Paul S Winson with a Scania Touring and Dews Coaches driver Christopher Shaw piloting a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo were the big winners at the 2025 UK Coach Rally in Blackpool on 12 and 13 April. The Loughborough operator’s Scania won Coach of the Year, and Mr Shaw returned to Cambridgeshire with the Coach Driver of the Year trophy.
Those accolades were among many presented by Blackpool Transport Managing Director Jane Cole and soon-to-be-Senior Traffic Commissioner Kevin Rooney. The gathering was again blessed by reasonable weather as a field of 44 coaches and drivers were put to the test.
The Paul S Winson entry – a factory-fresh 10.9m Touring – became the first Scania since 1997 to win Coach of the Year. It is a 42-seater. The vehicle also won the Peter Rogers Shield for top Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) member, Top Standard Coach, and the Scania Trophy.
Meanwhile, Mr Shaw triumphed in a Tourismo M/2 Access and took the Coach Driver of the Year accolade for Dews for the first time since 2000, when it was claimed by current Managing Director Simon Dew for a second consecutive year.
The Alan Goodwin Trophy for highest placed coach operator in all classes stayed closer by and went to Archway Travel of Fleetwood. It entered a Volvo B9R with Jonckheere JHV body from 2013. Managing Director Sam Archer also claimed the Peter Bostock Trophy for highest-placed driver in Saturday tests.
New trophy for 2025 UK Coach Rally winners’ list
Debuting in 2025 was the Lady Coach Driver of the Year category. It was won by Jodie Wood of Carlisle operator Metcalfe Coaches driving a Van Hool TX15 Alicron. That vehicle also claimed the Fred Bibby Trophy for best loved coach.
Mini Driver of the Year was Jason Moffatt of Glen Valley Tours in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with Altas Tourline conversion. Midi Driver of the Year went to Paul Giles of Theobolds Coaches and Holidays. He piloted a Temsa MD9.
Recipient of the West Middlesex Coach Operators Association Trophy for runner-up to Coach Driver of the year was William Brayford of Robinsons Holidays. Coach Driver of the Year in 2018, Mr Brayford was again at the helm of an immaculately presented Volvo B12B with Jonckheere Mistral bodywork dating from 2004.
Completing the drivers’ awards was Heathside Travel. Its mid-sized Irizar i6S integral enabled Managing Director Tim Southby to win the Directors’ Challenge, while driver Michael Collins returned to Dorset with the Maurice Wrightson Memorial Shield for oldest employed participant in the UK Coach Rally.
Participating drivers each get a vote themselves, and thus the Bernie Porton Memorial Trophy for Coach of the Year as voted by coach drivers was awarded to a Volvo B12B with Van Hool T9 Alizee bodywork operated by Ingleby’s Luxury Coaches of York. It also got the nod for top coach aged five years or older.
Williams Coaches weighed down with winning ways
Operators from England, Scotland and Wales each claimed silverware. The biggest single winner, with six trophies, was Williams Coaches, which entered a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo L and a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a Cento minicoach conversion.
Heading to Brecon were Top Mini/Midi for the Sprinter and Top Touring/Express Luxury Coach for the Tourismo. The latter also took the Mercedes-Benz Trophy, the Boon’s Award for best coordinated décor, the Cymru Trophy for top coach from Wales, and the UK Coach Operators Association Martin Cornell Trophy for highest-placed UKCOA member in all classes.
Top Team on the Road was Hollywood Travel of Birmingham. It entered a Scania K360 with MOBIpeople Premium bodywork in a distinctive orange livery that also collected the MOBIpeople Trophy.
Van Hool T models on show at Rally
Among coaches attracting interest at the 2025 Rally were two Van Hool T range members. Parrys International entered its first T17 Astron, which was collected from dealership VDL Bus and Coach UK shortly before the event.
Bibby’s of Ingleton presented its T15 Alicron, with Director Chris Bibby a further operator to note that the T line-up continues the high quality known of Van Hool. It was one of a growing number of entrants to the Rally equipped with a camera monitoring system and was utilised by Director Peter Bibby in the Directors’ Challenge.
The Parrys example claimed the Van Hool Trophy and its crew was recognised with the smartest uniformed driver and/or courier silverware.
The Tony Roose Trophy for top coach from Scotland was lifted by Wilson’s of Rhu with a Temsa HD12 – one of many entries from the Turkish marque. Wilson’s also received the Cyril Kenzie Memorial Trophy for highest-placed first-time entrant; Banstead Coaches claimed the Temsa Trophy with a new HD12.
Another strong showing from Wales among Rally winners
A good showing was put on by operators from Wales besides Williams Coaches. Go Goodwins – now based in Bagillt – entered a Neoplan Tourliner in its new livery, which is an adaptation of the scheme used by the business in previous decades.
That coach was rewarded with the Gywnn Williams Trophy for highest placed entry in all classes from Wales along with the John Fielder Memorial Trophy for top coach from a fleet of up to five vehicles.
Llew Jones Coaches of Llanrwst took the Top Executive Coach trophy for its newly delivered Leger Luxuria top-specification VDL Futura FHD2, which additionally gained the VDL Trophy.
