Returning to Blackpool for the sixth time, the 68th UK Coach Rally held its weekend event on April 13/14, with regular entrants snapping up the awards for both elegant vehicles and skilled drivers.
The Coach of the Year award went for the fifth successive year to a Van Hool, with a magnificently-presented T16 Astron owned by DJ Thomas of Neath. As well as being the only member of the new T range delivered to a UK buyer, the coach picked up six additional awards, including one for Top Luxury Coach, the Van Hool Trophy, the Cymru Trophy for top coach from Wales, the Peter Rogers Trophy for top Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) member, the Martin Cornell Trophy for highest placed UK Coach Operators Association member in all classes, and the Bernie Porton Memorial Trophy for the Coach of the Year as voted by participating coach drivers.
The Coach Driver of the Year award was won by first-time entrant Robert Weston of Coleford-based Willets Coaches in a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, made even more special after defeating five former drivers of the year, who were victorious in ten earlier events. The company also picked up the Cyril Kenzie Memorial Trophy for highestplaced first time entrant. Chris Bi…
