17-605: The MCW Metroliner was an integral coach manufactured by Metro Cammell Weymann (MCW) between 1983 and 1988. Launched by MCW in April 1983 ahead of the 1984 tourist season as the company attempted to diversify its manufacturing business away from orders by the passenger transport executives of the United Kingdom, the Metroliner was available as a standard single-deck coach or a tri-axle double-deck coach based on
34-414: A coach bus , motorcoach or parlor coach ) is a type of bus built for longer-distance service, in contrast to transit buses that are typically used within a single metropolitan region. Often used for touring , intercity , and international bus service, coaches are also used for private charter for various purposes. Coaches are also related and fall under a specific category/type of RVs . Deriving
51-419: A body to be added. A few coaches are built with monocoque bodies without a chassis frame. Integrated manufacturers (most of whom also supply chassis) include Autosan , Scania , Fuso , and Alexander Dennis . Major coachwork providers (some of whom can build their own chassis) include Van Hool , Neoplan , Marcopolo , Irizar , MCI , Prevost , Volvo and Designline . In some European countries following
68-425: A revised front with less angular styling. The most numerous type of Metroliner was the double deck DR130 design. This was designed specifically for express coach services in the United Kingdom and thus differed from contemporary double-deck coaches in its height: most double-deck coaches are built to under 4 metres (13 ft) in height as this is the maximum permitted in continental Europe , but this severely limits
85-587: The 1958 type certification treaty, coach (that is vehicle of type M2 or M3) type certification is regulated by regulation number 107 from the UNECE. In the U.S., commercial drivers of motorcoaches are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). A representative selection of vehicles currently (or recently) in use in different parts of the world. A selection of vehicles in use in different parts of
102-567: The CR126. Sales of HR131 Metro Hi-Liners amounted to 21, which were built between 1983 and 1988. MCW operated the first Hi-Liner as a type demonstrator, with operators who took delivery of the Hi-Liner including seven for SBG subsidiary for Northern Scottish, six for NBC subsidiaries East Kent, East Midland and Wessex, four for Premier Travel, two for Grampian Regional Transport , and a single example for WMT Central Coachways. In an effort to broaden
119-470: The NBC's regional National Holidays package holiday divisions, four being delivered to SBG subsidiaries Eastern Scottish and Northern Scottish , and the remaining two delivered to Strathclyde PTE , these being modified with wheelchair lifts for use on two twice-weekly accessible services between Glasgow city centre and Paisley as well as southwestern city suburbs until early 1985. The final ten CR126s had
136-487: The appeal of the double-deck coach, a 4 metres (13 ft) high version was offered with sleeker styling. Marketed by MCW as the Metroliner 400GT, this was the rarest Metroliner variant with only three examples built between 1987 and 1988. Two went to Central Coachways, one of which had initially been a demonstrator, whilst Yorkshire Traction took the third. [REDACTED] Media related to MCW Metroliner at Wikimedia Commons Coach (bus) A coach (also known as
153-422: The bare essentials such as storage and restrooms. Coaches typically have only a single, narrow door, but some can have two doors, as an increased loading time is acceptable due to infrequent stops. Some characteristics include: Coaches, like buses, may be fully built by integrated manufacturers, or a separate chassis consisting of only an engine, wheels and basic frame may be delivered to a coachwork factory for
170-553: The early years of the 20th century. The first "motor coaches" were purchased by operators of those horse-drawn vehicles in the early 20th century by operators such as Royal Blue Coach Services , who purchased their first charabanc in 1913 and were running 72 coaches by 1926. As they hold passengers for significant periods of time on long journeys, coaches are designed for comfort. They can vary considerably in quality: some higher-specification coaches feature luxury seats, air conditioning , and refreshments, while others may only have
187-561: The first horse-drawn mail coaches in Europe since Roman times in 1650, and as they started in the town of Kocs, the use of these mail coaches gave rise to the term "coach". Stagecoaches (drawn by horses) were used for transport between cities from about 1500 in Great Britain until displaced by the arrival of the railways. One of the earliest motorized vehicles was the charabanc , which was used for short journeys and excursions until
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#1732791020954204-565: The interior headroom. The DR130 was higher, allowing a much more spacious interior but making the design unsuitable for continental tours and limiting its appeal on the secondhand market. In total, 127 Metroliner DR130s were built between 1983 and 1987, with the first DR130 delivered to the SBG as a demonstrator for Scottish Citylink services between London and Glasgow; ultimately, a further eleven DR130s would be built for SBG subsidiaries Eastern Scottish, Northern Scottish, and Western Scottish. The DR130
221-555: The limited demand for older double-deck coaches and the high seating capacity on the upper deck, many double-deck Metroliner DR130s were converted to open-top buses by Ensignbus , mainly for use on their London Pride Sightseeing operation. Marketed by MCW as the Metro Hi-Liner, the single deck HR131 was built on an integral high-floor chassis in comparison to the original body-on-frame CR126 model. All were built with revised frontal styling that would later be introduced on
238-504: The name from horse-drawn carriages and stagecoaches that carried passengers, luggage, and mail, modern motor coaches are almost always high-floor buses, with separate luggage hold mounted below the passenger compartment. In contrast to transit buses, motor coaches typically feature forward-facing seating, with no provision for standing. Other accommodations may include onboard restrooms, televisions, and overhead luggage space. Horse-drawn chariots and carriages ("coaches") were used by
255-508: The tri-axle MCW Metrobus chassis, predominantly for service in the United Kingdom with nationalised bus operators National Bus Company (NBC) and Scottish Bus Group (SBG) for their long-distance coach National Express and Scottish Citylink express services. A total of 172 Metroliners were built across four different variants: Only 21 of the original style of single deck Metroliner were built between 1983 and 1984, with 15 delivered to NBC subsidiaries East Kent and Eastern National for
272-479: The wealthy and powerful where the roads were of a high enough standard from possibly 3000 BC. In Hungary , during the reign of King Matthias Corvinus in the 15th century, the wheelwrights of Kocs began to build a horse-drawn vehicle with steel-spring suspension. This "cart of Kocs" as the Hungarians called it ( Hungarian : kocsi szekér ) soon became popular all over Europe. The imperial post service employed
289-690: Was most popular with various NBC subsidiaries for National Express and National Holidays work, with a total of 102 built, most to the company's 'Rapide' specification, throughout the Metroliner's production run. Deliveries of DR130s outside of both groups for long-distance express services to London, which had been deregulated in 1980 , included a combined seven for the London Buses and West Midlands Travel London Liner joint operation, serving London and Birmingham , as well as six for Tyne & Wear PTE 's Armstrong Galley Clipper service, serving London and Newcastle upon Tyne via Washington . Due to
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