Plaxton stages coach rally and raises £1,800 for charity

The Scarborough-based company, part of Alexander Dennis Limited welcomed 42 Plaxton coaches from 32 operators to participate in the competition and winners were announced at a seaside-themed awards dinner at Scarborough Spa on Thursday evening.

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The event was held as a thank you to loyal customers and as a celebration of Plaxton’s 112-year history and diverse product range.

Five hundred visitors attended the event, raising £1,800 for Plaxton's two chosen charities: the RNLI to support Scarborough’s local lifeboat, named after the company’s founder Frederick William Plaxton, and Saint Catherine’s hospice.

Entrants were split into five age-based award categories as well as People’s Choice and Best in Rally before being judged by a panel of four industry experts.

After the judging a cavalcade took place along Marine Drive.

Richard Matthews, Retail Sales Director for Bus & Coach, said: “Congratulations to all the winners and a heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for this unique occasion!

"I couldn’t be more proud of the team for putting on such a fantastic event. It really was a celebration of what makes Plaxton great and we’re humbled by how much support we’ve received from the industry to make it happen.”

IN PICTURES: Plaxton Coach rally

After a closely fought competition, the winners were announced as follows:

- Pre-1964: Johnson Brothers, 1963 Panorama VAL

- 1965–1979: Kenzies Coaches, 1965 Panorama VAL

- 1980–1991: Sharpes of Nottingham, 1981 Supreme IV

- 1992–2010: Henry Cooper Coaches, 1996 Excalibur

- 2011–Present day: Country Lion, 2017 Elite

- People’s Choice: Acklams Coaches, 2017 Elitei team coach

- Best in Show: Johnson Brothers, 1963 Panorama VAL