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Büssing

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Büssing AG
IndustryManufacturing
Founded1903
Defunct1971
FateMerged with MAN AG
Headquarters
Braunschweig
,
Germany
Key people
Heinrich Büssing (1843–1929) (founder)
ProductsTrucks and buses

Büssing AG was a German bus and truck manufacturer, established in 1903 by Heinrich Büssing (1843–1929) in Braunschweig.[1] It quickly evolved to one of the largest European producers, whose utility vehicles with the Brunswick Lion emblem were widely distributed, especially from the 1930s onwards. The company was taken over by MAN AG in 1971.

Heinrich Büssing

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1903 Büssing ZU-550 truck on display in the Deutsches Museum, Munich

Heinrich Büssing successfully founded several companies and held approximately 250 patents. One example is an introductory patent by engineer C. Windhausen and Heinrich Büssing from Braunschweig, which relates to the manufacture of new chimney caps [2]. At the age of 60, the inventor and businessman Heinrich Büssing together with his two sons founded the Heinrich-Büssing-Spezialfabrik für Motorwagen und Motoromnibusse. Büssing, the son of a blacksmith dynasty at Nordsteimke (in present-day Wolfsburg), had studied engineering at the Collegium Carolinum in Braunschweig and had founded several bicycle, engineering and railway signal works with varying degrees of success.[3] His first truck was a 2-ton payload machine powered by a 2-cylinder gasoline engine and featuring worm drive. That successful design was later built under license by other companies in Germany, Austria, Hungary and by Straker-Squire in England.

One year later he debuted a first 20 HP omnibus model carrying up to twelve passengerson the route from Braunschweig to Wendeburg, operated by his own Automobil-Omnibus-Betriebs-Gesellschaft.[3] Büssing busses soon served public transport in European cities like Berlin (ABOAG), Vienna and Prague (Fross–Büssing), or London.

History

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Büssing 5t army truck in 1918

Before World War I Büssing started to build heavy-duty trucks for the time. These trucks featured 4- and 6-cylinder engines (5 tonnes and 11 tonnes, respectively). In 1914 the Büssing A5P armored car was developed at the behest of the German Oberste Heeresleitung. After the war, Heinrich Büssing had to enter a Kommanditgesellschaft limited partnership, converted into the Büssing AG joint-stock company in 1922. In 1923, Büssing introduced the first rigid three-axle chassis which was used in upcoming models and allowed Büssing to lead the market share in Germany in commercial vehicles. Fleets of their double and single deck buses ran on the streets of Berlin and were a common sight in the interwar years.

1963/1964 Büssing trolleybus preserved at the Frankfurt-am-Main Transport Museum

Büssing NAG used inmates of several Nazi concentration camps in Braunschweig from 1944 to March 1945 for slave labor. These camps were subcamps to the Neuengamme concentration camp.[4]

Büssing 8000 truck

After World War II civilian production resumed with 5-ton and 7-ton trucks being produced.[1] In 1950, the company name became Büssing Nutzkraftwagen GmbH and production was concentrated on underfloor-engined trucks which were to become the firm's specialty. Most tractor units and all normal-control trucks had vertical engines, but in the mid 1960s there was a version of their Commodore maximum-weight tractor unit, the 16-210, which had a horizontal diesel mounted under the cab ahead of the front axle, the gearbox being mounted halfway along the truck's chassis.[1]

In 1969, Büssing started strong ties with MAN AG. MAN was a customer to some Büssing's innovative trucks and parts while they were promoting their own line-up. In 1971, an MAN takeover of Büssing was announced.[1] MAN started to use the lion logo on its newly named "MAN-Büssing" trucks. Büssing's unique underfloor-engined truck range continued in production under the MAN AG through to the late 1980s.

