Ellisons Travel receives a team-spec Van Hool TDX21 Altano
Ellisons Travel of St Helens has taken delivery of a Van Hool TDX21 Altano overdecker, supplied by VDL Bus UK.
It is to Premier League football team specification. On the upper deck are 40 Kiel 1020 seats upholstered in leather and with three-point belts, while in the lower area are five more seats from the same supplier to the same configuration.
AD Coach Systems has completed the interior fit out. That includes LCD monitors, servery provision, ovens, fridges, tables, wi-fi, on-board streaming services and 240-volt power sockets.
Also part of the specification are a centre sunken toilet, a radio, PA, CD and DVD system, and rear-view cameras in place of conventional mirrors. Power comes from the DAF MX-13 engine rated at 530bhp driving through an Allison T525R six-speed automatic gearbox.
The coach was handed over by VDL Bus UK Sales Representative Robert White (pictured, second from right) and AD Coach Systems Director Nick Weatherby (right) to Ellisons driver Mike Jones (left) and Chief Engineer Patrick Cullen (second from left).
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Luxury Minibus London adds a coachbuilt EVM Grand Tourer
Luxury Minibus London has welcomed a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with coachbuilt Grand Tourer bodywork to its fleet, supplied by EVM UK.
It is built on the 519CDi base vehicle and has a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Exterior finish is in obsidian black, complemented by a body kit and a chrome styling package.
Inside, 19 reclining seats are finished in leather. They have three-point belts and armrests on the aisle side. Diamond stitching is included, along with the Mercedes-Benz logo within backrests.
A panoramic windscreen is part of the package, sitting alongside a glazed roof that is equipped with shutter blinds. At the rear is an elevating boot door with gas struts, behind which is a 2.8 cubic metre luggage area. Further storage space is within side lockers.
In-dash air-conditioning is complemented by a 15.5kW Webasto saloon unit. It ducts via the luggage racks to passenger service units. Convector heaters are also fitted, as are a PA system, a 10-inch multimedia unit, a reversing camera, and an under-dash fridge.
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Yutong GT14 makes UK debut as operator interest in model builds
The first Yutong GT14 tri-axle diesel coaches have arrived at dealer Pelican Bus and Coach, with the supplier reporting strong interest in the type from customers as it further grows its product range.
In the full-size, high-floor field, the GT14 sits alongside the established two-axle GT12 diesel and the identically sized battery-electric GTe14 models from Yutong. It is powered by a DAF MX-13 engine developing 483bhp driving through a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox, with the supplier noting how the newcomer is as much a furthering of the GT12 as the GTe14.
Of an initial 15-strong stock batch of GT14 coaches ordered by Pelican, 14 have arrived, with the first customer handovers to occur in week commencing 24 November. Ten more are due in Q1 2026 and a further batch of the same number in Q2.
Beyond that, one in compliance with the EU General Safety Regulation is on order as part of Pelican’s wider efforts to expand the Yutong coach range into Ireland next year. All the first 25 for the UK are sold, says UK Coach and Truck Sales Manager Simon Collins.
Bespoke 61- and 57-seat options on Yutong GT14
The GT14 comes in two configurations. Both are to the same 14m length, but the location of the offside continental door is adjusted to suit either a 61- or a 57-seat layout with a centre sunken toilet and ensure that legroom is optimised at each capacity, particularly behind the centre door. It will thus not be possible to reseat one version to the other.
Most stock coaches ordered by Pelican will have 61 seats, although a smaller number will come with 57. Pelican does not rule out further customisation of built-to-order examples, with Mr Collins noting how the GT14’s 3.92m overall height and 11 cubic metres of underfloor capacity gives good versatility in higher-end applications.
Seats are from Yutong in a moquette and synthetic leather trim. Each pair has a 240-volt power socket within the wall, with USB ports in seat backs. Among other seat amenities are lateral adjustment, a drop-down table, and footrests.
Saloon lighting arrangement part of 'business class' approach
One feature of the GT14 that Pelican is keen to promote is its internal lighting. Discreet down-facing illumination is below the windowsills, while the undersides of the luggage racks have full-length strips that can cycle through a variety of colours. That is set off by lighting within the ceiling.
When coupled to wood-effect flooring and a similar approach to side walls, albeit with a lighter tone, Mr Collins says that the desired effect is to represent elements of a full-service business class cabin in an aircraft.
While the GT14 shares much with the battery-electric GTe14 – including dimensions – other aspects are ported across from the successful GT12 two-axle diesel. The same seats are used, while the dash area is common. A large number of body parts are also shared across the three-strong GT range of vehicles.
Cab area echoes diesel GT12 rather than GTe14 electric sister
Production GTe14 coaches have a tablet-based driver interface, but the diesel tri-axle retains the more analogue approach of the GT12, albeit with a digital dash binnacle. That is deliberate, with Mr Collins noting a benefit in driver commonality between the two diesel coaches.
A camera monitoring system is standard on the GT14, and no conventional mirror option is offered. Also included is a 360-degree birds’ eye view via a dash monitor, while like other Yutong coaches, the newcomer arrives with the necessary pre-wiring for equipment to satisfy the PSV Accessible Information Regulations around next-stop announcements.
PSVAR compliance where specified is via a Hidral Gobel lift in a ski locker over the drive axle and Hanover silver LED destination displays. Those items of equipment will be added after arrival in the UK. Examination of one of the first coaches shows that the seating capacity of 61 falls to 55 when a wheelchair user is carried.
Conquest business prominent among early Yutong GT14 sales
Of GT14 coaches already sold, around 30% are to conquest buyers that have not yet taken Yutong products. Some sales are part of multi-unit deals. Retail customers and at least one large bus group are among initial recipients.
The GT14 "has opened up a completely new market for us,” says Mr Collins, who hints that the GT range could further expand beyond its current three members in the future.
Gross vehicle weight of the GT14 is 24,500kg, with a marked unladen weight of 15,600kg. Axles are from ZF all round, with Bosch steering at the rear. At 62mph, the engine is turning at around 1,250rpm in top gear; the offside radiator has 10 electrically controlled small fans to optimise cooling and minimise power draw.
Further details of the GT14 and other Yutong coach developments in the UK and Ireland will following in the December issue of routeone.