large cities of Europe and North America. From 1985 to 1992 About 300 Ikarus 280T trolleybuses were manufactured with Ganz Electronics equipment for the domestic market, the GDR and Bulgaria.

Trolleybuses Ikarus were not officially supplied in the USSR. At the end of the last century in Chelyabinsk passengers were transported about two dozen used cars, bought in East Germany.

In Moscow, in the production of trolleybuses "SVARZ-Ikarus" used written-off bus bodies. Electrical equipment for them was produced by the Dynamo plant. One trolley bus was also produced at the Tushino plant in the body of Ikarus 280.

Similar converted trolleybuses were produced in Poland, Bulgaria and North Korea.

Articulated buses Ikarus 280 are rightly considered to be the most notable milestone in the history of urban transport in Russia. They were supplied to the Soviet Union for 30 years and later to Russia, and for more than half a century they have been transporting passengers.