routeone530

19 March 2014 | Issue 530 

routeONE magazine 

@Route1edit 

The first members of Europe’s largest fleet of hydrogen buses have arrived in Scotland. At 

Stagecoach’s depot in Insch today (Wednesday), partners in the city council-led Aberdeen Hydrogen 

Bus Project are seeing the first four of the 10 zero-emission Van Hool vehicles for the first time. p10 

Care for the community 

Robinson buys a convenience store. p28-30 

Welcome to the World 

Father and son using their talents. p32-33 

Why Wi-Fi works 

The pros and cons of offering Wi-Fi. p35-37 

Want news as it breaks Register for Live News. www.route-one.net/livenews

This Week | 19 March 2014, Issue 530 

routeone 

Many a turning point 

If there’s one thing that’s certain in the life of 

any coach or bus business, it’s the fact that there 

will be turning points when, but for a favourable 

change in the prevailing economic wind, the 

consequences could have spelled the end of the 

road. 

And, just as for a child a year is a long time 

and each day a valuable opportunity to gather 

playground experiences and learn important 

lessons on how to avoid pain and injury, so it is with any young business. 

The big difference is that for the most part a child is guided by parents 

and teachers who do their utmost to point them in the right direction and 

correct any wrong decisions or actions. 

Nevertheless, children face serious perils and special precautions are in 

place to protect them. 

If only this was true for young up-and-coming PSV operators, we hear 

some (though not all) cry, because ease of entry has long been a bone of 

contention for this industry. 

Many claim that it is far too easy to prove the necessary financial 

standing, get an O-Licence, buy a coach or bus and start competing with 

established operators. 

On the face of it, this is perfectly true and there are a significant number 

of operators who started this way. This is proven year after year when newstart 

operators seem to appear on the highways and byways of Britain. It 

may be anecdotal, but observations suggest that April/May is when new 

operators take to the road. 

Of course they don’t all survive. It’s a case of survival of the fittest and, 

though the start-up hurdles may be considered something of a formality, 

we don’t think for one minute that, in the current operating environment, 

anyone will suggest that sustaining a new business beyond the first six 

months is in any way ‘too easy’. 

Not that established operators find life in the coach and bus lane to be a 

bed of roses. 

Whether you’ve been in business 12 months, 12 years or 112 years, there 

are barriers to success that are easier to overcome if you are in possession of 

sound advice, and accurate up-to-the minute information. 

It helps if the enforcement agencies provide accessible, easy-tounderstand 

guidance. It also helps if you read the right trade magazine. 

www.route-one.net 


Editor 

Mike Morgan 01733 405742 

mike.morgan@route-one.net 

Deputy Editor 

Mel Holley 01733 405743 

mel.holley@route-one.net 

Features Editor 

Jessamy Hudson 01733 405744 

jessamy.hudson@route-one.net 

Staff Journalist 

Tim Deakin 01733 405747 

tim.deakin@route-one.net 

Group Sales Manager 

Martin Laverton 01733 405735 

martin.laverton@route-one.net 

Sales Manager 

Daniel Lunn 01733 405734 

daniel.lunn@route-one.net 

Senior Sales Executive 

Steven Black 01733 405731 

steven.black@route-one.net 

Sales Executive 

Dan Roberts 01733 405740 

daniel.roberts@route-one.net 

Sales Executive 

Louise Norris 01733 405733 

louise.norris@route-one.net 

Admin Team 

Tracey Harrison Office Manager 

Simon Warby IT and Database Co-ordinator 

Jessica Sludds Admin Executive 

Leigh Creighton Admin Executive 

adcopy@expom.co.uk 

Design team 

Ross Phillips Senior Studio Executive 

Phil Robinson Studio Executive 

JM Sibcy-Stokes Creative Executive 

Publishing team 

Mark Griffin Managing Director 

Tony Henthorn Publishing Director 

@Route1edit 

Published by 

Expo Management Ltd, Unit 4, 

Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, 

Peterborough PE2 6FT 

Tel: 01733 405730 Fax: 01733 405745 

www.expom.co.uk 

Circulation 

Average weekly circulation 4,967 copies (01 Jan 

2013 - 31 Dec 2013) as independently audited by 

the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC). To subscribe 

visit www.route-one.net/subscribe 

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ISSN 2041-9295 

© Expo Management Ltd 2014 

Mike Morgan, Editor 


Wednesday 19 March 2014 | 3

Big Story | Clean fleets 

When looking to slay the beast of air pollution, there are various weapons that operators 

and specifiers can choose – but which are the best A new report as part of an EU-backed 

initiative sets out what’s available, and how the options stack up. Mel Holley reports 

Clean vehicle technology is 

moving at a pace that can make it 

hard to keep up with the current 

fuel and technology solutions 

available to bus operators. This is 

where a new report on clean buses 

published by the EU-funded 

Clean Fleets project could make 

your life easier. 

The report Clean Buses 

– Experiences with Fuel and 

Technology Options brings 

together the real-life experiences 

of more than 100 local authorities 

and 40 experts (including project 

partners, operators, research institutions, 

transport associations 

and consultants) to provide a 

comprehensive overview of technology 

and fuel options for clean 

buses currently on the market or 

undergoing trials. 

In many cases, admits the 

report, further development of 

the technology is needed. 

Particular emphasis is placed 

on individual experiences from 

cities, local authorities and 

operators. 

The report seeks to give a clear, 

yet in-depth analysis with examples 

of trials and demonstrations 

of buses with a range of fuel and 

technology types. 

The Clean Fleets project aims 

to assist governments, local 

authorities and operators with 

the implementation of the Clean 

Vehicles Directive (Directive 

2009/33/EC) and the procurement 

of clean and energy-efficient 

vehicles. 

The project aims to “accelerate 

a broad market introduction of 

vehicles with higher energy and 

environmental standards and 

thereby reduce energy consumption, 

noise, CO2 and pollutant 

emissions.” 

Clean Fleets will develop a 

guide on how to procure clean 

and energy-efficient vehicles, 

following the Directive. The 

guide will be accompanied by 

a toolkit of resources, such as a 

modular training package, a life 

cycle costing tool, sample tenders 

and good practice examples. 

Started in September 2012, 

Clean Fleets will run for three 

years and is funded by the 

European Commission 

Intelligent Energy Europe 

Initiative. 

Assessment 

The 42-page report provides 

a systematic assessment of 17 

different fuel and technology 

options covering environmental 

performance, market development, 

costs and other practical 

aspects related to the buses 

described. 

It looks at all-new buses, as 

well as adaptations to existing 

vehicles. The first part looks in 

detail at the factors influencing 

the fuel/technology selection. 

Market-ready fuels and technologies 

are examined, along with ‘less 

mature’ technologies. 

Methods for adapting or 

improving existing diesel vehicles, 

all of which stem from work 

in the UK, include: 

• Lightweighting: Optimising 

material use to reduce the vehicle 

weight 

• Smart alternators: Control 

excitation so the alternator 

only charges the battery under 

deceleration 

• Smart clutched compressors: 

Controlling the parasitic load 

on the engine via depressurising 

and/or declutching 

• Rankine heat recovery 

(exhaust or coolant): Recover 

waste heat from exhaust gas or 

coolant, to drive an additional 

turbine to generate energy 

• Infinitely variable transmission 

(IVT): No discrete gears 

• Arrive and go (stop-start) 

battery system: Reduces fuel 

during idle by stopping the 

engine when the bus is stationary 

• Low rolling resistance tyres 

and tyre pressure monitoring 

• Driver training (repeated to 

avoid ‘training decay’) and driver 

advisory systems 

• Low energy technologies 

for auxiliaries such as LED 

lighting, CCTV, ticket machines, 

passive-cooling technologies 

(solar reflective glazing/paint) 

• Consider installing solar PV for 

battery top-up. 

Key drivers 

For commercial operators especially, 

cost is the big issue, but 

there are other factors influencing 

the fuel/technology selection, 

says the report. 

In an ideal world, zero-emission 

buses, using zero-emission 

fuel, that is as cheap, or cheaper 

than conventional diesel, would 

be the answer. In the real world, 

it is a compromise between the 

‘well-to-wheel’ (WTW) environmental 

costs, with low, or 

zero, tailpipe emissions, being 

desirable. 

The report concludes that key 

drivers are: 

• Subsidies, tax incentives, 

capital funds etc. The UK’s 

Green Bus Fund and the German 

Ministry for Environment’s fund 

for hybrid and electric vehicles 

are picked out as leaders in the 

field. Some cities also operate 

direct support schemes; Helsinki, 

for example, pays a premium to 

contractors who provide secondgeneration 

biofuels 

• Total cost of ownership/life 

cycle cost. With strict budgetary 

pressures, many bodies remain 

focused on immediate cost rather 

than long-term savings 

• Prioritisation of air pollution 

or CO2 emissions 

• Availability of fuel and refuelling 

infrastructure 

• Topography, route and climate 

• Scope of replacement activities: 

The approach to bus replacement 

within the fleet 

• Whole Fleet: A greater benefit 

may be achieved by replacing a 

high number of vehicles which 

4 | Wednesday 19 March 2014 For breaking news, register for routeone Live News: www.r1news.co.uk

What is the perfect answer to all our emissions problems 

provide modest CO2 and/ 

or air quality related improvements, 

rather than one or two 

buses that provide significant 

improvements. 

None of the available or 

emerging technologies is perfect. 

All have their snags, and the most 

appropriate selection heavily 

depends on local conditions and 

priorities. 

Biofuels 

• Compressed Natural Gas 

(CNG): Offers major savings in 

PM and NOx emissions with a 

lower capital premium and is a 

mature market. But it is a nonrenewable 

fossil fuel 

• Biomethane/biogas: Similar 

technology to CNG, renewable 

with major WTW savings. But 

production is small with prices 

and availability depending on 

local markets 

• Biodiesel (FAME): High 

WTW savings, no vehicle 

premiums, renewable fuel. But it 

depends on where the crop comes 

from (palm oil, bad – waste oils, 

good), and costs depend on local 

conditions, plus worries about 

impacts on agricultural land 

• Hydrotreated Vegetable 

Oil (HVO): Very high WTW 

savings, renewable from waste 

cooking oils, but depends on 

source of oils, limited supplies 

and agriculture impacts 

• Biomass-to-Liquid (BTL): 

Lowest WTW of all biofuel, it 

is a renewable from farmed or 

waste wood. But costs depend on 

local markets and may require tax 

relief, while emission reductions 

not as high as other fuels 

• Bioethanol: Low WTW costs 

and emissions, renewable from 

organic fermentation. But, limited 

supplies, and costs depend on tax 

relief. 

Hybrid/electric 

• Diesel electric hybrids: Mature 

technology with 30% WTW and 

emissions savings. But, savings 

depend heavily on duty cycle, 

uses fossil diesel and capital costs 

up to 50% premium 

• CNG/ethanol/biodiesel electric 

hybrids: All the advantages 

of a diesel electric, but with lower 

WTW and tailpipe emissions 

than diesel. Capital premium 

• Plug-in electric hybrids 

(PHEV): Additional benefits 

include electric-only operation 

in sensitive areas, but new 

technology and WTW benefits 

affected by how the electricity is 

generated 

• Battery electric (EV): Zero 

emissions and low noise, but 

immature technology, limited 

range and time needed for 

recharging. 

Hydrogen 

Hydrogen fuel cells: Very high 

potential for almost 100% WTW 

routeone comment 

savings, zero emissions, good 

performance and route flexibility, 

but WTW savings depend on 

how the hydrogen is produced, 

immature technology and high 

costs of vehicles and fuelling 

facilities. 

Of all the technologies, this 

appears one of the most attractive, 

but mainstream introduction 

at lower cost is still a very long 

way off. 

• Download the report at 

www.zigs.me/7qT 

• Clean Vehicles Directive 

details at www.zigs.me/7qU 

There is no single silver bullet, but a selection, depending in 

part on duty cycles. What is crystal clear – and the reason for 

so many answers – is that government interventions, locally 

and nationally, play a significant part in determining what 

the most effective answer is. And, the most significant factor 

driving this is the level of fuel taxation and capital support. 

For breaking news, register for routeone Live News: www.r1news.co.uk Wednesday 19 March 2014 | 5

News 

Minister outlines school 

transport safety plans 

By Mel Holley 


Scottish Government 

to make schoolbus 

seatbelts a legal 

requirement 

Keith Brown, Transport 

Minister in Scotland, has 

announced that he intends to 

introduce legislation to ensure 

that seatbelts are provided on 

all dedicated school transport. 

Seatbelts could be installed on 

dedicated school transport by 

2018 at the earliest. 

The Scottish Government 

has been given approval ‘in principle’ 

from the UK Government 

to transfer the necessary powers 

to the Scottish Parliament in 

relation to school bus safety. 

Once powers have been 

transferred, Scottish Ministers 

will seek to legislate to ensure 

that seatbelts are introduced by 

way of a phased roll-out, giving 

local authorities and bus operators 

across Scotland time to 

adapt to the change. 

The powers are being transferred 

from Westminster to 

Holyrood by way of a Section 

30(2) Order of the Scotland 

Act 1998. 

This allows for modifications 

to be made to Schedule 5 to the 

Scotland Act which lists those 

matters that are reserved to the 

UK Parliament, and as such 

defines the competence of the 

Scottish Parliament. 

The Section 30(2) order is 

subject to scrutiny in the UK 

and Scottish Parliaments. It is 

currently anticipated that the 

process will be completed in the 

first half of 2015. 

Each day in Scotland 8,000 

vehicles carry 120,000 pupils to 

schools, comprising: 

• 2,120 dedicated buses 

• 800 to 1,000 general service 

buses 

• 2,500 taxis/private hire 

vehicles 

• 2,500 vehicles used to transport 

pupils with additional 

support needs 

• 250 ‘other’ vehicles. 

Of the 2,120 dedicated school 

transport buses, more than 

1,260 already have three-point 

belts; 280 have lap belts and 570 

do not have belts. 

Making the announcement 

on Tuesday (18 March) on a 

Stagecoach bus in Portlethen, 

near Aberdeen, Mr Brown said: 

“We have made this announcement 

today to give local authorities 

and bus operators time to 

prepare for the change and I look 

forward to further discussions 

with the Convention of Scottish 

Local Authorities (CoSLA) next 

month to review the full detail 

of these plans and consider the 

financial implications. 

“The Scottish Government 

and its road safety partners are 

committed to the outcome of 

safer road travel in Scotland for 

everyone. It is imperative that we 

do everything we can to protect 

Scotland’s children, ensuring 

they are as safe as possible as 

they travel to and from school.” 

Says CPT Scotland Public 

Affairs Executive Paul White: 

“CPT Scotland supports any 

measure to improve safety on 

school transport. 

“However, at this stage further 

consideration is required of 

the full impacts of this policy 

on school transport providers 

and local authorities, such as 

the matter of responsibility 

for ensuring that the seatbelts 

provided are used. 

“We look forward to engaging 

with Transport Scotland in 

advance of any legislation being 

drafted.” 

Since 2011 the Scottish 

Government has engaged with 

the CoSLA and the Association 

of Transport Coordinators 

(ATCO) to source information 

on the costs and implications of 

legislating to provide seatbelts 

Otterburn operator and drivers before Crown Court 

Otterburn-based operator H 

J Snaith & Partners, Partner 

Alison Snaith and 18 drivers 

have appeared at Newcastle 

upon Tyne Crown Court 

charged with a total of 157 

offences involving the falsification 

of tachograph records. 

All 20 defendants are charged 

with conspiring to falsify tachograph 

records and in addition 

Partner Alison Snaith and driver 

Stephen Clark are charged with 

perverting the course of justice 

between 9 July 2010 and 13 

May 2013. 

The drivers are John 

Cameron (one offence of falsification 

and one of failing to 

keep a record), Stephen Clark 

(12 offences of falsification 

and one of failing to keep), Iain 

Comdy (one offence of falsification 

and three of failing to 

keep), Byron Dodd (five of 

falsification and one of failing to 

keep), Alan Dunkerley (one of 


keep), Terrence Foreman (11 of 

falsification and three of failing 

to keep), Gerrard Fox (four of 

falsification), Mark Hogg (18 of 

falsification and five of failing to 

keep), Kenneth James (two of 

falsification and one of failing 

to keep), Tony Jordan (one of 


keep), Craig McKenna (three of 

falsification and three of failing 

to keep), James Phelan (two of 

falsification and one of failing 

to keep), Martin Robinson 

(one of falsification and one of 

failing to keep), Gary Tweddle 

(11 of falsification), Maurice 

White (16 of falsification and 

one of failing to keep), David 

Wilkinson (three of falsification 

and three of failing to keep), and 

Stewart Wood (five of falsification 

and two of failing to keep). 

H J Snaith & Partners and 

Jessie Hickie are each charged 

with conspiracy. 

Prosecuting for VOSA, Toby 

Sass told the Crown Court that 

Alison Snaith had stated that 

the tachograph charts involving 

the allegation of perverting the 

course of justice had been sent 

to an independent expert and 

had been lost. 

The prosecution would 

be requesting permission to 

speak to that expert, permission 

having been refused by the 

defence. 

The Recorder of Newcastle, 

James Goss QC, adjourned 

the case until 4 July for a case 

management hearing when the 

indictment will be put to the 

defendants for plea and set the 

trial, which it is estimated will 

last for eight weeks, to start on 

12 January 2015. 

6 | Wednesday 19 March 2014 

For breaking news, register for routeone Live News: www.r1news.co.uk

IRTE SKILLS 

CHALLENGE 

to find top bus and coach technicians 

Bridgestone is up 

for the challenge 

Bridgestone’s partnership with the IRTE 

Skills Challenge runs much deeper than 

a title sponsorship alone, with a company 

co-ordinator revealing: ‘We’re proud to be 

associated with an industry-defining initiative’ 

Transport Minister Keith Brown: Announced legislation using a bus in Portlethen 

on dedicated school transport. 

A further meeting with CoSLA 

is scheduled for April. 

As part of the need to gather 

comprehensive and detailed 

information on the impacts of 

legislating, government agency 

Transport Scotland commissioned 

MVA Consultancy to 

work with local authorities to 

produce a report on the costs 

and challenges of changing specifications 

for school transport, 

together with a costing model. 

After discussing and validating 

the findings with ATCO 

and CoSLA, the report was 

published on 18 October 2013. 

• Report at www.zigs.me/7qW 

Battle: Pennine Motor 

Services faces struggle 

Poor financial conditions at 

Skipton-based Pennine Motor 

Services have led it to issue 

letters to all staff, stating the 

business is losing money. 

The firm has set a target of 

eight weeks for the business to 

be restructured, a sale of part or 

all of it, or to find an investor, 

otherwise it will close. 

The partnership, with an 

O-Licence for 17 vehicles, says 

that reports that it has gone into 

receivership are untrue and that 

for the next eight weeks it will be 

operating its buses, on six routes 

from Skipton, as normal. 

Family firm put under pressure 

Since 1925 Pennine Motors’ 

orange and black buses have 

served the Yorkshire dales and 

East Lancashire. 

The IRTE Skills Challenge 

champions the vital work 

carried out by coach and 

bus technicians across the 

UK and is aimed directly at 

those professionals, which 

was a compelling feature for 

Bridgestone when agreeing 

to get involved. 

Marketing co-ordinator 

Stuart Attfield says: “We 

have long felt that engineers 

in the coach and bus 

industry are among the very 

best and the IRTE Skills 

Challenge plays a crucial 

role in highlighting this 

fact. Bridgestone is a name 

synonymous with training, 

support and investment, 

which is why we regard 

this sponsorship so highly. 

We view it as an industrydefining 

initiative.” 

As a premium tyre 

manufacturer, a focus on 

improving the skills of staff 

is central to Bridgestone’s 

ethos. Therefore the 

opportunity to support a 

campaign to recognise the 

skills within the industry was 

a natural extension of the 

Bridgestone philosophy. 

Stuart adds: “The IRTE 

Skills Challenge itself reflects 

Bridgestone’s key aims 

to recognise and reward 

excellence. 

“Bridgestone is acutely 

aware of the importance 

of its own training and 

development programmes, 

as investment in these 

ultimately adds further brand 

value and contributes to the 

development of highly skilled 

and motivated personnel.” 

As a company with the 

‘Investors in People’ Quality 

accreditation, Bridgestone 

offers training across all 

departments throughout 

the business. All employees 

are responsible for the 

collective success of the 

business, with training and 

development playing an 

essential role in continually 

improving standards. 

Further details of the IRTE Skills Challenge are 

available at: www.soe.org.uk/irteskills 

For breaking news, register for routeone Live News: www.r1news.co.uk Wednesday 19 March 2014 | 7

News 

By Tim Deakin 

tim.deakin@route-one.net 

Hackney operator offers 

pictorial guide free of 

charge to the industry 

Recognition of the importance 

of first-use checks has 

led Hackney Community 

Transport (HCT) to produce 

a pictorial pocket-sized guide 

to help drivers, which it is now 

offering to other operators 

completely free of charge. 

“First-use checks are vital, 

and we recognise that English 

is not the first language of 

some of our drivers,” says Frank 

Villeneuve-Smith, HCT’s 

Communications Director and 

author of the 28-page guide. 

“Equally, some drivers don’t 

find a check list the easiest thing 

to comprehend. 

“So we produced this booklet, 

written in plain English, to 

give drivers a concrete understanding 

of what we require of 

a first-use check. It has been 

worth the effort; at HCT, we 

have seen a real improvement 

in the attention given to checks 

by drivers.” 

The guide runs through all 

parts of a first-use check, with 

pictures clearly demonstrating 

what staff should look for. 

HCT is happy to make the 

guide available to others, who 

may adapt it for their own use, 

although that is subject to some 

restrictions. HCT’s logo will be 

removed from the cover, and 

operators will be able to add a 

page about themselves at the 

rear. 

They must sign a licensing 

agreement and commit to not 

HCT’s pictorial first-use checks guide shows drivers what to look for 

making money from use of 

the booklet. More wholesale 

changes, says Mr Villeneuve- 

Smith, would be possible on a 

commercial arrangement with 

HCT. 

“We came up with something 

to improve safety, and it worked. 

That’s why we want to share it 

with other operators,” he adds. 

• Contact info@hctgroup.org 

Advice to 

avoid fraud 

New guidance, along with 

posters and leaflets, is being 

made available to help businesses 

avoid cheque fraud. 

It comes as the Cheque and 

Credit Clearing Company 

(C&CCC) – the body that 

manages the cheque clearing 

system – reveals that UK cheque 

fraud in 2013 was £27.5m. It says 

businesses can take simple steps 

to avoid falling victim to cheque 

fraud. 

• Details at www.zigs.me/7qV 

MP launches apprenticeship scheme 

An adult apprenticeship 

programme that will train 30% of 

Ratcliff Palfinger’s workforce was 

launched on Friday (14 March) 

by local MP Grant Shapps, at the 

firm’s Welwyn Garden City HQ. 

The scheme will have a “positive 

impact in processes, production 

and quality” says the tail-lift 

specialist, and 36 staff from 

across the business have signed 

up to the course. 

It will support “change 

initiatives running through 

the business with a focus on 

quality, efficiency and customer 

satisfaction.” 

Grant Shapps MP with the adult apprentices at Ratcliff Palfinger’s workshops 

Employees will also be able to 

enhance their maths and English 

skills as part of their personal 

development plans. 

Says MD Wayne Harmer: “In 

this, our 50th anniversary year, 

we will be reflecting on our tradition 

of continuously providing 

innovative customer solutions 

that started in 1964, when 

Ratcliff Tail Lifts was founded 

by Ted Ratcliff.” 


News 

By Mel Holley 


Europe’s largest 

hydrogen fuel cell bus 

fleet is unveiled 

The Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus 

Project marks a major milestone 

today (Wednesday) with the 

unveiling of the first vehicles of 

Europe’s largest hydrogen bus 

fleet. 

The city council has taken 

delivery of four of the 10 tri-axle 

13m hydrogen buses ordered from 

Van Hool as part of the Aberdeen 

Hydrogen Bus Project. The others 

are to be delivered in the coming 

weeks. The buses will be operated 

by Stagecoach and First. 

The arrival of the buses signals 

a significant step forward in the 

Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus Project 

– the most high-profile of a range 

of projects designed to create a 

hydrogen economy in the city. 

A 30-mile coastal strip north 

of Aberdeen is being zoned as a 

‘hydrogen highway’, trying out the 

new fuel technology for transport 

and a new power grid. 

The Aberdeen City Council-led 

project, which has backing from 

Europe, the UK Government and 

the Scottish Government, as well 

as a broad range of private sector 

partners, will deliver a hydrogen 

infrastructure in Aberdeen, 

including the production of 

hydrogen from a 1MW electrolyser 

and establishing a state-ofthe-art 

hydrogen refuelling station, 

Scotland’s first commercial-scale 

hydrogen refuelling station that 

will include hydrogen production 

through electrolysis, in partnership 

with BOC. 

Funding of £3.3m from the 

Scottish government and Scottish 

Enterprise enabled Aberdeen City 

Council to buy the buses. 

The fuel cell buses have zero 

emissions (complete absence of 

harmful emissions and CO2), 

and a substantially reduced noise 

level. They produce water vapour 

instead of other emissions. 

The fuel cells are manufactured 

by the Canadian company Ballard 

Power Systems. They work in 

Distinctive branding for fleet, which will be used by First and Stagecoach 

conjunction with lithium batteries 

and the Siemens electric motors. 

The buses’ hybrid-electric drive 

sees hydrogen in the fuel cells 

converted to electricity. Batteries 

provide additional power where 

necessary. The hybrid drive, with 

recovery and reuse of braking 

energy, sees hydrogen consumption 

restricted to around 30kg per 

bus per day. 

The buses will be officially 

launched at the All-Energy conference 

in Aberdeen on 21 and 22 

May, and then gradually integrated 

into First and Stagecoach operations. 

They will all be in use on 

routes across the city by autumn. 

The vehicles will be refuelled 

at Scotland’s first large hydrogen 

refuelling station, at the council’s 

Kittybrewster depot. Further refuelling 

stations are proposed as the 

project evolves. 

Party Bus in clampdown 

Operators are being warned 

about how they advertise. 

Party Bus Ltd registered the 

‘party bus’ phrase with the 

Intellectual Property Office 

in 2002 under Class 39 which 

related to ‘Transport Services’. 

Director Denis McCourt is now 

claiming the new era of vehicles 

branded “party buses” is having a 

damaging effect on his business. 

Mr McCourt, who runs an 

O-Licenced operation, says: 

“We are having to educate 

people about our rights because 

we are suffering damage to our 

business through people using 

our name and not providing 

the level of service we offer. We 

receive countless complaints 

from people about poor service 

because they have been confused 

into thinking they were provided 

by us. 

