Coaching bonanza at the seasi
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"We do like to be beside the seaside" could be the Continental bodybuilder's theme at this year's springtime rally in Brighton if they succeed in capturing a bigger slice of the UK market. David Wilcox takes a look at what's on show
THE variety of coach bodywork to be seen at the Brighton coach rally this spring promises to be the most extensive for many years. And if this turns out to be the case it will largely be due to the efforts of foreign bodybuilders to take a slice of the British market.
But their task isn't easy. In Plaxtons and Duple, Britain has two well-established marketleaders who build practical, and to most people's eyes, attractive bodies. Operators have grown up with Plaxtons and Duple, and a switch to a Continental body isn't a move to be taken lightly.
But for the operator who wants a change this year there's no shortage of bodybuilders only too keen to clothe his chassis. In the 11 rn and 12m luxury coach categories alone, some 13 manufacturers offer models in this country.
Of course, there's nothing to stop an operator having a chassis bodied by any manufacturer in the world (as long as the complete vehicle meets British legal requirements — notably the tilt test), but all these 13 coach builders have at least one body currently in operation in the UK, and plan to increase this substantially.
This round-Up also includes some integral coaches — a more popular concept on the Conti nent. But let's get our priorities right and start with Plaxtons and Duple who between them have most of the home market The basis of the Plaxtons range is the Supreme body. This was first seen at the 1974 Earls Court Motor Show in its short 29-35 seater form and replaced the full-sized Elite in the following year. Since then 6,500 Suprernes have been built and we are now up to the Supreme IV.
Its construction is conventionally British — a bolted box section steel framing with steel inner paneling and aluminium outer panels, but there are three "off-the-shelf" levels of specification. The standard Supreme IV, for instance, has a manual door in its basic spec. The Supreme IV Express adds such touches as poweroperated doors, and the Supreme IV Grand Touring model adds a long list of "extras" as standard which the operator can specify such as reclining seats, warm air heating through the luggage racks, and tinted windows.
The Supreme can, of course, go on a wide range of chassis including the new Volvo BlOM, the imminent Leyland B43 and the mid-engined DAP 0820, Plaxtons have also produced the first British body for the rear. engined DAF S2000 using semi-integral construction. .Plaxtons literally use or front and rear sections , DAF chassis, disposing , central portion. This gives ful increase in luggage car up from the Plaxtons aver 5.6cm to 7.3cum on IN chassis.
The other Plaxton mode is the Viewmaster. It's r€ high floor version o Supreme and is roughly higher at lift 5in, The mi. vantages of the Viewr (which is also available in Touring specification) are ness due to the extra floor and sound insulation, bettt senger view, and bigger lu capacity — a volumi 11.5cUm on a 12m Volv Viewmaster.
Taking a leaf out of the nentals' book, Plaxtons out a Viewmaster with a below windowline and derfloor driver's bunk. Ev the Supreme body Plaxtoi now instal a toilet that is pi sunken and so protrud, higher than a conventioni back..
Prices vary enorm according to specification typical mid-range Supre Express body for an 11m c will be in the £25,000 to f range. The list of extras ranging from wheel tri double glazing.
In recent years, Plaxton been .producing around 1, 450 coach bodies a year b many other industries, d( is not up to this level at tt ment. The company says noticed that an incre number of operators are for a more lavishly err coach. Plaxtons can be fo Castle Works, Seamer Scarborough, and of many large coach dealers Plaxtons franchise.
Across on the West co Blackpool is Duple, whi terms of production is ju: Only just) behind Plaxtons.
Duple's Dominant boch first introduced in its Mark back in 1972. Four years came the !Dominant II an year saw the III and IV. models do not supersecl
nother — you can still buy a I or if you prefer. But the new ominant Ill stands out as being ary different with its small arallelog ram-style windows, esigned to make a quieter 'armor coach, ideal for longistance overnight travel.
The IV resembles the II but has slightly higher waist rail and -nailer window area, plus a new a!--light design.
These two new models, toether with Duple's Styleline Iiaries, seem to have breathed ow life into the Blackpool cornany.
It expected the IV to be most opular model, with the III imed at long distance express ervices such as the Scottish Bus iroup's. But the Dominant Ill's aked windows seem to have Dund favour with many other perators and in fact the III and are neck and neck for sales, rith the I and II some way beid.
Construction of the Duple is gain conventional in the British tyle; square section steel hoop raming with alloy panelling. he steel has Ziebart anti-rust reatment and will fit most of the hassis available in theis country mid-engined DAF and he new Bedford YNT.
