Harris Group hosted an event at its Dublin facility to showcase its range of Higer, LDV and Isuzu coaches and minibuses. Dominic Ward was in attendance
Acold and frosty Dublin was the scene for Harris Group’s vehicle launch event, showcasing the new Higer Super 9 mini coach, so named because it is 9m in length, Higer Road King 12m, shown to us in left-hand drive, as well as an Isuzu Visigo 9m, again in left-hand drive, and a product Chris is hopeful will come to the UK. Harris Group had flown out a number of UK operators to its facility along the Naas Road in Dublin’s fair city which, at present, stands at 59 acres, and is continuing to expand.
Arriving from all corners of the UK and at different times, operators invited out were met at Dublin Airport by Marketing and New Product Manager for Harris Auto, a member of the Harris Group, Chris Haughton.
Day one
We had all flown into Dublin Airport, with guests flying in from Bristol, Newcastle, Birmingham, London and Glasgow. An early start for some people. However Bob Turnock from RWT Commercial Services was keen to point out that the early start was nothing compared to his – he began at the crack of dawn the day before, working throughout the day before driving to Holyhead to catch the overnight ferry to Dublin.
With all guests in the morning arrivals slot having gathered in Dublin Airport, Chris then led us out of the warm terminal into the cold and frosty air of the Emerald Isle. Jokingly, I mentioned to him that he could have arranged the weather, to which he quipped back: “We’re getting a new outdoor heating system in place. It’ll be operational in the next couple of days. It’s called the sun!”
We were led into the coach park at Dublin Airport, where we found a Higer Super 9 belonging to Eamonn Deering Bus Hire. The driver was Eamonn Deering himself, and as an owner and operator he was asked a lot of questions from the UK operators about the vehicle including the big question – what was the MPG like on the Super 9. Eamonn duly took out his fuel log and showed the fuel useage of the mini coach in real-time running to be over 18 MPG.
Eamonn ferried us to the hotel on-board his Higer Super 9, which gave us all a first glimpse at the running of the vehicle.[…]
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