Büssing BS 16 from 1967

Acquisitions

[edit]
  • First acquisition for Büssing was Mannesmann-Mulag Motoren und Lastwagen AG of Aachen.
  • Elbing plant of Automobil Fabrik Komnick AG.
  • In 1934, Neue Automobil Gesellschaft (NAG). After the takeover Büssing used the brand Büssing-NAG until 1950.
  • Büssing took over the Borgward plant at Osterholz-Scharmbeck in 1962. This plant was used for building military 4-tonne 4x4. (1968 Factory was sold to Faun-Werke GmbH.)

Innovations

[edit]
Büssing one and a half decker from 1965
  • 1923: The Büssing III GL 6 is the world's first full-size bus[5]
  • 1930s: Büssing began building heavy duty trucks with diesel engines
  • 1936: Büssing pioneered the horizontal "underfloor" diesel engines
  • During World War II Büssing once again supplied military vehicles including 6x4 armoured cars and an 8x8 with all-wheel steering.

Trolleybus production

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Büssing Omnibus, type VI

Büssing manufactured trolleybuses between 1933 and 1966, producing approximately 71 models.[6] Most were for German cities, but production also included three trolleybuses for Chernyakhovsk, Russia, in 1939; four for Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1940–42; and 14 for Lucerne, Switzerland, in 1965.[6] In Turkey, ESHOT converted 21 Büssing motorbuses into trolleybuses in 1962 and 1968[6] (these are not counted in the total of 71 given above). At least four Büssing trolleybuses have been preserved, including ones at the Frankfurt Transport Museum, (de:Verkehrsmuseum Frankfurt am Main) at the Hannoversches Straßenbahn-Museum and at the Historama transport museum in Ferlach, Austria.[6]

Büssing BS 20

Railway

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The WEG T36 was a two-axle diesel railcar manufactured by the Fuchs wagon factory. It was based on a Büssing bus. It was powered by two Büssing U10 engines, each with 150 hp. The vehicle had 42 seats and a top speed of 65 km/h. It was put into service by the Württemberg Railway Company (WEG) in 1954 and operated on the meter-gauge Amstetten–Laichingen line until 1973[7].

