Alexander ALX400

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Alexander ALX400
Stagecoach A1 Service bus.JPG
Stagecoach West Scotland ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident 2 in Ardrossan in 2004
Overview
ManufacturerAlexander
TransBus
Alexander Dennis
Production1998–2006
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2 doors
Floor typeLow floor
ChassisDennis Trident 2[1]
Volvo B7TL[2]
DAF DB250
Powertrain
EngineCummins C Series/ISCe (Dennis Trident 2)
Volvo D7C (Volvo B7TL)
DAF (VDL DB250)
TransmissionZF Ecomat
Voith DIWA
Dimensions
Length9.9–11.0 m (32 ft 6 in – 36 ft 1 in)
Width2.55 m (8 ft 4 in)
Heightup to 4.39 m (14 ft 5 in)
Chronology
PredecessorAlexander R Type
SuccessorAlexander Dennis Enviro400

The Alexander ALX400 (later known as the TransBus ALX400 and the Alexander Dennis ALX400) was a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders (later by TransBus International/Alexander Dennis). It was one of the ALX-series bodywork, all of which (except the ALX100) featured the same designs on the front and rear panels that were originally designed for the new generation of mainly low-floor bus chassis produced since the late 1990s.

Description

Various seating configurations were available, with Transport for London (TfL) specification models fitted with a central exit door. There are typically 45 seats on the upper deck, and between 17 (on the DAF DB250) and 22 seats on the lower deck. Longer models for use elsewhere have up to 47 seats on the upper deck, and 24 below with a central door. Stagecoach subsidiaries outside London have ALX400s on long-wheelbase Dennis Trident 2 chassis, fitted with 51 seats upstairs (47 on later models) and 28 downstairs. These buses have been used all over the UK, in major cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle.

History

First unveiled in 1997, the Alexander ALX400 replaced the step-entrance Alexander R-series and was fitted to numerous chassis, including the Dennis/TransBus Trident,[1] the DAF/VDL DB250LF[citation needed] and the Volvo B7TL.[2]

The Alexander ALX400 proved to be a major success with national operators; large numbers of the buses served London and the rest of the United Kingdom. From its introduction until 2006, the Alexander ALX400 on the Dennis Trident chassis was the favoured 2-axle double-decker bus model for the Stagecoach Group, with Stagecoach London in particular ordering 998 such ALX400s from 1998 to 2006,[3]: 280  while Arriva London would also order 389 ALX400s on the DAF DB250 chassis between 1998 and 2005; Arriva's DLA1, the first-built ALX400 and London's first low-floor double decker delivered in 1998, was restored to as-new condition by Alexander Dennis from 2017 to 2019 and had been planned to be exhibited at the London Transport Museum,[4] however it is now in the ownership of a group of enthusiasts in Kent.[5]

The ALX400 was also popular with Dublin Bus of Ireland, which ordered 658 between 2000 and 2006. 648 of them were fitted on Volvo B7TL chassis, AV 1-448 (AV means Alexander Volvo) were Volvo B7TL chassis,[2] and AX 449-648 were on B7TL MKII chassis. During 2003 an order was placed for 10 TransBus Trident/ALX 400 versions known as DT 1–10 to compare against the AV class with a view to splitting future orders. Most of these featured 76 seat single door bodies although there were various seating capacities for on a small minority used and rail/airport services. Summerhill based AV 116-130 were built with dual door bodies for use on the Airlink services.[citation needed]

Outside London, Arriva ordered ALX400s on both the Dennis Trident and Volvo B7TL chassis in comparatively smaller numbers compared to Stagecoach and the FirstGroup. On the Volvo B7TL chassis, 20 ALX400s were delivered to Arriva Yorkshire in 2000,[6] 49 were delivered to Arriva Medway Towns in 2004 as part of Operation Overdrive,[7] and 30 ALX400s were delivered to Arriva Merseyside in 2006,[8] while on the Dennis Trident chassis, 30 ALX400s were delivered to Arriva Shires & Essex in 2000.[3]: 270 

In late 2005 Alexander Dennis launched the Enviro400 model, intended as a replacement for the ALX400. Despite the bulk of the 2006 Stagecoach double-decker bus order favouring the Enviro400 model, also chosen by London operator Metroline, in March 2006 Dublin Bus placed a repeat order for 100 of the type on Volvo B7TL chassis. Production of the ALX400 bodywork ceased after the delivery of these 100 ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TL in late 2006.[citation needed]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b Webb, Mary; Clarke, Jackie (2007). Jane's Urban Transport Systems. Jane's Information Group. p. 376. ISBN 9780710628169. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Collins, Michael (2000). Rail Versus Road in Ireland, 1900-2000. Colourpoint. p. 49. ISBN 9781898392378. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b Wharmby, Matthew (31 July 2021). The London Dennis Trident. Pen and Sword Transport. ISBN 978-1-5267-8694-4. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  4. ^ Alexander Dennis [@ADLbus] (1 May 2019). "We are proud to have been able to contribute to the preservation of London's first low-floor double decker by funding and carrying out its full restoration over the last two years. @Arriva_London will now donate the Alexander ALX400-bodied DAF to the @ltmuseum collection" (Tweet). Retrieved 10 August 2021 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ Larkin, Nick (27 September 2022). "DLA desires". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough: Emap. Retrieved 28 September 2022.(subscription required)
  6. ^ "Arriva hits the road with bus investment". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 27 May 1999. p. 10. ProQuest 328831312. Arriva is investing a further £8m on 70 buses in the Yorkshire area of its operations, including 20 low-floor double deck ALX 400 buses, destined for the Leeds guided bus way project.
  7. ^ Rowlands, P. (3 September 2004). "Medway Medley". Bus & Coach Professional. No. 87. Retrieved 14 July 2022 – via TRID.
  8. ^ Brown, Stewart (24 March 2006). "Investing in Merseyside". Bus & Coach Professional. Archived from the original on 24 March 2006. Retrieved 14 July 2022.

External links

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