Live & Kicking—3

Final report following Bus & Coach Live 2009. Go to Live & Kicking 1 ~ 2

There were no surprises on the MCV stand. It almost looked the same as last year, although the Arriva vehicle was billed as new, with a typical TfL specification entrance/exit arrangement that makes the entry look both crowded and clumsy in comparison to provincial designs. It seated 29 with an incredible 41 allowable standees.

This was a VDL SB180 with the standard Evolution body which, like Halton’s next to it, featured the angular waistline step that actually makes it slightly difficult for shorter (seated) people to see out. This was not a problem on the De Courcey Travel Evolution that stood out in a refreshing livery. There remain issues on all three of protrusions within (over the rear wheel-arches), the unusual grab handles above each seat and the general tight seat pitch.

The expected refurbished double deck was not present. You might expect a programme that squeezes a little more life out of a bus to be popular during a recession but perhaps this has reached its peak.

Techno Frame was advertising bus-side digital adverts, using diodes placed at 6mm intervals. They were able to display still or moving images and could actually take web-based content like updating weather reports. Cleverly, the product can target the market in which the bus finds itself, with variable messages or adverts targeted at a particular location or demographic.

One of the more unusual liveries was for Jim Bell Coaches of Kingston upon Hull, with this incredibly svelte young lady who managed a less than pretty visage. It was a parody on Peter Pan’s Tinkerbell, called Slinkybell.

Concentrating upon customer service and free winter check ups, Volvo exhibited a solitary 9700 with this part advert on the nearside. Similarly, recession-hit Wrightbus felt that the show was not to its full advantage and, aside from a customer service Renault van, there was just the one vehicle on display, a hybrid Gemini to TfL specification.

Foton didn’t have it all its own way in the unconventional, budget urban bus stakes. On display were two Autosan products, more mainstream than the now usual Eagle school bus. One was a not unattractive Euorlider MegaCaoch A1212C and the other a bus option. Both were in LHD form and sales information referred to them as “Euroleaders”, not “Euroliders”.

It was strange, given the market for stretch limos, that this Dodge Charger muscle car seemed to attract fewer admirers than vehicles on display in previous years. Perhaps the market has peaked. There were vague references to VOSA IVA certification.