In the week when all eyes were on the events at Euro Bus Expo, Richard Walter took the opportunity to visit the UK home of Volvo Group in Warwick and see how it is driving the future of sustainable passenger transport
Having spent a very enjoyable but hectic day at the NEC in Birmingham for day one of Euro Bus Expo on Tuesday 12 November, on the Wednesday I decided to take up the open invitation from Volvo Group UK to drop by and meet its team and see the latest products at the company’s impressive headquarters in the nearby picturesque historic market town of Warwick, adjacent to the River Avon.
It is a place I have never visited before and my first views of it were rather atmospheric as an early morning mist engulfed the entrance to Warwick Castle, with the sun desperately trying to break through. The headquarters of Volvo Group UK & Ireland are situated on the western edge of the town not far from the castle and famous racecourse. On approach to the main entrance, the first thing I noted was an imposing giant Christmas tree (as yet undecorated) on the grassy area behind an all-white MCV Evora B8RLE parked up in front of the office buildings. A great background for a photo.
Effective people movers
On arrival at reception I was welcomed by some of the team and was offered refreshments in a display room where one of the latest new facelifted Volvo B8R MCV EvoTors destined for the fleet of Westbus was on display. After an initial inspection of the interior of the coach, Sales Director Richard Mann took me on a tour of the building and the vehicles on display, starting with a B8L MCV EvoSeti 98-seat tri-axle in the black and white livery of Imperial Coaches. The spacious interior demonstrated well how these buses can be used as effective people movers; it’s no surprise that they are gaining popularity because of their size. In addition to the Evora single-decker parked outside the front of the building was an MCV-bodied BZL single deck electric bus which was already very familiar to me, having spent a considerable time as a demonstrator with my local operator Lothian Buses in addition to other companies throughout the UK. I was also able to inspect another Volvo B8R MCV EvoTor in all over white which was on show outside, and due for delivery to New Punjab Coaches of Southall, West London shortly.
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