The latest addition to the fleet of Tees Valley Coach Travel of Eaglescliffe is a new Plaxton Panther-bodied Volvo B9R, supplied by Plaxton Coaches Sales. It joins a predominantly Plaxton coach fleet, which includes Panthers and a top-specification tri-axle Elite used primarily as the Middlesbrough Football Club team coach.
“We have had good experiences with the Plaxton/Volvo combination,” said Ian Peacock, who set up the business in 2005. “This new coach is our first B9R and our first new-generation Panther and we have bought it primarily to cater for incoming tourists.”
The 12.8m-long Panther is an air-conditioned 49/53-seater with centre sunken toilet. It provides Tees Valley with high standards of comfort for its clients, and operational flexibility. The B9R is powered by Volvo’s 340bhp D9B 9-litre Euro 5 engine, coupled to the popular I-Shift 12-speed automated gearbox.
Now in its seventh year of operation, the firm has a 27 strong fleet and is based in Stockton-on-Tees.
The company’s expansion since it started up with just one vehicle has been across a range of operations including school contracts, local bus services and private hire. “We’ve grasped opportunities as they have arisen,” Mr Peacock explained. “This latest investment demonstrates our focus on providing customers with a top-quality service.”