“For the past 20 years, the 

‘Party Bus’ business has supplied 

party and transport services 

throughout the UK. We now 

provide our Party Bus services 

in 13 cities including London, 

Edinburgh, and Manchester. 

“When we started, we were a 

unique concept and, as a result, 

have built up substantial goodwill 

and a huge reputation in the 

‘Party Bus’ brand. 

“That goodwill and reputation 

gives us the legal right to 

prevent other businesses from 

using ‘Party Bus’ and confusingly 

similar names to provide 

competing services and it has 

enabled us to register ‘Party Bus’ 

as a trade mark.” 

‘Flimsy evidence’ for 

Liverpool bus lane axe 

Liverpool City Council’s decision, 

implemented last October, to 

suspend all bus lanes in Liverpool 

in a nine-month trial was based 

on “flawed thinking” and could 

damage the local economy, 

reports the Chartered Institute of 

Logistics and Transport (CILT). 

The council claims that 

bus lanes were not leading to 

increased bus use or helping to 

reduce congestion. 

But in its response to the council’s 

consultation on the scheme, 

CILT described the move as 

being “based on evidence that 

was flawed and suffered from a 

severe data deficit.” 

It is concerned that Liverpool’s 

example will deter other local 

authorities from promoting 

public transport as a way to ease 

congestion. 

Austin Birks, chairman of the 

CILT Bus and Coach Forum, 

says: “The mayor of Liverpool’s 

desire to review the effectiveness 

of bus lanes is perfectly 

commendable, but it needs a clear 

rationale which is plainly lacking 

here. 

“The decision appears rushed 

and is based on flimsy ‘evidence’ 

that is mainly predicated on 

a discredited approach (i.e. 

reviewing movements by vehicle 

rather than person). Permanently 

removing all bus lanes has the 

potential to damage the city 

economically and socially.” 


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News 

By Mel Holley 


Solus Coaches is first UK 

operator to put a Euro 6 

coach on the road 

Solus Coaches has become the 

first UK operator to put a Euro 

6 coach into service. 

And, the Tamworth, 

Staffordshire-based firm’s 

Director Andy Garratt is poised 

to order another Euro 6 Scania 

i6. He was also the first UK operator 

to order a Euro 6 coach. 

While a number of preproduction 

Euro 6 buses are in 

passenger service in various UK 

cities, for product testing, no 

production Euro 6 buses have 

yet entered service. 

The country’s debut Euro 

6 coach is one of two Scania 

Irizar i6s delivered to Solus this 

month – the other is a Euro 5. 

Both are 360hp K360IB4x2 

with Opticruise automated 

gearboxes. 

The 53-seater 12.45m Euro 

6 coach includes a DVD player 

with two monitors, extra-dark 

tinted glass, centre sunken 

toilet, reversing camera and 

Durabright alloy wheels. The 

Euro 5 coach is a 12.2m 51-seater 

to the same specification. 

Both vehicles, delivered at 

the same time, are used on 

touring and corporate work. 

Despite not yet having been 

run-in, the Euro 6 version is 

returning an average of 11mpg, 

compared with 9.5mpg for 

the Euro 5 example. Both are 

fitted with Scania’s telematics, 

which provides detailed fuel 

consumption reports. 

Their delivery means that 

Solus’ Euro 6 coach is averaging 11mpg, despite not yet having been run-in 

Solus’ 33-strong fleet now 

contains eight i6 coaches – the 

first was bought new in 2012 – 

and 15 Scanias in total. 

Adds Mr Garratt: “We were 

honoured to be invited to Spain 

in September 2013 to celebrate 

the 20th anniversary of Scania 

and Irizar, and as soon as I saw 

the first Euro 6 Scania Irizar I 

knew I wanted that vehicle, so 

ordered it that night over dinner. 

“I really like the Scania Irizar 

vehicle. It not only has the wow 

factor but I have the knowledge 

that if anything goes wrong with 

either the body or chassis I can 

take it into a Scania dealership 

anywhere in Europe and they 

will sort out the problem.” 

Review starts 

for bus cuts 

A review of contracted bus 

services has been started by 

Northumberland County 

Council as its total budget faces 

a 13% cut. 

Most contracts for local services 

north of Amble and Alnwick are 

due to expire in April 2015. 

New five-year contracts will 

be tendered in the autumn and a 

consultation has started as part of 

a review of certain services. The 

aim is that most services must not 

cost more than £6 per passenger 

to subsidise. 

Nimbus wins in North East Lincs 

North East Lincolnshire 

Council has chosen Nimbus 

Journey Information as its main 

contractor to provide real time 

passenger information (RTPI) 

over the next four years. 

The contract includes feeds 

between Nimbus and Traveline, 

and from ATOC for train times. 

There will be 25 new on-street 

displays, including two “very 

large” flat screen displays 

at Grimsby’s planned bus 

interchange. 

It is likely that Nimbus 

I-Media content management 

system will be deployed on 

buses next year. In addition a 

web feed is planned, and it is 

intended that this will be the 

first deployment of the new 

and innovative app designed by 

Nimbus to make travel for the 

visually impaired simpler. 

The RTPI system will be 

delivered in partnership with 

Stagecoach East Midlands, and 

is one of the first systems of 

its kind to be provided in this 

way throughout the national 

Stagecoach Group. 

It has the ability to utilise 

Stagecoach’s automatic vehicle 

location data, and enable third 

parties like Traveline to receive 

and provide real time bus 

information. It also electronically 

monitors bus punctuality 

and provides other bus service 

reporting features. 

Providing a real time bus 

passenger information system 

was part of the authority’s 

2012 bid for Department for 

Transport funding, which made 

an award of £4.3m in Local 

Sustainable Transport Funding. 

The system has already 

passed its factory acceptance 

testing and is on-target and 

on-budget, says Nimbus. 

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News 

By Mel Holley 


Improving fuel economy 

is good for drivers’ 

health, thanks to 

EcoManager 

When Preston Bus fitted 21st 

Century’s driver training system 

EcoManager to its 90-strong 

fleet, the intention was to 

improve fuel economy and the 

safety and comfort of passengers. 

One year on and those objectives 

have been realised, but the 

company has found another 

important benefit – it has 

lowered the stress levels of its 

drivers. 

Fiona Whalley, Preston Bus’s 

Marketing Manager, explains: 

“Our drivers are telling us that 

they are experiencing reduced 

stress levels. We believe this is a 

direct effect of their EcoDriver 

training as they are driving 

with smoother braking and 

acceleration.” 

Passengers have also noticed 

a difference, with Preston Bus 

reporting fewer complaints 

about poor driving, harsh 

braking and cornering. 

Preston Bus saw the benefits 

of EcoManager immediately, 

says Ms Whalley. “It enables us 

to monitor fuel usage and safe 

driving across the fleet. But it 

also lets drivers see how safe 

and economical their driving is 

in real time via the dashboard 

display, and adjust driving style 

if necessary.” 

EcoManager is such a 

resounding success for Preston 

Bus that 21st Century is now 

fitting the system to all 540 

vehicles in Preston Bus’s parent 

company Rotala’s fleet. 

EcoManager is a web-based 

system that changes drivers’ 

behaviour by monitoring their 

driving and giving immediate 

feedback through a red-ambergreen 

dashboard display. 

While the EcoManager 

Unexpected benefit of introducing driver training system to fleet 

dashboard display informs 

drivers of their performance 

instantly, EcoCoaches are 

deployed for ongoing training 

both in theory and in practice 

on board the vehicle. Extensive, 

user-friendly online reports 

mean that drivers can access their 

weekly and monthly overview 

via a password on the website, 

and compare themselves to the 

depot average, while managers 

can identify drivers who may 

require specific additional 

training. 

There was an initial scepticism 

among drivers, suspicious of 

having their driving monitored. 

Preston Bus worked closely with 

21st Century to overcome the 

initial concerns and introduced 

an EcoDriver Awards Scheme. 

Drivers earn financial rewards for 

being the best or most improved 

EcoDriver. It has now become 

part of their everyday routine, 

adds Ms Whalley: “Drivers 

regularly check their performance 

and progress online, and 

have especially embraced our 

EcoDriver Awards in a spirit of 

friendly competition.” 

First’s updated bus app 

offers single fares lookup 

Bus users in the West of England 

are now able to look up the cost 

of single journeys on First buses 

before boarding, thanks to an 

update of its app for Apple and 

Android. The app now offers fare 

information for single journeys 

alongside timetables, allowing 

users to plan a journey and know 

how much it will cost in advance. 

Since its 2013 launch the app 

has seen 325,000 downloads, 

with an average of 45,000 visitors 

every day. Says First West 

of England MD Paul Matthews: 

“We want our fares to be as transparent 

as possible and we’ve done 

a great deal to improve things on 

that front. The new version of 

the app is being trialled here. If 

it’s popular First will extend the 

enhancement to other regions.” 

Wrightbus wins Asia order 

Wrightbus International, in 

partnership with Volvo Bus, 

has secured orders from Hong 

Kong-based New World First 

Bus Services (NWFB) and 

Citybus Limited (CTB) for 

20 and 31 double-deckers 

respectively. 

It is the first order Wrightbus 

International has won from 

NWFB and CTB. In total 

50 11.3m tri-axle Volvo B9 

Euro 5 chassis will have 

air-conditioned Wrightbus 

Gemini 2 bodies, assembled 

in Malaysia by Wrightbus 

International’s new partner, 

Masdef. Also, one 12.8m evaluation 

bus, with a capacity of 150 

people, compared with 128 for 

the 11.3m, will be built. 

Wrightbus International staff 

are at Masdef ’s manufacturing 

facility in Puchong, to support 

workforce training. Assembly 

starts in mid-2014. 

Tel: +44 1935 827740 

www.unwin-safety.com 



News 

Arriva ‘deaf’ 

champions 

Arriva North East has become 

the region’s first operator to 

boast ‘deaf aware champions’ 

thanks to a national Get Deaf 

Aware (GDA) campaign. 

Eight staff have attended 

a GDA training course that 

aims to increase awareness of 

the everyday communication 

barriers faced by people with 

hearing loss, and included practical 

exercises as well as examples 

of clearer communication 

methods. They will be able to 

pass on what they have learned 

to their colleagues. 

Arriva North East now plans 

to train more staff using GDA’s 

unique e-learning course which 

presents training in a fun, interactive 

format, takes only 30 

minutes to complete and enables 

participants to complete training 

anywhere and anytime. The 

training concludes with a short 

test and a certificate. 

By Mel Holley 


Civil dispute disrupts 

Surrey bus routes as 

vehicles trapped in depot 

A Surrey bus operator, locked 

out of its yard last week, has now 

resumed normal services. 

Staff arriving at Buses 

Excetera’s rented depot at 

Merstham, near Redhill, early on 

Saturday 8 March discovered the 

gates locked, and a bailiffs’ notice 

posted. 

Unable to access the vehicles, 

O-Licences or offices, its 

services did not operate over the 

weekend. 

Initial reports attributed to 

the company said that an “act of 

vandalism” was being blamed for 

non-operation. As a result of the 

bailiffs’ action, the firm’s website 

also stopped working. 

The firm now says that the 

issue arose as a result of a civil 

dispute about the premises’ 

lease. It has not commented on 

the reason for the dispute. 

Buses Excetera – the trading 

name of BETC Ltd, which has 

a 25-vehicle O-Licence – swiftly 

hired a variety of buses and operated 

most of its routes, a mixture 

of commercial and contracted, 

from Monday 10 March. 

It says it obtained dispensation 

from VOSA to operate without 

displaying its O-Licence discs, 

which were still on the buses 

trapped in the yard. 

The dispute was resolved on 

Thursday (13 March), when 

access to the yard was regained 

and services returned to normal. 

The firm, incorporated in 

March 2013, is owned by Group 

Bailiffs stopped access to yard 

Operations Manager Adam 

Smith, and runs 11 bus routes in 

the Guildford, Dorking, Epsom, 

Woking and Cobham areas, 

alongside five schools services. 

It was a buyout by Mr Smith of 

the bus operation of Coaches 

Excetra, which is now a seperate 

operation based in Croydon. 

Product News 

Edwards upgrades with Stertil 

Koni column lift equipment 

Edwards Coaches 

of Swansea has 

recently upgraded 

its inspection 

equipment with 

the purchase of 

two sets of Stertil 

Koni’s ST1075FSF electro-hydraulic 

mobile column lifts. 

Each gives a lifting capacity of 7.5 

tonnes, and Edwards was sufficiently 

impressed with them that it quickly 

ordered another two sets for use at its 

Llantwit Fardre, Pontypridd, site. 

The ST1075FSF has simple, pushbutton 

control, allowing the operator 

to control the lift individually, in pairs or 

simultaneously from any of the columns 

in the set. It is one of the world’s fastest 

workshop lifts, reaching 1,850mm in 75 

seconds. 

• www.stertiluk.com 

Stoneridge launches special 

offer for analogue tachos 

Stoneridge has announced that it is 

offering managers of fleets still using 

analogue tachographs a 20% discount 

when they chose to upgrade to its SE5000 

Exakt Duo digital unit. The offer lasts until 

1 July 2014. 

The SE5000 Exakt Duo includes the 

‘one-minute rule’ calculations, which 

could save fleets on average 45 minutes’ 

driving time per day, per driver. It also 

comes with Duo technology, giving real 

time updates and countdowns. 

SE5000 units also come with a two-year 

unlimited mileage warranty, and offer the 

potential to upgrade to remote download 

for driver card and VU alike. 

• www.se5000.com 

Webasto unveils the new 

Thermo Pro 90 pre-heater 

Vehicle 

heating 

specialist 

Webasto 

has unveiled 

its new 

Thermo Pro 90 water heater, which 

operates independently of the vehicle’s 

engine to ensure ice-free windows and a 

comfortable on-vehicle environment for 

passengers. 

The Thermo Pro 90 is suited to 

continuous heating and can deliver an 

output of 9.1kW. It has automatic altitude 

adjustment, which ensures optimum 

operation as high as 3,500m above sea 

level. It can be integrated into 12- or 24- 

volt supplies and runs on diesel. 

It also offers the benefit of engine 

pre-heating, removing the wear and tear 

associated with cold starts. 

• www.webasto.com 


Q: Who should you 

call when the going 

gets tough... 

A: CPT 

CPT members are safe in the 

knowledge they have 

exclusive access to the 

following 24/7 support helplines: 

24/7 

24/7 

24/7 

24/7 

24/7 

Crisis Control 

Emergency Operations 

Legal Assistance 

Translation & Interpretation 

CPT represents 

the interests of bus 

and coach operators 

in the UK and is 

recongnised by local, 

national and European 

Governments as the voice 

of the road passenger 

transport industry. 

So why are more operators 

joining CPT than ever 

before and if you are 

an existing member, 

are you maximising 

the benefits of your 

membership 

Breakdown Assistance / Vehicle Replacement 

In such challenging times, can you afford to 

ignore the benefits of CPT membership 

I bet it’s cheaper than you think! 

Christopher Owens, MD Alpine Travel 

For a membership quote and further information 

call CPT today on 020 7240 3131 or visit 

www.cpt-uk.org

Court Report 

Your weekly report by the industry’s leading legal journalist, 

Mike Jewell, who covers all the key cases brought before 

the Public Inquiries, Tribunals, Magistrate and Crown Courts 

Rehmat Khan licence suspended for a week over use 

of expired O-Licence disc and maintenance problems; 

DTC concludes ‘purposeful’ steps are being taken 

The two-vehicle restricted 

licence held by Derby-based 

Rehmat Khan, trading as RK 

Travel, has been suspended 

for a week by Deputy Traffic 

Commissioner (DTC) Simon 

Evans, because of maintenance 

problems and the operation of 

a vehicle displaying an expired 

PSV O-Licence disc. 

Mr Khan, of Carlton Road, 

Derby, had been called before 

the DTC at a Golborne Public 

Inquiry (routeone, Court 

Report, 5 March). 

In a written decision, the DTC 

said that a Vehicle Examiner 

(VE) had reported that he 

had carried out a maintenance 

investigation following the issue 

of an ‘S’ marked immediate 

prohibition for a sealed emergency 

door at a school check 

in January 2013. Three vehicles 

were in possession but a fourth 

vehicle was out and being kept 

at a driver’s address. 

Inspection records were 

missing for one vehicle, though 

that was said by Mr Khan to 

be a spare vehicle. Inspection 

intervals were extended on 

occasion by up to 11.5 weeks, 

when the period specified was 

eight weeks. 

The prohibition history was 

marginally above the national 

average. 

The circumstances of the 

issue of the ‘S’ marked prohibition 

brought into question the 

effectiveness of the driver firstuse 

checks, and led to a fixed 

penalty notice. 

A Traffic Examiner reported 

that he carried out an investigation 

as there were concerns that 

more than two vehicles were 

being operated. 

The suspicions were 

confirmed when three vehicles 

were operated by Mr Khan in 

breach of the authorisation on 

the licence. One vehicle was 

displaying an O-Licence disc 

that had expired on 30 June 

2011. 

Mr Khan explained that an 

accident involving another 

vehicle the day before the 

check on 19 March 2013 led 

to the wrong vehicle being 

deployed. No explanation could 

be offered for why an out-ofdate 

O-Licence disc had been 

displayed in the vehicle. 

There had been a misunderstanding 

between him and his 

son, who had taken the vehicle 

out, as he had arranged to have 

another company cover the 

school contract for him. 

He was not aware of the incident 

until after it had happened, 

and there had been no intention 

to deceive by the display of the 

out-of-date disc. 

The TE concluded the matter 

to be a ‘one-off ’ caused by a 

“breakdown in communications 

rather than any intention 

to abuse the system.” 

In evidence, Mr Khan said 

that he had thought that the 

inspection period was 10 weeks. 

He put some of the stretching 

of inspections down to the lack 

of evidence of a vehicle off-road 

(VOR) system in use, which 

applied during the school breaks 

and the reliance on his garage to 

remind him about checks. 

The driver whose conduct 

led to the ‘S’ marked prohibition 

had been dismissed on the 

same day. 

He now completed first-use 

checks himself each day for any 

vehicles in use before the drivers 

arrived and repeated the check 

themselves. 

Suspending the licence, the 

DTC said that he considered 

that it was more likely than not 

that a family member of Mr 

Khan deliberately placed the 

expired disc into the vehicle 

so as to give the impression 

that there was a licence in force 

when it was used, and that it was 

probably the case that Mr Khan 

did not know of the unlawful 

use of the third vehicle. He did 

not find evidence that he was 

complicit in any attempt to 

deliberately mislead. 

However, even on his version 

of events, there was a significant 

failure to communicate about 

key matters, in a small operation 

that ought to be capable 

of running without such 

difficulties. 

This was a case apparently 

riddled with 

misunderstandings. 

He was persuaded that 

purposeful steps were now 

being taken to secure the safe 

operation of vehicles, though he 

was unimpressed by Mr Khan’s 

plan to carry out first-use checks 

on all vehicles himself daily, as 

an unrealistic endeavour that 

ran the risk of removing from 

drivers what is a clear obligation 

on them to do so. 

He concluded that by a 

narrow margin Mr Khan’s 

repute was not lost. He considered 

that he had been negligent 

rather than dishonest. 

Finally the DTC attached 

undertakings to the licence that 

Mr Khan would arrange for an 

audit of maintenance systems, 

procedures, driver matters and 

documentation to take place 

within 60 days by a transport 

consultant or trade association, 

and that within 120 days 

he would attend a suitable sixhour 

operator licensing awareness 

course. 

18 | Wednesday 19 March 2014 www.route-one.net

King revocation case must be heard again 

Tribunal quashes 

revocation and rules 

that a different TC must 

consider licences 

The revocation of the licences 

held by James King, trading 

as James King Coaches, and 

ABC Travel (Castle Douglas), 

of which Mr King is the sole 

Director and Shareholder, 

have been quashed on appeal. 

The Upper Tribunal has 

directed that the licences, 

revoked on financial 

grounds by Deputy Traffic 

Commissioner (DTC) 

Richard McFarlane, must be 

reconsidered by a different 

TC. 

James King Coaches, of 

Main Street, Kirkcowan, 

Newton Stewart, with a 

25-vehicle licence, and 

ABC Travel, of Clarebrand 

Industrial Estate, Clarebrand, 

Castle Douglas, with a 

10-vehicle licence which it 

sought to increase to 15, had 

been called before the DTC at 

an Edinburgh Public Inquiry 

(PI) on 27 June 2013. 

The DTC said that to 

comply with the appropriate 

financial standing requirement 

James King Coaches 

required to have access to 

£103,200. For a 15-vehicle 

licence ABC Travel required 

access to £83,200, and he 

adjourned the hearing for the 

production of further financial 

evidence, saying that the 

PI would be reconvened if the 

required evidence was not 

forthcoming. 

After asking for further 

time, the operators were 

required to submit the further 

financial evidence by 25 

September 2013. 

It was accepted that sufficient 

evidence to establish 

financial standing for both 

entities was not received by 

the deadline, and the DTC 

was advised of that. However, 

instead of reconvening the PI 

as indicated, he proceeded to 

issue a written decision. 

Making the revocation 

orders and refusing the variation 

application in that decision, 

the DTC said that Mr 

King had had more than sufficient 

time to demonstrate that 

each of the licences was of 

appropriate financial standing 

and to produce the further 

required evidence in support 

of the variation application. 

He had not done so and he 

reasonably believed that Mr 

King was unable to do so. If 

he allowed him to continue 

to trade, he would continue 

to have an unfair commercial 

advantage over his 

competitors who continued 

to meet all the conditions of 

their O-Licences, including 

finance. 

Before the Tribunal, Tom 

Nesbitt, for the two operators, 

said that the appeals raised 

one principal point, namely 

that the DTC had failed to 

arrange a reconvened PI 

before revoking the licences, 

in plain breach of his own 

direction. 

The Tribunal said that the 

operators’ solicitor wrote 

to the TC’s office pointing 

out that the ruling from the 

DTC had been that the PI 

would be reconvened if the 

required evidence was not 

forthcoming. Consequently, 

the operators were ‘shocked’ 

that their licences had been 

revoked. The DTC’s handwritten 

note on that letter 

stated: “No further evidence 

of appropriate financial 

standing has been produced 

or promised. I gave him 

several opportunities to do so 

– I am not prepared to review 

my decision.” 

The approach of the DTC 

was plainly wrong and inconsistent 

with the clear indications 

that he had given, said 

the Tribunal. Although they 

accepted that the DTC might 

have forgotten the original 

promise and indication that 

the PI would be reconvened, 

they too were surprised that, 

having been reminded of his 

promise to reconvene the PI, 

he still refused to do so. 

Such an approach was troubling. 

Any rational analysis of 

the DTC’s words made it clear 

that his decisions to revoke the 

licences without first reconvening 

the PI, and his refusals 

to reconvene even when the 

position was spelled out to 

him with clarity, would have 

to be set aside on grounds of 

unfairness. 

Finally the Tribunal advised 

both operators that they must 

be in a position to clearly 

demonstrate unequivocal and 

potentially enduring compliance 

with the requirements of 

the financial standing provisions 

as at the date of the fresh 

PI, as further leeway could not 

be expected. 

In association with Squire Sanders. *Terms and conditions appy. 

Scan the QR code to access free legal advice on the go! 



Westminster Watch 

In partnership with: 

Budget day looms, as does an election, so expect a series of ‘voter-friendly’ 

announcements, reckons our man in Westminster. The harsh truth is that 

politicians of all parties will have to act broadly the same, whoever forms the 

next government, as even more and deeper spending cuts will be needed 

When you read this, the 

Chancellor will have delivered 

the penultimate Budget of this 

Parliament. Who knows, it 

might even be his last. I have a 

hunch that this Budget will be 

more of a party political speech 

than an economic event of any 

significance. 

The parties are increasingly 

in election campaigning mode, 

so this Budget will inevitably 

be laced with tax giveaways 

of various kinds designed to 

persuade the electorate that not 

only is the economy generally 

on the mend, thanks to the policies 

of this government, but that 

individuals too are beginning to 

feel the benefits. 

Mind you, the Chancellor’s 

room for manoeuvre is strictly 

limited, and in order to pay 

Peter more, he will have to pay 

Paul less. It is also worth remembering 

that the deficit reduction 

plan is already two years behind 

schedule. 

So, for all of the good news on 

the economic front, it is important 

to keep in mind that the age 

of austerity is still with us, and 

likely to remain so for the next 

few years. 

Nobody is making any secret 

of the fact that in the next parliament 

the Chancellor of the 

Exchequer, whichever Party he 

or she represents, is going to 

have to make further deep cuts 

to public spending. Last week I 

read a report that cuts of at least 

£20bn will have to be made in 

2015/16 if the budget deficit 

really is to be brought under 

control. 

Local authority budgets will 

doubtless have to share the pain, 

and we all know what that might 

mean for support for subsidised 

bus services. 

I would be amazed if these 

further cuts do not result in a 

rethink on the merits of BSOG 

and the universal free concessionary 

travel scheme. 

It may be a quiet time for the 

bus industry in terms of policy 

developments, and the policy 

agenda remains stable and blissfully 

quiet. And I don’t see that 

changing even if Labour forms 

the next government: there 

simply is no money around to 

enable local authorities and 

Passenger Transport Executives 

to afford Quality Contracts. No 

doubt there will be some in 

Labour ranks who will press for 

policy reform should the party 

form the next government, but I 

can’t see it happening and I don’t 

detect any serious appetite for 

this at the top of the party. 

Finally, I know the majority 

of bus drivers are represented 

by Len McClusky’s all-powerful 

Unite union, so the premature 

death of Bob Crow has little 

direct consequence for the bus 

industry. 

I did, however, find the 

❝ Although the premature death of Bob 

Crow has little direct consequence for the 

bus industry, the tributes from his political 

opponents were slightly curious ❞ 

tributes from his political opponents, 

especially Boris Johnson, 

slightly curious. Just a few short 

weeks ago there was Boris 

laying into Bob Crow in no 

uncertain terms for his opposition 

to London Underground’s 

reforms of the staffing of ticket 

offices, only then, on the news 

of his death, to praise him from 

the rooftops for his determined 

and doughty defence of his 

member’s interests. 

It just goes to show what a 

curious world politics really is. 

Small wonder that the public 

simply don’t understand politicians 

and find them a breed 

apart from ‘normal’ people. 

As I write, news breaks of 

Tony Benn’s death. He was 

a formidable politician in 

many respects and certainly 

highly principled, unlike most 

modern-day politicians who 

have no principles at all. 

But it is hard not to observe 

that he, along with a few of 

his Labour colleagues in the 

1970s and 1980s, helped to 

keep Labour out of power for a 

generation. 


www.route-one.net

Your Platform 

A digest of this week’s mailbox 

Where are the 

‘talking buses’ 

Letter of 

the week 

Coaches ‘serve 

humanity’ 

A press releases from the 

Vatican City has landed 

in The Whisperer’s 

inbox, reporting that 

last week Pope Francis 

travelled on a coach, 

with cardinals and bishops, to a 

Lenten retreat outside Rome. Vatican official Monsignor 

Mario Toso says the Pope’s decision to use a coach “is 

something nice. It is the proof of the family, the caravan of 

God, serving humanity.” 

