Panthers on the prowl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plaxton’s Panther remains a popular choice. Jonathan Welch looks takes a brief look at the model range, and takes a new 12.8-metre version for a drive
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Plaxton coaches are a familiar part of the British coaching scene, having conveyed countless holidaymakers and travellers up and down the country over many decades. It’s hard to think of big names like Wallace Arnold, Shearings or National Express in its pre-Levante days without conjuring up the image of a Plaxton coach. Founded in 1907 by Frederick William Plaxton, and now a part of Alexander Dennis – itself a part of the NFI Group – the coach builder continues to play a major part in supplying operators large and small, and its coaches still form a significant part of Scotland’s express coach networks.

Over those years, there has been a constant development and improvement of the product on offer, but at the same time the lineage can still be traced, each generation building on the Plaxton house style whilst bringing it right up to date. The curvaceous lines and oval grilles of the 1950s gradually gave way to squarer, rectangular grilles, lengths increased, and the 1980s saw the popular Paramount range hit the roads, it’s modern, square lines and large rear lights making it stand out from the crowd.

Our steed for this test drive is a Panther, which is the modern incarnation of some of those earlier models, and which can itself trace its immediate parentage back to the turn of the millennium with the launch of the Panther alongside the similar but more upright-fronted Paragon, as a replacement for the previous Excalibur and Premiere models respectively. The Excalibur was the premium version, with a more raked front end, whilst the more common Premiere stood more centrally in the marketplace, and the Panther and Paragon continued this distinction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facelift

A decade after its launch, the Panther received a facelift in 2010, to bring it into line with the style of the then-recently launched Elite, which brought a radical new style to the Plaxton line-up, and this was followed two years later by the shorter Cub variant, giving operators a ‘big coach’ feel but with the shorter wheelbase and greater manoeuvrability that comes with a midicoach. 2013 saw further revisions to the Panther’s styling, with changes to the front and rear to bring it closer to the Elite, and to meet the needs of interurban coach operation, the low entry Panther LE was introduced in 2018. This version has has seen some success with operators such as Stagecoach on services in and around Fife.

Whereas the Elite targeted the premium touring market, the Panther remains true to what could be called Plaxton’s ‘traditional’ market, fulfilling the needs of the touring, holiday and private hire sectors. Plaxton describes it as the ‘established favourite’ of its range. Throughout its life, whilst the standard-length version has been a staple of tour fleets, longer high-capacity 15-metre versions have proved popular with intercity operators such as megabus and Scottish Citylink.

As the coach sector starts to pick up after 18 months of uncertainty for both operators and manufacturers, it seemed like a good opportunity to look at the Panther range, and take Country Lion’s latest fleet addition for a run around the Peak District before it was delivered to the Northamptonshire operator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First impressions

The Panther might not be a new design and while it lacks the styling flair of its bigger brother the Elite, after a number of years on the market in its current guise it still poses an attractive proposition for operators wanting a versatile all-rounder, especially in its latest PSVAR format with PLS side-mounted wheelchair lift.

Approaching the coach from the kerbside, one of the first features of note is the door, with it’s deep glazing and useful péage window. Despite the vast improvement in mirrors over the decades, a good direct view of the lower front corner from the driver’s seat is still always welcome. For anyone in doubt about the model name, the Panther name features on the door glass too.

It took a while for the bronze-red colour of Country Lion’s livery to grow on me, but the more I look the more I like it. Leaving the entrance area and moving aft, the wheelchair lift is fitted amidships rather than the more common locations of either over the axles or immediately behind the front wheel. The locker door below is split into two, with the lower door echoing the creased top of the upper half. I can’t make my mind up whether I like this, or whether it serves to just make the extra hatch stand out unnecessarily.

The curved side profile means that the upper hinge for the extra door stands proud, though it is not as obvious as might be expected. One definite plus is the provision of a light above the windowline, shining down to illuminate the pavement area and lift when in use – though it would be a benefit even just during loading and unloading of baggage or passengers.

The remaining luggage lockers are manually-operated and top-hinged (electrically-operated ones can be specified as an option), and open to reveal a space capable of carrying up to 310kgs of luggage.

At the rear, I am a big fan of the separate, clear and distinct tail/brake lights and indicators rather than the units seen on many coaches and buses which incorporate indicators within or right next to the brake lights. I find that having the indicator and brake light in the same unit serves to make the indicator less distinct and less eye-catching, especially in bright lighting conditions, so a nice big clear indicator is welcome. It makes it easier for other road users to see, which to my mind is a safety benefit as well as potentially making the driver’s job that little bit easier and less stressful. It is of course not just a coach issue; there are many cars out there with hard-to-see indicators which are overwhelmed by the brake lights.

One aspect of the range which has been a feature of Plaxton models for over two decades is the split rear panel, with a small opening top flap allowing access to the essentials, and a larger removable section giving access to the bigger components. It seems a logical arrangement, removing the need for the driver to lift a heavy single panel, and also has safety benefits in exposing less of the engine’s moving parts during walk-round checks. I have noted on a number of occasions though vehicles with damage to the lower panel, which looks to be the result of it being hinged down or removed and carelessly put on the ground, causing unsightly scrapes and scratches. Whether that comes down to the design or the operator’s maintenance staff is possibly a moot point as far as passenger perception goes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the road

I’m sure I’ve said before in test drives that it’s hard to find a truly ‘bad’ coach these days, certainly from a driver’s point of view. Granted, some are better than others, and what suits one driver might not suit another, but most modern coaches will do the job they are designed for with little fuss. Throughout its lifetime, Plaxton’s Panther range has been built mostly on the ever-popular Volvo chassis range, our test vehicle being on a B8R chassis with Volvo’s I-Shift automated manual transmission which is optional on this model, and fitted as standard to those built on the B11R needed to cope with the larger D11K engine’s 430 or 460hp, depending on specification. Operators wanting a fully automatic transmission have the option specifying a ZF automatic gearbox on the 360hp B8R chassis instead, which may suit service or interurban work better than the I-Shift option, as well as being more familiar to drivers who may be switching between buses and coaches during a shift.

