Stagecoach order Stertil-Koni lifts for new Bee Network depot

Stagecoach Manchester has been awarded all three major franchise contracts in the latest round of franchising in Greater Manchester. 

The contracts awarded by Greater Manchester Combined Authority will see the operator run bus services from Middleton, Queens Road, and Oldham depots from 24th March 2024 as part the Bee Network plan, to deliver an integrated transport system for the people of Greater Manchester.

Three sets of wireless ST1085FWA column lifts were ordered from their long-term heavy-duty vehicle lift supplier, Stertil-Koni, to support the engineering facilities required to run the Bee Network out of the Queens Road Depot in Cheetham Hill, Manchester. To compliment the lifting facilities offered by the mobile column lifts twelve tall, screw-threaded Axle Stands were also ordered. 

The sets of lifts comprise of four wireless mobile columns, each offering a lifting capacity of 8.5 tonnes thereby providing an overall safe lifting capacity of 34 tonnes per set. Each column incorporates Stertil Koni’s revolutionary ebright Smart Control System which allows workshop engineers to operate the columns individually, in pairs or in any other combination from any column in the set. Positioning of the wireless columns is also totally flexible, enabling them to be used in any configuration around a vehicle. The lifts can be used as 3 sets of four columns or as two sets of six columns if required for 3-axle coaches. 

Featuring full-colour touch screen consoles, the ebright Smart Control System has been designed and developed to simplify operation by providing maximum visual information about every lifting operation - all at the fingertips of the workshop engineers.  

The Stertil Koni ST1085FWA heavy-duty lift is powered by long-life deep cycle batteries which provide optimum performance for at least a week on average before recharging is necessary. Also, battery life is prolonged due to the fact that, unlike a screw-lift, power is only used to raise a vehicle therefore less time is spent recharging the lift. Charging is carried out by plugging each individual lift into a 230v single phase supply. Importantly, with no cables on the workshop floor, the risk of tripping is removed, providing valuable health and safety benefits. 

Supplied complete with adjustable width forks, the Stertil-Koni ST1085FWA easily meets the challenge of lifting vehicles with differing tyre widths to ensure maximum versatility. 

Contact Stertil-Koni on 01604 662049, or email lifts@stertil.co.uk.

WEBSITE LINK: WWW.STAGECOACHBUS.COM