That sinking feeling 

The recent wet weather has caused sinkholes to open across 

Britain, including this one, which trapped a bus in Westonsuper-Mare. 

In this case, the metre-wide hole was blamed 

on a burst water main. 

Fortunately, none of 

the passengers were 

injured, although the 

driver was reported 

to be “in distress”. 

The Whisperer is not 

surprised. It must have 

been a shock. 

Slow winds 

of change 

First UK Bus’ business 

transformation is going 

very well in some areas, 

hears The Whisperer, but 

has yet to reach Potteries 

Motor Traction (now, 

officially Staffordshire 

and South Cheshire) if 

the regular buses on 

some of its routes are 

anything to go by. ‘Lime Line’, route 25A regularly 

turns out pensionable Olympians, surely the oldest buses 

First operates in front-line service Running from Hanley to 

Newcastle and Keele University, it carries plenty of younger 

people. This almost 25-year-old example is probably older 

than most of its passengers. 

Campaign for more ‘talking buses’ for blind people on Facebook 

I am writing regarding our campaign on Facebook, Talking 

Buses, a page we have set up regarding blind people who 

have trouble using the bus services in Leeds. 

I used to be a bus driver in North Yorkshire and I had 

a stroke back in 2012. As a result of the stroke, I lost my 

eyesight. 

I wonder which bus companies in the UK have audible 

systems on public service vehicles, and which suppliers 

provide the software if they do have it 

I recently wrote to my MP. She said some companies do 

have this in place, but she did not manage to give me their 

names. 

Our Facebook page is at www.zigs.me/4Pz; also a link to 

Guide Dogs’ e-petition for people to write to their MP, so 

we can make it a national campaign is www.zigs.me/7qS. 

It only takes a couple of minutes to fill out, to try and get a 

law passed and funding for operators to install this system. 

I look forward to a response from any operator who 

can help us get it on all services throughout the UK, and 

any response helping to get this campaign looked at in the 

Houses of Parliament. 

Kevin Crossley, 

Leeds 


www.route-one.net


Have your say... 

E-mail: mike.morgan@route-one.net; Write to: Mike Morgan, Editor, routeone, Unit 4, 

Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6FT 

Coach and bus operators share 

their thoughts of the week on 

Twitter, Facebook and Coachbook 


A sign of the times 

@Route1edit 

me in the right direction of somebody who 

can service our lifts for us We are having 

difficulty finding somebody who is familiar 

with this product. 

Derek Martin, 

A2B Newquay Travel, 

Cornwall 

DTE 

25 years ago the internet started 

and the coaching industry held 

its breath for its greatest child... 

DTE lol 

12 March 

Oxford Bus Company 

@OxfordBusCo 

Exciting Catch the Bus Week news 

coming soon! In the meantime 

#FF @GreenerJourneys #CTBW 

14 March 

Delightful Leyland Tiger Cub had professional driver 

On Sunday 9 March, while taking a week’s 

break in North Wales, my wife Kathryn 

and I were privileged to take a ride on 

Alpine’s 1958 Leyland Tiger Cub with 

Duple coachwork on the Great Orme 

Tour, Llandudno. 

Lovely weather, beautiful scenery, a 

knowledgeable, courteous and professional 

driver and a clean, comfortable, well 

presented vehicle. What a delightful 

experience for all on board. Full marks to 

Alpine and their staff who served them 

proudly. 

It took me back to my own coach 

driving days over 30 years ago. One note of 

surprise, however, was how few passengers 

saw fit to reward the driver afterwards for 

his first class performance. 

A sign of changing times, or a symptom 

of the current economic climate I wonder 

Alan White, 

Minis to Midis, 

Doncaster 

Briton lift servicing 

We purchased a set of vehicle lifts a 

number of years ago from a company 

called Briton UK. 

Shortly after we purchased the lifts, the 

company went out of business, so soon in 

fact that I believe we must have been one 

of the last people to buy from them. 

We are based in Cornwall and have 

been getting the lifts serviced by a local 

independent, but unfortunately he has now 

moved away. 

I am sure there must be plenty of readers 

out there who still have a set of these lifts 

and was wondering if anybody could point 

Not for profit 

I’m looking to see whether others have 

come up against this non-profit run service. 

I run a fleet of coaches and we have to 

abide by VOSA regulations; our drivers 

have to be CPC trained and need medicals. 

But there is a charity run by DACT in 

Daventry, Northamptonshire, in which 

they run 16-seaters; this is a not-for-profit 

organisation where none of the drivers have 

the qualifications a coach driver has to have. 

Now they have a day trip leaflet, where 

the customer pays the driver when boarding 

the bus. I understand from VOSA that 

this needs to have an O-Licence for hire or 

reward, and the driver must have a PCV 

licence. These drivers are doing the same 

work as coach companies. 

This, from a service that was started for 

people who could not get to hospital and 

doctors’ appointments. 

Name and address supplied 

Change to tax law 

I’ve just read your article on tax disc changes 

(routeone, News, 5 March) and found it 

interesting. One question that does spring 

to mind though is how will a driver, carrying 

out a first-use check, know if a vehicle is 

taxed or not 

It wouldn’t be reasonable to expect them 

to sit at home and tap details of every bus/ 

coach/lorry/car that their employer owned, 

into the vehicle enquiry website, to establish 

each individual tax status. At large depots 

one could be talking over 100 motors! 

Does the change to tax discs equate to any 

relaxing of driver culpability when it comes 

to lorries/buses/coaches not owned by the 

person driving them 

Neil Beasley, 

Leicester 


Serenity Travel 

Had my emissions sticker arrive in 

the post today for Europe. It’s easy 

to get at a cost of £10.50 all you do 

is contact Tuv Norde 

14 March 

Richmonds Coaches 

Red Arrows confirmed for 2014 

season! See them at Clacton 

or Eastbourne with our coach 

excursions! 

15 March 

Bob Talbot 

Those who have benefited greatly 

during these quiet weeks with 

plenty of rail replacement work will 

find this tailing off now that things 

are slowly getting back to normal 

16 March 

Eastons Coaches 

A massive 14 coaches supplied to 

the University of East Anglia today 

for the 2014 Sports Derby Day 

16 March 

Kinchbus @Kinchbus 

Today is St. Patrick’s Day! On 

this day it is decreed that water 

can be replaced with Guinness 

(if you’re over 18 and drink water 

responsibly) 

17 March 

Jeakins Coach Travel 

Happy St Patricks Day. We painted 

one of our minicoaches green late 

last year in preparation for today. 

Enjoy your day & may the luck of 

the Irish be with you. 

17 March 

Coachbook 

Powered by Don’t Travel Empty 



NOW 

£390 

or £590 

fitted 

26 | Wednesday 19 March 2014

In Conversation | Nick Page 

In the latest of her informal conversations with high-profile people in the coach and bus 

industry, former Transport Minister and Chair of Bus Users UK Gillian Merron talks to 

Nick Page, Managing Director of Volvo Bus UK, who ‘wasn’t very good at school’ 

Nick Page is Managing Director of 

Volvo Bus UK and cannot believe it. 

A late developer, with a bit of 

dyslexia which he’s overcome, Nick 

was told by a teacher that he would 

‘never do anything of note’ and took 

this as a motivation to get on. 

planet – there’s a lot of ignorance 

about the eco-system and what we 

do to damage it. 

Q: Charities close to your heart 

A: Teenage Cancer Trust and the 

RSPCA. 

Q: Your first job 

A: Saturday shop assistant aged 15, 

at Alan G Lloyd Men’s Outfitters in 

Stourbridge where I grew up. 

We sold formal wear, including 

black tie penguin and business 

suits. I used to advise on style and 

colours. 

Q: Outside of work, what do 

you do 

A: I manage Cropwell United, a 

Sunday League Division One team 

with lads drawn from neighbouring 

villages Cropwell Bishop, famous 

for its cheese, and Cropwell Butler. 

This is my second season and we 

were the champions last year. 

I enjoy time with my two dogs 

Billy, a small rescue dog and Archie, 

a big brown labradoodle. 

Walking the dogs is therapeutic, 

and at 0530hrs in the summer it’s 

just brilliant. 

Q: Last TV series you watched 

A: Homeland. I like the intrigue. 

Q: Best decision 

A: Marrying the right woman. I met 

Sue as a receptionist at Malcolm 

Enamellers in Wolverhampton, a 

company I used to call on. 

Q: Best kept secret 

A: I have a bronze medal in 

jujitsu from the British Open 

Championships, at the Tower 

Ballroom in Blackpool. And I’m a 

black belt in karate. 

Nick Page: 

‘Never give up. 

If things aren’t 

working one 

way, there’ll be 

another.’ 

Q: What has life taught you 

A: Never give up. If things aren’t 

working one way, there’ll be 

another. 

Q: Who set you on your path 

A: Alan G Lloyd. An 

entrepreneurial sort of guy who 

built a successful business from 

nothing. 

I wasn’t great at school and he 

taught me a lot about values and 

ethics – integrity, focus and drive. 

Q: What did he tell you 

A: Don’t put off doing what you can 

do today – because if you like it, you 

can do it again tomorrow. 

Q: Who do you admire 

A: Håkan Karlsson, Volvo’s 

dynamic and customer-focused 

Executive Vice President. 

Q: What are you passionate 

about 

A: Animal rights – I detest whaling 

and poaching. And looking after the 

Q: What are you most proud of 

A: Being given the job I have now. 

I wasn’t good at school, didn’t go 

to university and started off not 

knowing what I wanted to do. 

Q: How did it start 

A: I fell into banking as a branch 

cashier at the Midland Bank, 

then moved to HSBC Corporate 

Finance, to realise that I didn’t really 

like it. 

An agency I registered with told 

me about a National Contracts 

Manager job at Volvo Finance. 

It was a baptism of fire as I was 

negotiating with breweries and 

supermarkets over the sale of trucks 

and their maintenance. 

Q: How would you describe 

yourself 

A: Focused. Driven. A nice guy. 

Q: How would others describe 

you 

A: Approachable. Laid-back. Glass 

is always half full. 

Q: What advice do you get from 

your two sons 

A: Chill out. 

Q: What do you think the 

Government should do to 

support your industry 

A: Help our customers by removing 

regulatory burdens, lower the price 

of fuel, and make public transport 

more attractive. 



Profile | Robinson Kimbolton 

28 villages, 

one operator 

The quiet village of Kimbolton in rural 

Cambridgeshire is home to one of the industry’s 

traditional coach operators in family-owned 

Robinson. It recently returned to purchasing new 

vehicles, but is also diversifying into other areas 

as well. Tim Deakin visits to find out more 

1. Robinson’s 

drivers are 

universally well 

turned out 

Small independent operators 

remain the backbone of the UK’s 

coach industry, and among them 

Robinson Kimbolton is one of the 

most traditional. Able to trace its 

roots back to the 1920s, today it 

retains a smart and distinctive livery, 

but expansion into another area is 

bringing a new dimension to the 

business. 

Coach operation will remain at 

Robinson’s core, complemented 

by its longstanding car servicing 

operation. Its new venture is a 

Budgens convenience store. This 

taps into demand generated by the 

28 villages which are within five 

miles of Kimbolton; although the 

business’s home is far from neither 

the A1(M) nor A14 trunk roads, it is 

still distinctly rural. 

The shop, opened in late February, 

added 12 positions to Robinson’s 

existing payroll of 28 and occupies 

what was previously a car showroom, 

which had been vacant for some 

years. The space next door houses 

Robinson’s car garage, and adjacent 

to that are covered maintenance 

facilities for the coach fleet. 

Although cars are repaired, 

serviced and MOT’d on a 

commercial basis, only Robinson’s 

own coaches see the inside of the 

garage. It doesn’t undertake work for 

other operators. 

“Until the mid ‘90s we were 

Rover dealers,” says Managing 

Director Charles Robinson, whose 

grandfather Stanley founded the 

business as a repairer of cars and 

motorcycles in 1927. Charles joined 

straight from school, initially as a car 

mechanic. 

He took over the running of the 

business when his father retired, at 

around the time the relationship with 

Rover ended, having been involved 

in car sales and coach driving in 

the meantime. “After the end of the 

Rover dealership we sold used cars 

for a little while, and we also grew 

the coach part of the business at the 

same time. 

“We’ve got a reasonable market 

share locally, but became the right 

size for what we do naturally. If 

we were bigger we’d have to travel 

further for work, and need a depot 

somewhere else. We’ve a good little 

business as it stands.” 

The existing compact parking 

area, hard by the River Kym, is large 

enough to accommodate the current 

11-strong fleet, but has little room 

for expansion – and two spaces are 

susceptible to flooding when the 

river bursts its banks. 

2. Company can 

trace its origins 

back almost 90 

years 

3. Volvo 

Van Hool 

combination has 

served very well 

4. Charles 

Robinson and 

Jim Darr 

1 

2 

This is partly the reason that 

Robinson retains no heritage vehicle, 

despite one in its livery – a Plaxton 

Elite-bodied Bedford YRT of 

1975 – existing in the preservation 

movement. Were space not limited, 

matters might be different. 

In days gone by, Bedfords played 

a major part of the Robinson 

Kimbolton fleet, including a handful 

of ‘Chinese Six’ VALs, famous thanks 

to the type’s twin-axle arrangement 

at the front. Having passed his PSV 

test in a VAL, Charles remembers 

them fondly. “They were a lovely 

coach to drive; the extra axle made 

things so smooth, just like the ride in 

a car. Very ‘70s, though.” 

Back to new 

Latterly the business had moved to 

buying modern secondhand stock, 

from respected operators whose 


3 4 

standards are known. 

A Volvo chassis with Van Hool 

bodywork became the most 

common purchase, following some 

time running Dennis coaches. That’s 

changed recently, and the first new 

full-size coach for several years 

joined in late 2013. 

“We looked at new to move the 

business forward,” says Charles. “For 

the work we’re doing, a nearly-new 

Van Hool-bodied Volvo was about 

right, but you still spend a lot of 

money on maintenance. 

“We did the sums and calculated 

what we’d pay for a five-year-old 

Volvo compared with something 

brand new. The equation worked 

out that there wasn’t a great deal of 

difference, because for the first five 

years you have low maintenance 

costs – and better fuel consumption 

from a new vehicle.” 

The chosen combination for the 

new purchase was a Scania K360IB 

with Irizar i6 bodywork, and it is 

performing well so far. Although it 

does the same work that the Volvos 

handle more than competently, 

the new Scania gives Robinson a 

competitive edge – “not something 

everybody else can offer,” notes 

Charles. 

The coach is Robinson’s second 

Scania and complements an earlier 

Van Hool-bodied example, which 

joined the firm in 2005. 

Operations Manager Jim Darr 

– an experienced coachman who 

describes himself as “Volvo through 

and through” – comments positively 

on the attentiveness of both the local 

dealer and Scania Great Britain’s 

Worksop headquarters. 

“Our intention, in theory, is to buy 

a new vehicle every three years. A lot 

of operators have worked it out now: 

you up your repayments, but reduce 

maintenance and fuel costs,” Charles 

explains. 

“But if you take a new vehicle, 

it’s got to be kept busy. They’re 

expensive things and they need to 

earn their keep.” 

Jim adds that Scania/Irizar may 

well be the favoured combination 

when the time is right. Euro 6 is 

not a significant concern; Charles 

says that while he is very keen to 

protect the environment and reduce 

the business’ impact, he does have 

worries about the amount of energy 

put into producing and transporting 

things such as AdBlue. 

“A lean and highly-efficient engine 

would be a better solution for 

everyone. But the legislation is clear, 

and manufacturers have to work out 

a way of meeting it. It’s all a concern 

because it adds thousands to the 

price of a vehicle.” 

It’s easier to justify new when 

purchasing coaches at the smaller 

end of the scale, and Robinson did 

that during 2012 when it added 

a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with 

EVM bodywork. The 19-seat 

Sprinter serves a new niche for the 

business, and one which is proving 

worthwhile. 

“We’d started getting an increase in 

work for minicoach-size groups from 

some of our established customers,” 

says Charles. 

“Rather than turn it away, we were 

using a full-size coach. We didn’t 

want customers to pass the work on 

to others.” 

Sums showed that the Sprinter 

could justify its presence in the 

fleet on fuel savings alone. “It’s an 

excellent vehicle,” he continues. 

“But what we didn’t realise was that 

it would also attract a lot of quality 

private hire work on its appearance 

alone.” 

Quotes provided for the Sprinter 

by e-mail are accompanied by a 

picture of the minicoach, which has 

proved a good idea; customers see 

the image and often book “instantly,” 

explains Charles, further indication 

that a smart and distinctive livery 

pays dividends. The Sprinter will 

probably be replaced when it turns 

five years old in the interests of 

keeping things fresh. 

EVM was able to supply the 

minicoach quickly, and is attentive 

to customers’ needs, says Jim. It’s 

not fitted out to the extravagant 

standards seen in some of the 

type engaged on corporate work, 

but for small groups on short- to 8 



Profile | Robinson Kimbolton 

says. “There’s a massive difference 

between a coach driver and a good 

coach driver. They’re a vital link – 

people want a good day out. We’re 

not in the entertainment business, 

but they’re there to arrive early in 

a smart coach, and be polite with a 

smile on their face.” 

8 

medium-distance hires is more than 

acceptable. EVM’s ‘drop boot’ would 

have proved a benefit, however. 

Toeing the line 

The Sprinter is also proving its 

worth on airport transfers and hires 

for small clubs and groups, often 

to London. Even in the capital, 

Robinson’s drivers are expected 

to have done their homework in 

advance and know exactly where 

they’re going. It’s for that reason 

that sat-navs are not one of Charles’ 

favourite things. 

“You shouldn’t need one if you’re 

driving a coach. If anything, it’s just 

the last half-mile they’re any use for. 

A coach won’t go down many of the 

roads in London, so if the driver 

sticks to the main grid and knows 

where he or she is going, they will be 

all right.” 

Robinson Kimbolton expects 

high standards from its drivers, and 

Charles is adamant that these will 

not be compromised for anything. 

Both he and Jim drive when required 

and are well aware of the challenges 

faced out on the road, but they still 

demand the best from staff. 

That requirement is met; at the 

time of routeone’s visit a number 

of drivers were present, awaiting 

departure on a large school-related 

private hire. All were smartly turned 

out and friendly. 

“Our drivers are to a certain 

standard. We don’t budge on that,” 

Charles explains. “Customers will 

get a driver who is polite and does all 

the basics of coach driving properly. 

It’s important to keep standards 

up; drivers are always immaculately 

dressed. They wear a crisp, white 

shirt, red tie and black jacket.” 

Such attention to detail is at the 

root of Robinson’s high proportion 

of repeat business, which Charles 

estimates forms in the region of 85- 

90% of its work. 

Drivers are trained to a high 

standard and they have a code of 

conduct to adhere to. Equally, it tries 

to make a difference with its vehicles. 

All are smartly turned out in house 

colours, and Operations Manager 

Jim is definitely not above donning 

his overalls and helping in the garage 

or washing coaches when required. 

Reflecting the coach industry in 

general, many of Robinson’s drivers 

are highly experienced, and most live 

within a close radius of Kimbolton. 

Staff turnover is minimal, and there 

has been no struggle to retain, or 

recruit when necessary. 

“We often have people turning 

up looking for work, but I’m very 

selective as to who I’ll take,” Charles 

Sprinter and 

i6-bodied Scania 

became the first 

new purchases 

for some time 

❝ Drivers are trained to a high standard 

with a code of conduct. Equally, it tries to 

make a difference with its vehicles ❞ 

Diversifying 

Besides its private hires for groups of 

various ages, Robinson’s premises are 

located within yards of the village’s 

large Kimbolton School, which 

provides a good chunk of its work. 

That was a boon when the recession 

came. 

“The slowdown never really hit us 

that hard in coach operation, unlike 

a lot of industries. Children still have 

to get to and from school, and there’s 

still associated private hire. Older 

people still want to have days out 

too,” Charles explains. 

Regardless of this, it’s a desire to 

diversify the business that has seen 

the recent move into convenience 

retail. “We had the redundant car 

showroom for many years,” he 

continues. “After a lot of thought and 

effort, and considering whether we 

should move, we decided to enter a 

new market. 

“People in this area have to drive 

eight miles to the nearest superstore. 

Some villages nearby are very small, 

but some are quite reasonably 

sized. We see a demand there.” The 

Budgens shop will share one thing 

with coach operation, that being its 

status as a long-term project. 

Neither, Charles adds, are 

“bonanza” sectors, but then few 

things are in rural communities. 

Rather, the convenience store will 

add further value to an existing, 

steady business. 

Being based in sleepy Kimbolton 

works well for Robinson. There is 

less coach work to be had than in the 

surrounding cities, but there is also 

less competition, and that keeps rates 

where they should be. Between 10 

and 12 coaches is the right size, and 

it’s unlikely the business will grow 

beyond that. 

“We will do work further 

afield, but only if the rate makes it 

worthwhile,” says Charles. “What’s 

the point driving miles and miles for 

a low rate and making nothing from 

the job We’re not into that at all.” 

It’s a belief which has served 

Robinson Kimbolton well so far, 

and with a clear plan going forward 

coupled with a diversification into 

retail, is pointing towards a strong 

future, too. 


www.route-one.net


Supplier | Bus and Coach World 

More than 

a repaint 

It’s seven years since father and son Philip and 

Robert Hilton started in business as Bus and 

Coach World and, as Mike Morgan discovers, the 

timing of their venture into the world of repair and 

refurbishment couldn’t have been better 

1. Philip and 

Robert Hilton: 

Chairman and 

Managing 

Director of Bus 

and Coach World 

2. Handover: 

Robert Hilton 

and Brian Juffs 

3. Five year 

warranty on 

repaint 

4. Newport 

exterior refurb 

1 

“Where talents and the needs of 

the world cross, therein lies your 

vocation.” 

Aristotle probably wouldn’t know 

the front from the back of a bus, 

but his words of wisdom still have 

resonance with many people who 

work within the industry and one 

perfect example can be found in 

Blackburn, Lancashire, where you’ll 

find a father and son partnership 

that is proving how apt the Greek 

philosopher’s quotation can be. 

The story starts long before 2006 

when Philip and Robert Hilton 

found themselves out of work, 

turning to what they knew in the 

hope that it would sustain them 

through a difficult period. 

Philip, 69, started as an apprentice 

at East Lancashire Coachbuilders 

(East Lancs) in 1960, becoming 

Joint Managing Director in 1990, 

and retiring in 2005. His son 

Robert, 41, was made redundant at 

the same time, prompting them to 

set up in business as Bus and Coach 

World in 2007. 

The transition from secure 

employment to budding 

entrepreneurs was never going to be 

easy. Philip says: “For the first year 

we had no premises.” 

In truth they were time-served 

bus builders, and Philip in particular 

had built a valuable reputation while 

establishing important contacts. 

A wise prediction 

Based on the assumption that the 

market for new buses was in the 

doldrums so operators would want 

to spend money modernising their 

existing vehicles, their chosen line 

of business was coach and bus 

refurbishment. The father and son 

team had seen this cyclical trend in 

previous recessions and they had 

half an eye on the growing number 

of redundancies at East Lancs, 

which was then owned by the 

Darwen Group and was soon to be 

reversed into Optare plc. 

Their faith was quickly justified 

by a large order from Arriva for the 

refurbishment and repaint of 54 

buses. This alone justified a move 

into a rented unit on an industrial 

estate, though the painting of the 

buses was sub-contracted. 

New lease of life 

However, a new twist to the trend 

had emerged. Not only were 

operators large and small seeing 

some wisdom in refreshing vehicles 

halfway through their working life, 

a small but significant number were 

seeing value in buying late-model 

vehicles, normally those that had 

come off lease, and using them 

to upgrade their fleets – but only 

after bringing them up to ‘as new’ 

condition, and often new livery. 

“It helped us a lot,” says Robert, 

who is the company’s Managing 

Director, while Philip is Chairman. 

Typical of this trend are 

municipal operators Blackpool 

Transport, Newport Buses and 

Rossendale Transport (now trading 

as Rosso). Their recently appointed 

Managing Directors were keen to 

reduce the fleet age profile and 

introduce a new image. 

All three turned to Bus and 

Coach World. In Blackpool’s case 

it had acquired a large number of 

double-deckers from the Isle of 

Man, while Newport had former 

London double-deckers to be 

out-shopped with leather seats, 

and Rosso acquired nine 07-reg 

Wrightbus-bodied Volvo B7RLE 

single-deckers. 

Rosso Managing Director Brian 

Juffs explains the virtue of buying 

these youthful vehicles, which had 

been acquired on lease by Transdev 

Lancashire United for Spot Onbranded 

services in Blackburn. 

“They make perfect sense,” he says. 

“We will replace a similar number of 

14-year-old Dennis Darts and that’s 

got to be an improvement.” 


2 

3 

4 

Broad skill set 

With a record of consistent growth 

backed by further significant 

orders from major operators, Philip 

believes that this success is in part 

a consequence of having one of the 

best teams in the refurbishment 

sector, and this is a worthy claim 

given that the vast majority of the 

34-strong workforce honed their 

skills on the East Lancs shop floor 

before being cast aside when Optare 

closed the Whitebirk factory. 

Such is the range of skills on 

offer that the company can always 

help, whether it’s an immediate 

body repair to get an operator back 

on the road, a full refurbishment 

or an ongoing refit for one to 200 

vehicles. 

Recent examples include repairs 

to accident damaged buses, and 

repaints needed at short notice for 

the launch of a new route. 

Meanwhile, along with the 

growth in business came new 

opportunities in the shape of 

retrims and bus electrical repairs, 

again utilising former East Lancs 

employees and both previously 

out-sourced. 

In January 2013 a new trim shop 

was added within the existing 

buildings and this employs three 

staff, while Adrian Fairclough, 

although self-employed, is 

frequently found working at Bus 

and Coach World sorting out an 

electrical problem. 

Adrian’s speciality is wiring looms 

and he is perfectly happy building a 

new loom at the fraction of an OEM 

replacement part. 

Having started as a team of 

three in 2007, Philip and Robert 

are understandable proud of their 

achievement. 

They can proudly boast that 

their firm offers a range of services 

tailored to suit your requirements 

– repairs to damaged vehicles, 

refurbishment, trimming, 

alterations to meet DDA, open-top 

conversions, bodybuilding and, 

most recently, MOT preparation. 

Nevertheless the core activity 

remains full repaints in the stateof-the-art 

60ft paint booth they 

inherited from North West Coach & 

Bus, and they are particularly proud 

of the quality of the workmanship 

which is backed by a five-year glossretention 

warranty. 

