Alexander Dennis, a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that it recently handed over another Plaxton Leopard coach to Roy McCarthy Coaches.
The latest vehicle is a 12.2m long example with 57 belted seats in a comfortable 2+2 arrangement, offering good capacity for private hires as well as school contracts. Parallel-lift doors make it easy for drivers to load luggage into the underfloor lockers. Built on the Volvo B8R chassis, its power is transmitted by a ZF automatic gearbox.
Roy McCarthy Coaches has been operating coaches from its base in Macclesfield since 1971. Its first brand-new coach was a Plaxton Paramount on Bedford YNT chassis bought in 1986. It remains in the fleet as a heritage vehicle which sees occasional use on school contracts, and which provided a comparison to the latest Plaxton Leopard during its handover.
The new coach was welcomed by Max McCarthy, who is part of the third generation of McCarthys running the family business: “Plaxton has always been a great choice for our fleet and the Plaxton Leopard has been particularly well suited thanks to the range of customisations available, not least the availability of this 12.2m shorter wheelbase option which has allowed us to choose increased manoeuvrability without a significant penalty on passenger capacity.”
Alexander Dennis Regional Sales Manager, Simon Wood, said: “Roy McCarthy Coaches is a fantastic example of a loyal and enthusiastic Plaxton operator. It is an honour to see another new Leopard alongside the trusted Paramount from 1986, showing nearly four decades of consistent investment in an immaculate fleet.”
