Alexander ALX400

Alexander ALX400
National Express West Midlands Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident 2 in Birmingham in July 2012
Overview
ManufacturerAlexander
TransBus
Alexander Dennis
Production1997–2006
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2 doors
Floor typeLow floor
ChassisDennis Trident 2
Volvo B7TL
DAF DB250
RelatedALX100, ALX200, ALX300, ALX500
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) is 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

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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 2, the DAF/VDL DB250LF and the Volvo B7TL.

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 and 22 seats on the lower deck depending on chassis variant and length. 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.

Operators

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Arriva London ALX400 bodied DAF DB250LF on route 253 in Stamford Hill in March 2010

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. Arriva London took delivery of the first ALX400 in May 1998, numbered DLA1 and built on DAF DB250LF chassis, which was also London's first low-floor double decker.[1] Arriva London would go on to order 388 more ALX400s on DAF DB250LF chassis between 1998 and 2005, and from 2017 to 2019, DLA1 would be restored to as-new condition by Alexander Dennis, with plans for it to be exhibited at the London Transport Museum before it was later sold into private ownership.[2][3]

From its introduction until 2006, the Alexander ALX400 on the Dennis Trident 2 chassis was the favoured 2-axle double-decker bus model for the Stagecoach Group. Stagecoach London operated the most ALX400s in the group, continuously taking delivery of 998 ALX400s to its various garages from 1998 to 2006.[4]: 280 [5] Stagecoach's first low-floor double-decker bus outside London was one of a pair of ALX400-bodied Dennis Tridents that were delivered to Stagecoach Manchester in 1998; this bus would later be donated to and restored by Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester.[6] Deliveries were made to Stagecoach operations across the United Kingdom such as in Oxford,[7] Devon,[8] Canterbury,[9] Cambridge,[10] and Kingston upon Hull,[11] among others.

In London, other operators of Alexander ALX400s on Dennis Trident 2 and Volvo B7TL chassis included Arriva London, who took delivery of 179 ALX400-bodied B7TLs alongside their DAF DB250LFs;[12]: 209  London United, who took delivery of 156 ALX400-bodied Tridents and 62 B7TLs;[4]: 280 [12]: 122  Metroline, who took delivery of 154 ALX400-bodied Tridents;[4]: 215  Connex, who took 128 Trident-bodied ALX400s;[4]: 215  First London, who took delivery of 64 Tridents and 27 B7TLs;[12]: 272 [4]: 280  London Central, who took one batch of 46 ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TLs in 1999 before moving onto the Plaxton President,[13][12]: 8–9  and Armchair Passenger Transport, who took 22 ALX400-bodied Tridents in 2002.[4]: 252 

Dublin Bus ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL in Dublin in 2019

The ALX400 was also popular with Dublin Bus of Ireland, which ordered 658 between 2000 and 2006.[14][15] All but ten were fitted on Volvo B7TL chassis, with a batch of ten fitted on the TransBus Trident chassis delivered in 2003 to compare against the B7TLs with a view to splitting future orders.[citation needed] Most of these featured 76 seat single door bodies although there were various seating capacities used on a small minority of rail and airport link services; Summerhill based AV 116-130 were built with dual-door bodies for use on the Airlink services.[16][unreliable source?][17][unreliable source?]

Arriva Medway Towns ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL in Weybridge in 2009
Arriva Guildford & West Surrey ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL in Guildford in 2009

Alexander ALX400s on both the Dennis Trident 2 and Volvo B7TL chassis were also extensively delivered to the National Express's bus operations in the West Midlands, Coventry and Dundee, with over 400 orders received for all three operations from 2001 to 2005.[18][19][20] Translink of Northern Ireland purchased over 150 Alexander ALX400s on Volvo B7TL chassis for its Ulsterbus and Citybus (later rebranded Metro) operations between 2001 and 2006, with the first batch of 20 delivered to Citybus in 2001 marking the return of double-decker buses to Belfast for the first time since their withdrawal in 1989.[21][22][23]

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,[24] 49 were delivered to Arriva Medway Towns in 2004 as part of Operation Overdrive,[25] two ALX400s were delivered to Arriva North East in 2005 as part of a larger investment in 24 new buses for the region,[26][27] and 30 ALX400s were delivered to Arriva Merseyside in 2006.[28] On the Dennis Trident chassis, 30 ALX400s were delivered to Arriva Shires & Essex in 2000.[4]: 270 

Smaller operators of Alexander ALX400-bodied buses included Lothian Buses, who had five delivered on Dennis Trident chassis in 1999;[29] UK North, who had four ALX400s on DAF DB250 chassis delivered in 1999;[30] the Oxford Bus Company, who had 20 dual-door ALX400s on Dennis Trident 2 chassis delivered for use on the Oxford Park and Ride in 1999;[31][32] East Yorkshire Motor Services and Finglands Coachways, who took delivery of two ALX400s each on Dennis Trident 2 chassis for evaluation against Plaxton President-bodied Volvo B7TLs in 2000;[33] and Newport Transport, who took delivery of six ALX400s on Dennis Trident chassis in 2000.[34]

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 July 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 B7TLs between late 2006 and early 2007.[15]