They are also proud of the 

personal service that enables them 

to claim that all enquiries are dealt 

with promptly and that they can 

offer a level of flexibility needed to 

match operators’ requirements for 

vehicle availability. 

The open door 

Back in January 2007, the door 

that opened for them was one 

on a rented industrial unit on a 

Blackburn industrial estate required 

the full use of their talent for using 

contacts and matching bus building 

skills to the world of vehicle 

refurbishment. 

It was a challenge to which they 

were perfectly suited. As Philip 

and Robert will readily admit, they 

knew nothing but the coach and bus 

industry and the people in it. 

The latest string to their bow is 

buying in vehicles for refurbishment 

prior to sale. 

This started with a deal with the 

Isle of Man operator Bus Vannin 

for 26 East Lancs-bodied doubledeckers, 

a mix of DB250s and 

Tridents, and is to be promoted at 

the ALBUM conference in May 

where an exhibit will be something 

special, according to Robert. 

But the father and son team can’t 

stop confronting the inevitable 

question of will they or won’t they 

build their own new bus. Although 

this is an unlikely scenario, it 

doesn’t stop them investigating 

opportunities that may or may not 

include the preparation of vehicles 

assembled in a factory a long way 

from Blackburn. 




Analysis | Wi-Fi 

Premium coach and bus services are more and more likely to have free Wi-Fi onboard, 

and some operators have even decided to fit all new vehicles with the technology. But 

why should they What are the benefits Features Editor Jessamy Hudson reports 

Over the last few years, a great 

many coach and bus operators 

have updated their image. Many 

smart commuter services have been 

introduced by coach operators, 

especially in the vicinity of London, 

while the big bus groups have 

launched premium routes to attract 

more passengers. And while leather 

seats and wood-effect floors play 

their part, the most impressive 

attraction of these services to 

passengers is that they often offer 

Wi-Fi – keeping them connected 

and entertained throughout their 

journey. 

What is Wi-Fi 

Icomera’s Dave Palmer gives 

the textbook definition. “It’s 

the technology that allows 

electronic devices, such as 

laptops, smartphones or tablets, to 

communicate with each other or 

connect to the internet wirelessly, 

within a particular area, using radio 

waves,” he says. 

In terms of Wi-Fi on vehicles, 

it helps to think of a simple home 

router, or a mobile phone-like 

instrument with a SIM card that 

gives off a signal to be picked up by 

other devices. 

“It’s the reason why these devices 

– laptops, smartphones, tablets – 

have lent themselves to so many 

applications so successfully,” Dave 

continues. “Without Wi-Fi, the 

possibilities of what is achievable 

‘on-the-go’ would be far more 

limited.” 

Why do they like it 

Research by Ofcom has found that 

half of all UK adults now use their 

mobile phone to access the internet. 

“Wi-Fi is something that 

many of Stagecoach’s bus and 

coach customers look for as part 

of the company’s service,” says 

Lindsay Reid, Senior Group 

Communications Manager at 

Wi-Fi has 

become popular 

as part of the 

‘premium’ 

package 

Stagecoach. “People are becoming 

used to having access to Wi-Fi at 

home as well as in other places 

such as hotels, coffee shops and 

on trains, and now, people see 

it as an important part of their 

surroundings. 

“It helps them to communicate 

and keep informed.” 

The consensus is that Wi-Fi is 

most likely to be used by, although 

by no means limited to, students and 

commuters. 

“The huge growth in the 

smartphone market has meant 

passengers often see a bus journey as 

an opportunity to catch up on news, 

social media or with their friends,” 

says Nick Gordon, Marketing 

Manager at Arriva UK Bus. 

“The introduction of free Wi-Fi 

on our services undoubtedly makes 

this an easier and more customerfriendly 

experience.” 

“A high proportion of coach and 

bus passengers are commuters or 

students,” says Dave Palmer. 

“These particular groups 

are looking to be as productive 

as possible on their journeys. 

Offering onboard Wi-Fi is the 

obvious solution for retaining these 

passengers, an advantage public 

transport can offer over travelling 

by car.” 

Andrew Scott, MD of Stanley 

Travel, believes it can also offer an 

advantage over other competitors. 

“We feel it’s a USP, unique to us,” 

he says. “People ask for it more and 

more and it tips the balance in our 

favour. Between us and a similar 

coach company with a similar price, 

the customer will probably go for us 

because we have Wi-Fi.” 

Benefits for operators 

The big pull for operators is 

marketing: firstly as an obviously 

attractive enhancement to the 

service, like leather seats, and 

secondly as the real data you can 

capture from your passengers. For 

the first time, bus operators can 

find out exactly who is using their 

services. 

“By offering free Wi-Fi we 

can benefit from additional 

8 



Analysis | Wi-Fi 

8 

marketing and customer data 

opportunities,” says Nick Gordon. 

“This information can feed into our 

overall database, allowing us to track 

customer behaviour and make more 

commercially informed decisions.” 

It’s simple: your supplier can 

design a ‘landing page’ for your 

Wi-Fi, tailored however you want it, 

so passengers logging on are asked 

for a few details before the Wi-Fi 

connects – typically their name and 

e-mail address, but it could also 

include their mobile number, age or 

gender. 

You can see this for yourself if 

you try using the Wi-Fi in Costa or 

McDonald’s. Customers effectively 

‘pay’ for the Wi-Fi with minimal 

information about themselves. 

The operator can then access this 

data. Some use it to cross-check 

against existing customer details, or 

to track customer journey habits. 

Then again, not every operator 

uses it to capture data. For Stanley 

Travel, which uses the Wi-Fi mostly 

on private hire and student services, 

the enhancement to the service 

alone is enough to justify it. “We 

wanted the system to be as simple 

as possible,” says Andrew Scott. 

“We didn’t want a laborious log-on 

process – it just instantly connects. 

“Wi-Fi isn’t necessarily used by 

the people we would market to. For 

example, students aren’t likely to 

want to book a coach. So we keep it 

as simple as possible to enhance the 

experience.” 

Katie Luckwell, Sales and 

Marketing Manager at Mobile 

Onboard, agrees that data capture 

isn’t always desirable. “On a 

10-15-minute journey, a passenger 

might spend five minutes trying 

to enter their details to use the 

Wi-Fi,” she says. “It can put them 

off, especially if they suspect that 

they’ll get ‘spam’ e-mail from the bus 

operator as a result.” 

Are there other benefits 

“It’s not just about offering 

passenger Wi-Fi anymore,” says Dave 

Palmer. “In recent years operators 

have installed numerous onboard 

internet devices, increasing the need 

for a multifunctional hardware and 

connectivity platform.” 

These other devices include 

vehicle tracking, schedule 

adherence, remote viewing and 

CCTV control systems. Icomera can 

link them together using the Wi-Fi 

on the bus. “Thanks to the design 

of the Icomera platform, passenger 

communication and mission critical 

data applications can effortlessly coexist 

on the same platform, leading 

to a reduced cost of ownership for 

operators,” says Dave. “Icomera 

offers a complete solution.” 

Systems available 

The major suppliers to the coach 

and bus industry are Icomera and 

Mobile Onboard, which both offer 

a good range of products to suit 

different types of operation. 

Icomera’s flagship product is 

called Moovbox, while Mobile 

Onboard’s is Beam. 

There are various options for 

each. 

The equipment isn’t complicated. 

A two-way connector called a fly 

lead connects to the power supply 

of the vehicle, and the Wi-Fi box 

plugs straight into that. The boxes 

are portable, so you don’t need to 

fit one on every vehicle. “You can 

very cheaply equip all vehicles with 

a fly lead, and simply plug the box 

into that whenever you want to use 

it,” says Katie Luckwell. “You could 

have a fleet of 20 vehicles but only 

two boxes, which you can use on 

appropriate services.” 

There are even boxes available 

that connect to cigarette lighters, 

ideal for minibuses. 

The installation process is 

also fairly straightforward. Once 

Icomera’s hardware has been placed 

on the vehicle, most firmware 

and configuration settings can be 

updated remotely, “keeping fleets 

out on the road for longer and 

reducing the need for field visits,” 

says Dave. 

Operators’ experiences 

First’s Hyperlink service between 

Leeds and Bradford, launched in 

partnership with West Yorkshire 

local authorities in October 2012, is 

a good example of Wi-Fi being used 

in part of a larger service upgrade. 

Duncan McGraw, First UK Bus 

PR Manager (North Region), 

says: “We refurbished our fleet of 

Streetcar vehicles for this service 

and rebranded them ‘Hyperlink’ 

to signify the modern and 

technologically advanced nature of 

the new service. 

“We have seen a near 10% growth 

in passenger numbers comparing 

year-on-year figures and we 

anticipate recent fares reductions in 

both Leeds and Bradford will help us 

drive these passenger growth figures 

even higher.” 

As part of the Swindon Travel 

Choices project, Thamesdown 

1. Tablet and 

smartphone 

use has grown 

dramatically 

2. Operators 

need to ‘tap 

into people’s 

lifestyles’ 

3. Reading 

Buses first used 

Wi-Fi in 2006 

4. Stanley Travel 

moves the Wi-Fi 

from vehicle to 

vehicle 

1 

2 

Transport installed Wi-Fi on two of 

its routes in May 2013, and thanks to 

its popularity, extended the service 

to two further routes in December 

2013. 

MD Paul Jenkins says: “We were 

looking at options to help make 

public transport more appealing 

and the possibility of enabling 

passengers to entertain themselves 

by accessing the internet while on 

board seemed a good idea.” 

Thamesdown Transport then 

surveyed its passengers; 91% rated 

the service as either excellent or very 

good. 

Says Paul: “83% of people also 

said that it encouraged them to use 

the bus more often and the majority 

of passengers used the Wi-Fi to 

access social media – as we had 

expected. 

“Thanks to these results we 

received funding to extend the 


www.route-one.net

3 4 

service in December and we hope to 

apply it to more routes in the future.” 

Reading Buses has been using 

Wi-Fi since 2006. “We were 

introduced to the idea by one of 

our then-clients, Thames Valley 

Business Park, who wanted it fitted 

on the free buses that they funded 

for the estate,” says James Freeman, 

CEO. “We were impressed by the 

up-take but unsure about the costeffectiveness. 

I had seen Wi-Fi used 

to spectacular effect with The Green 

Bus in the West Midlands around 

this time, and when we started 

working with them in Reading, our 

Green Bus vehicles were Wi-Fi fitted. 

“We therefore decided to specify 

it on our first new hybrids in 2010 

and we have never looked back. 

Since then we have specified it in 

new deliveries, so that now we have 

95 vehicles from our fleet of 140 

fitted.” 

So how much 

Depending on the supplier and 

the package, operators retrofitting 

Wi-Fi to a handful of vehicles might 

expect to pay a few hundred pounds 

per unit, plus a monthly fee for the 

internet usage of about £25-50. 

“We’ve calculated that it costs 

less than £1.50 a day per vehicle,” 

says Katie Luckwell. “At the same 

time, operators are seeing a 10-15% 

passenger increase, so you can 

clearly see the benefits.” 

“Most of our customers have 

conducted their own research and 

found that offering free Wi-Fi boosts 

passenger numbers in excess of the 

cost of deploying the technology,” 

says Dave Palmer. 

James Freeman says: “Wi-Fi is 

not cheap, but we think it’s a very 

worthwhile cost. 

It is one of the reasons why people 

in Reading, especially young people, 

tell us that using our buses is cool.” 

‘Cool’ is the word Katie Luckett 

uses as well. “From my experience, 

a lot of businesses, schools and 

colleges are very interested in 

Wi-Fi-enabled vehicles, because it 

increases the ‘coolness’ aspect,” she 

says. 

She stresses that operators should 

contact suppliers to find out the 

cost, as it will vary from operator to 

operator. 

“It’s simple,” she says. “There’s an 

upfront cost, and then the units are 

shipped, installed, and you set up a 

direct debit for the monthly cost. 

“If an operator orders 10 or more, 

we can work out a discount. 

“But it’s very much a pick-and-mix 

service. 

“We like people to call us because 

we need to find out what area 

they’re in and whether they’d be 

better off on a different network, 

how many seats their vehicles have, 

whether they’re operating on the 

continent, and what sort of services 

they’re looking to operate it on.” 

Referring to First’s Hyperlink 

service in Yorkshire, Dave Palmer 

says: “The increase in passenger 

numbers they’ve seen is more than 

offsetting the lower ticket prices, 

which goes to show you don’t have 

to increase fares to cover the costs of 

installing and maintaining passenger 

Wi-Fi.” 

However, if you’re not convinced 

that free Wi-Fi will attract enough 

new passengers to justify the cost, 

there is the option to charge for it. 

Katie Luckwell cites a model 

whereby the first 30 minutes is free, 

after which the passenger must 

subscribe and pay a fee. It’s a rare 

option for coach and bus operators 

to go for, but is widely used in the 

rail and hotel sectors. 

“Many people have a preconceived 

idea of bus travel and 

often assume that buses will lack 

modern comforts,” says Stagecoach’s 

Deputy MD Robert Montgomery. 

“Few non-bus users would ever 

dream of finding an internet 

connection on board. 

“The reality is that we are making 

every effort to provide as many 

modern comforts for passengers 

as possible, including improved 

interiors as well as smarter, more 

convenient, ways to pay for tickets. 

“As an industry, operators want to 

attract more customers to bus and 

coach travel, and the only way to do 

that is to tap into people’s lifestyles 

and find a way to live up to their 

expectations.” 



Supplier Spotlight | Fuel Management and Emission Control 


www.route-one.net

Fuel: Keep it 

under control 

Fuel is one thing the industry cannot do without. 

It’s also responsible for two of the most pressing 

issues for operators: operating costs and 

emissions. There are companies which can help 

you bring both down. Tim Deakin reports 

Low emission zones (LEZs) are 

slowly spreading across the country, 

and Quality Partnerships have also 

come to increasingly state minimum 

requirements for exhaust emissions. 

Few would bet against either 

becoming more numerous over 

coming years. 

What can you do if your vehicles 

don’t meet the requirements laid 

down and you’re not in the position 

to replace them with more modern 

coaches or buses Fortunately 

there are a number of businesses 

which can help, by upgrading 

the drivelines in your existing 

stock to bring them up to scratch. 

The government’s Clean Bus 

Technology Fund may even cover 

the cost of this work. 

Other suppliers can provide 

products which reduce fuel 

consumption, while telematics 

systems are equally worthwhile in 

the quest to get the most out of your 

coaches or buses – and drivers. But 

staff need the correct training to be 

able to perform at their best. 

Something else worth 

considering is how you store your 

diesel. It’s valuable stuff, so don’t 

take any chances. Tanks built to 

high standards are an obvious 

requirement, but it’s also important 

to have them inspected and serviced 

regularly. Think also what you’d do 

in the case of an emergency: is a 

service contract a wise investment 

routeone CONTACTS App 

The coach and bus industry’s number one directory for 

suppliers, dealers and operators - now in the palm of your hand! 

Scan the QR code to download the free routeone 

CONTACTS App for your smarthpone or tablet or 

search ‘routeone contacts’ in the Apple App Store 

or on Google Play. 




Ultra-low retrofit NOx/PM 

system from Baumot 

Low emission engine 

technology by Cummins 

Throughout Europe, air quality 

monitoring has shown that the 

pollutant of most concern is now 

NOx/NO2, closely followed 

by fine particulates (PM2.5), 

and the main contributor is city 

transport. 

As an alternative to buying 

brand new hybrid vehicles, 

Baumot’s Ammonia (NH3) 

Generator is designed to 

convert liquid urea (AdBlue) 

into gaseous ammonia outside 

of the exhaust stream, which 

almost instantaneously mixes 

the gaseous ammonia within the 

exhaust gases. 

This means gaseous ammonia 

can be injected almost directly 

in front of the SCR catalyst, 

dramatically reducing the overall 

packaging while achieving NOx 

reductions in excess of 80% at 

temperatures as low as 220°C. 

The NH3 Generator is small 

enough to be inserted alongside 

the engine, with the gaseous 

ammonia being dosed after the 

DOC and prior to the SCR 

Coated DPF. 

Incorporating the Baumot 

Catalysed Diesel Particulate 

Filter and DOC in conjunction 

with the Ammonia Generator 

also addresses concerns over 

fine particulates, as the filter 

will capture almost 100% of the 

PM10 and PM2.5 soot particles 

and passively combust them at 

temperatures as low as 220°C. 

Baumot is looking to 

introduce this technology as 

a retrofit option to upgrade 

diesel-powered buses to ultralow 

emission vehicles. These 

would comply with all legislated 

emissions including NOx/NO2 

in line with Euro 6 regulations. 

Baumot will provide a fully 

integrated package that can be 

retrofitted to existing coaches 

and buses. 

• www.baumot.co.uk 

Cummins has launched the next 

generation of the ISB6.7 engine 

for Euro 6. 

It builds on the pedigree of 

the B5.9 and ISBe 6.7 products, 

which have developed a 

reputation for performance, fuel 

efficiency and durability over 

more than 20 years. 

The engine extends up to 

310bhp for truck and coach 

installations, with a peak torque 

of 1,100Nm. 

To meet Euro 6, the engine 

uses proven US EPA 2010 engine 

technology of cooled exhaust 

gas recirculation (EGR), with 

variable geometry turbocharging 

(VGT) adapted for European 

emissions. 

The EGR system is redesigned 

for better integration 

with European coach and 

bus applications and the 

Cummins VGT is optimised 

for high torque and low 

speed capability, delivering 

significant performance and 

driveability improvements. 

The VGT can also function as 

an exhaust brake, allowing the 

OEM to remove cost from the 

system. These are controlled 

by a new electronic control 

module (ECM) with increased 

capability for controlling 

engine and aftertreatment, with 

more challenging on-board 

diagnostics (OBD) monitoring 

requirements. 

The ISB6.7 uses a new 

aftertreatment system, designed 

for Euro 6. It comes in a switchback 

configuration for compact 

installations and is packaged 

ready for OEMs to fit. 

Controlled by the engine 

ECM, it incorporates a Cummins 

Particulate Filter (CPF) with 

Selective Catalytic Reduction 

(SCR) to meet the ultra-low 

levels required at Euro 6. 

• www.cummins.com 


www.route-one.net


Keeping your exhaust 

clean is Huggett’s forte 

‘Compelling financial 

case’ to add Envirox 

David Huggett Motor 

Factors has its own ‘in house’ 

continuously regenerating trap 

(CRT) and diesel particulate 

filter (DPF) cleaning facilities. 

It has the advantage of 

having two depots located 

within the M25 (one at 

Waltham Cross, the other at 

Barking), which are perfectly 

located to clean, service and 

replace the CRTs and catalytic 

convertors fitted to HGVs, 

coaches and buses in order to 

comply with the capital’s Low 

Emission Zone. 

It can clean any make of 

CRT or DPF, and will collect 

your dirty CRTs and return 

them after cleaning using its 

own fleet of vehicles. 

It can also clean catalytic 

convertors, using a 

combination of air knife 

scanning pneumatic 

technology and thermal 

cleaning to ensure thorough 

and precise cell by cell 

cleansing of the entire filter. 

Turnaround time for 

cleaning is 24 hours from 

collection of the filter. 

Where a CRT is deemed 

unfit for re-use, David Huggett 

can provide a brand new trap 

– not a service exchange filter, 

as some other suppliers may. 

It can also provide gaskets, 

clamps and support rings for 

all CRTs. 

Dinex, a global company and 

expert exhaust and emission 

system manufacturer, is David 

Huggett’s chosen partner 

when providing new CRTs and 

catalytic convertors. 

It provides a full audit trail 

and service records for all 

cleaned CRTs. 

David Huggett can clean 

catalysed, silicon carbide and 

cordierite filters. 

• Call 01992 762519 

The threat of further 

reductions in BSOG, 

combined with high oil prices, 

makes the proven fuel saving 

qualities of additive Envirox 

an increasingly attractive 

proposition for coach and bus 

operators seeking to mitigate 

the impact of fuel price 

increases. 

In autumn 2013, Abellio 

made the decision to roll out 

the use of Envirox across all 

of its UK bus operations, 

following a 12-month, 280-bus 

trial at its four largest London 

depots. 

Abellio follows in the 

footsteps of Stagecoach, 

winner of numerous awards for 

its environmental initiatives. It 

began trialing Envirox in 2003. 

Announcing a renewed 

supply deal last year which 

takes Stagecoach UK Bus 

into its second decade of 

using Envirox nationally, Les 

Warneford, then Managing 

Director, said: “Our pioneering 

use of this innovative fuel 

additive in the UK has helped 

improve the sustainability of 

our operations, protect local air 

quality, improve fuel efficiency, 

and keep bus fares low.” 

While fuel prices have risen 

in recent years, and remain 

unstable, the cost of Envirox 

has remained consistent, such 

that it now adds well below 1% 

to the fuel cost. 

Energenics believes these 

economics make a compelling 

financial case when weighed 

against the proven fuel savings 

of 4-11%. 

No engine modifications are 

required to use the product, 

it has no negative impact on 

lubricant performance, and 

also assists in the regeneration 

of DPFs. 

• www.energenics.co.uk 


www.route-one.net

HJS aiming to provide 

products to CBTF winners 

The majority of large towns 

and cities in the UK are failing 

to meet EU requirements 

for NOx emissions, and the 

government is faced with stiff 

financial penalties as a result. 

To combat this, it is 

anticipated that the Df T will 

release further funding as part 

of the Clean Bus Technology 

Fund (CBTF) initiative. Local 

authorities will be invited to 

work with operators and bid 

for a share of this fund, to be 

used to clean up buses’ NOx 

emissions. 

Authorities involved are 

encouraging operators to 

co-operate, and view such 

schemes as a voluntary 

alternative to introduction of 

country-wide LEZs. 

HJS is pleased to reveal 

that it is working with several 

operators and local authorities 

in the UK to improve regional 

air quality as part of the first 

CBTF round, made in 2013. 

It offers a more cost-effective 

solution than buying new 

vehicles. 

HJS employs more than 

450 people at its plant in 

Menden in Germany. It 

has an expanding sales and 

technical team in the UK, 

which provides nationwide 

installations and support, 

co-ordinated from a base in 

Bracknell, Berkshire. 

Its principal installation 

teams are experienced, OEMtrained 

technicians who 

can plan and implement an 

installation schedule to suit 

your needs and operational 

requirements. 

HJS provides OE quality 

emission abatement systems 

for the Clean Bus Technology 

Fund, designed and 

manufactured in Germany. 

• www.hjs.com 




LWE can provide various 

diesel storage options 

A complete storage tank 

solution for your business 

Ledbury Welding and 

Engineering (LWE) has one 

of the best-equipped tank 

production sites in the UK, able 

to meet all current and future 

needs for diesel storage. 

It has an established 

reputation for quality, and has 

adapted to produce a variety of 

designs. 

When it comes to aboveground 

storage, LWE has the 

capability to deliver on any 

level, from 1,000 to 200,000 

litres and across a broad scope 

of products, including diesel, 

petrol, glycol, Kilfrost and 

AdBlue to name a handful. 

Top of its diesel storage range 

is the Ledbury Supreme. With 

thousands of units operational 

throughout the UK and Ireland, 

the Supreme above-ground, 

bunded diesel tank is recognised 

as the elite storage container. 

Its bunding and convex roof 

are manufactured as separate 

components, and the inner 

tank is secured within the bund 

before the roof is bolted into 

position. Significant impact 

protection is provided by the 

bund, and the tank can be 

supplied in single- or multicompartment 

format. 

Other products offered 

for diesel storage are LWE’s 

Ledbury Premium and Standard 

tanks. The Premium is available 

in capacities of up to 200,000 

litres, but lacks the removable 

roof of the Supreme. 

The Standard tank differs 

only from the Premium where 

gravity feed is concerned; the 

Standard may only be used for 

top suction outlets, and not for 

bottom outlet gravity feed. 

Both are available in single- or 

multi-compartment layout and 

all tanks are built to DEFRA 

regulations. 

• www.lweltd.co.uk 

Since 1972, Neil Vessey 

(Storage Tanks) has 

specialised in the supply 

of new and used storage 

tanks, as well as associated 

ancillary equipment. From its 

premises in Scunthorpe, North 

Lincolnshire, it supplies all sizes 

and capacities of tank, from 300 

gallons/1,350 litres to 28,500 

gallons/130,000 litres, to a 

diverse client base throughout 

the UK and further afield. 

New tanks, in either mild or 

stainless steel, are manufactured 

to customers’ requirements 

on-site in its overhead craneequipped 

fabrication unit, 

which is also where used tanks 

are refurbished. 

A four-acre yard enables it to 

keep in stock a huge range of 

good quality used storage tanks 

of all types, which are suitable 

for a wide range of applications, 

including diesel storage. 

Neil Vessey (Storage Tanks) 

delivers the complete solution 

to supply and installation 

of a wide range of storage 

tank ancillary equipment, 

including pumps, alarms, and 

fuel monitors. A highly-skilled 

in-house team of fitters can 

install pumps and pipework to 

tanks, carrying out pipework 

installations at customers’ 

premises if required. 

Additional services 

include storage tank disposal 

management, encompassing 

on-site assessments to ensure 

all environmental and bunding 

requirements are met. 

Operating from the same 

site as Neil Vessey (Storage 

Tanks), Plantcraft Ltd offers 

those looking for long, 

medium or short-term storage 

tank hire a complete service, 

including delivery and ancillary 

equipment rental. 

• www.neilvessey.com 


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Available 

on your 

smartphone 

or tablet! 

In partnership with 




Telematics help operators 

reduce fuel consumption 

Shawbrook – low noise 

finance for coach and bus 

With the real-time tracking 

provided by Quartix, managers 

of coach and bus fleets can 

evaluate how long a vehicle 

spends idling, and the daily 

and weekly reports will provide 

all the details and totals for 

each vehicle. Cutting idling 

times can have a huge impact 

on reducing fuel bills, as well as 

lowering your business’ carbon 

emissions. 

More fuel can be saved 

by working with drivers to 

improve driving style and 

reduce idling time. Indeed, 

another key feature to help 

you reduce fuel consumption 

is Quartix’s Driving Style 

Monitoring suite. 

This module monitors and 

provides reports on harsh 

acceleration, braking and 

speeding, which helps to 

secure substantial fuel savings 

while dramatically improving 

the safety of a fleet’s drivers 

and their passengers. The 

management information is 

provided in simple and easy-toread 

graphical reports. 

To encourage their drivers to 

adopt a more economical and 

safer driving style, managers 

have found that using carrots, 

not sticks, often works 

best: offering incentives to 

encourage better drivers and 

rewarding the top performers, 

who are identified via built-in 

league tables, has proved to be 

one of the most effective ways. 

Mike Morris, Director 

of Powys-based Tanat 

Valley Coaches, has found 

the system’s features to be 

especially beneficial to his 

company’s daily operations. 

