Category:Neoplan Jumbocruiser (1992)

English: Neoplan Jumbocruiser (see parent category) No. 11 (chassis number 9118345) was built in 1992. It was to be the last of the Jumbocruisers and also unique, being the only one to employ a 'pusher' design instead of the 'puller' used on the first 10. This meant that on No.11, the rear portion was the driving vehicle, housing the engine at the very rear of it, while the front portion was merely an undriven vehicle. This meant that both portions had two axles each (instead of 3 on the front & 1 on the rear on the puller) - the rear portion with a pair of axles at its rear (none of the rear pair is driven) - the front portion with 1 axle at the front and another at the rear. Unlike the pullers, No.11 had only one steering axle, at the very front. At 2.52m wide, it was also slightly wider than the 2.5m pullers. To accomodate the pusher design, the articulation joint was fitted with computer controlled rams to control snaking. It was fitted with a Mercedes 440 ps V8 engine and a DSG like ZF gearbox. As a pusher it did not come with an automatic gearbox, which can be dangerous in wet conditions. No.1 was custom built for Best Tours of Brussels. Fitted with 78 luxury seats, it was normally used on high intensity work from Belgium to Spain. It operated for Best in a white livery with blue, yellow and red graphics, and BEST Coach/BEST tours fleetnames. After 160,000km in service it was rolled over in an accident and ended up in the possession of an insurance company in Brussels. Jumbocruiser Ltd of Newport, South Wales, decided to purchase the wrecked No.11 and convert it for use as a luxury sleeper coach, based on the low-mileage of the vehicle having only been in service for a year, and the relative cost of its renovation compared to the cost of new coaches. It was rebuilt, renovated and converted to sleep 16 and carry 20, by a company based in Mons, Belgium. This included upgrades to the bodywork to the newer Neoplan Skyliner style. With work progressing from 2004 and with the coach by now simply allover white, on 5 Nov 2006 it was driven to England for compliance testing with VOSA, who determined it needed further modifications, including a new door in the front left, and widening of the original left door in the rear.