Over the past 40 years I doubt whether any company has bought and sold more used double-deck buses than EnsignBus, the Purfleet based dealer and operator run by the Newman family. It has also bought batches of new buses for its local bus, rail replacement and contract operations. The operating side has a network of […]
The need to provide a PSVAR-equipped vehicle on any school service on which separate fares are charged as well as all rail replacement work is causing operators up and down the UK a major headache. The Mercedes-Benz answer is a coach that has all the essentials but few of the non-essentials at a price as […]
Hosted by Go North West and staged at the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester (MoTGM), the event provided an opportunity to look closely at the BYD ADL Enviro 400EV electric double-decker that is the focal point of the SSE and partners tour that was due to conclude in Glasgow ready for participation in COP26 events. […]
The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company, better known as the Midland Red, is central to the history of bus operation in the Midlands and the Autumn Running Day of the Transport Museum Wythall focused heavily, but not exclusively, on its buses and coaches. The event, held on 3 October, marked 40 years since the […]
The collapse of the inbound market has deeply affected London, with perhaps half of the capital’s 40 million visitors coming from abroad. This has been catastrophic for some coach operators, but the reluctance of people to fly to the sun has brought a boom in tourism at home. Every cloud…. London’s shows and attractions are […]
Like many operators up and down the country, Ensignbus has had its share of staff absences due to ‘pings’ on the NHS Covid app. Over the period of the pandemic, the Purfleet-based operator and dealer has had a bitter-sweet experience. Surprisingly, its dealership side has been busy, according to its Chairman, Peter Newman. However, he […]
When you arrive at a depot and one of their engineers is hopeful you are coming for an interview to get behind the wheel of their buses, you know the driver shortage is being felt. Craig Temple, MD of Connexions Buses in Tockwith, near York, certainly is feeling the effects of the lack of drivers. […]
If you are someone who buys with heart as well as head, Plaxton’s Panther Cub could make a compelling case for adding a new midicoach to your fleet. The midicoach sector is occupied by a huge variety of vehicle types – from front-engined 7.5t truck-based coachbuilts to ‘slimline’ rear-engined coaches which reduce the proportions of […]