Volvo Buses
UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND
An operator of coach tour holidays for over 40 years, G-Line remains a family run business and Ernie Bradshaw explained that he has a long association with Volvo and their products.
“Ever since 1993 when Leyland Bus finished I’ve maintained at least half of my fleet on the Volvo chassis. There are a number of reasons for that. They are reliable; the drivers like them and we have a good relationship with the Volvo sales and maintenance teams.”
Ernie Bradshaw continued, “I’ve traditionally bought slightly larger coaches than the B7R, but we’re seeing a big rise in smaller holiday tours of around 20 people, so this specification of vehicle was ideal.
“The coach comes with 40 seats, but we’ve had some stripped out to make it a 34 seat vehicle. This just allows a little extra space and comfort for our passengers, especially if they are travelling on one of our longer tours to the likes of Devon and Cornwall.”
Featuring a simple, robust yet modern design, Volvo’s 10.2 metre B7R coach remains popular with operators due to its ease of manoeuvrability. The vehicle is specified with a 7.1 litre D7E engine, capable of 290hp and connected to the ZF Ecolife gearbox.
The B7R’s lightweight engine and uncomplicated chassis design offer a low net weight, improving productivity and fuel consumption. The Sunsundegui bodywork offers a stylish and visually impressive finish.
G-Line Coach Tours’ new Volvo coach is specified with passengers in mind and features a TV/DVD player and a rear toilet.
“It was the full package,” concluded Ernie Bradshaw. “The manufacturer was right, the vehicle was right and most importantly for us, the price was right.”
“G-Line are a tremendous Northern operator,” enthused Volvo Regional Sales Manager, Duncan Crosby. “I’ve known Ernie Bradshaw for many years and he and G-Line have long been loyal Volvo customers.
“They wanted to upgrade one of their holiday tour coaches and the B7R met all of their requirements. I believe it has already been out on tour and had good feedback.”
ENDS
23 May 2013
Caption for image:
G-Line Coach Tours, based in St Anne's on Sea in Lancashire, have upgraded their fleet with the delivery of a new Volvo B7R Sideral 10 Sunsundegui coach.