BRITISH CHARITY BUS MEET CELEBRATES 112-YEAR HISTORY

Photography by: courtesy ADL

Date: 04.09.2019

PLAXTON, part of Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) – itself becoming a subsidiary of North America’s NFI Group Inc. (NFI) - hosted its first bus and coach rally recently as a celebration of its 112-year history and diverse product range, it states.

“It really was a celebration of what makes Plaxton great..." said Richard Matthews, Retail Sales director for Bus and Coach.

Held 8 August, 2019, it attracted 42 Plaxton coaches from 32 operators for a much fancied ‘show and shine’-type competition, with the winners announced at a glitzy seaside-themed awards dinner at the Scarborough Spa that evening, in South Bay, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England.

The event - held also as a thank-you to loyal customers – welcomed 500 visitors throughout the day and raised a respectable GBP£1,800 for its two chosen local charities: the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to support Scarborough’s local Shannon lifeboat - named after the company’s founder Frederick William Plaxton - and Saint Catherine’s hospice.

COMPETITION FORMAT

Entrants were split into five age-based award categories, as well as People’s Choice and Best in Rally, before being judged by a panel of four industry experts, ADL explains.

After the judging a cavalcade took place along Marine Drive, which drew much attention from the local public, the company states.

WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER!

After a closely fought competition, the winners were announced as follows: 

* Pre-1964: Johnson Bros., 1963 Panorama VAL

* 1965–1979: Kenzies Coaches, 1965 Panorama VAL

* 1980–1991: Sharpes of Nottingham, 1981 Supreme IV

* 1992–2010: Henry Cooper Coaches, 1996 Excalibur

* 2011–Present day: Country Lion, 2017 Elite

* People’s Choice: Acklams Coaches, 2017 Elitei team coach

* Best in Show: Johnson Bros., 1963 Panorama VAL

Richard Matthews, Retail Sales director for Bus and Coach, said: "Congratulations to all the winners and a heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for this unique occasion."

"I couldn’t be more proud of the team for putting on such a fantastic event.

"It really was a celebration of what makes Plaxton great and we’re humbled by how much support we’ve received from the industry to make it happen," he stated.

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