Berrys Coaches New Plaxton Panorama

[cambsy]

Berrys Coaches of Taunton, Have around the 21st July, taken delivery of their brand new 20 reg, Ex Demonstrator Plaxton Panorama, which from a short video on Facebook, looks really nice, with leather seats, servery for host/hostess, and white with super fast branding.

Had interesting Facebook messenger conversation, about its introduction, as due to Covid timetable, they are combining routes, which are now, Tiverton-Wellington-Illminster-South Petherton-Yeovil-Ilchester-RNAS Yeovil-Wimcanton-Hammersmith, and North Petherton-Bridgwater-Street-Glastonbury-Wells-Shelton Mallet-Frome-Warminster-Codford Village-Amesbury-Hammersmith, it would be operating over routes which are rather tight in places for a Plaxton Panorama Double Decker to get down.
So they are currently looking to do empty runs to see wether it can manage route, with the possibility of not running it, till the old routes are back on again, then once old SF1 is back running, it would probably do the SF1 Tiverton-Wellington-Taunton-North Petherton-Bridgwater-Hammersmith run, as theres no tight bits on it.

I would like to know, if anyone has knowledge off those roads etc, which sections, would pose the problems? Seems a shame to have bought this coach, if then they cant use it on their services, until the old routes are back, hope fully ill get to try it out before too long.

 

[M803UYA]

Berrys Coaches of Taunton, Have around the 21st July, taken delivery of their brand new 20 reg, Ex Demonstrator Plaxton Panorama, which from a short video on Facebook, looks really nice, with leather seats, servery for host/hostess, and white with super fast branding.

Had interesting Facebook messenger conversation, about its introduction, as due to Covid timetable, they are combining routes, which are now, Tiverton-Wellington-Illminster-South Petherton-Yeovil-Ilchester-RNAS Yeovil-Wimcanton-Hammersmith, and North Petherton-Bridgwater-Street-Glastonbury-Wells-Shelton Mallet-Frome-Warminster-Codford Village-Amesbury-Hammersmith, it would be operating over routes which are rather tight in places for a Plaxton Panorama Double Decker to get down.
So they are currently looking to do empty runs to see wether it can manage route, with the possibility of not running it, till the old routes are back on again, then once old SF1 is back running, it would probably do the SF1 Tiverton-Wellington-Taunton-North Petherton-Bridgwater-Hammersmith run, as theres no tight bits on it.

I would like to know, if anyone has knowledge off those roads etc, which sections, would pose the problems? Seems a shame to have bought this coach, if then they cant use it on their services, until the old routes are back, hope fully ill get to try it out before too long.

I'm sure Berrys will have other work for the coach, quite often the deckers are taken off for private hire work and they do a lot of work for Babcock, where the capacity comes in useful. The section of route from Frome to Shepton Mallet, Pilton and Glastonbury is quite tight, but I have driven it in a Van Hool decker before which isn't as long as this 15m beastie. I no longer work for them though.
They have been getting rid of staff who have less than 2 years service ahead of changes to Furlough - company treats their employees quite poorly, which is why they're always advertising for drivers. Plenty of better paid work elsewhere in the area.