Northcoast Bus & Coach was an Australian bus bodybuilder in Caloundra.
History Northcoast Bus & Coach was formed in 1985 by former GBW employees Wayne Smith and Daryl Wells from premises in Maroochydore. The first body completed was on a former Melbourne-Brighton Bus Lines Leyland Leopard for Bellarine Bus Lines.News from the Industry Fleetline issue 144 July 1987 page 166 In 1990, the business moved to Caloundra.Northcoast - Australia’s Bus & Coach Building Excellence Northcoast Bus & CoachRecent Deliveries from North Coast Bus & Coach Australian Bus Panorama issue 5/5 March 1990 page 24"North Coast Bus & Coach Australian Bus Panorama volume 30 special pages 33-58
In 1998, a heads of agreement was signed for Greyhound Pioneer Australia to purchase a shareholding in the business.Greyhound builds profit - now aims to build own coaches Truck & Bus Transportation October 1998 page 88 It was never completed, with Greyhound electing to establish Queensland Coach Company instead.Queensland Coach Company Fleetline issue 260 May 1999 page 75
Among some of the larger orders were a batch of Volvo B12Rs for the Australian Defence Force, Scania L113CRLs and L94UBs for Ventura Bus Lines and L94UBs for Metro Tasmania.
In 2010, Northcoast gained a licence to jointly assemble Gemilang Coachworks' Eco Range buses for the Australian and New Zealand markets.Sides meet to get business rolling The Courier Mail 29 April 2010 Frames were produced in Malaysia, through a joint venture between both companies. The first buses were produced for the Pulitano Group. By 2014, the partnership has ceased when Gemilang gained Australian Design Rules approval for its Malaysian products in its own right.North Coast Bus & Coach Bus & Coach Society of Victoria 21 May 2017
It ceased manufacturing operations in 2014 having built over 600 bodies.Northcoast Bus & Coach ceases manufacturing Australian Bus issue 63 May 2014 page 4Tough times for builders Australasian Bus & Coach 5 February 2014
References
External links
Bus Australia gallery