Mellor Strata

The Mellor Strata is a minibus body manufactured by Mellor Coachcraft since 2016 on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis. It is available as the Mellor Strata HF 16, a step-entrance version aimed at the access bus market, so named for its maximum seated passenger capacity of sixteen;^[1] or as the Mellor Strata LF, a low-floor variant targeting the service bus market, with a capacity of up to 21 seated passengers.^[2]

Mellor Strata
Arriva North West Mellor Strata LF in Macclesfield in August 2018
Overview
Manufacturer	Mellor Coachcraft
Production	2016–Present
Assembly	Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Body and chassis
Doors	1
Floor type	Strata LF Low-floor Strata HF 16 Step entrance
Chassis	Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Powertrain
Engine	Mercedes-Benz
Power output	514 CDI 140 brake horsepower (100 kW) 516 CDI 163 brake horsepower (122 kW)
Transmission	7-speed automatic or manual
Dimensions
Length	7.76–8.78 metres (25.5–28.8 ft)
Width	2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in)
Height	Strata LF 2.67 metres (8 ft 9 in) Strata HF 16 2.76 metres (9 ft 1 in)
Curb weight	5,500 kilograms (12,100 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Various unnamed Mellor designs

Design

The van-based Strata minibus was launched to compete with the short wheelbase Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC and Optare Solo SR, as well as other van-based minibus designs. The Strata LF is built on the long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 CDI chassis, while the Strata HF 16 is available on both the 514 CDI (with a less powerful engine) and 516 CDI variants of the Sprinter.^[1][2]

Since 2018, Mellor have offered two longer versions of the Strata,^[3] the 8.1m Strata Plus and the 8.7m Strata Ultra.^[4] The first Strata Ultra was delivered in 2019.^[5]

Mellor announced the launch of the second-generation Strata in April 2025, able to be specified in either standard, Plus and Ultra variants, the latter capable of carrying 29 seated passengers and one standing passenger. New features of the second-generation Strata include the step-free interior area being extended by 266 millimetres (10.5 in), permitting four seats as well as twin wheelchair bays to be added, steps up to the raised area being reduced to one, and the emergency exit door being brought forward in Plus and Ultra variants for an improved seating layout.^[6]

Operators

Strata HF 16

The first two Strata HF 16s were delivered to Melksham Community Transport in early 2017.^[7] East Riding of Yorkshire Council have placed the largest order for Strata HF 16s to date, taking delivery of nine examples in July 2017.^[8]

Strata LF

The first two Strata LFs entered service with McGill's Bus Services in late 2016 on their Inverclyde network.^[9]

The Strata LF has seen strong sales with local councils for community transport operations, with deliveries going to Dumfries & Galloway Council's SWestrans operation (three examples, leased to Houston's Coaches of Lockerbie);^[10] Nottinghamshire County Council (two examples);^[11] and Redcar and Cleveland Council (three examples).^[12] Additionally, a single Strata LF has been delivered to Cheshire West and Chester Council and leased to Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire for operation on the Blacon Greyhound community bus service between Blacon and the Greyhound Retail Park in Chester.^[13]

The first order from a major group came in 2017, with Arriva North West taking delivery of nine Stratas for services in Macclesfield and Winsford in Cheshire.^[14] Rotala Group operations Preston Bus and Diamond Bus have also ordered a number of these model for their Ribble Valley operations and Transport for West Midlands tendered contracts.

See also

• Mellor Maxima, a similar design on Iveco Daily chassis
• Mellor Orion, a similar design on Fiat Ducato chassis
• Mellor Tucana II, a similar design on Volkswagen Transporter chassis