Fuelling success for Merridale at Elcock Reisen
Shropshire-based coach operator Elcock Reisen has recently praised the durability of Merridale’s fuelling equipment when reflecting on its first year since investing in the systems.
Since forming in 1928, Elcock Reisen has gained over 90 years of experience offering British and Continental holiday packages and day trips from its base in Telford.
The company regularly runs trips to destinations such as The Harry Potter Studios and Portmeirion with its ever-evolving fleet of coaches and minibuses. The operator recently added 13 Mercedes-Benz Tourismo Access coaches to its fleet to be fully PSVAR compliant and ensure that all its trips are as accessible as possible.
The firm has also installed a Merridale tank with built-in MX-T tank management and MX-I complete fuel management systems in place of an outdated setup.
Managing director, Wyn Stevens, explained: “The tank 
and pump we previously had must have been about 40 years old and wasn’t up to the job anymore.
“We needed tighter security over our fuel stock as well as more accuracy when tracking MPGs, as with our old system anybody was able to access the pump and dispense as much as they wanted. We had no idea of knowing where the diesel was being used.”
Tanks purchased through Merridale come with many safety and security features, including an anti-vandal roller cabinet door to protect the built-in pump and mounted tank management system.
As standard, the Merridale MX-T tank management system features a highly accurate gauge with precision pressure probes and overfill sensors, as well as having the functionality to interface with the Merridale fuel management system for remote access and detailed reconciliation.
By transferring the data to the Merridale FuelWorks web-based service, via the fuel management integration, users can benefit further from fuel stock prediction, automatic delivery detection, low-level warnings, and order prompts, all accessible on any web-enabled device.
Merridale’s MX-I is a top-of-the-line fuel pump with an integrated MX-M fuel management system, capable of controlling up to three additional pumps. They have been tested vigorously to ensure they have a high accuracy metering to 0.25 per cent of throughput, says Merridale, and are built to withstand rugged fleet use in harsh conditions for more than 10 years.
When asked how well the systems had performed under harsh conditions, Wyn replied: “The equipment has had constant heavy use since the day we had it and has stood up to everything our fleet of 23 coaches, plus breakdown vans and cars, have thrown at it so far. It’s been great.”
Other coach and bus operators considering an investment in fuelling systems will have an opportunity to liaise with Merridale at this year’s Euro Bus Expo, which returns to Birmingham’s NEC from 1-3 November with a showcase of ‘must have’ buses, coaches, mini and midi vehicles, equipment, components, and services.
Merridale will be exhibiting its range of fuel management equipment and software at the event.
According to sales director, Stephen Hannan, trade shows been vital in shaping how Merridale adapts and improves its products by offering a platform for discussion between developers and fleet operators.
“Primarily we are concerned with the fleet operators’ operational requirements,” he said.
“We must talk directly to them to understand their priorities. By demonstrating our latest products at the Euro Bus Expo this year, we can obtain valuable feedback from potential users which can help to shape our future development and investment.
“The scope of Merridale’s products has grown from basic reporting systems to sophisticated data analysis and fuel management solutions. On the hardware side, we now have a full range of depot refuelling equipment and tank management systems.
“Merridale’s willingness to listen to the needs of current and potential customers enables us to incorporate such features and ensure we remain the go-to fuel management solution for all fleet operators.”
Merridale will be discussing the benefits of its products at the Expo on stand C62.
