MCV reaches 1000

25/06/2019 WebSupport Buses, Features, Manufacturer Update

The 1,000th MCV-bodied vehicle for the UK and Ireland has been built. MCV Bus and Coach Managing Director Ashraf Fawzi and Development Manager Ian Howarth talk to Andy Izatt about the landmark and provide an update on other developments at the Egyptian manufacturer

The 1,000th MCV-bodied vehicle for the UK and Ireland is one of 12 eVoRa-bodied Volvo B8RLEs for Stagecoach in South Wales. They will be used from early July on services T4 (Cardiff-Newtown) and T14 (Cardiff-Hereford), which are part of the TrawsCymru longer distance bus network funded by the Welsh Government.

While there were five Capital-bodied Dennis Darts completed for Warrington Borough Transport in 2002 following the closure of Marshall Bus of Cambridge, the first proper MCV for the UK – with body number 001 – was a demonstrator with Stirling bodywork mounted on a MAN 14.220 underframe. Certified in June 2003, it was registered AE04PFV in April 2004 when it was bought by MCV’s first UK customer, Travel de Courcey of Coventry. Like the 1,000th MCV, it also has a South Wales connection, operating for Gwyn Williams of Lower Tumble before going to Edwards of Llantwit Fardre where it was scrapped in 2014.

It was Ian Howarth, Development Manager at Sutton, Ely-based MCV Bus & Coach, the Egyptian manufacturer’s UK subsidiary, who flagged up that delivery of the 1,000th vehicle was imminent. Ian has worked for the UK subsidiary since it was founded in 2002 and continues to have a central role in product development. […]