Birmingham bustles for BCC Coach and Bus 89
Page 19
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I Double-deckers, singleeckers, coaches, midis and iinis were all represented at le Bus and Coach Council's :oach and Bus 89 show, in a isplay which recalled some of le glitter of a decade ago. Carlyle displayed the firstver Exeter minibus at the IEC, to demonstrate how iris and midis have grown in le past six years, and many tands featured vehicles in ,ondon Buses livery, reflecting s diverse vehicle buying poliy following the breakdown ito smaller operating units. LB-liveried buses included a 'olvo D1OM two-door doubleecker on the Northern Counes stand; an NC Renault R100 with distinctive split front screen for LB's singledeck test programme; a Duplebodied Dennis 8.5m Dart and Mercedes 811D bodied by Carlyle on FKI Bradbury's garage equipment stand; and a Reeve Burgess Beaver-bodied Renault S75 for East London.
LAG launched its Dafpowered E0 integral highfloored coach, seen at the Kortrijk show (see page 22). Alder Valley Engineering unveiled the Berkhof Excellence range (CM 5-11 October) with a Volvo 49Seater and an MAN midi, and Phoenix showed its first vehicles since the change of name from Robin Hood.
Such was the demand for space in NEC Hall 5 that some major players, including Neo plan, were unable to get in, despite the withdrawal of Duple and Metro Cannel' Weymann.
Vehicles in the demonstration park included a Yugoslavian-built Famos-Sanos 9.5m coach for the Soviet Union. Ensign Bus is to sell a right-hand-drive Charisma version of this Mercedes-powered vehicle in this country.
Optare showed its first Leeds-built Metrorider for Ipswich alongside two Daf Delta single-deckers and a Mercedes Star Rider. Carlyle presented a 29-seat version of the Mercedes 7091), made possible by careful weight-saving, and East Kilbride-based Scott Coachbuilders launched its Hawk 1 33-seat body on the Mercedes 811D.
Northern Counties' Scania for Maynes of Manchester featured a double-decker with rearward ascending staircase.
Iveco Ford's New Turbo Daily MK II was on show as a chassis-cowl, and in several bodied versions. Reeve Burgess showed its new Beagle 33-seater coach on the 70.14 chassis, and Phoenix had a 25-seater with room for six standing and sporting a more aerodynamic front.
PMT Engineering presented its new AMI range of minibus bodywork (in coach or bus versions) on the Mecedes 811D. Europa (Coaches) also offered a new range of coachbuilt vehicles on Mercedes chassis.
Full-size single-deck buses included the 500th Leyland Lynx, an Alexander Belfastbuilt Tiger for Smiths Shearings, and a single-deck Scania N113 bodied by Alexander. Van Hool launched its A600 low-floor rear-engine bus, whose styling follows the A500 Series with a 350mm step and a 500mm floor height.
New industry groupings were represented by the VL Bus and Coach stand, presenting the entire Leyland Bus and Volvo Bus range; while the Plaxton corporate style linked Mellor Coachcraft's stand with those of Plaxton, Kirkby and Reeve Burgess.