Community Transport Glasgow FIAT Ducato/Mellor Orion E
Our friends increasingly electric
More and more manufacturers are introducing electric buses and here’s an example of an electric minibus: It’s produced by Mellor Coachcraft, an English firm. This particular bus is based on an adapted FIAT Ducato van chassis, which is then adapted with electric drivetrain and bodywork. This is SJ69EXU running for Community Transport Glasgow, with support from Scottish Power.
For those not familiar with Mellor, it’s based in Bolton near Manchester and has a factory in nearby Rochdale. Founded in the 1960s, Mellor have primarily produced bodywork for various different minibus chassis throughout its history.
It was founded by Tom Mellor. Initially, Mellor specialised in providing bodywork for commercial vehicles including ambulances, before later moving into minibus manufacturing. Following a period of growth spurred on by the move into the minibus market, Mellor moved into a new purpose-built factory in Miall Street, Rochdale which they still occupy today, although the company headquarters have relocated to nearby Bolton.
Throughout the 'minibus revolution' of the 1980s in the United Kingdom, Mellor provided bodies for a number of different chassis, with a large number of deliveries going to Transit Holdings and their various subsidiaries, mainly on adapted Ford Transit chassis, hence the name of the company.
In 1989, the company was sold by Henlys Group to Plaxton. In February 1992, the company's assets were transferred to a new entity, Deckglade Limited, in preparation for a management buyout by the Woodall Nicholson Group that was completed in May 1992, with the company name reverting to Mellor Coachcraft in July 2003. Success was found in the late 1990s and early 2000s with a bodywork for the low-floor Iveco Daily chassis, with a capacity of between 16 and 25 passengers; fitted with an optional rear lift, the body was popular with the early access bus market. Later, bodywork was launched for the Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit and Mercedes-Benz T2, Vario and Sprinter chassis, with many minibuses being sold to local authorities in the access bus market.
Mellor purchased rival minibus manufacturer Bluebird Vehicles in July 2014, after the latter company had entered administration, taking over manufacture of their successful Fiat Ducato-based Orion and Volkswagen Transporter-based Tucana minibuses. Mellor later launched the updated Tucana II and an updated version of the Orion, sharing features with a number of Mellor's own products.
In 2016, Mellor launched the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based Strata minibus, with a capacity of up to 22 seated passengers. The Strata has sold well in the market of the United Kingdom's 'second minibus revolution' of the mid to late 2010s, winning orders from a number of operators including Arriva North West, McGill’s Buses and Bus Vannin.
The Strata was followed by the Maxima on high-floor Iveco Daily chassis, aimed at local authorities for the access bus and community transport markets, with a capacity of up to eight wheelchairs or 30 seated passengers.[15] In August 2017, Mellor signed a distributorship arrangement deal in Germany and Austria with E-Vade as part of plans to expand into the mainland European market.
Community Transport Glasgow FIAT Ducato/Mellor Orion E
Our friends increasingly electric
More and more manufacturers are introducing electric buses and here’s an example of an electric minibus: It’s produced by Mellor Coachcraft, an English firm. This particular bus is based on an adapted FIAT Ducato van chassis, which is then adapted with electric drivetrain and bodywork. This is SJ69EXU running for Community Transport Glasgow, with support from Scottish Power.
For those not familiar with Mellor, it’s based in Bolton near Manchester and has a factory in nearby Rochdale. Founded in the 1960s, Mellor have primarily produced bodywork for various different minibus chassis throughout its history.
It was founded by Tom Mellor. Initially, Mellor specialised in providing bodywork for commercial vehicles including ambulances, before later moving into minibus manufacturing. Following a period of growth spurred on by the move into the minibus market, Mellor moved into a new purpose-built factory in Miall Street, Rochdale which they still occupy today, although the company headquarters have relocated to nearby Bolton.
Throughout the 'minibus revolution' of the 1980s in the United Kingdom, Mellor provided bodies for a number of different chassis, with a large number of deliveries going to Transit Holdings and their various subsidiaries, mainly on adapted Ford Transit chassis, hence the name of the company.
In 1989, the company was sold by Henlys Group to Plaxton. In February 1992, the company's assets were transferred to a new entity, Deckglade Limited, in preparation for a management buyout by the Woodall Nicholson Group that was completed in May 1992, with the company name reverting to Mellor Coachcraft in July 2003. Success was found in the late 1990s and early 2000s with a bodywork for the low-floor Iveco Daily chassis, with a capacity of between 16 and 25 passengers; fitted with an optional rear lift, the body was popular with the early access bus market. Later, bodywork was launched for the Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit and Mercedes-Benz T2, Vario and Sprinter chassis, with many minibuses being sold to local authorities in the access bus market.
Mellor purchased rival minibus manufacturer Bluebird Vehicles in July 2014, after the latter company had entered administration, taking over manufacture of their successful Fiat Ducato-based Orion and Volkswagen Transporter-based Tucana minibuses. Mellor later launched the updated Tucana II and an updated version of the Orion, sharing features with a number of Mellor's own products.
In 2016, Mellor launched the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based Strata minibus, with a capacity of up to 22 seated passengers. The Strata has sold well in the market of the United Kingdom's 'second minibus revolution' of the mid to late 2010s, winning orders from a number of operators including Arriva North West, McGill’s Buses and Bus Vannin.
The Strata was followed by the Maxima on high-floor Iveco Daily chassis, aimed at local authorities for the access bus and community transport markets, with a capacity of up to eight wheelchairs or 30 seated passengers.[15] In August 2017, Mellor signed a distributorship arrangement deal in Germany and Austria with E-Vade as part of plans to expand into the mainland European market.