The most popular chassis for )uple bodies are Bedford, Ford, 'olvo and Leyland in that order. When specifications are cornlared like for like, Duple prices ire very close to Plaxtons' and he Dominant models are also vailable in standard coach or !xpress guises.
The exception to this is the )ominant Ill which comes either is a standard coach or in a ;uper Deluxe specification which includes double-glazed bronze-tinted side windows, power door, radio, public address and cassette, as well as full insulation to the body sides and roof. This SDIII specification adds £2,000 to the price of the basic Dominant Ill.
List prices for the Dominant II, Ill and IV are all within £300 of each other for the same chassis, while the Dominant I is slightly cheaper.
For instance, the list price of a basic Dominant I for a Ford or Bedford 1 lm chassis is £23,700 while the other three models for the same chassis work out between £24,275 and £24,575 in their basic spec.
In addition to local dealers, Duple has two service centres in Hendon and Barrhead (Scotland) plus its Blackpool service centre and factory at Vicarage Lane, Blackpool.
Very much smaller than Duple and Plaxtons in the luxury coach market is Willowbrook. This Loughborough-based company had previously concentrated on bus bodywork until 1972 when it produced the dual-purpose 002 model.
Then, in 1974, Willowbrook went the whole way and launched the 008 model, better known as the Spacecar.
Remember its show debut at Earls Court when a Spacecar in the all-black colours of the London Playboy Club was on display?
About 400 to 500 Spacecars were built, with National Travel the largest customer. A substantial number also went overseas, particularly to West Africa.
In 1979 the Spacecar was changed and was designated the 003 model. This is rather more conservatively styled, not unlike a Duple Dominant I, with the Spacecarre one-piece screen replaced with a split version and the rear side kick-up eliminated. National Travel have once again ordered a large batch of these.
But can any private operator have a Willowbrook body? It's possible but unlikely. Willowbrook does not use dealers, so you must deal directly with the Loughborough factory which is really geared up for the long production run for undertakings like National Travel.
A spokesman for Willowbrook told CM that if, for instance, a private operator wanted a Leyland Leopard bodied by Willowbrook then this could be done relatively easily — that's what the production line is doing.
Because of this, the price would be "usefully better" than Plaxtons or Duple. But if the operator wanted a Volvo bodied by Willowbrook, this would be a "one-off" job and so would be rather more expensive than Duple or Plaxtons.
Willowbrook International is at Derby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Falkirk-based Walter Alexander and Co (Coachbuilders) is best known for its bus bodies but in fact also produces a coach body.
This is the T-type, which made its debut at the 1974 Motor Show. It can either fulfil a luxury coach role or that of a dual-purpose vehicle, and is unusual for a coach body in that it is an entirely alloy construction — even the framing is alloy. Alexanders have produced und 400 T-types and the ottish Bus Group and NBC bsidiaries have been the main stomers. Like Willowbrook, exanders do not use dealers d this tends to deter the small rchaser; no T-types have been Id to private operators.
But this is not to say that the Tpe is unsuitable for this purse and Alexanders say they e perfectly willing to deal rect with the private operator. The T-type can go on virtually y chassis if necessary, includg the Volvo B1OM and Leyland 3 — most have been on Leynd Leopards. As yet Alexanrs have not built any 12m verons but say they could do so if eded.
Styling of the T-type is a blend simple lines with a slightly epped roof above the driver.
If you like the sound of the Tpe, Walter Alexander (Coachuilders) is at 91 Glasgow Road, alkirk FK1 4JB.
Moseley Continental is excluively responsible for the British arketing, sales and service for o Continental coach body anufacturers. Best known is e Caetano Alpha body built by ortugese manufacturer Salvaore Caetano.
This has the typical ContinenI angular look with a particurly large window area. ConAruction is all steel with one)iece stressed steel side panels. The Alpha is suitable for a lumber of chassis including )oth Volvo models, the mid-en3ined DAF, Ford R1114 and the i'NT Bedford.
The typical list price for an Al)ha on an 11rn Ford is £27,219; )n a 12m Volvo it's £28,667. Full Jraw curtains are standard.
The other foreign coach body ?xclusively marketed here by Vloseley Continental is the 3panish-built Unicar.
Only one model, the Euro 3T80, is available in this counry, and it's rather less boxy
looking than the Alpha featuring an unusually large front side window and a small step in the roof line above the driver.
Its construction and chassis suitability is similar to the Alpha, but the price of the Unicar is a little lower.
It was recently rumoured that Unicar in Spain had folded, but Moseley has denied this and confirms that the Unicar Euro GT80 will continue to be available in Britain.
