Before even being introduced, Dale Worsfold was instantly recognisable. Dale, a driver at Shaw’s of Whitley, is a regular entrant to Bus and Coach Buyer’s Photo Friday competition, so we often see his face on the computer screen alongside his latest photographic offering. Dale is a rarity; at the young age of 24-years-old he bucks […]
Building a business from the ground up may be a titanic task but it comes with some advantages. Lothian Motorcoaches launched itself on to the Edinburgh market last summer, but operating from spare space in one of Lothian’s depots. Now, it’s about to begin work developing its own home in Newbridge, a stones’ throw from […]
Lions have long been associated with sport; England’s football squad being one example. Unfortunately, three lions on a shirt may not have transported the country to the success it dreamed of in last year’s World Cup, but there is another lion that has brought teams to sporting victories. Namely Country Lion, an operator well known […]
An operator I spoke to not so long ago has mixed feelings about running midicoaches. On the one hand, he said, they are popular and fill a niche. On the other, they’re not much cheaper to run than a full-sized coach. When you think about it, how do you explain to a hirer that the […]
Based in the pretty town of Midsomer Norton, nestled next to the Mendips, Centurion Travel is a traditional coach operation in almost every sense. Its one-acre depot sits alongside a church, surrounded by residential property, and has been developed gradually to meet modern standards. It is a world away from the image of many of […]
Posed under atmospheric winter skies are Swans Travel’s latest additions to its fleet, a pair of Plaxton Elitei coaches. Managing Director of the Manchester-based operator, Kieran Swindells, is passionate about continuous investment in what he describes as modern, pace-setting vehicles designed to feature the latest in safety, luxury and low emission technology. He sees these new additions […]
HCT Group is spreading the social enterprise model in the bus and coach sector. It has made its first ever acquisitions of commercial operations this year and is converting them to its own social enterprise business model. It has also runs a successful programme to get ex-offenders into bus driving. Despite this success, the company […]
There was considerable surprise in the industry late last year when it was announced that the Woodall Nicolson Group, owners of Mellor Coachcraft, were to buy long-time competitor Treka Bus and that the Brighouse-based company would come under the overall control of Woodall Nicolson’s MD, John Randerson. Both companies specialise in producing coachbuilt minibuses, with […]