Party Battle Buses

[MotCO]

Why are the Parties' Battle Buses never British? This year the Labour Bus is a short Mercedes, and the Conservatives is possibly an Irizar? Why is it never a Plaxton?

 

[GusB]

Funnily enough I had a chuckle when I saw the MayMobile on the news tonight, for exactly this reason.

The best one was the Vote Leave campaign bus - German engineering at its finest!

 

[sk688]

Wonder if the UKIP one is British

 

[Ginga]

Last time the Torys had a i6, irizar century and Mercedes Tourismo. I think they use Kings Ferry most of the time. UKIP had ex Nct Fleetline. Nigel Farage has a Land Rover Discovery convoy as he has to have Bodyguards, as he was attacked in Nottingham once. Lib Dems use a Westway Van Hool (which brokedown last time). Labour have a Unvi mini coach that they wrap. And George Galloway buys Open top buses from Usedcoachsales, he had a ex Trent Volvo Citybus open top, but has swapped it for another open top.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Wonder if the UKIP one is British

It is.

The UKIP battlebus is the real thing, not some oversized coach that can't fit down country lanes.

 

[GusB]

Wonder if the UKIP one is British

I haven't seen any recent photographs, but they did have a couple of aged double-deckers for the EU referendum - one was ex-Nottingham I think, and the other looked like a Park Royal bodied Altantean. I did also see an image of an Optare Solo in UKIP colours.

 

[Darandio]

Why is it never a Plaxton?

Even a Plaxton wouldn't be British, would it? At least not for the main parts, i.e ones that make it actually move.

 

[EM2]

If you check the registrations, you will find that this year's Conservative battlebus is last year's Remain battlebus!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/12/theresa-may-touring-country-recycled-remain-bus/

Theresa May is touring the country during the general election in the 'Remain' bus used during last year's referenedum campaign.

The past life of the Prime Minister's battle bus was identified by its number plate as she launched it during a visit to Northumberland.

I suppose it's fitting, seeing that May is herself a Remainer in a different coat these days.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

If you check the registrations, you will find that this year's Conservative battlebus is last year's Remain battlebus!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/12/theresa-may-touring-country-recycled-remain-bus/

Also used by the Tories in the 2015 election. Operated by Kings Ferry.

Labour are using Nova Bussing Unvi PO16CDE

 

[6Gman]

It is.

The UKIP battlebus is the real thing, not some oversized coach that can't fit down country lanes.

Er, didn't the UKIP vehicle get stuck earlier today?

In a country lane?

 

[Tetchytyke]

It is.

The UKIP battlebus is the real thing, not some oversized coach that can't fit down country lanes.

Joking aside, the UKIP battlebus is an Ayats Bravo. Which is Spanish. D'oh!

 

[fowler9]

The Tory Battlebus only actually says Conservative in tiny writing on the door.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The Tory Battlebus only actually says Conservative in tiny writing on the door.

Indeed - it's all about Theresa May this election for the Tories and the "Strong and Stable" leadership of a woman who backed REMAIN and wasn't going to call an election before 2020

I digress - the SDP Liberal Alliance in 1987 had to have TWO battle buses for each of the leaders - sadly they had Duple 320's. A model and manufacturer that descended into obscurity not long after.... like the Alliance!!

However, you might want to explore this http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/gen...n-battle-buses-in-pictures.html?frame=3250447 - the Telegraph have kindly captured a few images across the years

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Er, didn't the UKIP vehicle get stuck earlier today?

In a country lane?

Not that I'm aware of.

 

[gordonthemoron]

surely battle buses should have cannons and machine guns?

 

[BestWestern]

Then there was the time the UKIP battle bus belted the canopy at Portsmouth & Southsea...

 

[Bornin1980s]

I can think of two possible reasons:

1. With our narrow roads and short distances, we don't specialize in very large, luxury coaches.

2. No British maker wants to be seen as endorsing one party.

 

[me123]

For those of you who are not familiar with the party battle buses in use, Private Eye has this helpful guide.

 

[edwin_m]

Is the offside front of the LibDem battle bus severly dented, after all that driving in the middle of the road?

 

[Bald Rick]

Is the offside front of the LibDem battle bus severly dented, after all that driving in the middle of the road?

That's not a dent, it's where the weld to the Tory battle bus failed 2 years ago.

 

[BestWestern]

I can think of two possible reasons:

1. With our narrow roads and short distances, we don't specialize in very large, luxury coaches.

2. No British maker wants to be seen as endorsing one party.

To be fair, plenty of operators use large, luxury coaches in the UK. British builders have, since the advent of full size coaches in the 70s, tended to be rather conservative with their styling, in sharp comparison to their continental cousins who have frequently demonstrated far more flair. That said, Plaxton's current offerings do include some fairly smart styling.

As for endorsement, the vehicles are I believe sourced from an operator rather than directly from a manufacturer, so that isn't likely to be something the manufacturer would have much of a say over.

 

[GusB]

UKIP's battlebus is supplied by Jumbocruiser, apparently.

http://jumbocruiser.com/index.php/news/post/jumbocruiser-supplies-ukip-battle-bus-again

There is a video on the page, but I can't quite make out what the vehicle is because of the vinyl - looks like a Neoplan of sorts. It ain't British built, whatever it is!

EDIT - further Googling suggest it's an Ayats Bravo - a Spanish builder, as far as I'm aware.

 

[ECML180]

I saw that purple monstrosity on the M1 today, it looked like an Ayats but I only got a quick look between 2 wagons as it passed.

 

[mark-h]

UKIP's battlebus is supplied by Jumbocruiser, apparently.

Seems to be JU06 BUS (link contains interior photos).

It is a sleeper coach (normally used by bands for touring) with about 17 sleeper berths. JU06 has a larger luggage/equipment compartment than most of Jumbocruiser's vehicles but that may be down to avaliability and the snap nature of the election.

 

[MCR247]

It is.

The UKIP battlebus is the real thing, not some oversized coach that can't fit down country lanes.

Pardon?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/ukip-forced-suspend-campaigning-because-10455399

 

[MotCO]

However, you might want to explore this http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/gen...n-battle-buses-in-pictures.html?frame=3250447 - the Telegraph have kindly captured a few images across the years

Unfortunately couldn't see much of the battle buses - the politicians kept getting in the way

 

[edwin_m]

The UKIP battle bus has been in a minor accident.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-39975128

But the party's purple battle bus had a wing mirror knocked off overnight and needed to be repaired.

UKIP general election candidate, Paul Oakley, said the bus was "mysteriously damaged" but a party spokesman said it had been accidentally hit by a lorry.

Not sure if it's the left wing-mirror or the right wing-mirror that has split from the rest of the party.

 

[MotCO]

The UKIP battle bus has been in a minor accident.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-39975128



Not sure if it's the left wing-mirror or the right wing-mirror that has split from the rest of the party.

I think the problem was everytime they looked in the mirror, all they could see was Nigel Farage

 

[Busaholic]

Stephen Smith from BBC2 Newsnight programme is travelling the country in an AEC Routemaster bus, an RML. A couple of nights ago he was visiting Montgomeryshire, supposedly being driven by ex-MP self-publicist Lembit Opik.

 

[MotCO]

I would suggest that the parties do not take the vinyls off their coaches just yet - they may need them again in October