The 7.5-tonne lifts, type ST1075FWA, were supplied within seven days to ensure there was no interruption to passenger services.
A 90-strong fleet operates from the Bristol depot, with vehicles ranging from 5-tonne minibuses up to 15-tonne tri-axle Megabus coaches.
When used as a set of four, the combined capacity of the Stertil Koni lifts is 30 tonnes. A set of six lifts is used for tri-axle vehicles, taking total capacity to 45 tonnes.
Each column incorporates Stertil Koni’s ebright Smart Control System, which allows columns to be operated individually, in pairs or in any other combination. Crucially, the ebright’s wireless mesh networking system eliminates any possibility of communication problems between columns when several sets are used in the same building.
The lifts are powered by long-life deep cycle batteries, providing on average one week’s service before recharging is needed, via a 230V single phase supply.
The absence of power and communication cables means that set-up time is greatly reduced – vital for Stagecoach West, as Tom Large, engineering director, explains: “We needed to ensure that passengers were not adversely affected by our recent takeover of the previous operator. So, to have all 26 lifts up and running within a week was fantastic.
“We have a group contract in place with Stertil Koni, which was agreed based on our previous experience of their excellent track record on reliability and service support.”
In addition to the wireless mobile column lifts, Stagecoach West also took delivery of 30 heavy-duty axle stands.