Show Stoppers – 3

See Show Stoppers 1 | 2 | 4 and 5 Show Oddities 50 Years ago at the Show

Continuing the Euro Bus Expo Show Stoppers with these double decks…

Compare the following two double decks, both with an East Lancs connection.

The first is the MAN 18.240 Kinetic Plus double deck, making its debut as the first MAN service bus decker for the UK market (seen next to the single deck Kinetic on the same chassis). The double deck has a 79 seat body.

Note the Kinetic Plus’ East Lancs body has a very upright front position, somewhat reminiscent of a trolleybus.

“Upright” is not a word you would give to the second of East Lancs’ deckers on display at Euro Bus Expo. It is the first ever East Lancs Olympus decker, on a Volvo B9TL chassis, with swooping, racked upper deck window. Destined for Delaine, Bourne, it is one of a line of double decks of note purchased by that operator. Does anyone agree that the front looks a little like the ECW body on a Bristol LD Lodekka?

Completing the picture for East Lancs was a MAN/Kinetic single deck, one of 16 for Stagecoach.

Other “swooping” double decks on show included two versions of the Alexander Dennis Enviro400, with a third outside. That in the open air was one for Arriva. The vehicle shown here is a lowbridge example in Stagecoach livery. The other, though, was a distinctive and top-of-the-range model for First Devon & Cornwall, featuring leather seats, satellite technology and six TV screens. Picture of this example is at Plymothian Transit – a definite show stopper.

Finally, we must not forget double deck coaches.

Ayats provided three Bravo 1s, all of which were tri-axle, one for Translink Goldliner, one for Jumbocruiser and a third, seen here, for Excel.