Coach Styles 1950s–1990s

Coach styles at the start of the 1950s were still very traditional. All that was about to change with the introduction of the new underfloor-engined chassis and an increase of maximum length. Improvements in technology helped styles become more adventurous and flamboyant as the decade progressed. The 1960s heralded the motorway age, coaches becoming bigger from 1961 and capable of cruising at much higher speeds. Styles moved with the times and by the end of the decade the maximum length increased to 12 metres. Continental coach holidays increased in popularity and European coachbuilders started to sell in the UK in increasing numbers, with executive and high-floor coaches much in demand. After a slow start in 1972, Volvo headed the influx of foreign chassis manufacturers and within fifteen years home-built coaches were in the minority. Supported by a wealth of fascinating images, Tim Machin takes the reader on a journey through these changes.