Prompted by the offer of a test drive of an unusual double-deck coach, Jonathan Welch hits the roads of Oxfordshire in a Caetano Invictus, better known in Great Britain as the Boa Vista, and considers the history of double-deck coaches in the UK
Double-deck coaches are nothing new, and yet they always hold a special fascination among both enthusiasts and the travelling public. Figuring high on the list of the largest vehicles on the road, measuring over 4 metres high and almost 15 metres long, they’re certainly impressive pieces of kit, and a very pleasant way to travel if you are one of the lucky ones who manages to grab the prized front seats upstairs. Depending where in the country you live, they are a type of vehicle which might be pretty common, or they might be a rare sight, but they’re far from new.
It would take many more than the pages allowed for this feature to give a comprehensive history, but there have been some key double-deck coaches over the years. An early contender might be the 30 Bristol VRL coaches operated by Standerwick, built between 1969 and 1972, or the ‘Gay Hostess’ Ribble Leyland Atlanteans of the 1960s and 1970s, featuring as the name suggests a refreshment service, as well as the luxuries of a toilet, reclining seats and air suspension. Both advanced the standards of comfort and style on offer in their day, at a time when most other coaches were very much of the single-deck variety.
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