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Mew stripes abound
Page 29
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3t anniversary coach rally RIGHTON was again the venue last weekend for the 25th nnual British Coach Rally where British and a European The second day commenced ith the "Concours d'Eleance" inspection. This also icluded a technical inspecon by vehicle examiners of ie Freight Transport ssociation.
This was followed by the ial eliminating driving tests ✓ the title of "1979 Coach -iver of the Year".
The driving tests include ider-pressure manoeuvring tween cones and reversing to garages and parking aces. The tests allow the ivers to demonstrate their ill in handling their vehicle icier pressure. The fact that e tests are against a time nalty makes the event more teresting for spectators and aphasises the driver's action time.
Chassis, body and comment manufacturers also ,ok the opportunity, mg with others involved in e coach industry to display eir wares in a line-up of atic displays along Madeira Among the manufacturers, monstration coaches were a ;ht hand drive MAN SR280, iew Plaxton Supreme bodied F, a Volvo B58 fitted with Iple Dominant 2 coach )rk, a Leyland Leopard with iple Dominant 2 bodywork d a Tricentrol shortened ird T152 with Duple iminant 2 body work.
DAF also had on display on e.cially equipped Dutch reg.ered Jonckherre bodied ach which was specially lit as a team coach for the itch national cycle racing im.
:miles and Commercials of sham, Hampshire were disiying a low loader display; a selection of second-hand are parts including complete engines, Allen and Douglas were represented by a coach equipped to display uniforms and coach furnishing available to operators, C and D autos were displaying Dynair Fans and Jacobs electric brake retarders.
Lucas Kienzle was using a Southdown coach as a mobile tachograph display and Lucas CAV were using a double decker for Dynair, fuel injection and electrical equipment.
Radio, P.A. and sound systems were represented of Lee Electronics and Swift electronics with displays.
Brake retarders systems were displayed by Ferodo (which was displaying its Leyland Leopard retarder demonstration coach), Tricentrol Chassis developments for Telma and Jacobs International for Jacobs retarders. Coaches displaying the latest Plaxton Duple bodies were on display with demonstrators from Rootes of Maidstone, Reeves-Burgess, Asco and the Moseley Group who had organised an impressive lineup of Spanish Unicar bodied coaches.
Among the more unusual vehicles competing in the rally were a integral Fiat engined Van Hool coach operated by Raen Cars of Nieuport, Belgium.
The Across Trust of Morden, Surrey entered an impressive 12 metre (40ft) high floor Mercedes Benz D303 based Van Hool bodied ambulance which is specially equipped for pilgrimages to Lourdes for bedridden people.
Executive coaches were prominent at the rally although Kinch of Loughborough did not repeat their Blackpool success with their splendid Volvo Plaxton coach.
New liveries were in evidence with up and over stripes very much in vogue.
George Ewer Group companies Grey-Green and World-Wide from London both had entered coaches sporting new striped liveries.
Older vehicles competing included a 1948 Bedford 013 entered by Olsen Bros of Strood and a 1963 Ford Thames Harrington entered by Michaels Transport of Carshalton.
Midi and mini coach entries includes both a shortened Ford T152 and Bedford YLQs and examples at Reeves Burgess, Robin Hood, Plaxton Service Department and Harwin Vehicles on Ford, Fiat, Bedford and Volkswagen chassis.
The 1979 coach of the year accolade went to David Fox of Cleveland for his new super executive Van Hoot bodied DAF. This 30-seat 12-metre (40ft) executive coach was fully equipped with air conditioning, video equipment, washroom, bar and a board
MOM.
1979 Coach Driver of the Year was Dudley Haynes from Banstead Coaches who also took the premier operate award. Runner-up was Ton Shaw from Barnsley.
The best standard coac award went to Londo Country bus services for it Jetlink Green Dine Coach, a AEC Reliance with Dupl Dominant 2 body, top Leylan coach in all sections was eni ered by Wenallt Coaches c Cardiff for ironically anothE AEC Reliance with a Plaxto Elite body dating from 1972.
The Best Grand Tourin Coach award went to Natiom Travel (West) for a Dupl Dominant 2 bodied Leylan Leopard.
Top coach on the road was Bedford Plaxton entered b Campings of Brighton an driver by E. Howells. To Mini-Midi coach driver of th year was J. 0. Newsomes c Newsomes of Barnsley.
Top Volvo coach was Wal lace Arnold's Plaxton bodie, B58 destined for the Euroway London Moscow service.