Bespoke from Spain
Page 20
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BESPOKE COACHES built to individual requirements are to be sold here by the latest contender in the British coach market. A coach building cooperative from Spain's Basque country is offering a distinctive top-of-the-market range of coach bodies.
Trathens of Yelverton in Devon are soon to take delivery of the first Britishspecification all-steel bodies by the new firm Irizar. The body, fitted to a 12-metre Volvo B58 chassis, is a luxury 46-reclining-seat touring coach built on a two-deck (half highfloor) style.
This design gives the vehicle a distinctive appearance reminiscent of earlier observation coaches and provides a great deal of luggage space. The Trathens coach is also fitted with a self-contained toilet unit with a wash-basin, built below the floor line.
Even so there is 12 cum luggage space.
Among features not normally available in Britain are specially made French reclining seats, although the coach can be built with fixed seats if required.
The first Trathens coach is fitted with steel spring suspension although the bodybuilder expects future deliveries to be on air suspension Volvo B58 chassis. The Irizar is initially being sold direct by the importers and might be made available on other heavyweight chassis such as the Scania BR116. Initially the Irizar body is only being aimed at a small specialist part of the UK coach market. It is considerably more expensive than British bodywork or the other Continental bodies currently available here but will be con siderably cheaper than complete imported vehicles such as the MAN SR range.
The importer already has facilities in Great Britain for spare parts supply through an associated aircraft equipment company in Aylesbury.