Don’s of Dunmow has taken delivery of a Van Hool TDX27 Astromega double-deck, supplied by VDL Bus and Coach UK.
It is 14.2m long and that has 91 Kiel 1020 seats with three-point belts and USB charging points. A toilet is fitted on the lower deck and the vehicle also comes with a boiler, a fridge, an entertainment system including a DVD player and twin monitors, and a 3kW inverter with plug sockets at the stairs and in a cupboard.
Additional starter batteries are also included, along with a crew sleeping cabin in the luggage bay with a foldable wall. At the rear are ski box fitting points and a connector for associated electrics.
A camera monitoring system in lieu of mirrors is utilised, with the vehicle having been to AD Coach Systems for fitment of a 360-degree bird’s eye system to complement it.
PSVAR compliance is specified, with a removable pedestal to permit carriage of a wheelchair user. Extra side marker and pavement lights are part of the package, along with tail swing cameras at the rear that are activated when the turn signals are applied.
Power is from a DAF MX-13 engine developing 530bhp driving through an Allison T525R six-speed automatic gearbox. The coach was handed over to Don’s of Dunmow Director Steve Harvey (pictured, right) by sales representative Robert White (pictured, left). A cherished registration mark and the Essex operator’s distinctive livery complete the visual effect.
