SAVIEM SC 10

Origins

At the end of the 1950s, urban public transport in France was almost exclusively provided by buses, with the exception of the Paris metro, a few trolleybuses, and a handful of tram networks. Buses were generally produced in small series by various manufacturers; they were expensive to purchase and maintain and difficult to amortize; their characteristics varied, but they all shared a glaring lack of comfort: floors that were too high, ceilings that were too low, and cramped access.

In 1958, the RATP and the UPTUR joined forces to develop specifications for a new standardized city bus, better known as the "standard bus"^[2] .The specifications included a length of 11 m, a flat floor no more than 63.5 cm above the ground, a minimum interior height of 2.20 m with windows 1.78 m above the floor, an anti-glare cylindrical windshield, and a 150 hp engine located under the driver's seat. SAVIEM, Berliet, and Verney responded favorably to the call for tenders, but the latter manufacturer quickly withdrew due to insufficient production capacity.

In 1961, after extensive research, SAVIEM delivered its first SC 10 prototype to the RATP^[3].It differed visually from the production models in that the front end, with its “cap” supporting the wind vane, did not extend the full width of the roof, and the windshield had a central pillar. In June 1963, it was presented internationally for the first time in Vienna, Austria.

On May 19, 1965, the first vehicle in the series to roll off the production line in Annonay was approved by the French Ministry of Mines. Nancy was the first provincial network to receive SC 10 buses in 1965. The French Fulgur engine installed on the prototypes, deemed too underpowered, was replaced on the production buses by a German MAN engine, a 150 hp horizontal 6-cylinder in-line diesel engine limited to 135 hp, with M3 combustion technology. MAN engines were used in all SC 10s until the end of production of the series.

Production

The SC 10 was a huge commercial success in France. By November 1969, there were already 1,440 of them in service on French rail networks^[4].

From the start of production, several different door configurations were offered, including the SC 10 244 DPA (“D” for offset door) and the SC 10 U 044 PA, for single-operator service. A version without rear corner windows and equipped with small round taillights was marketed under the name SC 10 L. In 1970, the front turn signals were moved from their original position next to the headlights to above them. In October 1974, SAVIEM introduced the SC 10 UM (M for modernized) with improved soundproofing thanks to engine encapsulation, a dual-flow exhaust, and intake silencers. The braking system was improved to comply with EEC standards. In September 1975, a working group was set up to modernize the SC 10, resulting in a second generation; that same year, a large rear window replaced the two windows on the rear.

In 1977, Saviem and Berliet merged to become Renault Véhicules Industriels (RVI)^[5], leading to the definitive discontinuation of the SAVIEM brand in 1980. The Saviem SC10 became the Renault SC10. Shortly thereafter, it underwent a number of improvements and was renamed SC10 UO.

In the fall of 1981, the Renault SC 10 R (“R” for restyled) was unveiled. There were no major changes except for a new, sleeker, more modern look that did away with the rounded front end. The windshield was no longer cylindrical but retained a curved shape at the top. The side doors were now fully glazed; there were two steps instead of one, even though the floor height remained unchanged, and thermal comfort was improved (ventilation, heating, defrosting). At the rear, only the lights were restyled. The engine remains unchanged. The new version is produced for seven and a half years, during which time 1,630 units are manufactured. On March 4, 1986, the Annonay factory celebrates the production of its 10,000th SC 10. In 1987, this bus accounts for 91% of the RATP fleet.

March 1989 marked the end of production of the SC 10, after 11,004 units had been manufactured over a period of 24 years, including more than 3,000 “restyled” models. However, this great success was limited to France; the bus was not sold abroad except in Brescia, Italy, which purchased 15 units^[6].

(Note: This acquisition sparked controversy in Brescia, where the contract amount was never disclosed, even though city buses were, at the time, purchased through national tenders and supplied to municipalities by the Italian Ministry of Transport).

Open rear platform

Following a 1976 accident that severely damaged the rear of SC10 U No. 5933, the RATP decided during repairs to create an open rear platform, similar to pre-war Renault TN buses and earlier Brillié-Schneider PB2 from 1911. This created the SC10 UPF.

This SC10 (No. 5933) has been preserved by the SAUVABUS association since 1983, when it was retired^[7].

This design was very well received by users, so SAVIEM took up the idea and offered a version of the SC 10 with an open rear platform that could be accessed from inside the vehicle via a sliding door^[8]. This model evolved along with the rest of the range, and the last to be marketed was the SC 10 RA (RA meaning restyled with rear platform), of which 34 were produced. The SC 10 with rear platform was used in Paris (89 units) but also in seventeen other cities, plus thirteen networks that purchased them second-hand. RATP line 29 was the last to operate buses with open rear platforms until February 2002^[9].

Experiments and modifications

The SC10 received numerous modifications during its career, usually in small numbers, mostly for the RATP, its largest customer with half of all orders.

This led to the creation of a prototype bus equipped with disc brakes—an SC 10 equipped with drum brakes—a feature that was not adopted in series production for technical reasons. Around fifty vehicles (SC 10 UX) had their engine power increased to 170 hp and their maximum speed to 72 km/h for service to Orly and Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airports, with the seats rearranged to face the direction of travel. As this type of bus also provided excursion services, it had to be equipped with a spare wheel, which was attached to the outside of the rear.

Four SC 10s are equipped with hydrostatic transmission. Another model is converted into a diesel-electric bus, whose engine drives an alternator that powers electric motors connected to the drive wheels. A bus running on LPG is tested. These three attempts to diversify the powertrain are unsuccessful^[10].

End of the Renault SC10

Starting in 2000, stricter European anti-pollution standards accelerated the already well-advanced reform of the SC 10: buses equipped with more powerful, more efficient, and less polluting engines were introduced, and the R.312 and then Irisbus Agora from the same manufacturer took over; the comfort and accessibility of these new models were also improved thanks to a low floor throughout. The last Parisian SC 10 buses remained in service until March 12, 2002^[11] , but some provincial cities continued to use them for longer. The last ones in commercial service continued to run on the two lines of the Bastia network until 2013.

However, since being replaced on French public transport networks, many SC 10s have been given a new lease of life by being reconditioned and purchased by individuals or local authorities for school transport. They can also be found on foreign networks thanks to the second-hand market: SC 10s are in use in Cambodia, Myanmar, Albania, Armenia, Romania, Russia, and many African countries.

General characteristics

• Manufacturer: Saviem, later RVI
• Chassis: Tubular beam frame
• Body: Removable screwed side panels, Duralinox aluminum roof
• Passenger capacity: 93 (27 seated, 66 standing)
• Length: 11.045 m
• Width: 2.50 m
• Height: 2.96 m
• Interior height: 2.20 m
• Wheelbase: 5.58 m
• Turning circle: 22 m
• Unladen weight: 8.1 t
• Gross vehicle weight: 15 t
• Power: 19 fiscal hp - 165 hp actual (up to 170 hp)
• Top speed: 50 to 85 km/h depending on version
• Fuel tank: 228 litres
• Window height: 80 cm
• Doors: 2 or 3 doors, 2 or 4 leaves. Accessibility indicated by model code numbers, e.g., SC10.U.044 has 0 rear doors, middle door with 4 leaves, front with 4 leaves.

Engines

Engine specifications