Moseley Continental Coachwork is at .Knighthorpe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Moseley has also recently become agents for Van Hool; Don Everall of Wolverhampton, Cotter's of Glasgow, and Frames of Gatwick also handle these Belgian bodies.
The current Van Hool body on the British market is the Alizee which now comes in two heights — N for normal height and H for the new high floor version. Strangely, the list price for both these models is the same: £30,115 for an 11m version and £31,242 for the 12m.
Standard specification includes power door, tinted windows, wheel trims but nonreclining seats. Heaters are below the floor, with ducts running the length of the coach.
Body construction is with steel box section framing welded directly to the chassis with aluminium side and roof panelling. The front and rear sections are grp.
The Van Hool Alizee can go on a variety of chassis including Bedford, Ford, Volvo B58 or BlOM and the DAF mid-engined MB200.
The West German MAN SR280 is an integral coach that has made a big impact on the British market. It was first introduced here in April 1979 and there a:-e now about 35 on the road with a further 40 or so on order. Scot
tish operator Parks of Hamiltor is MAN's biggest customer witt ten in the fleet and another ter soon to be delivered.
The shape of the SR280 unexceptional — indeed it': somewhat slab-sided. Its con struction is truly integral with r latticework of steel framing an panelling, which is of galvanise( sheet steel with the openinc. locker doors in alloy, replacing chassis. With the engine at th( rear, the luggage capacity good (9.3cum?.
With an output of 280bhp thr six cylinder turbo MAN 11.43 litre engine makes this amonc the most powerful coaches ir the UK.
Specification of the body i similarly high. Double-glazin with sun-dim glass is standarc as is an independent Webast heating unit, headlight wash wipe, heated driver's windov wardrobe in driver's door power-operated door, and so or The MAN SR280 starts at 60,000, but the sky's the limit For full executive specification. Drily 12m length is available.
In spring MAN-VW is introducng a high-floor version of the 3R280 called the Hochdecker Nhich will offer an even greater uggage capacity. Apart from its 4reater height (it will be lift 2in pverall), its specification will be 3imilar to the current version. 'rice will be £64,500.
Sheffield operator Carnell rours has the first right-handrive example on order and is loping to have it on the road in :ime for the Brighton Coach lally on April 25-26.
MAN-VW Truck and Bus in this ountry has moved to Frankland load, Blag rove, Swindon.
A relative newcomer to Britain s Jonckheere. Roeselare Sales yf Northampton was established )nly last June to market this Beljian body in the UK (Roeselare s the name of Jonckheere's iorne town in Belgium.) In the short time since then, )rogress has been promising. Drders for 70 bodies were re:eived in the first six months and loeselare Sales hope to have ;old 100 by the end of its first tear in June.
The Jonckheere body is unloubtedly an attractive proposiion. There are two models avail)1ole here; the highline Bermuda lift 2in high) and the standard leight Bermuda (9ft 7in high). fo date most sales in this counry have been for the highline torsion. Both models are in 12m ength.
For a Continental body, prices ;re very competitive; Roeselare 3ales say you can have a corn)lete Volvo B58 with a Bermuda lighline body for £50,000 — the ;tandard height model is £500 ess. This puts the Jonckheere ten/ close to Duple and Plax tons, particularly when you consider that 53 recliners, tinted side windows, power door and top-tinted laminated windscreens are all standard.
Construction is entirely steel with double skinned panelling. Bodywork is also welded rather than bolted to the chassis, which is said to eliminate squeaks and rattles associated with older coach bodies.
The Jonckheere Bermuda is available only on heavyweight chassis such as the Volo B10M, Mercedes-Benz 0303, DAF and, hopefully, on the Leyland B43 when it is announced. There is also an integral version Bermuda for the rear-engined DAF.
Jonckheere has been established for a century in Belgium. It produces 800 bodies a year and can build a Bermuda within eight weeks of receiving the chassis. Roeselare Sales handle all sales inquiries for Jonckheere in the UK and are at Beckett House, 14 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AW.
Perhaps the most visually impressive new body available on the British market is the lrizar (pronounced Ireetha). it's built by a co-operative in Northern Spain and 11 are now on the road over here with a further 24 on order.
At present there is only one model available in this country — the 12m Urko. This is a striking split level design with a stepped-up rear floor and roof line. Construction is steel panelling on steel framing. All the British examples so far have been on Volvo chassis, but the Urko will also suit other Continental heavyweights such as Mercedes-Benz and DAF.