Overview of production figures

[edit]
Year Production trucks bus other
1945 1032
1946 1507
1947 908
1948 1421
1949 2023
1950 1541
1951 1689
1952 1676
1953 1779
1954 1510
1955 1683
1956 1719
1957 1095
1958 912
1959 1338
1960 2041
1961 2222
1962 2775
1963 2181
1964 2401
1965 2476
1966 1922
1967 1476
1968 2110
1969 2364
1970 3511
1971 3064
Sum [8]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d "Büssing". Historic Vehicles.
  2. ^ "chimney caps". landesarchiv-bw.de. 1868-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
  3. ^ a b "Heinrich Büssing: Eine Erfolgsgeschichte". Stadt Braunschweig.
  4. ^ The main camp Büssing and Schilldenkmal is listed as No. 165 Braunschweig in the official German list Archived April 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (in German)
  5. ^ Eckermann, Erik (2001). World History of the Automobile. SAE International. p. 127. ISBN 9780768008005. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d Murray, Alan (2000). World Trolleybus Encyclopaedia, p. 103. Yateley, Hampshire, UK: Trolleybooks. ISBN 0-904235-18-1.
  7. ^ "WEG T36". landesarchiv-bw.de. 1966-07-01. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
  8. ^ p.228 "Die österreichische Automobilindustrie nach 1945". unipub.uni-graz.at Barbara Preimel. 2013-11-15. Retrieved 2025-04-22. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Büssing.
  • Büssing Buses and coaches registered in Luxembourg 1960 [42]
  • Büssing Buses and coaches registered in Luxembourg 1967 [43]
  • Büssing Buses and coaches registered in Luxembourg 1975 [44]
  • Büssing Tractors in Luxembourg 1975 [45]
  1. ^ Büssing 150 D |https://www.oudemercedesbrochures.nl/DeutscheAutotypenBuch_1934de.html |Page 66 date=April 2025
  2. ^ Büssing 200 D|https://www.oudemercedesbrochures.nl/DeutscheAutotypenBuch_1934de.html |Page 67 date=April 2025
  3. ^ Büssing 250 D|https://www.oudemercedesbrochures.nl/DeutscheAutotypenBuch_1934de.html |Page 68 date=April 2025
  4. ^ Büssing 300 D|https://www.oudemercedesbrochures.nl/DeutscheAutotypenBuch_1934de.html |Page 70 date=April 2025
  5. ^ Büssing 350 D|https://www.oudemercedesbrochures.nl/DeutscheAutotypenBuch_1934de.html |Page 71 date=April 2025
  6. ^ Büssing 401 |https://www.oudemercedesbrochures.nl/DeutscheAutotypenBuch_1934de.html |Page 72 date=April 2025
  7. ^ Büssing 500 |https://www.oudemercedesbrochures.nl/DeutscheAutotypenBuch_1934de.html Page 73 date=April 2025
  8. ^ Büssing 801 |https://www.oudemercedesbrochures.nl/DeutscheAutotypenBuch_1934de.html Page 74 date=April 2025
  9. ^ "Büssing 650 GD". Automobilia transports : organe de défense des intérêts professionnels des transporteurs sur route de voyageurs et marchandises. 1935-03-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  10. ^ "OM Cerbiatto". Historische Nutzfahrzeuge. 2025-04-19. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
  11. ^ "Büssing 7000 S". magirus-iveco-museum.de. 2017-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
  12. ^ "Büssing 6000 S" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  13. ^ "Büssing 8000 S" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  14. ^ "Büssing 4500 U" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  15. ^ "Büssing 7500 U" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  16. ^ "Büssing 7500 S" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  17. ^ "Büssing 12000 U" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  18. ^ "Büssing LU 5" (PDF). verlagrabe.de Historischer Kraftverkehr p.11. 2004-04-01. Retrieved 2025-04-23.
  19. ^ "Büssing LU 7" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  20. ^ "Büssing LS 11" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  21. ^ "Büssing LU 11" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  22. ^ "Büssing LU 77" (PDF). verlagrabe.de Historischer Kraftverkehr p. 9. 2004-04-01. Retrieved 2025-04-23.
  23. ^ "Büssing Burglöwe U" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  24. ^ "Büssing Commodore U" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  25. ^ "Büssing BS 09 LT" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  26. ^ "Büssing BS 14 L" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  27. ^ "Büssing Supercargo 22-150 14,7 t". deutschefotothek.de. 1965-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  28. ^ "Büssing" (PDF). archiv-axel-oskar-mathieu.de. April 2025. p. 46. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  29. ^ "Büssing 25 HP". Armes et sports : revue illustrée. 1905-10-30. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  30. ^ "Büssing Typ Dresden II". deutschefotothek.de. 1934-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  31. ^ "Büssing NAG 900 N". deutschefotothek.de. 1938-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  32. ^ "Büssing 4500 T Trambus" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  33. ^ "Büssing 6500 T Double-decker" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  34. ^ "Büssing 6500 T Trambus" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  35. ^ "Several 6500 T buses were in use in Luxembourg". eluxemburgensia.lu. 1991-07-01. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
  36. ^ "Büssing 12000 T Double-decker" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  37. ^ "Büssing 12000 T Trambus" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  38. ^ "Büssing Trambus Präfekt 25/26" (PDF). theopold-parts.de. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  39. ^ "Büssing 100 T/ 110T". deutschefotothek.de. 1971-03-15. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  40. ^ "Büssing 120 GT". deutschefotothek.de. 1971-03-15. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  41. ^ "Büssing 120 V/N". deutschefotothek.de. 1971-03-15. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  42. ^ "Büssing Buses registered in Luxembourg". Bulletin du STATEC. 1960-08-01. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
  43. ^ "Büssing Buses registered in Luxembourg". Bulletin du STATEC. 1967-05-26. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
  44. ^ "Büssing Buses registered in Luxembourg". Bulletin du STATEC. 1975-08-08. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  45. ^ "Büssing Tractors in Luxembourg". Bulletin du STATEC. 1975-08-08. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
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