“Real-time tracking from 

Quartix helps us answer 

passenger queries quickly and 

efficiently,” he says. 

• www.quartix.net 

Through many years of 

building robust relationships 

with its customers and a strong 

knowledge of the market, 

Shawbrook Asset Finance 

is well aware of the many 

pressures facing coach and bus 

operators. 

Fuel management and 

emission control are currently 

hot topics when speaking with 

its customers, regardless of 

operator size. 

Following introduction of 

Euro 6 requirements and new 

legislation, it’s understandable 

that many operators are 

concerned as to how the older 

vehicles in their fleets will 

continue to meet increasingly 

demanding EU standards, 

coupled with spiralling costs of 

purchasing new vehicles. 

However, Shawbrook can 

combine specialist industry 

knowledge and a simple yet 

innovative product range to 

tailor its finance to suit you, 

whether it’s raising funds to 

bring an older vehicle up to 

current standards, or putting 

together a package on a new 

coach or bus. 

Its sale and leaseback facility 

could be particularly useful for 

operators looking to release 

capital from existing vehicles 

to help with cashflow, or fund 

vehicle upgrades. 

Shawbrook’s nationwide 

team has over 20 years’ 

experience within the industry 

and is on hand to visit at a time 

that is convenient for you. 

To arrange a meeting or find 

out more, contact Oliver Batley 

on 07825 051426 for Northern 

England and Scotland 

enquiries, or Julie Rodwell on 

07802 934191 for Southern 

England and Wales enquiries. 

• www.shawbrookasset 

finance.co.uk 

A COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE FOR 

REPLACEMENT FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 

Look at the FuelQuip “Retro” 

• Compatible with majority of existing management systems 

• Can be installed into existing pump and management 

cabinets giving a substantial cost saving 

• Existing key fobs / tags from redundant units 

can be re-utilised 

• Typically, installation completed in less than 4 hours 

• Software options from USB download to ‘Real Time’ 

web based systems 

• Web based system includes ‘out of hours’ remote 

software support 

Call to arrange your free 

site survey to replace 

your existing system with 

the FuelQuip “Retro” 

Contact us on: 

OR 

UK Southern Distributor office: 

Storage Tank Services 01386 858 885 

sales@storagetankservices.co.uk 


www.route-one.net

Storage Tank Services is a 

fuel storage specialist 

Moreton-in-Marsh, 

Gloucestershire-based Storage 

Tank Services (STS) operates 

throughout the UK and has an 

extensive client base. 

STS provides a comprehensive 

range of products and services 

for fuel tanks, from ‘turn-key’ 

installations to safe and legal 

de-commissioning of redundant 

tanks and plant. It can also supply 

and install all types and makes 

of ancillary equipment – such 

as pumps, filters, flow meters, 

alarms, gauging and valves. 

It is a distributor of the 

FuelQuip fuel management 

system, which offers a state-ofthe-art 

solution to monitoring 

and managing high usage fuel 

stocks, providing 24/7 webbased 

access from any location. 

STS also carries out regular 

and as required servicing and 

maintenance work on fuel tanks 

and installations. 

It can also provide a 

comprehensive inspection 

service, incorporating fullydetailed 

compliance reports 

and, if applicable, upgrading 

advice and quotations, backed 

by professional indemnity 

insurance. Clients who have 

ongoing service contracts with 

STS also benefit from priority 

status on callouts in the event 

of problems; STS offers a 24/7 

response. 

STS’ additional services 

include, but are not limited 

to, fuel testing and polishing, 

filling of redundant tanks, 

non-destructive and integrity 

testing, gas-free certification, 

tank cleaning and licensed waste 

disposal. 

The experience of STS’ 

operatives covers an extensive 

cross-section of industries and 

processes. 

• www.storagetank 

services.co.uk 

Brought to you by routeone, in partnership with the Transport Benevolent Fund... 

Going green and 

saving the world 

If you’re looking to save fuel – and the 

environment – look no further than the coach 

and bus industry’s biggest event, Euro Bus 

Expo, at the NEC this November 

It’s likely that the UK’s 

government will shortly 

gear up its drive for cleaner 

transport, as its emissions 

levels are falling behind the 

rest of Europe. 

However, many coach 

and bus operators are 

already getting ahead, 

retrofitting emission-busting 

technology or upgrading to 

greener fleets in an effort to 

contribute towards a healthier 

environment. 

Fuel is one of the biggest 

issues, both in terms of the 

environment and cost, but 

there are many ways to make 

your fuel go further. 

With broader links between 

technology and green issues 

now accepted as part of 

modern transport, there are 

many compelling business 

cases for improving the image 

of public transport, reducing 

its environmental impact 

and increasing passenger 

numbers. You can find out 

more by stopping by the 

Environmental Zone at Euro 

Bus Expo this November, 

which will cover many aspects 

of improving a company’s 

sustainability policy. 

The Live Environment 

Stage, supported by BAE 

Systems, will see a series 

of interactive sessions on 

subjects such as low carbon 

vehicle technology, emission 

reduction and efficiency. 

BAE is also supporting the 

Zone’s Recharge Lounge, 

brand new for 2014. 

• www.eurobusxpo.com/ 

environmental-zone 

• To exhibit at Euro Bus 

Expo 2014 call the sales 

team on: 01926 834790 

The coach and bus industry’s number one directory for suppliers, dealers and operators 

now in the palm of your hand! 

Scan the QR code to download the free routeone CONTACTS App for your smartphone 

or tablet or search ‘routeone contacts’ in the Apple App Store or on Google Play. 

FREE 

to download 

www.eurobusxpo.com 

Help and support for public transport employees in need: www.tbf.org.uk 

/EuroBusExpo 

@EuroBusExpo 

Euro Bus Expo 

Euro Bus Expo 



Deliveries 


Earnside Coaches 

Irizar i6 

Glenfarg, Perthshire-based Earnside 

Coaches has broken its German habit by 

purchasing an i6 integral, supplied by Irizar 

UK (01909 500514). 

Powered by a 410bhp DAF engine, the 

new i6 has settled in well. “We have found 

that a higher-power engine sometimes 

generates better fuel economy,” says 

Director David Rutherford, who adds 

that Irizar UK’s products have been on his 

company’s radar for some time. 

“The i6 is the best replacement for the 

vehicle type we were previously buying, 

and all in all we’re very happy with it, 

including its driver.” 

Earnside runs 10 coaches. 

Central Buses 

ADL Enviro200s 

Recently delivered to Central Buses by 

Alexander Dennis (01909 551166) are two 

10.8m Enviro200s. They have 160bhp 

Cummins ISBe engines and Allison 

automatic transmissions, seat 39 and have 

eight-camera CCTV, along with GPS 

tracking and Wi-Fi. They work the xpre55 

service between Lichfield and Tamworth. 

LA Travel 

Volvo Bus B9R Jonckheere 

As part of an upgrade of its fleet, 

Edinburgh-based LA Travel has taken 

delivery of a Volvo B9R with Jonckheere 

bodywork supplied by Volvo Bus (01926 

401777). 

LA Travel’s new B9R coach is being used 

on the company’s contract work, on local 

school duties and for private hire purposes. 

“We’ve had B9R coaches with 

Jonckheere bodywork in the past and 

we certainly like that combination,” says 

LA Travel’s Linda Sutherland. “Vehicle 

flexibility played a major role in our 

decision. We know that it can be used 

across various operations.” 

Fitted with the rear-mounted Volvo D9B 

engine, the B9R has an I-Shift 12-speed 

fully automated gearbox. The new 

vehicle has 53 full executive specification 

passenger seats, with leather headrests. 

It also has an onboard toilet, CD/DVD 

system and TV screens. 

B ‘n’ G Coaches 

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 

A new addition to Buxton, Derbyshirebased 

B ‘n’ G Coaches’ fleet, for corporate 

work, is a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with 

19-seat bodywork supplied by Swansea 

Coachworks (01792 650258). 

It is based on the extra-long wheelbase 

Sprinter 516 chassis, which has 

been uniquely extended by Swansea 

Coachworks to create a large boot area. 

The vehicle has a full body kit, panoramic 

double-glazed windows, reclining leather 

seats and climate control. 

Other passenger comfort items include 

luggage racks, mood lighting, a PA system 

and 240v at-seat sockets. The minicoach is 

finished in a striking metallic blue. 


www.route-one.net

CLICK HERE! 

to search for vehicles 

with traderonline 

Over 800 * vehicles 

online, visit: 

www.routeonetrader.net 

*Correct at time of going to press. 

Members: The deadline for adverts is Monday, 1500hrs. All adverts received will appear for two 

consecutive weeks. They will also appear on www.routeonetrader.net as of Wednesday, 12 noon. 

Non-members: The deadline for adverts is Monday, 1600hrs. Any adverts sent after this 

time will appear under ‘Unclassified’, provided they are received by Tuesday, 1400hrs. 

To join trader, contact the routeone sales team on 01733 405740 or email trader@route-one.net 


trader | To advertise call 01733 405740 | Member deadline Monday, 1500hrs | Non-member deadline Monday, 1600hrs | www.routeonetrader.net 

ADL 

2004, ADL ENVIRO 300, 41 Seats + 

standing, New MOT on completion of sale 

£28,000, Tel: 01234 710 674 

AYATS 

2000, MAN, AYATS BRAVO , 14/16 Berth 

sleeper, Static A/C heating, 240v, normal band 

bus stuff, to have new MOT, recon gearbox, 

good condition Tel: 01487 843 333 email: 

david@sunfunholidays.co.uk 

2002, MAN, AYATS BRAVO , 14/16 Berth 

sleeper, Static A/C heating, 240v, normal band 

bus stuff, will have new MOT, good condition 

Tel: 01487 843 333 email: david@ 

sunfunholidays.co.uk 

AUCTION 

BMC 

2003, BMC 850 CLUB, 35 seats + courier, 

12 months MOT, under floor luggage space, 

A/C, new exhaust system, new head and head 

gasket £12,000+VAT, Tel: 01745 730 700 

Mobile: 07730731283 

2008, BMC KARISMA, Auto, 35 reclining 

seats, A/C, boiler, new MOT, new respray 

£43,500 ono, Mobile: 07917 170 452 

2005, BMC PROBUS, Auto, 35 Seats, TV/ 

DVD, fridge, 110km, 3 point seat belts, seats 

clean, Bodywork VGC, A/C, large luggage, 

main door needs electrical attention, PX 

considered £21,995+VAT, Tel: 01435 813 

494 Mobile: 07734 566 407 

2005, BMC PROBUS, 35 Seater, MOT, good 

condition fully seat belted. Please contact Billy 

or Craig £18,000+VAT, Tel: 01792 462 979 

BOVA 

Choice of two Bova Futura’s both are in excellent condition and have been 

owned by ourselves from new. These two vehicles are used mainly for private 

hire, 49 seats plus crew seats, centre sunken toilets, hot and cold water. 

2003 registration 40.5000 miles. MOT valid till March 2015 £65,000 + VAT 

2002 registration 42,000 miles. MOT valid till April 2015 £60,000 + VAT 

Please contact Robin Hood Travel Ltd on Leek 01538 306618 

for further details or to view either vehicles. 

2004, BOVA FUTURA, 49 Seater, Excellent 

condition, Used on tour work, Toilet and 

servery, Mileage: 344,880 kms. Contact 

Wayne Sweeting, brand new MOT £49,000, 

Tel: 01234 710 674 

1995, BOVA FUTURA, ZF Auto, 49 Seats, 

Recent retrim, WC, PA, Facelift model, 12 

months MOT £15,000+VAT, Mobile: 07779 

801862 


Scan the barcode and search 

for vehicles on the go! 


1997, BOVA FUTURA, Manual, 49 Seater, 

Toilet, TV, DVD, tax and MOT for 1 year, good 

condition. Contact David £17,500+VAT ono, 

Tel: 01355 249 499 email: enquiries@ 

silverchoicetravel.co.uk Mobile: 07966 

315 360 

1999, BOVA FUTURA, 49 Seats, A/C, 

toilet, MOT October 2014, good condition 

£19,000+VAT, Tel: 01929 477 344 

2006, BOVA MAGIQ, ZF Auto, 49 Seater, 

LEZ Compliant, Fully executive +, 2 TFT 

screens, reverse camera, brilliant silver, Toilet, 

TV / DVD, Tea & Coffee Machine, will provide 1 

year MOT, R Tax: 07/14 £85,000+VAT, Tel: 

01922 615 111 Mobile: 07966 401 364 


2006, BOVA MAGIQ, ZF Auto, 49 seat exec, 

Centre sunken toilet, twin monitor DVD, MOT & 

TAX £90,000+VAT, Mobile: 07779 801862 

2008, BOVA MAGIQ, AS-Tronic gearbox, 53 

Seater, 13.1 Mtr, alloy wheels, two TV/DVD, 

Sat Nav, power cont. door, A/C, double glazed, 

curtains, hoover, Euro 5, low tax, will have new 

MOT. For further images please visit www. 

eastonsholidays.co.uk £120,000+VAT, Tel: 

01603 754 253 email: robert@ 

eastonsholidays.co.uk 

trader@route-one.net 

CAETANO 

2001, CAETANO, B10M, ZF Auto, 70 + 

driver + crew, A/C, 3+2 seat config, 3 point 

belts fitted, good runner, inspection welcome, 

ready for work, sale due to fleet replacement. 

£40,000+VAT, Tel: 0161 775 0800 email: 

operations@travel-master.co.uk Mobile: 

07445 266345 

DAF 

2005, DAF, SB4000, VAN HOOL T9, 

Automatic , 51 Seater, Centre sunken toilet, 

A/C full serviced, fridge, boiler, MOT April 2014, 

would consider older 57/70 seater in p/x, 

excellent condition, £79,000+VAT ono, Tel: 

01915 862 136 Mobile: 07802 668667 

2003, DAF, SB4000, VAN HOOL T9, ZF 

Auto, 51 seater, Centre sunken toilet, fridge, 

boiler, newly repainted, will be supplied with 12 

months MOT £49,950+VAT, Tel: 01915 862 

136 Mobile: 07802 668667 

2005, DAF, VAN HOOL , 48 Seater 

Executive, A/C, rear mounted W/C, in very 

good condition, Test until October 2014 

£78,000+VAT, Tel: 01977 661214 

1997, DAF, PLAXTON, Auto, 53 Seater, LEZ, 

New MOT £17,500 ono, Mobile: 07917 170 

452 

2011, DAF, VAN HOOL T915, Choice of 2, 

Durabright alloys, Webasto, climate control, 1 

full & 1 half leather, selling due to new arrivals, 

for further information please go to 

garfieldtravel.co.uk/for-sale or contact Garry 

Irving £165,000+VAT, Tel: 01912 502066 

DENNIS 

1999, DENNIS, DART, PLAXTON SLF, 29 

seats and 17 standing or 26 seated + 1 

Wheelchair and 17 standing, COIF, MOT 

May 2014, blue seats which were retrimmed a 

couple of years ago, a clean and reliable bus 

for sale due to fleet upgrade £5,000+VAT, Tel: 

01626 833 664 

2000, DENNIS, DART, PLAXTON SLF, 29 

seats and 17 standing or 26 seated + 1 

Wheelchair and 17 standing, MOT and tax 

March 2014, COIF, blue seats were retrimmed 

a couple of years ago £6,500+VAT, Tel: 

01626 833 664 

2001, DENNIS, DART, 36 Seats, Wheelchair 

accessible, manual ramp, digital blind, good 

bodywork and engine, choice of 3 Various 

MOT’s and TAX £8,750+VAT ono each, Tel: 

01206 255 255 

1998, DENNIS, DART, 38 Seater, Super low 

floor, tax and MOT for 12 months £3,100 

ono, Tel: 01215 230 134 Mobile: 07956 

405 962 

1995, DENNIS, DRAGON, 92 coach seats, 

Cummins L10 with ZF box, 8 Camera CCTV, 

MOT May 2014. Telephone George (SW Scotland) 

£10,000 ono, Mobile: 07977 071 466 

1999, DENNIS, JAVELIN, PLAXTON PRE- 

MIERE 350, 49 Seat Exec + Courier, Toilet, 

drinks, fridge, MOT May 2014, bodyworks and 

mechanics good, sale due to retirement, recent 

recon engine £8,500 No VAT ono, Mobile: 

07713 039 947 or 07785 524 762 

1997, DENNIS, JAVELIN, 57 Seater, MOT 

June 2014, seat belts, used daily 

£12,450+VAT, Tel: 01249 821 821 

2008, DENNIS, JAVELIN, PLAXTON 

PROFILE, 70 Seater, 3 point seat belts, rack, 

blowers & reading lights, CD, radio, PA, 

excellent condition for age, Euro 4, 128,000km, 

MOT May 2014 £99,500+VAT ono, Tel: 

01620 822 620 email: ross@prentice.info 

1993, DENNIS, JAVELIN, 70 Seater, Ex 

MOD, MOT and tax, in daily use, very reliable, 

will retest so will come with 12 months MOT 

£6,600+VAT, Tel: 01698 200166 email: 

unitedcoaches@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: 

07990 668635 

DENNIS, JAVELIN, MARCOPOLO, 51 Seats 

+ Courier, Up to 6 wheelchairs, lap belts, on 

board toilet, towbar, fridge, A/C, 12 CD/DVD, 

PA system, new turbo fitted, MOT 2015, tax 

end August. Very versatile, looks superb 

£27,000+VAT ono for quick sale, Tel: 

01159 197 593 Mobile: 07752 901 118 

1995, DENNIS, JAVELIN, PLAXTON 

PREMIERE, 57 Seats, MOT December 2014 

£8,000+VAT, Tel: 01929 477 344 

1997, DENNIS, JAVELIN, BERKHOF AXIAL 

50, 53 Seats, A/C, toilet, MOT August 2014 

£8,000+VAT, Tel: 01929 477 344 

1996, DENNIS, JAVELIN ALGARVE, 70 

Seater, Brightec destination )front, rear & side), 

CCTV, MOT booked for April so will have full 

test from then. Pictures available, contact Simon 

£14,000 ono, Mobile: 07795 421995 

1997, DENNIS, LANCE, NORTHERN 

COUNTIES PALADIN , 49 Seater + 23 

standees, 45 seatbelted, MOT April 2014, 

good reliable bus £2,999+VAT, Tel: 01432 

356 201 Mobile: 07772 201397 

1994, DENNIS, 51 Seats, Sensible Offers, 

Tel: 01670 351111 Mobile: 07973718942 

EOS 

1994, EOS, 49 Seats, Rear toilet, fridge, water 

boiler, retarder, MOT until December 2014, 

Taxed until April 2014 £7,000+VAT ono, Tel: 

01924 271547 Mobile: 07771898974 

FIAT 

2009, FIAT, DUCATO, 17 Seater, 160 

multijet, XLWB HDI, silver good spec, front and 

rear A/C arm rests, luggage racks, centre aisle, 

blue tooth, 1 owner from new, full service 

history £12,995+VAT, Tel: 0208 363 8572 

Mobile: 07971 785 390 

FORD 

FORD, TRANSIT, 17 seats, Ideal for school 

and private hire, fully maintained in our 

workshops, choice of 2 - 06 plate 

£6,250+VAT 04 plate £4,950+VAT Tel: 

01606 786 833 email: whitegatetravel@ 

btinternet.com Mobile: 07841 110 426 




2009, FORD, TRANSIT, Manual, 16 Seats 

+ Driver, 2.4L Diesel, 3 point seat belts, digital 

tachograph, 90000kms, Test May 2014, Tax 

May 2014, Tacho May 2015 £14,995+VAT, 

Tel: 01768 870 219 

2008 (08) Ford Transit 430 H/R BUS 17 STR 

Minibus, Diesel, Manual, 

Engine Size: 2.4, 

No. of Doors: 5, 

Colour: White , 

Mileage: 16,298, 

Owners: 1 

WAS £13,495 + VAT NOW £11,995 + VAT 

Ford Transit 430 SHR BUS 17 STR 

Body Type: Minibus 

Fuel Type: Diesel 

Transmission: Manual 

Engine Size: 2.2 

No. of Doors: 5 

Colour: White 

Registration: 2012 (12) 

Mileage: 24,660 

Owners: 1 

WAS £18,495 + VAT NOW £17.995 + VAT 

Ford Transit 370 15 Seat Aircon 

Minibus, Diesel, Manual 

Engine size: 2.4 

No. of doors: 5 

Colour: White 

Registration: August 2008 (08) 


Owners: 2 

£10,995 + VAT 

ISUZU 

1998, ISUZU, 21 seats, NPR65P, White, will 

part exchange for 18-24 seat coach, MOT May 

2014 £2,500 possible p/x 18-24 seat, Tel: 

01206 823 694 email: enigmatravel@ 

hotmail.co.uk 

The vehicle sales website 

brought to you by routeone 


IVECO 

1992, IVECO, DAILY, 29 Seats with belts, 

New MOT, very reliable contract vehicle, plain 

white, Cardiff £1,900 ono, Tel: 02920 890 

220 

2001, IVECO, 24 Seater, Good condition, 

MOT, semi high back seats, fully seat belted. 

Please contact Billy or Craig £2,000+VAT, 

Tel: 01792 462 979 

1999, IVECO, 29 Seater, Good condition, 

MOT, service spec, seat belted. Please contact 

Billy or Craig £1,800+VAT, Tel: 01792 462 

979 

Iveco Daily 50C15V 




Colour: White 

Registration: 2008 (08) 


Owners: 1 

£14,995 + VAT 

2006, IVECO, DAILY 45C14, 6 speed 

manual gearbox, 16 coach belted seats, 

Wheelchair accessible, 3.0 hpi, takes 2 

wheelchairs, digital Tacho, underfloor tail-lift, 

power door, MOT August 2014, 6 new tyres, 

available from 15.02.2014. Tel Ken 

£7,995+VAT, Tel: 01670 541 913 Mobile: 

07738 366 628 

1998, IVECO, BEULAS, 49 reclining seats 

with lap belts + crew seat, Beulas 350,1 

owner from new, A/C, Fridge, floor mounted 

toilet, Tax, MOT until 20th April 2015 Tow Bar, 

584024 km’s, call Glen to view 

£14,995+VAT, Tel: 01525 376 077 

2000, IVECO, 24 Seater, New semi high 

back seats fitted, new MOT, fully seat belted. 

Please contact Billy or Craig £2500+VAT, Tel: 

01792 462 979 

Join the conversation... 


2006, IVECO, BEULAS CYGNUS , 53 Seats 

+ crew and driver, 345,000km, exceptionally 

clean interior, A/C, reversing camera, DVD/ 

monitor, radio/CD, microphone, fridge, powered 

side lockers, owned from new £72,500 ono, 

Tel: 00353 128 67427 

2005, IVECO MILLENIUM, 6 Speed Manual 

Gear Box, 16 Seats + driver, Front entry, 

luxury coach, one owner from new, PSV MOT 

until November, taxed until August, service 

history, COIF, superb all round condition, drives 

well, forced air, electric mirrors, panoramic 

windows, huge dropwell boot, separate from 

passengers, a very high quality conversion, this 

coach would look good parked next to any new 

vehicle, ideal for top private high work. View 

Devon, Call Tim £9,999+VAT, Tel: 01404 

475 02 email: parnell-coaches@supanet. 

com Mobile: 07790 966 667 

2004, IVECO, BEULAS, Auto, 51 Seater, 

WC, DVD, A/C, drinks boiler, fridge, in 

exceptional condition for age, MOT July 2014 

£37,500+VAT possible p/x, Tel: 01249 742 

000 Mobile: 07717 76 8 315 

KING LONG 

2009, KING LONG XMQ 6127, 49 Seats + 

courier, WC, A/C, coffee machine, 3 point 

belts, Webasto, inverter, white, 12 months 

MOT, many mods, fibre glass wheel arches, 

new DVD and amp, upgraded demisters, Voith 

gearbox, good clean vehicle. Possible p/x very 

late 20 to 28 seater Merc exec. Telephone Andy 

Francis £74,999+VAT ono, Tel: 0145 382 

5774 Mobile: 07939645492 

@Route1edit 

King Long XMQ6127 Coach 

49 Luxury Leather Seats with Centre sunken 

W/C plus courier seat, Cummins ISL 8.9 litre, 6 

cylinder 400bhp engine, ZF automatic gearbox, 

air conditioning, electric sun visor and fridge, 

DVD player with 3x monitors and 6 disc changer 

£179,950 

Call NOW for our stock list! 

