Crossland.ie of Swatragh in County Londonderry has taken delivery of a heavily customised, left-hand drive Setra TopClass S 531 DT double-decker coach, supplied by Daimler Buses UK.
It is a rare example of a Setra delivered to a UK operator and joins many other coaches from the same marque, with the Northern Irish operator describing Setra as its builder of choice for music industry touring work.
While the drivetrain, coachwork and cab area are pure Setra, the vehicle was supplied as an empty structure for completion with a custom interior fitted out to accommodate band clients of Crossland.ie.
That includes a fully equipped kitchen, sleeping pods, a master bedroom and other home comforts, all fitted by a third-party.
Speaking about the delivery, Crossland.ie Managing Director Malachy McMullan says: “I would like to express my thanks to David Hobson, Ryan Atkinson and Mark Ramsden from Daimler Buses UK.
“Their input, support, knowledge and advice from day one was second-to-none, and as we continue to confirm our build slots, we know that the coaches will be supplied exactly how we want them.”
Power is from the 12.8-litre Mercedes-Benz OM 471 engine developing 510bhp and 2,500Nm of torque coupled to a Powershift automated manual gearbox. The driveline gives refinement to suit passengers’ need to sleep onboard during overnight journeys, the supplier notes.
“Daimler Buses UK continues to facilitate the sale of new Setra coaches in the UK in left-hand drive configuration only,” a spokesperson for the dealership adds. “This is in addition to supporting all maintenance and repair of the vehicles under our in-house OMNIplus brand.”