Also showcasing 2+1 seating with tables was a much older entry in the form of a 1971 Leyland Leopard with Plaxton Panorama Elite II body. Owned by Portsmouth City Coaches, it seats 22 and now carries The Southdown Diplomat livery. The Rita Dalziel Trophy for top coach aged 25 years or older made its way back to the south coast aboard the Leyland.
Another poignant Plaxton was a Leopard on Volvo B8R chassis entered by South Staffs Coach Hire. Freshly into service on a 25-plate, it is said to be the last Plaxton built thus far, and claimed the Plaxton Trophy.
In other manufacturer-specific categories, Glen Valley Tours’ Neoplan Tourliner took the Neoplan Trophy; FR Willetts lifted the Jonckheere Trophy for its JHV-bodied Volvo B11R; the Volvo Trophy went to Brethertons Gold Line Tours for its striking 9900; the Irizar Trophy was claimed by Centurion Travel with an i6S Efficient integral; and the Yutong Trophy winner was a GT12 entered by Yorkshire Rose Holidays.
Trade area activities remain strong
Various dealerships and manufacturers supported the trade area. Developments from those parties will be covered separately on the routeone website, but overall messaging was that the coach market remains buoyant with demand largely outstripping supply.
Winners’ success at the 2025 UK Coach Rally comes as the event looks to its 70th gathering in 2026. While this year’s field had room for a handful of further entrants, organisers hope that next year will see a full house in recognition of the anniversary. Dates will be confirmed in due course.
2025 UK Coach Rally: The winners’ list
Trophies and Awards
Coach of the Year: Scania Touring, Paul S Winson
Coach Driver of the Year: Christopher Shaw, Dews Coaches
Lady Coach Driver of the Year: Jodie Wood, Metcalfe Coaches
Mini Driver of the Year: Jason Moffatt, Glen Valley Tours
Midi Driver of the Year: Paul Giles, Theobolds Coaches and Holidays
Alan Goodwin Trophy – highest placed coach operator in all classes: Archway Travel
Top Team on the Road: Hollywood Travel
West Middlesex Coach Operators Association Trophy – runner-up to Coach Driver of the Year: William Brayford, Robinsons Holidays
Peter Bostock Trophy – highest placed driver in Saturday tests: Sam Archer, Archway Travel
Directors’ Challenge: Tim Southby, Heathside Travel.
Concours d’Elegance awards
Top Mini/Midi: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cento, Williams Coaches
Top Standard Coach: Scania Touring, Paul S Winson
Top Touring/Express Luxury Coach: Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, Williams Coaches
Top Executive Coach: VDL Futura FHD2, Llew Jones Coaches
Top Coach aged five years or older: Volvo B12B Van Hool T9 Alizee, Ingleby’s Luxury Coaches
Rita Dalziel Trophy – top coach aged 25 years or older: Leyland Leopard Plaxton Panorama Elite II, Portsmouth City Coaches
John Fielder Memorial Trophy – top coach from a small fleet up to five vehicles: Neoplan Tourliner, Go Goodwins.
Concours d’Elegance Manufacturers’ Awards
Irizar Trophy: Centurion Travel, Irizar i6S Efficient integral
Jonckheere Trophy: Volvo B11R Jonckheere JHV, FR Willetts
Mercedes-Benz Trophy: Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, Williams Coaches
MOBIpeople Trophy: Scania K360 MOBIpeople Premium, Hollywood Travel
Neoplan Trophy: Neoplan Tourliner, Glen Valley Tours
Plaxton Trophy: Volvo B8R Plaxton Leopard, South Staffs Coach Hire
Scania Trophy: Scania Touring, Paul S Winson
Temsa Trophy: Temsa HD12, Banstead Coaches
Van Hool Trophy: Van Hool T17 Astron, Parrys International Tours
VDL Trophy: VDL Futura FHD2, Llew Jones Coaches
Volvo Trophy: Volvo 9900, Brethertons Gold Line Tours
Yutong Trophy: Yutong GT12, Yorkshire Rose Holidays.
Special Awards
Bernie Porton Memorial Trophy – coach of the year as voted for by drivers: Volvo B12B Van Hool T9 Alizee, Ingleby’s Luxury Coaches
Boon’s Award – best co-ordinated décor: Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, Williams Coaches
Cymru Trophy – top coach from Wales: Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, Williams Coaches
Cyril Kenzie Memorial Trophy – highest placed first-time entrant: Temsa HD12, Wilson’s of Rhu
Fred Bibby Award – best loved coach: Van Hool TX15 Alicron, Metcalfe Coaches
Gwynn Williams Trophy – highest placed in all classes from Wales: Neoplan Tourliner, Go Goodwins
Martin Wrightson Memorial Shield – oldest employed participant: Michael Collins, Heathside Travel
Peter Rogers Shield – top CPT member: Scania Touring, Paul S Winson
Smartest uniformed driver and/or courier: Parrys International Tours
Tony Roose Trophy – top coach from Scotland: Temsa HD12, Wilson’s of Rhu
UKCOA Martin Cornell Trophy – highest placed UKCOA member: Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, Williams Coaches.
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