02476 363 004 

SALES@KINGLONGUK.COM 

WWW.KINGLONGUK.COM 

2012, KING LONG XMQ 6800, 6 speed 

manual gearbox, 32 seats, Euro 4, Mini 

coach, DVD, CD, tables behind seats, A/C, 

Cummins engine, still under warranty, new 

vehicle arriving Must go this week - All 

offers considered, Mobile: 07956 488 995 

LDV 

LDV Maxus Lwb 15 Seater 120 Psi Tacho 




Colour: White 

Registration: April 2007 (07) 


Owners: 2 

£5,995 + VAT 

2002, LDV, CONVOY, Low roof, COIF, 2400cc, 

Taxed until February 2014, MOT until 28 March 

2014, excellent runner, reason for sale 

replenishing stocks, mileage 90000.00 miles 

(146 km) £1,495+VAT, Tel: 01925 450687 

email: jjtransportltd@yahoo.com Mobile: 

07702006000 

To advertise in trader call: 01733 405740 


2004, LDV, CONVOY, 2.4 Turbo Diesel, power 

door, large boot, coach seats with 3 point belts, 

class V MOT till October 2014, Taxed till April 

2014 £3,500 NO VAT ono, Tel: 01419 522 

233 

MAN 

2010, MAN, PLAXTON PANTHER, 49/53 

reclining seats, excellent condition coach, 

centre sunken toilet, water boiler, DVD with 

2x monitors, CD, radio, PA, fridge, 3 point 

belts, leather inserts in headrests, climate 

control MOT August 2014, owned from new 

£110,000+VAT, Tel: 01946 723 227 

1999, MAN, NEOPLAN TRANSLINER, 49 

Seater, retractable seat belts, extremely good 

condition, very attractive, blue upholstery, 

footrests, magazine nests, seat trays, armrests, 

MOT October 2014, aircraft type lockers, toilet, 

boiler, servery, driver fans, sunblind, DVD with 

2 monitors, A/C, microphone (blaupunkt sound 

system), courier seat, fridge, smart plain white 

coach ready for your vinyls, bargain price 

£16,500+VAT possible p/x, Mobile: 07771 

682 389 

2008, MAN, MARCOPOLO VIAGGO 3, 57 

reclining seats + driver and courier, Side 

wheelchair lift prepared, only 195,000km, 

reverse camera, A/C, DVD/monitor, fridge, 

radio/CD, microphone £92,000 ono, Tel: 

00353 128 67427 

2007, MAN, MARCOPOLO VIAGGO 3, 

55 reclining seats + driver and courier, 

345,000km, reversing camera, A/C, DVD/ 

monitor, fridge, radio/CD, microphone, really 

good MPG - take a test drive £83,000 ono, 

Tel: 00353 128 67427 

2010, MAN, MCV EVOLUTION, 41 seats/23 

standees, A66, MOT’d until Sept 2014, 

320,000 kms average mileage,ZF 6 speed 

automatic gearbox with Topodyne, E-Leather 

seats throughout, DDA compliant, Mobitec 

electronic destination equipmentLOOK CCTV 

internal and external camera system fitted, 

Genius Green Road System fitted, Euro 4, 

Excellent condition - 5 AVAILABLE POA, Tel: 

01698 792 800 or 01698 793 506 email: 

enquiries@whitelaws.co.uk 

MERCEDES-BENZ 

• MERCEDES-BENZ • MERCEDES-BENZ • 

MERCEDES-BENZ • MERCEDES-BENZ • MERCEDES-BENZ 

WANTED 

MERCEDES-BENZ ALL SIZES, 

ALL MODELS 

FROM 8 SEATER TO 80 SEATER 

FLEETS OR SINGLE 

GOOD OR BAD CONDITION 

TOP PRICES PAID 

t: 01322 290921 

f: 01322 290049 

e: m-benz@erithcommercials.co.uk 

www.erithcommercials.co.uk 

• MERCEDES-BENZ • MERCEDES-BENZ • 

MERCEDES-BENZ • MERCEDES-BENZ • MERCEDES-BENZ 

2002, MERCEDES-BENZ, 311 CDI, 17 

Seater, Front entrance, tidy vehicle for year, 

MOT September 2014. Cumbria £4,950+VAT, 

Tel: 01900 606 707 email: hallatlindan@ 

btinternet.com Mobile: 07739 211 334 

2004 (54) Mercedes Sprinter 411,16st,w/chair,PSV,a/con 



Transmission: Automatic 



Colour: Green 


Owners: 1 

Price: £10,995 + VAT 

Mercedes Traveliner 115 CDI EXTRA LONG TRAVELINER 

Air Con 




Colour: Black 

Registration: May 2007 (07) 


Owners: 1 

£10,995 + VAT 

MERCEDES-BENZ, 609, 25 Seater, 

McAllisters famous Shoppa Hoppa Mk II cattle 

float, MOT till November 2014, This vehicle has 

been refitted inside with 25 coach style high 

back seats with 3 point belts, floor covering 

renewed, cloth trim on ceiling and fitted with a 

tachograph, ideal for carrying school kids and 

football hooligans Mobile: 07850125696 

2006 (06) Mercedes Sprinter 411 17st 

Tacho 

Floor tracking 



Transmission: Manual 



Colour: White 


Owners: 1 

WAS £11,995 + VAT NOW £10,995 + VAT 

2001, MERCEDES-BENZ, 814, 24 seats + 

courier, Reading lights, rack blowers, luggage 

racks, PA system & radio, MOT July 2014. 

Plain white. £9,500 + VAT, Tel: 01228 711 

690 Mobile: 07957 863 024 

1998, MERCEDES-BENZ, 814, ALEXANDER, 

Automatic , 27 Seats, 3 point belts, power 

door, perfect for school/private hire. Good 

offers considered £6,450+VAT, Tel: 01606 

786 833 Mobile: 07841 110 426 

2006, MERCEDES-BENZ, 814, 24 & 28 

Seater, CHOICE OF 2, 3 point belts, reading 

lights/rackblowers, large boots, CD/radio, 

Contact Grayway Coaches of Wigan 

£26,000+VAT ono Each, Mobile: 07793 

105 814 





2000, MERCEDES-BENZ, 814, PLAXTON 

BEAVER 2, 33 Seats, 3-point belts, ideal for 

school contracts and private work, test 

December 2014 £9,995+VAT, Tel: 01606 

786 833 Mobile: 07841 110 426 

2000, MERCEDES-BENZ, 814, NOUVELLE, 

33 Seater, Stereo, PA, 3 point belts, MOT 

September £8,500+VAT, Tel: 01722 

415181 

1998, MERCEDES-BENZ, 814D, AUTOBUS 

NOUVELLE, Manual, 29 Seats, 3 point 

belts, air door, large boot, MOT February 2015 

£8,500+VAT, Tel: 01778 342 224 

2005, MERCEDES-BENZ, 815D, 24 Seater, 

KVC Conversion , power door, double glazed, 

3 point seat belts, radio/CD, new MOT , owned 

from new £10,000+VAT, Tel: 01946 723 

227 email: info@simstravel.co.uk 

2010, MERCEDES-BENZ, 816, OPTARE 

TORO, Automatic , 32 Seats, Euro 4, double 

glazed and full climate, very low mileage, used 

on a private school contract, will come with 

new MOT £69,950, Tel: 01732 773 773 

Mobile: 07789 790 601 

2003, MERCEDES-BENZ, ATEGO, 41 seats 

+ courier, 1223, Eurocoach builders Clady, 

PLS lift & certified to carry 10 wheelchairs. 

Luggage racks, side lockers, boot, PA system, 

webasto. MOT to January 2015. Owned by us 

from new. £39,500+VAT, Tel: 01228 711 

690 Mobile: 07957 863 024 

2004, MERCEDES-BENZ, ATEGO, OPTARE 

SOLERA, 6 speed gearbox, 31 Seats + 

Courier, LEZ compliant Eminox System, 

Re-advertised due to change of circumstances, 

MOT Nov 2014, A/C, large power boot, 

reclining seats, new white respray, clean 

interior, DVD + monitor, excellent condition 

£29,500+VAT no offers, email: richard@ 

cchlogistics.com Mobile: 07932 383731 

2007, MERCEDES-BENZ, RIADA 616, 22 

Seats + 1 Courier, Reclining seats, 

panoramic double glazing, DVD/monitor, PA 

system, A/C, reverse camera, digital tacho, 

20000kms, Test March 2014, Tax February 

2014, Tacho February 2015 £38,995+VAT, 

Tel: 01768 870 219 

2002, MERCEDES-BENZ, VARIO 814, 

PLAXTON BEAVER 2, Auto, 30 High back 

seats, 3 point belts, nice paint job, clean & tidy 

interior, MOT & tax £15,000+VAT ono, Tel: 

01259 215 560 Mobile: 07785 525 381 

Nextbus Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire 

www.next-bus.co.uk 

tel: 01249 462462 email: sales@next-bus.co.uk 

2003 Mercedes Benz Solera 2 Optare 

39 seater, this vehicle comes direct from local authority having covered only 114k 

KMS with full service history 3 sets of keys and all relative books etc, Air conditioned 

throughout, all lockers, good boot and good condition as you would expect, this will 

require a COIF and MOT as it has only been used by local authority. 

£28,500.00 plus VAT 

Telephone 01246 555999 

2004, MERCEDES-BENZ, SPRINTER, 8 

Seater, Tail lift, MOT October 2014, many 

more for sale Tel: 01261 832912 email: 

albertmilne@hotmail.co.uk 

2001, MERCEDES-BENZ, VARIO 614, Metallic 

silver with panoramic windows, currently laid 

out with 8 huge captains chairs and 4 tables, 

A/C, fridge, rack lights, boot rear emergency exit, 

used exclusively on high end gold tours for last 

years but could be reinstated to 16/19/24 seater, 

wired for TV/DVD. Pictures on request. Contact 

Jim £8,500+VAT ono, Tel: 01560 482 640 

email: courtneytravel@yahoo.com 

2008, MERCEDES-BENZ, SPRINTER, 10 

seats + driver, LEZ, DVD stereo system, A/C, 

tables, inverter, leather seats, huge luggage 

space, black tint rear windows, very good, 

clean condition, ready for work £18,000+VAT, 

Tel: 0161 775 0800 email: operations@ 

travel-master.co.uk Mobile: 07980 611 

597 

2007, MERCEDES-BENZ, SPRINTER 311 

CDI, 6 speed gearbox, 16 seats + driver, 

Front entry, new shape, lowered step, PSV 

MOT until September, taxed, COIF, electric 

windows, remote central locking, forced air, 

wood dash, panoramic windows etc, tidy, very 

nice drive, very powerful with great economy 

and reliability, more pictures available. View 

Devon Call Tim £15,500+VAT px up or 

down, Tel: 01404 475 02 email: 

parnell-coaches@supanet.com Mobile: 

07790 966 667 


CDI, 16 seats + driver, Excel Conversion, 

silver, power door, taxed and tested, PSV COIF 

(F.S.H.) 85,000 miles, excellent condition, one 

owner, available after 5th April 2014, sale due 

to loss of contracts. More photos available if 

required £25,995+VAT, Tel: 01947 895 418 

Evenings Mobile: 07773347328 


CDI, 16 seater, LWB, Radio/CD, A/C, Webasto 

heating, luggage racks, analogue tacho, coach 

rear end, with small boot, nice little coach in 

good condition. W/trims, walnut dash finish, 

tow bar fitted. 3 point seat belts. M.O.T. to 

August 2014, taxed February 2014, recent 

service includes, new injectors, turbo, 2 

owners from new. Can be repainted by 

arrangement (North Lincs.) £7,495+VAT, 

email: enquiries@sherwoodtravel.co.uk 

Mobile: 07730 486512 

2004, MERCEDES-BENZ, VARIO, PLAXTON 

CHEETAH, 29 Seats + Courier, 54 Plate, 

new paint job, new MOT & tax £34,995+VAT 

ono, Tel: 01259 215 560 Mobile: 07785 

525 381 



CDI, OPTARE SOROCO, 16 Seater, LWB, 

extended body giving extra large boot, radio/ 

CD, luggage rack, walnut dash finish, 

Euroliners, A/C, Eberspacer heating, 3 point 

seat belts, carpet to aisle, good condition, MOT 

October 2014. Available from 10th March 2014 

£12,750+VAT ono, email: enquiries@ 

sherwoodtravel.co.uk Mobile: 07730 

486512 


CDI, 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, TV, 

DVD, luggage racks, large boot, Concept 

Coachcraft conversion, test November 2014 

£6,995+VAT, Tel: 01606 786 833 Mobile: 

07841 110 426 


CDI, UVG, 16 seater, Tested till November 

2014, 3 point belts, £4,950+VAT, Mobile: 

07887 837 785 


CDI, 16 Seats, Boot, full soft trim, nice spec, 

panoramic windows, extra marker lights, MOT 

August 2014 £12,950, Tel: 01732 773 773 

Mobile: 07789 790 601 


CDI, OPTARE SOROCO, 16 seats, First reg 

02/04/2004 ‘04 Reg’ Radio/PA, large boot, low 

mileage 250,000kms, silver, MOT April 2015 

£16,000+VAT, Tel: 01326 378 100 email: 

www.otsfalmouth.co.uk 

2005, MERCEDES-BENZ, SPRINTER 616, 

Duel purpose spec, new MOT, 3 point seat 

belts, semi high back seats, good condition. 

Please contact Billy or Craig £17,000+VAT, 

Tel: 01792 462 979 

2005, MERCEDES-BENZ, PLAXTON CHEE- 

TAH, 33 Seats, 3 point belts, good condition 

inside, fair condition outside, needs paint job 

but will paint when sold in base colour Tel: 

01324 824 146 


2003, MERCEDES-BENZ, VARIO, 33 Seater, 

Dual purpose seats, boot and luggage racks, all 

bottom half panels replaced, new clutch and 

thrust bearing Jan 2014, 1 year MOT, good 

tyres all round, immaculate condition 

£13,200+VAT, Mobile: 07758898308 

2001, MERCEDES-BENZ, VARIO, 29 belted 

seats, Taxed until end of February, MOT until 

17th March, well maintained and in daily use 

£7,500+VAT, Tel: 01626 833 664 

2002, MERCEDES-BENZ, VARIO 814, 20 

Seats or 2 Seats + 6 Wheelchair, Power 

door, MOT October 2014, good condition, can 

email more photos £5,500, Tel: 01695 580 

800 email: info@charltonminicoaches. 

co.uk 


speed manual, 25 Seats + Courier + 

Driver, Robin Hood Millennium, belted coach 

seats, power door, blown air, CD, radio, PA, 

Telma, MASSIVE 3.8m3 boot, 417000km, 

MOT 20th August 2014, Tax 30th April 2014 

£13,500+VAT ono, Tel: 01248 750 660 


Seater, 3 point seat belts, MOT November 

2014, many more for sale Tel: 01261 

832912 email: albertmilne@hotmail. 

co.uk 




1999, MERCEDES-BENZ, VARIO 814, 

Manual, 33 dual purpose (belted) seats, 

New MOT (March), ideal schools vehicle. 

Location Inverness £5,750+VAT, Mobile: 

07721 755 771 


Seater, Service spec, MOT, good condition, 

fully seat belted. Please contact Billy or Craig 

£9,000+VAT, Tel: 01792 462 979 

2007, MERCEDES-BENZ, PLAXTON 

CHEETAH, 29 Seats, LEZ Compliant, Double 

glazed, courier seat, A/C £43,995+VAT, Tel: 

01992 465 747 email: sales@goldenboy. 

co.uk 

2009, MERCEDES-BENZ, CHEETAH 816, 6 

speed manual gearbox, 33 Seater, Full 

service history, 181033 miles, 3 point belts, Air 

Suspension, metallic silver exterior, power door, 

luggage racks, reading lights, forced air 

ventilation, double glazing, tinted glass, arm 

rests, curtains, boot. Contact Paul 

£68,500+VAT, Mobile: 07877 160771 

2005, MERCEDES-BENZ, UNVI TOURING, 

41 Seats, TV/audio, pa system, toilet, mileage 

750485km, PSV expiry 7th May 2014, Tax 

expiry 31st July 2014. Contact Jim/Kevin 

£35,000, Tel: 028 8673 7776 

2005, MERCEDES-BENZ, ESKER TOURING, 

39 seats + courier, First reg 21/10/2005 ‘55 

Reg’ analogue tachograph, wheelchair 

accessible, A/C, hot drinks, P/A, DVD, multi 

track CD, low mileage 300,000kms, MOT 29th 

October 2014, taxed £43,000+VAT, Tel: 

01326 378 100 email: www.otsfalmouth. 

co.uk 

To advertise in 

trader email: 

trader@route-one.net 

1999, MERCEDES-BENZ, NOUVELLE, 33 

Seater, Good condition, MOT, 3 point seat 

belts, duel spec. Please contact Billy or Craig 

£7,000+VAT, Tel: 01792 462 979 

2010, MERCEDES-BENZ TOURINO, 

Manual, A/C, fridge, DVD, W/C, hot water 

boiler, luxurious padded seats with seat back 

tables, MOT Feb 2015, excellent condition, 

owned from new £89.995+VAT or 

£91,995+VAT sprayed in a single colour 

of choice, Tel: 01992 465 747 email: 

sales@goldenboy.co.uk 

2007, MERCEDES-BENZ TOURISMO, 

Manual, 49 Seater +crew, Low mileage of 

only 207K, full executive spec, 2 x TV, DVD, 

A/C + climate, servery, fridge, WC, Sat Nav, 

reverse camera, 1 years MOT, well maintained 

and looks stunning £89,995, Tel: 01314 404 

400 Mobile: 07729 284 784 

NEOPLAN 

1998, NEOPLAN CITYLINER, 49 Seats, LEZ 

Compliant, Scania 11.9 engine, MOT April 

2014, good condition, Webasto & A/C, bunk, 

alloy wheels, seat back tables + 1 fixed, 

kitchen, inverter, microwave, boiler, WC, lap 

belts, massive locker space £13,00 or 

£16,000 painted in one colour, Tel: 01387 

375677 email: alistair@telfordscoaches. 

com Mobile: 07711 280475 

1989, NEOPLAN CITYLINER, 6 speed 

gearbox, 48 seats + courier, Mercedes V10 

engine, kitchen + toilet, 2 new alternators 

recently fitted, export enquires welcome 

£12,750 or sensible offer, Tel: 01789 740 

371 



THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR LATEST STOCK 

60 PLATE FORD TRANSIT 

17 SEAT MINIBUS 

2010 MERCEDES VIANO 


Only 5000 miles, 16 passenger 

seats with 3 point seat belts, sliding 

side entrance door, interior lighting, 

CD sound system, very clean 

vehicle. 

3.0l V6 Engine with automatic gear 

box, electric slide opening doors, 

leather seats, air conditioning, 

rear luggage space, front and rear 

parking sensors, stunning silver, 

CD sound system, interior lighting, 

electric windows, electric mirrors, 

immaculate vehicle inside and out. 

£16,995 

FROM £22,995 

REDUCED FURTHER TO 

£19,995 INC VAT 

2007 IVECO DAILY 

17 SEAT LUXURY MINI COACH 

2002 52 PLATE AUTOMATIC MERCEDES 

17 SEAT MINI COACH 

16 soft trim passenger seats with 

3 point seat belts, front entrance 

with lowered entry step, parcel 

racks with individual blown air 

and reading lights, large rear boot, 

interior lighting with dim facility, 

huge tinted panoramic windows. 

16 passenger seats with 3 point 

seat belts, sliding side entrance 

door, interior lighting, full sound 

system, tacho graph, 12 months 

PSV, very clean vehicle. 

£13,495 

£6,995 

2005 LDV CONVOY UVG 

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE 

2008 FORD TRANSIT 


15 Passenger seats with 3 point 

seat belts, All seats on quick 

release tracking, COIF tested, 

Tacho, Power door, fully automatic 

underfloor cassette wheel chair 

lift, sound system, quad vent, 

interior lighting. 

16 Passenger seats with 3 point 

seat belts, sliding side entrance 

door, interior lighting, CD sound 

system, very clean vehicle COIF 

and tacho 

£8,495 

£9,995 

Also a massive stock of used vehicles please visit the website or call 

WWW.DAVIDFISHWICK.COM

PLEASE SEE WEBSITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS 

TWO 17 

SEATERS LEFT 

IN STOCK 

BRAND NEW FORD 

TRANSIT 17 SEAT 

MINIBUS 

16 passenger seats with 3 point seat 

belts, sliding side entrance door, 

interior lighting, electric windows, 

central locking, Euro 5 2.2 diesel 

132ps engine, in white with a high roof. 

BRAND NEW FORD 

TRANSIT 14 SEAT 

MINIBUS 

13 passenger seats with 3 point seat 

belts, sliding side entrance door, 

interior lighting, CD sound system, 

central locking, in white. 

LONG WHEEL BASE 

DUE IN 

POA 

With Tacho £22,495 

Contract Hire from £430 per month 

*Terms & Conditions apply 

With Tacho £19,995 

REDUCED 

BRAND NEW IVECO DAILY 

17 SEAT LUXURY MINI COACH 

16 luxury soft trim passenger seats with 3 point 

seat belts, front entrance with lowered entry step, 

colour coded bumpers, coach rear end with drop 

well boot, parcel racks with individual blown air 

and reading lights, CD sound system, interior 

lighting, large tinted panoramic windows, central 

locking, tacho graph, 

NOW TAKING ORDERS FOR THE NEW 

EURO 6 MERCEDES BESPOKE BUILT MINI 

COACH CALL FOR DETAILS AND PRICE 

£39,995 

2007 LDV MAXUS 12 SEAT 

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE 

11 passenger seats with 3 point seat belts, rear 

seats on quick release tracking, under floor 

cassette wheel chair lift, sliding side entrance 

door, interior lighting, CD sound system, electric 

windows. 

2011 MERCEDES 313 

MOTOR HOME 

3 berth, 3 Travelling seats, 3 Single beds or 1 single 

and a huge double, Living area, Gally Kitchen 

comprising of large fridge with freezer department, 

Oven, Grill, 4 burner hob, Sink with hot and cold 

water, Central Heating, Hot and Cold Water, 

Storage, Cassette Toilet, On Board LPG storage 

tank, Interior LED lighting. 

£13,995 

£40,995 

TELEPHONE: 01282 615138/867772 

We also supply parts overnight, visit www.davidfishwickparts.com or call 01282863563 all makes of Van/minibus

NEOPLAN 

PLAXTON 


2001, NEOPLAN SKYLINER, Alison auto 

gearbox, 77 Seats, Double Decker, MOT till 

July 2014, A/C, TV, DVD, CD, toilet, Good 

Condition £50,000, Mobile: 07956 488 995 

2003, NEOPLAN SKYLINER, 77 reclining 

seats, LEZ Compliant, White, MAN engine, 

12 speed automatic with manual override, fully 

belted, A/C, WC servery etc, good condition 

inside and out, interested parties email for 

further photos or information. Contact Trevor 

£78,000+VAT ono, Tel: 01400 273 838 

email: lovedentravel@hotmail.com 

2000, NEOPLAN STARLINER, 38 Seater, v.8 

semi-automatic team coach corporate, 4 tables 

with lamps shades, full servery, multiple screen 

DVD, kitchen, luxury w/c, electrics, 3 fridges, 

240 volt sockets throughout, superb condition, 

new tyres, very well maintained, new MOT, 

taxed and used daily, finance can be arranged 

£32,500+VAT ovno, Tel: 02392480446 

email: visiontravels@aol.com Mobile: 

07771 682 389 

2000, NEOPLAN TRANSLINER, 49/53 

Seater, MAN engine, WC, A/C, radio, DVD, CD, 

MOT October 2014, very good condition 

£15,000 ono, Tel: 01215 525 178 

OPTARE 

2007, OPTARE SOLO, 28 Seats + Standing, 

Narrow body, MOT Sep/Oct 2014, choice of 2. 

MAN engines, Will take 29/33 Darts in part ex 

£32,500+VAT each or £60,000+VAT for 

the pair, Tel: 01271 863 819 


routeone call: 

01733 405730 

1999, OPTARE SOLO, 33 seats & 18 

standees, All seat belted, 1x mobility, new 

MOT £7,995+VAT, Tel: 01283 551 964 

Mobile: John 07966511184 Gavin 

07763845314 

2007, OPTARE SOLO, 31 Seater, 29 diag 

seat belts, digital tacho, giving a unique 

opportunity to use as a bus or private hire 

coach or both, MAN 4.5ltr, red moquette, 

electric destination, cameras, CD, radio, 2 fold 

seats, excellent clean condition, pit inspection 

on site, pics available, MOT September 2014 

Sensible Offers, Tel: 01670 351111 

Mobile: 07973718942 

2004, OPTARE SOLO M780, 24 Seats, Merc 

Engine, MOT August 2014, very clean and tidy, 

useful short Solo, still in everyday use, only 

selling due to council tender cuts, photos 

available on request £25,000+VAT ono, 

email: harrogatecoach@aol.com Mobile: 

07964 911044 

2005, OPTARE SOLO M850, 27 Seats, Merc 

Engine, MOT September 2014, 3 point 

seatbelts, extremely low mileage, former 

council bus, clean and tidy, still in everyday 

use, only selling owing to council tender cuts, 

photos available on request £32,000+VAT 

ono, email: harrogatecoach@aol.com 

Mobile: 07964 911044 

2010, OPTARE SOLO SR, 27 Seater, 

Mercedes-Benz OM 904 Euro 5 engine, 27 

belted + 3 fold down black leather Rescroft 

seats, reverse camera, Mobitec destination 

equipment, vehicle supplied in whitem digital 

tacho, 195000kms, Test April 2014, Tax March 

2014, Tacho March 2014, choice of 2 buses 

£79,950+VAT, Tel: 01768 870 219 

2007 Plaxton Primo. (1 of 3) 

27 seats, Hanover digital destination blinds, 

Good condition - ready for work 

Full MOT 

£16,950 ONO 

Tel: 07827894446 

02476 363 004 

SALES@KINGLONGUK.COM 

WWW.KINGLONGUK.COM 

RENAULT 

Renault Trafic 9st, air con, sat nav 




Colour: Blue 


Owners: 1 

£12, 495 + VAT 

1999, RENAULT, MASTER, 16 Seats, For 

spares or repairs, COIF, 11 leather seats, Cardiff 

£800, Tel: 02920 890 220 


REPAIRS & RESPRAYS 

2008, RENAULT, TRAFFIC DCI 115, 8 Seats, 

Wheelchair accessible, one owner from new, 

mint condition, mileage 195000km, PSV expiry 

26th August 2014, Tax expiry 30th September 

2014. Contact Gabriel Kelly £4,500 ono, Tel: 

028 8673 6528 Mobile: 0775 211 5254 

SCANIA 

1995, SCANIA, K112, VAN HOOL , 7 sp 

comfort shift, 69 Seats, MOT May 2014, 

plain white. SW Scotland £19,950+VAT may 

p/x, Mobile: George 07977071466 Gerry 

07963717557 

2006, SCANIA, K114, IRIZAR PB, 

Automatic , 49 Seater, White exterior, grey 

interior, full exec with Durabrite wheels, vacuum 

system, DVD and twin monitors, mileage 

approx 340,000, MOT June 2014, a very nice 

coach owned by us from nearly new and used 

on quality work £69,000+VAT ovno, Tel: 

01296 398 300 




TOYOTA 

1998, SCANIA, L94, CENTURY, 53 Seats, 

LEZ Compliant, Re-trimmed and belted seats, 

Comfort Shift, new MOT clutch and flywheel, 

A/C, Eminox fitted, immaculate condition, Also 

set of Century retrimmed seats £1000+VAT 

£19,750+VAT, Tel: 02380 472150 

2002, SCANIA, IRIZAR, ZF Auto, 49 Seater, 

LEZ Compliant, Fully executive, reverse 

camera, brilliant silver, Toilet, TV / DVD, Tea & 

Coffee Machine, will provide with 1 year MOT 

£34,995+VAT, Tel: 01922 615 111 

Mobile: 07966 401 364 

SCANIA, IRIZAR PB, 53 Seater, LEZ 

Compliant, Choice of 2 2004/5, usual extra, 

VGC, new MOT. 1 NOW SOLD. Call Kevin 

£70,000, Tel: 01708 630 555 Mobile: 

07872 967777 

1999, SCANIA, IRIZAR CENTURY, 

Automatic , 49 Seats + Courier + driver, 

reclining seats, white, diesel, MOT 24th 

February 2015, A/C, sunken toilet, lovely 

condition throughout, electric side lockers, DVD 

and CD player, PA system, lovely condition, 

reason for sale is we are down sizing Sensible 

Offers, Tel: 0151 222 4899 email: 

autotravel1@yahoo.co.uk 

1996, SCANIA, VAN HOOL , 70 Seater, MOT 

29/08/2014, clean and good mechanically, 

many more for sale Tel: 01261 832912 

email: albertmilne@hotmail.co.uk 


2007, SCANIA, IRIZAR CENTURY, 55 

reclining seats, A/C, MOT, low mileage, 

owned from new, included in price respray into 

base colour £87,500 ono, Mobile: 07917 

170 452 

2006, SCANIA, IRIZAR PB, Auto, 49 seater 

exec, LEZ, Toilet, new respray in white, vgc, 

A/C £62,500 ono, Mobile: 07917 170 452 

1995, SCANIA, 50 Seats, Sensible Offers, 

Tel: 01670 351111 Mobile: 07973718942 

2000, SCANIA, IRIZAR CENTURY, 49 Seats, 

TV/audio, pa system, toilet, mileage 

830630km, PSV expiry 20th May 2014, Tax 

expiry 31st March 2014. Contact Jim/Kevin 

£18,000, Tel: 028 8673 7776 

2005, SCANIA, IRIZAR PB, 49/51 Seats, 

TV/audio, pa system, de-mountable toilet, 

mileage 672276km, PSV expiry 13th April 

2014, Tax expiry 30th September 2014. 

