Eavesway Travel team-spec T17 Astron is its third Van Hool T
Eavesway Travel of Ashton-in-Makerfield has taken delivery of its third Van Hool T range coach in the form of a T17 Astron super-high tri-axle.
The new arrival is to full sports team and corporate specification and has been fitted out at AD Coach Systems. There are 40 Kiel 1020 seats finished in cream leather arranged around tables and with three-point belts, a centre sunken freshwater toilet, a dash fridge, a radio, DVD and CD player, and a PA system.
AD Coach Systems has added multiple LCD monitors, a large walk-in rear kitchen area with ovens, further fridges, cabinets and running hot and cold water, and much more to enable the coach to fulfil its brief.
Eavesway Managing Director Mike Eaves (pictured, second from left) says that following conversion by AD, the coach was put to work for three weeks as transport for the England Rugby League team during the recent Ashes series against Australia. The visitors were also conveyed by Eavesway, in a VIP-specification Van Hool Altano.
Mr Eaves adds that arrival of the Van Hool T17 Astron “has been well worth the long wait” and he describes it as “a beautiful vehicle for which VDL Bus Group and AD Coach Systems have done a fantastic job.”
For the remainder of the football season, it will be working alongside another operator on a Premier League team transport contract as well as performing VIP and corporate hires for Eavesway’s own client base.
Externally, the coach carries the operator's new distinctive livery and is set off by highly polished alloy wheels, a cherished 75-plate registration mark, and a camera mirror system in place of conventional mirrors. During its Ashes work, the T17 gained special window-mounted vinyls to mark the tournament.
Power comes from a DAF MX-13 engine developing 530bhp coupled to an Allison T525 six-speed fully automatic gearbox.
Joining Mr Eaves for handover of the coach were Eavesway Travel Commercial Manager Aiden Latham (pictured, right), AD Coach Systems Director Nick Weatherby (pictured, second from right) and VDL Bus UK Sales Representative Robert White (pictured, left).
Click on either of the following pictures to enlarge:
NewPower to debut electric-to-electric repower on Metrodecker EV
Wrightbus business NewPower will carry out its first electric-to-electric repower project with the fitment of new drivelines to 28 Optare Metrodecker EV battery-electric double-decks operated by Metroline.
That will see the buses processed at the NewPower plant in Bicester and replacement of existing axles, powertrains, and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.
OEM Kreisel batteries will be replaced by energy storage from CATL. The Vehicle Electrical Drive System from Driventic – formerly Voith – will be at the centre of the overhaul, while Grayson will provide the replacement HVAC fitment.
Optare – later Switch Mobility – built the Metrodecker EV with 300kWh of battery capacity, according to a Zero Emission Bus certificate issued by Zemo Partnership in 2023.
Those with Metroline have been plagued with reliability and range problems. 31 were originally supplied to the operator from 2019. It is understood that many have been out of use for several months.
Repower of existing battery-electric buses by NewPower represents a development of its existing efforts on converting mid-life diesel buses to zero-emission, work that so far has predominantly been carried out for First Bus. Another supplier has already repowered a batch of Optare Versa EV buses via the fitment of new drivelines.
Wrightbus Group Managing Director Sales John McLeister says that repower work with Metroline will see “gold standard equipment” installed into the Metrodecker EV fleet “to maximise performance and efficiency.”
Adds CEO Jean-Marc Gales: “This latest deal increases the orders for NewPower to 64 for next year, already above the 50-plus we will have delivered in 2025, and makes NewPower the largest repower specialist in Europe.”
Metroline is one of three London operators to use the Metrodecker EV. Two other customers outside the capital also purchased the model although none have been built since 2021. Closure of the Sherburn-in-Elmet plant that manufactured Optare and Switch Mobility products was announced by owner Ashok Leyland earlier in 2025.
Lincolnshire Callconnect completes 10-strong EVM Cityline delivery
The Lincolnshire Callconnect network has seen a significant fleet upgrade with completion of the delivery of 10 new EVM Cityline low-entry minibuses built on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter base, supplied by EVM UK.
They are working in Grantham, Horncastle, Lincoln, Louth and Spalding and are described by Lincolnshire County Council as representing a major upgrade on vehicles used previously. Each seats 16 passengers.
Access is improved via the low floor area, while amenities such as USB charging points and saloon air-conditioning are further benefits.
Department for Transport grant funding has paid for the vehicles, which are being deployed on the council’s behalf by its operator partners.
Callconnect provides both demand responsive and timetabled services to rural communities in Lincolnshire and neighbouring counties that are not usually accessible by other forms of public transport. It commenced operation in 2001.
Speaking about the new arrivals, Lincolnshire County Council Head of Transport Mike Reed says: “It is a real pleasure to see these vehicles ready to start serving people. Securing funding to invest in new Callconnect buses demonstrates Lincolnshire County Council’s commitment to rural public transport.”
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