I have to admit, I did keep finding my hand landing on the I-Shift instead of the handbrake, but would put that down to simply getting used to the vehicle, with both controls being quite well-placed within easy reach for use. That said, I did find the I-Shift lever made reaching down to the well-sized pocket to the right of the driver’s seat a little awkward. Nonetheless, good storage is always welcome, especially when neatly hidden from view of passengers to help give a good impression as they board.

The automated manual gearbox forces a more relaxed driving style, but once into the rhythm it is easy to get the best from the I-Shift ‘box. On a variety of roads, varying from motorway to urban to twisty A-roads, I tried a number of different driving styles and found the coach to be generally compliant and responsive. Even empty, with no weight of passengers and luggage to damp it, the suspension provided a good ride, and from the driver’s seat I could hear no rattles or excessive noise from fixtures and fittings.

At 12.8 metres, our 57-seat test coach is the longest Panther available on two axles. Despite this, I found the coach manoeuvrable and easy to drive, and comfortable too thanks to the vast range of adjustment on the Grammer driver’s seat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking inside

Moving away from the driver’s seat, the courier or guide is also well-provided for, with a comfortable fold-down seat. A cup holder and microphone holder are within easy reach over the left shoulder, and air vents are provided in the dashboard. I did wonder of the seat might be a little high for those of shorter stature, but there is a stout footrest bar fitted to make for a more comfortable journey.

For passengers, the area features a number of handrails, including the familiar arced one mounted alongside the dashboard plus shorter ones on the boarding passenger’s right. Four steps take passengers up to the driver’s level, with one more leading in to the aisle of the 12’1”-high coach.

The Panther has a long list of optional equipment and specifications. This coach for Country Lion featured seats in twin blue moquette, a carpeted aisle and wood-effect flooring. For operators wanting more luggage space, Plaxton’s flexible approach means that instead of the centre sunken toilet with servery unit and continental door fitted to this coach, they could specify a rear floor-mounted toilet and rear continental door. On this example, with seats removed to accommodate a wheelchair user, the capacity drops from 57 to 51+1. Adjacent to the wheelchair area, the pillars are thicker but not obtrusively so. Radiator heating is fitted as standard, along with air-conditioning, although blown air heating is an option.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cub and the LE

Whilst the standard Panther is available in 12.2, 12.6 and 12.8-metre lengths on two axles and 14.0 metres on three, there are two further options available for more specialist applications. Described, possibly with some degree of justification, by Plaxton as ‘innovative’, the Panther LE remains a less common sight on the roads. Designed for stage carriage services that require both easy access and comfort, such as commuter express routes or longer-distance connections doubling up as local services in rural areas, the model offers a combination of low-floor easy access and coach style. Other options which fulfil the same brief would seem to be restricted to the Sunsudegui-bodied Volvos in service with Bus Éireann, or double-deckers such as Plaxton’s own Panorama which offers similar benefits, but with the inherant much higher initial and operating costs.

The LE offers a low entry and flat floor in the front saloon, which has 16 coach seats and a permanent forward-facing wheelchair position, accessible step-free through the front door. A portable, folding ramp is provided for situations where a raised kerb may be unavailable, and this is stowed in the under-floor locker space ahead of the rear axles. Beyond the low-floor area, three shallow steps take passengers to the remainder of the 53 seats in the rear saloon, which also features coach-style luggage racks and individual rack-mounted service units.
Of necessity, to enable a viable number of seats, the coach is only available as a tri-axle version.

Ahead of the rear axles, the small luggage lockers have a volume of 2.1m3,giving a useful, if restricted, additional luggage capacity.

At 14.6 metres long and built on the Volvo B8RLE chassis, the Panther LE still maintains a high degree of commonality with the Panther range. It is powered by Volvo’s 350hp Euro VI engine which, like the standard Panther, drives through the manufacturer’s I-Shift automated manual transmission or a ZF EcoLife fully automatic gearbox.

At the other end of the Panther scale is the short wheelbase Cub. Plaxton describes the Panther Cub as the ‘baby’ of the Panther family, though it is still a big brother to the Mercedes-Benz Atego-based Cheetah. With the same standards and equipment as the standard-length Panther, the 10.8-metre Cub is available in a range of specifications with up to 45 seats, or 41 with toilet. Whilst some operators might view such a coach as having much the same running costs as it’s longer brother whilst carrying fewer paying passengers, the success that the model has seen with operators suggests that there is indeed a market for something which is more akin to a full-size coach, with fewer weight and volume restrictions on luggage than a large-sized midicoach, but which is able to fit in tighter spaces than a 12-metre version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusions

The Panther has been around for a number of years in its current form, and continues to sell well for Plaxton. Whilst the Elite and Panther LE may be the ones that draw the most looks, in its standard form Panther still represents a solid all-rounder with a range of specifications and options to suit most needs, and although the Scarborough production line is currently heavily occupied with building double-deckers for Berlin, the manufacturer still has examples available from stock.
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