Contact Jim/Kevin £65,000, Tel: 028 8673 

7776 

SCANIA, VAN HOOL , 49 Seater, 12 months 

MOT, taxed, low mileage, kept undercover, 

excellent condition, well worth a look, only 

used on tours Sensible Offers +VAT, Tel: 

01302 369306 

2007, SCANIA, IRIZAR PB, 52 Seats, 

Tri-axle, full leather seats, opticruise, Webasto, 

toilet, hostess facilities, drivers bunk, low 

mileage, £109,995+VAT ono, Mobile: 

07887 692 771 




SETRA 

1996, SETRA 250 SPECIAL, 48 Seat Exec, 

Manual 8 Speed, 12 months MOT, Tax August 

2014, A/C, fridge, boiler, toilet, very good 

condition, well maintained, used for excursions 

and tours. This vehicle comes with 4 extra 

seats to upscale to a 52 seater if required 

£12,500+VAT, Mobile: 07836 354 401 

2005, SETRA 315, 49 reclining seats, 

Mercedes engine, foot rests and armrests, 

DVD/TV 2 screens, multi disc CD, toilet, seats 

retrimmed in May, repannelled and repainted 

in two tone metallic, A/C, excellent luggage 

capacity, new coach forces reluctant sale. Contact 

Jim £49,950+VAT ono, Tel: 01560 482 

640 email: courtneytravel@yahoo.com 

2006, SETRA 415 GT-HD, 49 Seater, LEZ 

Compliant, VGC, new MOT. Call Kevin 

£75,000, Tel: 01708 630 555 Mobile: 

07872 967777 

2001, SETRA S328DT, 14 berth sleep 

coach, Left hand drive, features include 

Microwave, fridges, WC, leather seats & tables, 

TV, DVD’s, hard drives, inverter, charger, A/C 

including 3 phase static air con, MOT July, well 

maintained Offers around £56,000+VAT, 

Tel: 01434 381 200 email: info@ 

wrightbros.co.uk 

1999, TOYOTA OPTIMO IV, 26 seater + 

courier, Eminox LEZ exhaust fitted, New 

engine including clutch fitted 2012, MOT & LEZ 

till April 2015. Export enquires welcome 

£12,995 NO VAT, Tel: 01789 740371 

email: webbs_coaches@yahoo.co.uk 

1997, TOYOTA OPTIMO IV, 18 Seats + 

Courier, Euro 4 LEZ Compliant, MOT & Tax 

till November 2014 (can arrange respray at 

cost) export enquires welcome £7,750 NO 

VAT or sensible offer, Tel: 01789 740 371 

VAN HOOL 

2010 Van Hool Astron MAN 

14.04 Metres, Exceptional 

Touring, Specification 

£195,000 + VAT 

Parrys International 

01922 414576 

VAUXHALL 

Vauxhall Vivaro 9 Seat 115ps Taxi Spec 




Colour: Silver 


Owners: 2 

£11, 995 NO VAT 

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VOLKSWAGEN 

2004, VOLKSWAGEN, LT 46, 16 Seats, 

Superb coach built minibus with huge boot, 

MOT’d till October 2014, taxed till September 

2014, built by excel, I have owned this bus 

since new and it is in excellent condition inside 

and out, COIF, all seats with certified belts, 

parcel shelves and huge boot space, this is an 

excellent opportunity to purchase a quality one 

owner coach built bus £6,850+VAT, Tel: 

01496 820 314 Mobile: 07884024777 

VOLVO 

1988, VOLVO, B10M, VAN HOOL , Manual, 

49 Seats, Centre door, toilet, very clean & 

straight, MOT out of date but can be sold with 

MOT £6,000 With MOT £7,500, email: 

brian.j.aston@btinternet.com Mobile: 

07787 570 887 

2000, VOLVO, B10M, PLAXTON PANTHER, 

49 Seater Executive, re-moquetted, DVD, 

Fridge, Drinks Machine, A/C, G8 Comfort 

shift, 11 months MOT. Photo’s on web site 

www.chapelendcoaches.co.uk £19,000, 

Tel: 02476 354 588 email: chapelendcoaches@btconnect.com 

Mobile: 07831 

693 415 

1994, VOLVO, B10M, JONCKHEERE, 51 

seats + courier, Engine 286 BHP Recon 3yrs 

New Clutch 2 years, MOT January 2012, 

Webasto warm air heating, Inswing front door, 

Air Con, Video, Rear Coffee Machine, Rear toilet 

and emergency door. Good coach for school 

contracts, tidy. £11,000 no VAT, Mobile: 

07787 570 887 

1993, VOLVO, B10M, PLAXTON PREMIERE 

320, 53 Seater, reclining seats, seatbelts, 

MOT’d till November, Good condition and 

reliable £7,200+VAT ono, Tel: 01434 381 

200 email: info@wrightbros.co.uk 

1996, VOLVO, B10M, VAN HOOL T8, 49 

Seater, roof mounted A/C, alloy wheels, all 

round good condition and reliable, MOT 

January 2015 £14,500 +VAT ono, Tel: 

01434 381 200 email: info@wrightbros. 

co.uk 

2001, VOLVO, B10M, JONCKHEERE 

MISTRAL, ZF manual gearbox, 48 Seater, 

CHOICE OF 2, Rear sunken W/C, A/C, CD 

player, immaculate condition, Contact Grayway 

Coaches of Wigan £29,995+VAT ono, 

Mobile: 07793 105 814 


MISTRAL, ZF manual gearbox, 51 Seater, 

Centre sunken W/C, CD player, TV/Video, immaculate 

condition, Contact Grayway Coaches 

of Wigan £19,500 ono, Mobile: 07793 

105 814 


70 Seater, £18,000 ono, Mobile: 

07971279597 


49 Seater, MOT Sep 14, WC, fridge, well 

maintained, can be upseated to 70 seater for 

extra £13,995, Tel: 01314 404 400 Mobile: 

07729 284 784 

1995, VOLVO, B10M, VAN HOOL , 51 

Seater, Rear toilet, MOT late April 2014, seat 

belts, well maintained, sale due to fleet 

upgrades £13,995+VAT, Tel: 01283 551 

964 Mobile: John 07966511184 Gavin 

07763845314 


Seater, MOT late May 2014, seat belts, well 

maintained, sale due to fleet upgrades 

£17,995+VAT, Tel: 01283 551 964 


07763845314 

VOLVO, B10M, EAST LANCS, 70 Seater, 

MOT late April 2014, seat belts, well 

maintained, sale due to fleet upgrades 

£18,995+VAT, Tel: 01283 551 964 


07763845314 

1985, VOLVO, B10M, Manual, 69 Seats, 

Jonkheere P99, MOT till November 2014, toilet, 

good reliable work horse, good condition for 

age £9,000, Mobile: 07956 488 995 

1995, VOLVO, B10M, PLAXTON PREMIERE, 

71 Seater, MOT Feb 2014, 3 point seatbelts, 

good seats, Sister coach also available 

£19,750+VAT, Tel: 01249 821 821 

1987, VOLVO, B10M, PLAXTON, Auto, 36 

Seats, 12 months MOT, alloy wheels, good 

tyres, ex-powerstation shuttle bus, very low 

mileage £3,000 ono, Tel: 01778 420 486 

Mobile: 07958 163 805 or 07704 555058 

2000, VOLVO, B10M, VAN HOOL T9, 52 

Seats + Courier, Rear floor standing toilet, 

new MOT £26,950+VAT, Mobile: Gerry 

07963717557 George 07977071466 

1994, VOLVO, B10M, VAN HOOL ALIZEE, 

Manual, 50 Seater, Rear conti door, MOT 

August 2014, good driver £6,950+VAT, Tel: 

02088 580 031 

2001, VOLVO, B10M, PLAXTON PARAGON, 

ZF manual gearbox, 49 Seats, Yes it’s a 

B10M one of the last! toilet, recent repaint, 

MOT Nov 2014, pictures all on www.honestpetescoachsales.co.uk 

£22,950, Tel: 02088 

580 031 

1996, VOLVO, B10M, 53 Seats, 

£16,000+VAT, Mobile: 07919 575 747 


DEAUVILLE, 55 Seater, MK4, Tested January 

2015 £7,950+VAT may p/x swap, Mobile: 

07887 837 785 


6 speed manual, 53 Seater, LEZ Compliant, 

Reclining seats, lap belts, recent high quality retrim 

with leather headrests, MOT March 2014, 

plain white, very good condition, very reliable 

£14,000, Mobile: 07746764661 


Seater, Toilet, clean and tidy for year, new MOT 

& tax £12,500+VAT ono, Tel: 01259 215 

560 Mobile: 07785 525 381 


Seater, Toilet, new MOT & tax £17,500+VAT 

ono, Tel: 01259 215 560 Mobile: 07785 

525 381 

1995, VOLVO, B10M, 49 Seater, Toilet, MOT 

November 2014, nice vehicle, many more for 

sale Tel: 01261832912 email: 

albertmilne@hotmail.co.uk 


Seats, Rear toilet, MOT August 2014, TAX 

September 2014, excellent condition 

£8,000+VAT ono, Tel: 01926 430130 

email: enquiries@ridleyscoaches.co.uk 

2005, VOLVO, B12M, JONCKHEERE, 51/53 

seats + Courier, LEZ Compliant, Fridge, 

toilet, A/C, low mileage 437k, resent respray 

white, test 14/12/14 Tel: 01865 872 270 

email: plastowscoaches@btconnect.com 

Mobile: 07889 213 293 

1995, VOLVO, B10M, JONCKHEERE, 

53 Seater, Very tidy with RPC to Euro 4 

£10,500+VAT ono, Tel: 01296 398 300 




2002, VOLVO, B10M, PLAXTON, 53 seats 

+ courier, WC, A/C, 2 point belts, DVD, ready 

to earn Tel: 01324 824 146 


Seater, Very tidy with RPC to Euro 4, ideal 

contract coaches £8,500+VAT ono, Tel: 

01296 398 300 


Manual, 49 Seats, LEZ, Toilet, DDA, CD, 

DVD, PA system etc, MOT January 2015, fully 

resprayed in 2013 £32,000, email: matt@ 

buglercoaches.co.uk Mobile: 07773 

540552 

1993, VOLVO, B10M, VAN HOOL ALIZEE, 6 

speed manual ZF gearbox, 53 Seats, 

Excellent condition throughout, MOT November 

2014, very reliable old friend (really do not want 

to sell) Call Nigel £11,950+VAT ono, Tel: 

01507 473236 


DEAUVILLE, 53 reclining seats + Courier 

seat, LEZ Compliant, Belts, A/C, Webasto, 

alloys, MOT October 2014 £16,500, Tel: 

01604 890 999 or 01664 568 402 


MISTRAL, 51 Seater, Rear toilet, A/C, well 

maintained, good condition, MOT September 

2014, priced to sell due to fleet upgrade 

£10,995 ono, Tel: 01773 822 395 Mobile: 

07932 107 825 


53 Seater, LEZ Compliant, New MOT, A/C, 

white, clean and reliable £12,500+VAT, Tel: 

01202 530200 email: sct@southcoasttravel.co.uk 


70 Seater, LEZ Compliant, A/C, white, clean 

and reliable £22,500+VAT, Tel: 01202 

530200 email: sct@southcoasttravel. 

co.uk 

2001, VOLVO, B10M, VAN HOOL T9, ZF 

manual (6 speed), 49/57 seats +courier 

(currently as 57), Alloys wheels, A/C (needs 

attention) good condition, reg no. Y1 WCT, 

tested to 27/2/15 £29,950+VAT ono, Tel: 

01757 210111 

2003, VOLVO, B12B, PLAXTON PARAGON, I 

shift gearbox, 57 retrimmed seats + 

courier, LEZ Compliant, Rear view camera, 

wooden dash kit, MOT December 2014, yes 

you will find cheaper but not better, maintained 

to the highest standard £45,000+VAT, Tel: 

01233 627 330 Mobile: 07887 663 099 

VOLVO, B12B, ZF Auto, 14 berth sleeper, 

Euro 4 LEZ, Static AC/heating, 240v, normal 

band bus stuff! to have new MOT, good 

condition £25,000+VAT, Tel: 01487 843 

333 email: david@sunfunholidays.co.uk 

2006, VOLVO, B12B, BERKHOF AXIAL 100, 

iShift gearbox, 72 Seater, LEZ Compliant, 

Double deck full executive, hot water boiler, 

fridge, toilet, double bunk, radio/DVD player, 

A/C, Sat Nav, Alcoa Staybright Alloys, ski box. 

Choice of 4. p/x also considered. Contact Ray 

or Dai £160,000, Tel: 01443 844 222 

Mobile: 07919 015 511 

2004, VOLVO, B12B, PLAXTON PANTHER, 

ZF Auto, 53 Seater, LEZ Compliant, 

Reclining seats, 3 point belts, MOT July 2014, 

plain white, A/C, can upseat to 57 £49,000, 

Mobile: 07746764661 

2007, VOLVO, B12B, PLAXTON PANTHER, 

ZF Auto, 65 Seats, WC, front W/Chair lift, 

A/C, 3 point belts fitted, inspection welcome, 

ready for work, sale due to fleet replacement 

POA, Tel: 0161 775 0800 email: 


07980 611 597 


70 seats + courier, Recent Plaxton factory 

conversion, climate control, rear view camera, 

excellent condition, maintained regardless of 

cost, drives extremely well. (Kent Coach Tours) 

£48,500+VAT, Tel: 01233 627 330 

Mobile: 07887 663 099 


ZF Auto, 49 Seater, PA system, CD/DVD 

Player, rear WC, destination blinds, reclining 

seats, rear engine with large luggage hold, very 

good condition, good runner. ready for work. 

£59,950+VAT, Tel: 0161 775 0800 email: 


07980 600 597 


MISTRAL, 6 speed gearbox, 49/53 Seater, 

Recently retrimmed seats, full executive, 2 

owners. A/C, well maintained, excellent 

condition, RPC/LEZ, MOT September 2014. 

Call Glen/Bob £33,000+VAT, Tel: 01525 

376 077 

2004, VOLVO, B12M, SUNSUNDEGUI , 51 

Seats + Courier, WC, A/C, 3 point belts, 

DVD, alloys, full year MOT Tel: 01324 824 

146 

1999, VOLVO, B12R, JONCKHEERE 

MONACO, 14 Berth, Sleeper Coach, 

downstairs features Kitchen inc Mircrowave, 

fridge etc, WC, leather lounge, TV, DVD player, 

hard drive & Playstation, 240v invertor/charger, 

A/C including 3 phase options, 12 months 

MOT, excellently maintained £45,000+VAT, 

Tel: 01434 381 200 

2000, VOLVO, B6LE, WRIGHT, 35 Seats, 

Wheelchair, accessible, manual ramp, digital 

blind, good bodywork and engine, choice of 3 

Various MOT’s and TAX £7,500+VAT ono 

each, Tel: 01206 255 255 

1999, VOLVO, B7R, PLAXTON PREMIERE, 

Automatic , 57 seats, MOT July 2014 

£16,500, Tel: 01189 713 257 Mobile: 

07831 560 478 call or text 

2003, VOLVO, B7R, ZF Auto, 53 Seater, 3 

point belts, new MOT October 14 

£24,500+VAT, Tel: 01698 200166 email: 

unitedcoaches@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: 

07990 668635 

VOLVO, B9M, VAN HOOL ALIZEE, 36 Seats, 

10 metre, rear saloon toilet, very clean throughout, 

drives superb, working A/C, our little toy, 

MOT August 2014 £29,950, Tel: 01732 773 

773 Mobile: 07789 790 601 

2010, VOLVO, B9R, CAETANO, 48 leather 

seats, 3 point belts, DDA with lift, CCTV, A/C, 

rear toilet, MOT Oct 14, well maintained, 

excellent condition inside and out, National 

Express Operator of the Year 2011/2012, up to 

4 vehicle available end of April 2014 Sensible 

Offers Invited, Tel: 01452 527 809 email: 

info@bennettscoaches.co.uk 

1997, VOLVO, OLYMPIAN, ZF Auto, 80 

Seats, Being re-coifed, will have new test, no 

belts £6,500+VAT, Tel: 01159 404 060 

Mobile: 0783184600 



1999 / 2000 / 2001 V / Y / 51 REG DENNIS TRIDENTS 

2000 VOLVO B7TL’S 

Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial 

Park, Purfleet, Essex RM15 4YF 

T: 01708 865656 F: 01708 864340 

E: sales@ensignbus.com 

www.ensignbus.com 

ZF gearboxes, single door, 82 seats fully seated or 

80 seats as DDA compliant, supplied with new MOT 

and COIF, new batch just arriving. 

Cummins / Voith , LEZ compliant with traps to Euro 4, CCTV ,Alexander ALX400 bodies which 

can be converted to be DDA compliant or fully upseated to 80 seats. 

2002 DENNIS DARTS 

2006 56 PLATE ENVIRO 200 

2009 OPTARE SOLO 

2006 55 PLATE VOLVO B7TL’S 

Cummins ISB Euro 3 engines, DDA and LEZ compliant, 

8.8m, Marshall bodies, 26 seats. 

Cummins ISB Euro 3 engine, 10.7m , 

DDA compliant, Hanover LED’s, 37 seats 

Mercedes Euro 4 engines, 9.2m, 33 seats. 

ZF automatics, Wrights Gemini bodies, 69 coach seats, 

air-con, DDA, long MOT’s. 

1998 S REG VOLVO OLYMPIANS 

2001 SUPER POINTER DARTS 

1998 R REG VOLVO B10BLE’S 

2005 NEOPLAN SKYLINER’S 

Volvo Euro 2 engines, ZF gearboxes, Northern 

Counties Palatine 2 bodies, 77 seats. 

Allison gearboxes, 11.3m , 41 seats. 

Volvo Euro 2 engines, ZF gearboxes, SLF, 

Wrights bodies, 46 seats 

13.8m, MAN engines, 89 seats, toilet, air-con. 

2001 Y REG TRIDENTS 

1996 VOLVO B10MA ARTICULATED COACHES 

2005 OPTARE SOLO 

1999 T REG DENNIS TRIDENTS 

Cummins C series engines, Voith gearboxeds, 

Plaxton President bodies, 78 seats. 

ZF automatics , 71 seats. 

Mercedes engine, Euro 3, 9.2m, 33 seats. 

Cummins C series engines, Voith gearboxes, Alexander ALX 

low height (13 8”) bodies, 76 seats, but can be upseated to 84 

2001 X REG DENNIS 

1999 VOLVO B7TL’S 

1997 P REG VOLVO OLYMPIANS 

1999 T / V REG DENNIS TRIDENTS 

Mini Pointer Darts, 8.8m, 25 seats, LEZ compliant. 

SWB, CCTV, Plaxton President bodies, dual door 

62 seats or single door 71 seats. 

Volvo Euro 2 engines, ZF gearboxes, Northern Counties 

lowheight bodies, 76 seats. 

Cummins / ZF, Plaxton bodies, 62 seats, 

DDA and LEZ compliant. 

2002 DENNIS DARTS 

2007 VOLVO B9TL 

1999 DENNIS TRIDENT 

2003 03 PLATE DENNIS TRIDENTS 

Cummins Euro 3 ISB engines, 2 doors, 10.2m, 

30 seats, ABS, LEZ compliant, new MOT’s. 

Euro 4 Volvo engine, Wrights Eclipse Gemini body, 

68 seats or 74 converted to single door. 

Cummins / Voith , Alexander ALX 400 lowheight body, 

84 seats, LEZ compliant. 

Cummins ISC Euro 3 engines, DDA and LEZ compliant, 

2 door 62 seats or can be single doored and upseated 

2006 MINI POINTER DARTS 

2001 / 2002 DENNIS TRIDENTS 

2000 / 2001 VOLVO B7TL’S 

Ensign online 

Euro 3 Cummins ISB engines, 8.8m, DDA, LEZ, 25 seats. 

Euro 3 Cummins engines with traps, 67 seats as dual 

door or 78 seats single door and DDA compliant. 

Euro 2 and Euro 3 with traps, 67 seats as dual 

door or 80 seats converted to single door. 

To view our vehicles online, 

scan the QR code above

WANTED 


1996, VOLVO, OLYMPIAN, ALEXANDER 

ROYALE, 71 Coach seats with belts, Recent 

repaint, Hanover LED front destination, hot 

water boiler, MOT February 2015, looks and 

drives lovely, more pictures on request. Contact 

Simon £10,000, Mobile: 07795421995 

1990, VOLVO, PLAXTON PARAMOUNT 

3500, 53 matching seats, good reliable, 

contract coach, good seats, MOT March 2015 

£3,500+VAT, Mobile: 07772 201 397 

2003, VOLVO, CAETANO ENIGMA, 51 Seats 

+ courier, Extremely good condition, diamond 

white with with aqua interior, curtains, footrests, 

Blaupunkt sound system, microphone, monitor, 

central severy, toilet, wide entrance, very well 

maintained £32,500 possible p/x, email: 

visiontravels@aol.com Mobile: 07771 

682 389 

2007, VOLVO, PLAXTON PROFILE, 57 

reclining seats, Good condition, A/C, 3 point 

seat belts, radio, PA, CD, MOT November 2014 

£85,000+VAT, Tel: 01946 723 227 email: 

info@simstravel.co.uk 

1997, VOLVO, PLAXTON, 49/53 Seater, WC, 

radio, DVD, CD, MOT November 2014 

£12,000 ono, Tel: 01215 525 178 

2000, VOLVO, PLAXTON EXCALIBUR , 53 

Seats, MOT August 2014 £8,000+VAT ono, 

Tel: 01929 477 344 






1993, VOLVO, PLAXTON PREMIERE 350, 

49 Seater, WC, wired for tea/coffee machine, 

CD, DVD, MOT April 2014 £5,000 (open to 

offers) MUST GO!, Tel: 01215 525 178 

1998, VOLVO, BERKHOF , Automatic , 

73+2 reclining seats, Exec, towbar and 

electrics, MOT £34,000+VAT, Tel: 01362 

683 831 

1988, VOLVO, 50 Seats, Sensible Offers, 

Tel: 01670 351111 Mobile: 07973718942 

1999, VOLVO, BERKHOF AXIAL 70, 50 

Seats, Rear toilet, A/C, plain white paint, new 

MOT test, pictures all on www.honestpetescoachsales.co.uk 

£21,000, Tel: 02088 

580 031 

2010, VOLVO 9700 PRESTIGE PLUS, 

Professional I-shift automatic gearbox, 

49/51 Seats + Courier, Partial leather seats, 

3 point belts, registered May 2010, MOT Jan 

2015, mileage 240,000kms, centre 

demountable toilet, A/C, 2 retracting screens 

and DVD player, satellite navigation, Alcoa 

Durabrite alloy wheels, curtains and blinds, 

drinks facility and fridge, excellent condition, 

choice of 2 - selling due to fleet upgrade £POA, 

Tel: 01698 792 800 or 01698 793 506 

email: enquiries@whitelaws.co.uk 

2006, VOLVO 9700 PRESTIGE PLUS, 43 

Seats, LEZ Compliant, Can be upseated to 49 

with toilet or 51 without, high spec exec used 

on own tours £85,000+VAT ono, Tel: 01384 

377060 

t 01664 568402 

m 07885 912510 

UNCLASSIFIED 

e 

w 

Wanted Mercedes Coaches ,16 to 35 seats 

.1998 to 2006, with or without mot’s, Finance 

settled. Contact Tim Tel: 01404 475 02 

email: parnell-coaches@supanet.com 

Mobile: 07790 966 667 

Wanted - Minibuses, any make, any type 

1998 to present year, dead or alive, finance 

settled Tel: 0208 363 8572 email: 

vehicleenterprises@yahoo.com Mobile: 

07811 848 548 

WANTED - 70 seat coach, any make, any 

type, no more than 10 years old, Tel: 01661 

886 207 email: bellscoaches@yahoo. 

co.uk 

john@hillscoachsales.com 

www.hillscoachsales.com 

2009 Scania OmniExpress 34 

ZF Automatic 

55 Recliners, Courier Seat 

3-Point Seat Belts, Centre Toilet 

Centre Continental Door 

Air Conditioning, Drinks 

Radio / PA 

£129,995 

2004 Volvo B12B Jonckheere Mistral 

14 Metre, LEZ Compliant, 

7-speed Comfort Shift 

57 Luxury Recliners, Courier Seat, Lap Seat Belts, 

Air Con, Webasto, Centre Toilet, Cont. Door, 

Boiler, Fridge, Drivers Berth, Reversing Camera 

Alloys, DVD + 2 Monitors 

CD Player, Radio / PA 

£65,000 

2004 Mercedes-Benz Touro 

Automatic 

49 Recliners, Courier Seat, Seat Belts, 

Magazine Nets & Footrests, 

Air Con, Toilet, Continental Door, 

Boiler, Fridge, DVD + 1 x Monitor 

Radio / PA 

£44,950 

2004 Mercedes Sitcar Beluga 

29 Recliners, Courier Seat 

Seat Belts, Magazine Nets, 

Footrests, Air Conditioning 

Video + Monitor, CD Player 

Radio, P/A 

£39,950 

SALES ■ PROCUREMENT ■ CONSULTATION ■ SOLUTIONS 

To advertise in routeone call: 01733 405730 


2008 MERCEDES 816D PLAXTON CHEETAH 

33 seat coach high back coach seats with belts, air conditioning, luggage 

racks, forced air and reading lights, automatic box, low miles for year, 

excellent condition inside and out, long MOT 

£75,000 + VAT 

2008 MERCEDES 515 CDI KVC 

CONVERSION EXECUTIVE 

10 leather recliners with tables, DVD player and monitor, PA system, 

mood lighting, sprintshift, large boot and storage, tinted windows, air 

conditioning, luggage racks, excellent condition inside and out 

£20,000 + VAT 

2004 MERCEDES 814 PLAXTON CHEETAH 

33 recliners with belts, crew seat, power door , luggage racks 

with blown air and reading lights, new mot, new repaint. 