As well as giving a goodlooking coach, the raised rear section of the Urko offers a capacious luggage area (11.5cum) or room for an underfloor driver's quarters and a toilet bel window line.
This type of design makes ideal for executive work and wich Town Football Club has r cently taken delivery of one on Volvo B58 as its new tea coach.
List price for the Urko is fro £32,678. This includes 53 non-r clining seats (recliners are extr and side windows with a tint a an anti-sun treatment claimed reduce ultra-violet rays by 60 p cent.
lrizar also plans to import low-level version into the U later this year. This is called t Urepel and has a projected pri of £28,187.
lrizar bodies are marketed i Britain by lntex (UK) Ltd, PO Bo 3, Epsom, Surrey.
Another out-and-out goo looker comes from Padane Italy. Currently there is only on Padane-bodied coach in th country, owned by Trathens Yelverton, Devon.
It is a 12m Padane ZX which a highline model on a Mercede Benz 0303 chassis. The complet coach in executive spec cost Tr thens £86,000. But Padane als builds a normal-height versio designated the Z, and in a mor basic specification on a simile chassis this would cost aroun £68,000 to £70,000.
The list of standard fitment goes some way to explaininc this price: 53 reclining seats, ail conditioning, Webasto heater and the Padane even manage: to look expensive with it distinctive "droop snoot" anc massive front screen.
Trathens have another ZX on der for delivery this spring. Pane is based in Modena, North n Italy (home of Ferrari), but athens are acting as a UK ntact at the moment and can found at Three Hedges, Dousnd, Yelverton, Devon.
The Neoplan name may be ell-known in this country but in ct there's only one in the UK. It Neoplan's reputation for otic space-age designs that s preceded it.
Neoplan produces four coach dies (not including articulated rsions): the Jetliner which is a rmal height coach; the Cityer which is a highline model; e Spaceliner which is a low eight double decker; and the kyliner which is a higher ouble-decker.
The Neoplan in this country is e highline single deck 12m ityliner which is owner by lueways Luxury Coaches of outh-west London. It failed its rst tilt test by one degree (it's igh and heavy — around 12 ns), but passed at the second ttempt after some modificaons.
Made on the steel monocoque rinciple, the integral Cityliner an be fitted with a variety of ngines. Blueways' example has a V8 Mercedes-Benz, but Deutz, Scania and DAF engines are also popular in Neoplan's native West Germany.
The price of the Cityliner is between £70,0 0 0 to £80,0 0 0 according to interior specification. Blueways' coach is a full executive version for the England football team and other premium work.
Standard on the Cityliner is air suspension, double glazing and tinted windows, and it's believed that a Spaceliner double decker is on order by a British operator for delivery in March/April.
Neoplans are built in Stuttgart, West Germany, but Blueways are willing to help with British inquiries and are at Fontarabia Road, London SW11.
Finally, we come to Setra, another West German coach and built by Karl Kassbohrer of Ulm. At present there are two models intended for the British market — the 215HD (high decker) at 10ft 9ins high and the high-floor 215H which is similar but about 10in lower.
The Setra is a 12m integral design built from galvanised steel and featuring a deep, curved one-piece windscreen of .shopwindow proportions.
There's only one in the UK and at's the 215HD which was on display at last year's Motor Show. It's owned by Kirby's Coaches of Rayleigh in Essex and is fitted with a 280bhp Mercedes-Benz 0M422 eight-cylinder engine and ZF gearbox. Kirby's also operate the very first Setra (and the only other one: that came to this country ir 1970.
The price of the new Setra varies between £66,000 anc £72,000, and the company reports a great deal of interest in the 215HD after its Motor Show appearance. Setra is in the process of setting up a UK base in the London area which will cater for sales, service and parts and should be operational within the next six months.
Setra has a UK sales target ol 20 to 30 coaches this year. Karl Kassbohrer builds 2,100 bodies a year and has 21 per cent of its West German home market. Until the UK base is set up, more details about the Setra are available from Karl Kassbohrer Hahrzeugwerke GmBh, Ulm/Donau, West Germany.
So that's the range of 11rn and 12m luxury coach bodies currently available in this country. Other Continental body manufacturers are probably watching the progress in the UK of foreign coachbuilders (particularly MAN, Jonckheere and Irizar) with interest and there could well be some more Continental contenders in the UK market in the next year or so — there is a noticeable absence of French coachbuilders for instance.
Both Plaxtons' and Duple's sales were down last year, but how much of this was due to the general recession and how much is due to the inroads made by Continental bodybuilders is difficult to say.
The true test for Continental manufacturers will not rest with the Brighton judges but with British coach operators themselves.