Yugoslays join Thandi
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• Thandi Coaches of Southall, Midclx has taken delivery of the first batch of DSB Dubrava 3200 coaches to reach the UK. The nine Yugoslavian-built integrals, imported by DSB Sales, Long Whatton, Leics, feature Mercedes 0M422 209kW (280hp) engines and ZF six-speed gearboxes.
They join 15 coaches on the Thandi Express network, set up earlier in the year jointly with National Express to cater for ethnic communities. Nine daily routes converge on Exhall coach station, near Coventry, where they all interchange between 13:50 and 1445hrs.
A Coventry-Glasgow service, launched on 2 June, has been withdrawn because of competition from Stagecoach and Scottish Citylink. Manager Mibbo Thandi says the company had paid more than the 263,000 list price for the coaches because of extras such as toilets. The general level of coach prices is "ridiculous", he says. Thandi's fleet, including Van Hoot and Neoplan doubledeckers, now serves London, Southall, Erith, Chatham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Bradford, Rochdale, Preston and Southampton.