Very tidy condition . 

£35,000 + VAT 

1994 VOLVO B9 BERKHOF EXCELLENCE 

37 Recliners With Belts, Crew Seat, Toilet, Recent Re 

Trim, Recent Paint In Black, Power Door, ZF Manual 

Gear Box, Luggage Racks With Forced Air, Reading 

Lights, Mot Till May 2014 

£11,500 + VAT 

2005 DENNIS R SERIES PLAXTON PARAGON 

53 reclining seats, lap retractable seatbelts, air conditioning, luggage 

racks, forced air ventilation, reading lights, power door, Cummins 

engine, ZF automatic gearbox, long or new MOT, 509511 km, 

cream exterior. choice of 2 

£47,000 + VAT 

1998 DENNIS DART WRIGHT BODY SLF 

36 seats, power door, auto box, wheelchair access, super low 

floor, new mot, choice available, discount for bulk purchase 

£3,000 + VAT 

1997 EOS VAN HOOL 230 TRI AXLE 

27 seats with lounge area, server, fridge, toilet facilities, 

monitors, tables 

£22,000 + VAT 

1999 VOLVO OLYMPIAN ALEXANDER BODY (CHOICE) 

78/81 seats with seat belts , Volvo engine, ZF automatic gearbox, power door, 

tachograph, uk coif, wired for cctv, all glass good, straight panelwork, new 

MOT, painted in choice of base colour 

FROM £10,500 + VAT 

2005 MERCEDES 616CDI UNVI RIADA 

22 high back reclining coach seats, 3 point lap diagonal seatbelts, air 

conditioning, luggage racks, forced air ventilation, reading lights, DVD/ 

monitor, long MOT, 300000 km, manual gearbox, power door, curtains, 

double glazed, tinted windows, huge boot, side locker/s, carpets. 

£24,000 + VAT 

2001 VOLVO B10M JONCKHEERE MISTRAL 50 

51 Newly Retrimmed Reclining Seats With Belts, Toilet, Crew 

Seat, Double Glazed,Tinted Windows, Zf Manual Gear Box, 

Power Door, White Exterior,. 800,000 Kms, MOT Till Feb 2014 

£32,500 + VAT 

1998 DAF SB3000 VAN HOOL 

4x4 manual gearbox, 70 Cogent seats with 3 point belts, 

luggage racks with blowers and lights, MOT till 

December 2014. New repaint in white 

£27,000 + VAT 

2005 MERCEDES 815D VARIO MEDIO 

Midi coach, 24 seats with belts, servery with drinks, overhead 

racks with forced air and reading lights, power door, manual 

gear box, new MOT. 

£24,000 + VAT 

1997 DAF BOVA FUTURA 

75 cogent seats with three point belts, power door, new MOT, 

new re-spray and box sections replaced, manual gearbox. 

£27,500 + VAT 

WAS £27,500 NOW £19,000 + VAT 

CLEARANCE SECTION, PRICED TO GO 

2004/2005 VOLVO B12R VAN HOOL ALIZE T9 

Choice available with manual or i shift, 48 seats with rear floor toilet and 

servery, other seating configurations available, air-conditioning, aircraft 

lockers, DVD player, courier seat, PA system, many other extras. New MOT 

£50,000 + VAT 

1998 VOLVO OLYMPIAN NORTHERN 

COUNTIES PALATINE 2 

68 coach seats can be upseated to 73, power door, ZF 

gearbox, can also be seatbelted, new MOT, high speed 

DIF fitted, choice of two. 

£9,500 + VAT 

2006 56 REG BMC HAWK 

27 seats with 3 point belts, power door, auto gear box, long 

MOT, tidy condition inside and out, cummins 6 cylinder engine, 

wheelchair access 

£17,500 + VAT 

WAS £20,000 NOW £16,500 

2005 FORD TRANSIT 

Ford Transit 15 seat mini bus, manual gear box, 

MOT till January 2014, slam door, rear wash wipe 

£5,000 + VAT 

WAS £5,000 NOW £4,000 + VAT 

1998 VOLVO OLYMPIAN ALEXANDER 

Double Decker, 87 seats, MOT: New PSV MOT, Mileage: TBC, 

low height, seatbelts fitted, Volvo engine, Voith auto box, 

destination equipment, power door. 

£12,950 + VAT 

CHOICE OF OVER 350 VEHICLES ‘Open 7 days 08.00-18.00’ For our full range, 

visit www.drewwilson.co.uk 

Tel/Fax 0141 248 5524 | Mob 07764 200 444 or 07827 325474 

Email drew@drewwilson.co.uk

The new way of sourcing 

your next vehicle 


Scan the QR code and search 

for your next vehicle on the go! 

In partnership with

04 PLATE MERCEDES SPRINTER UVG TREKA 

choice of 7 uvg treka coachbuilt trip tronic transmission complete 

flat floor coifed only fitted with 8 passenger seats powerdoor front 

entry external pls cassette tailift must give excellent value 

FROM £8,995 

06 PLATE IVECO 50C 

14 mellor coachcraft body 14/16 highback passenger seats with 3 

pointbelts lots of unwin tracking full lenght cant rail ricon internal 

clearway tailift powerdoor front entry low mls one council owner 

choice of 2 all coifed just arrived in excellent value 

£7,995 

05 IVECO 65C15 MELLOR COACHBUILT XLWB 

Fitted with 24 highback passenger seats all on Unwin tracking 

external pls fully automatic cassette tailift just had new COIF 

and 12 mths psv test drive and look fantastic excellent value 

ready too work. 

£11,495 

READY TO 

WORK 

04 MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI 

UVG coachbuilt 15/16 highback passenger seats on unwin 

tracking plant on panoramic tinted windows powerdoor front 

entry trip tronic gearbox air conditioning 12 mths PSV 

test choice of 2 ready to work 

£9,995 

57 FORD TRANSIT 430 LWB 

Highroof 8 passenger seats plus wheelchair spaces lots of Unwin 

tracking external Ratcliffe fully automatic cassette tailift sld with 

side step good quality conversion totally unmarked in everyway 

£12,995 

The North West’s Premier 

Minibus Sales, supplying 

nationwide for over 40 years 

58 PLATE RENAULT TRAFFIC 

Passenger lwb fitted with 8 highback passenger seats with 3 

pointbelts twin slds air conditioning full electric pack alloy wheels 

above average mls but a very low price looks and drives fantastic 

£5,495 

58 PLATE RENAULT MASTER MWB 

A excellent opportunity to purchase a 58 plate renault master 

mwb only covered 41,000 mls one owner from new 8 highback 

passenger seats with twin slds cassette step lots of unwin tracking 

rolac wheelchair accessible ramp automatic transmission totally 

showroom condition inside and out fantastic value 

£12,995 

55 IVECO 65C15 MELLOR COACHBUILT XLWB 

Fitted with 24 highback passenger seats all on Unwin tracking 

external pls fully automatic cassette tailift just had new COIF 

and 12 mths psv test drive and look fantastic excellent value 

ready too work. 

£11,995 

08 IVECO 50C15 IRISBUS 

Only covered 63,000 mls 15/16 highback passenger seats lots of 

unwin tracking full lenght cant rail powerdoor front entry external 

fully automatic pls tailift plant on panoramic tinted windows 

showroom condition inside and out fantastic value 

£15,995 

56 RENAULT MASTER LWB 

56 renault master lwb 8 highback passenger seats unwin tracking 

ricon internal clearway tailift sld with cassette step totally 

immaculate inside and out good quality conversion excellent value 

£8,995 

Tel: 01942 864222 

WWW.HEATONSMOTORCO.CO.UK 

ALL PRICES PLUS VAT 

We guarantee quality vehicles, right prices, no pressure sales. Come and have 

a coffee while you browse at your leisure. Junction 23, M6 or 20 miles from 

Manchester/Liverpool airport. 




Self-Drive 

Hire Facility 

If you require a P.C.O or P.C.V self drive 

mini-bus or wheelchair accessible 

or MPV, within the M25. 

Please contact us for a competitive 

quote and details of the service we 

can offer your company. 

Choice your specific vehicle from our 

modern fleet of 40 mini-coaches. 

Chris Springham. 

chris@crystalscoaches.com 

Crystals Coaches Ltd, Elkstone Rd, 

London W10 5NT | Tel: 0208-960-8800 

COACH 

& BUS 

RENTAL 

Yorkshire Bus & Coach Sales 

(01482) 653302 or (07799) 607115 

craig.porteous@virgin.net 

16 to 70 seater coaches & Buses available for short or long term rental 

(Any period from 1 week to 5 years) 

To advertise in trader call: 

01733 405740 

COACH 

& BUS 

RENTAL 

2002 Volvo B12M / Berkhof Axial – 49 Seat Executive 

** Reconditioned engine with 12 months warranty from date of sale ** 

49 Seater Executive, OSR Sunken Toilet, Drinks, Air-Con, DVD, 

Alloy Wheels, Courier Seat, Double Glazed, Window Blinds. 

Excellent Condition. 

Price: £ Please Ring (ALSO AVAILABLE TO RENT) 

2002 Volvo B12M Auto / Berkhof Axial – 53 Seater 

** Reconditioned ZF Auto gearbox with 2 

1 / years warranty remaining ** 

2 

53 Seater, ZF Auto Gearbox, Air Con, Courier Seat, 

Double Glazed, Curtains Excellent Condition. 


1999 Volvo B10M / Berkhof Axial – 49 Seat Executive 

** Reconditioned engine with 12 months warranty from date of sale ** 

49 Seater Executive, OSR Sunken Toilet, Drinks, Air-Con, 

DVD, Alloy Wheels, Courier Seat, Double Glazed, 

Window Blinds. Excellent Condition. 


2002 Scania K114 / Irizar Century – 49 Seat Executive 

49 Seater Executive, Comfort Shift, OSR Sunken Toilet, 

Drinks, Air-Con, DVD, Courier Seat, Double Glazed, 

Curtains. Good Condition. 


2002 BENTLEY ARNAGE T (Black Label) ** Ideal Wedding Car ** 

Originally Bentley Motors own 2002 Motor Show car. Bentley Arnage T (Black Label) top 

of the range saloon fitted with the Bentley engine (not BMW). Finished in stunning metallic 

silver storm coachwork with contrasting Mulliner quilted diamond beluga black leather 

upholstery with silver stitching. Only 43,000 miles with impeccable service history (dealer and 

Bentley specialist only). New MOT. Recent Battery & Pirelli PZero tyres. Numerous additional 

refinements and extras ... too many to list. 

Bargain at only £25,995 


07817 542113 

Due to fleet upgrade we have several Leyland 

Olympians available for disposal from our fleet: 

3 x 1992 Northern Counties bodies 76 seaters 

(ex EYMS) Gardner engines 

4 x 1992/3 long wheelbase Alexander bodies 85 seats 

(ex LOTHIAN) Cummins engines 

All vehicles have been maintained to our own high standards 

and full service histories will be available for inspection 

TYRES INCLUDED 

Most buses have multi point CCTV systems both externally and 

internally, these can be removed or purchased at extra cost 

The buses are available for inspection at our Witham depot in Essex 

We need the space, 

now reduced from £1,995 

Substantial number of Wayfarer 

3 ticket machines available. 

Ring for details. 

Nigel McCree Mobile: 07817 542113 Office: 01509 502695 or 

Nev Simpson Mobile: 07814 716149 Email: nigel@nigelmccree.com 

Stock updated weekly on the website Insurance 

Finance 

Short on cash 

Re-Finance your vehicles 

With us, 07736 850375 

HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY 

2003 Volvo B12M. Vanhool .Euro3 

49 belted seats. plus crew seat. Air conditioned. 

Monitor. Radio PA. Saloon mounted w/c. Rear conti 

door. Fully re-trimmed Seats & side cheeks 

MOT November 2014. 

£39 999 + VAT 

1 LEFT 

Option to Euro 4 LEZ £5,000 

2007 Volvo B12B I SHIFT.Plaxton Panther. 

Euro 5. 10 to choose from. 

Front wheel chair lift. 44 Seats, spare seats to 48 

available. Voltage inverter, feeding 3 pin elec socket 

to each seat. Saloon w/c. Aircon. PA Radio. 

Excellent condition. Well maintained. 

£70,000 + tyres + VAT. 

Maintained by Oxford bus to their 

Exacting standards. 

SCHOOL BUS DECKERS AVAILABLE £2,995 + VAT 

www.nigelmccree.com 

2003 Volvo B12M. Jonckheere. Euro3 

48, 3point belted seats. 1 crew. Air conditioned. 

Monitor. Radio PA. Saloon mounted w/c. 

Rear conti door. MOT November 2014. 

70 SEAT CONVERSION AVAILABLE. 

£39,999 + VAT Choice available. 

Available NOW! 

Option to Euro 4 LEZ £5,000 

2008 DAF SB4000 Auto. 

Temsa Safari HD. Euro4. 

12.2 MTR, 53 seats, half leather. Belted, Crew seat. DVD 2 

Screens.Aircon. Food cooler. Staybrite Alloys. 

LOW MILEAGE !!! Sept 14 MOT!. 

Priced to sell £80,000 + VAT 

Recommended vehicle. 



Can’t find what 

you’re looking for 

Scan the QR code to 

download the free routeone 

CONTACTS App 


To advertise your products or services in the next issue of MARKET PLACE, 

contact Louise Norris on 01733 405730 or email louise.norris@route-one.net 


ADVISORY/CONSULTANCY SERVICES 

BUS AND COACH ELECTRONICS 

ENGINES 

Ellis Transport Services 

Need help to stay legal 

Call Graham Ellis at Ellis Transport Services. 

Ellis Transport Services provide a full audit and advice 

service to bus and coach operators across the UK as 

well as an accident investigation service. 

If you have a problem give us a call on: 

023 8027 0447 / 07710 589105 

or e-mail: 

graham.ellis@ellistransportservices.co.uk 

Stockists, suppliers, 

manufacturers and repairers 

of electronic parts and 

equipment to the bus and 

coach industry. 

AUCTIONS 

MARKET PLACE | To advertise call 01733 405730 | Booking deadline Friday, 12 noon 

RETIRING 

OR CHANGING 

YOUR FLEET 

Contact 

Malcom Harrison Auctions 

01630 674326 

auctions@malcolmharrison.co.uk 

MALCOLM HARRISON AUCTIONS 

The vehicle sales 

website brought to you 

by routeone 


BUSINESSES WANTED 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

All products fully tested to industry 

standard 

Best practice on repair and 

manufacturing 

Competitive pricing - large savings 

to O.E.M. 

Delivery express: UK Nationwide 

Exchange and new items from stock 

Tel: 01246 474332 Fax: 01246 529010 

www.omni-techelectronics.co.uk 

BUSINESSES 

WANTED 

Are you Retiring, Losing Money, 

Need Investment or just had enough 

We have Interested Buyers and Cash 

Investors waiting! 

Reply, in Confidence, to: 

PO BOX 7677 Brackley 

NN13 9BB 

sales@route-one.net 

AVON DIESEL 

COMPANY 

Volvo B10M - Recon + new 

engine. Parts, overhaul kits, 

cylinder blocks, cylinder 

heads, oil pumps, camshafts, 

crankshafts + more. 

Tel: 01454 313805 

Lawman CommErcials make it eaZy 

Engine rebuilds carried out to the highest 

standard on all types of MAN diesel engines, 

coach & truck. Liner seat cutting whilst engines 

remain in the vehicle. 

OE Quality engine parts also available at 

competitive prices for all your MAN needs 

Contact John, Lawson or Jamie 

Tel: 01530 231235 Fax: 01530 231236 

www.lawmancommercials.com 

Mobiles 24Hr: 

07850779565 / 07718738785 / 07772 913099 

(Leicestershire) 


HEATING 

4 

R&B ENGINEERING 

(Wakefield) LTD 

Suppliers of fully reconditioned 

engines, transmissions and differentials 

to the PSV industry. Products include: Volvo, 

Cummins, DAF, Scania, MAN, Mercedes, 

Gardner and Leyland. Nationwide 

collections and deliveries. 

Outside field fitting service and 

outside diagnostics now available. 

For more information call: 

01924 260555 

Email: rbengineering@live.co.uk 

See our Fuel Management 

and Emission Control 

Supplier Spotlight 

p38-47 

Tel: 01993 849522 

Fax: 01993 706920 

For all your Heating, Aircon & Body Parts 

Heaters • A/C Equipment 

Blowers • Radiators 

Silicone Hose • Wiper Equipment 

Motors • Ducting • Gas Struts 

Visit our new online catalogue 

www.thhs.co.uk 

Email: sales@thhs.co.uk 



01733 405730 



IT SUPPORT 

SEATBELTS 

Operators, are you fighting 

with your computer systems 

Don’t understand how to fix the problems and think help is going to be too costly 

STOP WASTING TIME, GET HELP NOW! 

Confidential, secure remote access across the UK is only one phone call away. 

Sensible prices for sensible help. No job too big, no job too small. 

On-going IT support from only £16 per month, per machine. 

For more details call Ian Wibberley: 07947 388 395 

Seat belts, fittings and hand-rail padding. 

PARTS 


REFURBISHMENT 

• 15M X 5 MTR COMPLIANT 

SPRAY BOOTH 

• INSURANCE APPROVED 

• REPAIRS AND PAINTWORK 

• REFURBISHMENTS 

• METALLIC AND PEARL FINISHES 

• STATE OF THE ART FACILITY’S 

01507 523980 | 07733 885582 

paulclarkrepair@aol.com 

paulclarkrepair.co.uk 

HORNCASTLE, LINCOLNSHIRE 

Put your products in front of over 

5,000 operators - use routeone’s 

MARKET PLACE 

For details call: 01733 405730 

tel: 01522 689911 fax: 01522 689922 

parts: graham@bhiuk.com installations: info@bhiuk.com 

www.bhiuk.com 

When 

responding 

to adverts, 

please mention 

that you saw it in 

routeone 

STEEL BUILDINGS 

WE FIT 

SEAT BELTS! 

SERVICE 

BLUELINE BUILDINGS 

Workshops/ Garaging/ 

Storage 

Will never rust 

Buildings to BS5950 

Cost 

Effective 

Solutions 

Steel Buildings 

Widths from 20ft up to 

70ft 

Unlimited lengths 

Tel: 01709 578333 24 Hours 


Can’t find what you’re looking for 

Scan the QR code to download the free routeone CONTACTS App or search 

‘routeone contacts’ in the Apple App Store or on Google Play. 

FREE 

to download 


TICKET SYSTEMS 

TRAINING 


PORTABLE 

TOUCHSCREEN BUS 

TICKET MACHINES 

FROM £695 

Uploads sales data to PC and prints itemised 

waybill at end of shift. Supports logo printing. 

Minimal setup - edit ticket details/fares etc 

direct on machine. 

For more informaton or a demonstration at your 

premises please visit: www.tikkitek-sales.co.uk 

or call 07799 200600 offie hors 

Transport manager CPC 

(Passenger Transport) 

Classroom - £1,159 

10 days intensive – 87% pass rate! 

Correspondence - £600 

Study at home + tutor support 

+ classroom revision days 

Home Study - £150 

Flexible study in own time 

Call now on: 

0116 200 1866 

richard@mdrtraining.com 

www.mdrtraining.com 

Unit 3 Warren Park Way, Enderby, Leicester LE19 4SA 

TRANSPORT MANAGER 

CPC COURSES 

National & International 

DRIVER CPC 

Now taking bookings 

HOURS & TACHOGRAPH - Distance Learning 

Tel: 01708 867564 

www.wright-training.com 

TRIMMERS 

Supplying the Bus and Coach Industry with 

quality seat retrims and interior refurbishment 

Full floors re-laid and centre gangways 

Collection and delivery service anywhere in 

the UK, seven days a week. 

Email: info@eastgate-coachtrimmers.co.uk 

Web: www.eastgate-coachtrimmers.co.uk 

Tel/Fax: 01751 472229 



01733 405730 

Driver CPC 

Farrow Training UK Ltd 

Driver CPC Training available in West 

Midlands, Worcestershire and Shropshire 

at a time and place to suit you. 

Get Legal 

Get Trained 

www.trainingforcpc.com 

Tel: 07970 853663 

TRIMMERS 

Duoflex ltd 

COACH AND BUS RETRIMS 

UNBEATABLE PRICES ON STOCK MOQUETTE 

Good quality trimming, 

common sense prices. 

Some sets same day. Sales 

of headrest covers, curtains 

and floor carpet. 

Tel: Steve or Damien on: Brackley 

01280 701366, mobile: 07886 925818 

Email: sales@duoflex.co.uk 

Website: www.duoflex.co.uk 

All major credit cards accepted 

VEHICLE LIFTS 




LARGE STOCK OF SECOND HAND RECONDITIONED 

SOMERS VEHICLE LIFTS AVAILABLE 

FULLY STRIPPED AND LOAD TESTED WITH 

6 MONTHS PARTS AND LABOUR WARRANTY 

Call today: 07970 579258 

In partnership with 

To advertise in routeone call: 01733 405730 



VEHICLE SPARES 

wanted 

dead 

or 

alive 

All makes of bus/coach bought - runners/non runners, 

will collect, immediate payment cash/cheque etc, various 

spare parts available, single coaches or entire fleet. 

Phone: 01902 630220/07768 255925 

Fax: 01902 603321 

Email: sales@willenhallcommercials.com 




People 


VEHICLE SPARES 

Dont let your Dennis 

be a menace 

Trident/Javelin unitised hub bearings 

(part no 655387/6) are still available 

Why convert when you can replace 

Avoid the costly conversion kit 

Order now on: 01419 527947 

Get your Dennis parts from a company 

that really knows Dennis buses 

Bus and Coach Parts Ltd 

VEHICLE TRIM 

Put your products 

in front of over 

5,000 

operators! 

Use routeone’s 

MARKET PLACE 

For details call: 

01733 405730 

VEHICLE WASH 

RECRUITMENT 

PRENTICE WESTWOOD 

OPERATIONS MANAGER 

Prentice Westwood Ltd. seek an Operations Manager to join our 

management team in the daily operation of our 60 vehicle fl eet in 

West Lothian, and liaise with management in our Edinburgh depot. 

We are seeking an individual with experience in the coaching 

sector to coordinate the day to day operations and maintain the 

company’s high levels of compliance. This position would potentially 

suit an experienced driver wishing to progress to a management 

career. A Management National and International CPC would be 

an advantage but not essential. Duties would be varied and include 

vehicle and driver scheduling in compliance with all aspects of EU 

regulations, tachograph analysis, as well as providing “on call” 

cover evenings and weekends on a rota basis. Some driving will be 

involved requiring a manual PCV licence, driver’s CPC entitlement 

and digital tacho card. Essential skills include man management, 

departmental communication and the ability to work unsupervised 

whilst under pressure. 

The applicant would be part of a small established operations team 

with the potential for personal development and advancement. 

A competitive salary will be paid depending on the experience and 

talents they bring to the position. 

Please send an up to date CV and covering letter outlining your 

current remuneration to robbie@prenticewestwoodcoaches.co.uk 

Tel: 01506 871231 

Transport Operations Manager 

Midlands Based Coach Operator requires a full time Transport Manager with a full 

International CPC qualifi cation, helping to operate a fl eet of seventy coaches in 

and around Europe and working with a team of over a hundred staff. 

The main responsibilities of the position include monitoring and implementing the 

compliance of the company, handling the logistics of the organisation by ensuring 

tachograph compliance and working in an environment which encourages team 

work, energy and creativity. To achieve this, you should have strong leadership and 

excellent problem-solving skills along with good communication skills. Other duties 

will be to oversee the maintenance, ensure driver compliance and watching over 

the day to day scheduling; the job will be challenging, and would suit a person who 

is used to working under pressure. 

We are a fast growing company striving to be the best at what we do and to 

achieve this we need a strong team around us, you would be part of this team 

working closely with a group of people who will assist you in the role, to help push 

the company forward keeping the company compliant, safe and profi table. 

Pay is negotiable based on experience and the working pattern you undertake, 

you would be offi ce based at our Head Offi ce in Leicester, a PCV licence/experience 

is preferred but not essential as the position will not require you to drive. 

To apply for this position please send a copy of your CV and covering letter 

to lorne@ausdenclark.co.uk or post to Lorne Kind, Transport House, 

30 Murrayfi eld Road, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE3 1UW 

CLOSING DATE – 24TH MARCH 2014 


People 


RECRUITMENT 

For more recruitment advertising visit: www.route-one.net/jobs Wednesday 19 March 2014 | 77

People 

RECRUITMENT 

Mellor Coachcraft & CM Specialist Vehicles are the market 

leaders in their sector and are looking to enhance their 

Sales Team with the addition of this role. This is an excellent 

opportunity to sell a top brand in the market place. 

Main Objective: 

Meet or exceed the sales objectives for your assigned 

area by promoting and selling company product utilising 

professional sales techniques, whilst aiming to build 

long-term customer relationships. 

The Person 

• Preferably with local authority 

sales knowledge 

• Excellent at building and maintaining 

customer relationships 

• Genuine desire to offer excellent 

customer service 

Applications to our recruitment partner: Ashley Cullin at 

DeNovo Associates acullin@denovoassociates.co.uk 

78 | Wednesday 19 March 2014 For more recruitment advertising visit: www.route-one.net/jobs


RECRUITMENT 

Stagecoach West’s 

new MD is unveiled 

Stagecoach West has namedRupert 

Cox as Managing Director. 

He replaces Ian Manning, 60, 

who retires on 31 May. 

Rupert began his career 

with Stagecoach as part of the 

group’s Graduate Development 

Programme in 2001, and an 

earlier spell with Stagecoach 

West as Commercial Manager 

has sandwiched a position 

with Stagecoach Yorkshire. 

He returned in 2013 as Acting 

Operations Director. 

Rupert says: “It’s an honour to 

be appointed Managing Director 

of Stagecoach West, where I 

took on my first management 

Rupert Cox rejoins Stagecoach West 

role over 10 years ago. I am 

looking forward to working with 

our partners locally to further 

improve bus services.” 

Go North East promotes 

Fleet Engineer to Chief 

Kirk Trewin, 34, has been 

appointed Chief Engineer 

by Go North East (GNE) 

following a successful stint as 

Fleet Engineer for the operator’s 

north division. He is 

responsible for more than 700 

coaches and buses. 

He has worked in the bus 

industry for more than 16 years 

and in his previous role was 

responsible for the development 

of GNE’s flagship £8.5m 

Gateshead Riverside depot, 

which opened in February. 

Kirk says: “I am delighted 

to be taking up this position 

Kirk Trewin is GNE’s Chief Engineer 

and I look forward to the challenges 

that the company and the 

industry will face in the coming 

years as we move forward 

with new vehicles and new 

technologies.” 

For more recruitment advertising visit: www.route-one.net/jobs Wednesday 19 March 2014 | 79

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