References

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  1. ^ McLean, Allan (20 May 1998). "Alexander unveils new design for buses". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. p. 24. ProQuest 326686904.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Larkin, Nick (27 September 2022). "DLA desires". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Wharmby, Matthew (31 July 2021). The London Dennis Trident. Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-1-5267-8694-4. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  5. ^ Williams, Mark (16 October 1997). "Stagecoach orders hundred Tridents". Coach & Bus Week. No. 291. Peterborough: Emap. p. 21. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  6. ^ Larkin, Nick (5 December 2023). "Historic Trident restored". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Stagecoach launches partnership with Oxford Brookes". Bus & Coach Professional. 2003. Archived from the original on 29 December 2003. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Devon takes delivery of new Tridents". On Stage. No. 54. Stagecoach Group. Spring 2004. p. 4. Retrieved 31 May 2023.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Partnership boost for local network". On Stage. No. 56. Stagecoach Group. Autumn 2004. p. 4. Retrieved 31 May 2023.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ Beddall, David (30 August 2022). Cambus to Stagecoach East: A Fleet History, 1984–2020. Pen & Sword. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-5267-8103-1. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Don't miss the bus on timetable changes". Hull Daily Mail. 17 April 2007. p. 13. ProQuest 333649110. The timetable changes also coincide with Stagecoach introducing new high-tech double-decker buses on its 32 route, linking Bransholme and the city centre. The nine £130,000 Dennis Trident Alexander buses are part of the firm's plan to update buses across the city.
  12. ^ a b c d Wharmby, Matthew (11 November 2021). The London Volvo B7TL. Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-1-52678-695-1. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  13. ^ Aldridge, John (April 2000). "Low-floor Volvos - at last". Buses. No. 541. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 14. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Volvo wins complete Dublin order". Buses. No. 541. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. April 2000. p. 6. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Extra buses for Bus Eireann launched". Coach & Bus Week. No. 767. Peterborough: Rouncy Media. 7 February 2007. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  16. ^ Hall, Darren (June 2001). "AV130 was part of a batch of 15 (AV116-130) built with Dual Doors and Bonded Glazing, they were used for Airlink services with the final two AV129 and AV130 in standard Fleet Livery to be used as spares but they could also be used in regular service. AV130 is seen when 6 months old in June 2001 in Summerhill garage having been used on the Nitelink service 41N in the wee small hours that morning. Scan from a negative". Flickr. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  17. ^ Dean, Fred (July 2003). "Dublin Bus (Summerhill) Volvo B7TL / Alexander ALX400 AV 116 (00-D-70116) in Dublin Airport 10th July 2003". Flickr. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Express in £23m order for buses". Birmingham Post. 19 January 2001. p. 26. ProQuest 323657912.
  19. ^ "£4m on double deckers". Evening Mail. Birmingham. 13 September 2003. p. 4. ProQuest 322504591.
  20. ^ Bain, Simon (31 May 2004). "Cameron and Hastie take the wheel as bus-builder goes back to its roots". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 18. ProQuest 332868620. The new company is expected to announce that it has already received an order worth £7.5m for 50 double-deckers for Travel West Midlands, the Birmingham bus operator.
  21. ^ "Double-deckers go back on city streets". Belfast Telegraph. 26 March 2001. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  22. ^ Stanczyk, Sarah (28 January 2003). "Translink Moves Public Transport into Top Gear" (Press release). Belfast: Translink. Archived from the original on 26 June 2003. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  23. ^ "Translink orders 200 new buses for NI fleet". The Irish Times. 20 April 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ Rowlands, P. (3 September 2004). "Medway Medley". Bus & Coach Professional. No. 87. Retrieved 14 July 2022 – via TRID.
  26. ^ "Major improvements to bus service are set to roll". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 8 March 2005. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  27. ^ Griffiths, Chloe (30 July 2005). "New bus fleet unveiled". The Journal. Newcastle-upon-Tyne. p. 26. ProQuest 350624135.
  28. ^ Brown, Stewart (24 March 2006). "Investing in Merseyside". Bus & Coach Professional. Archived from the original on 24 March 2006. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  29. ^ Walter, Richard (15 June 2019). Lothian Buses: 100 Years and Beyond. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4456-9190-9.
  30. ^ Jenkins, David (16 May 2019). "A postcard from Eastbourne". Buses. No. 771. Stamford: Key Publishing. pp. 34–37. Retrieved 1 July 2023. The newest (and only low-floor) double-deckers were four nine-year-old DAF DB250s with Alexander ALX400 bodies that had been new to UK North in Manchester, which had also competed with Stagecoach.
  31. ^ Morris, Stephen (February 2000). "Road Test: Trident tested and found lacking in little". Buses. No. 539. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 26–29. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  32. ^ Lyons, Mark (30 June 2022). "Oxford Bus Company". The Go-Ahead Group: The First 25 Years. Key Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-80282-082-9. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  33. ^ Brown, Stewart J. (Winter 2001–2002). "EYMS Group - Traditional values". Buses Focus. No. 21. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 17. In 2000 the EYMS Group bought its first low floor double-deckers, four Alexander-bodied Dennis Tridents and four Plaxton-bodied Volvo B7TLs. Two of each type are operated by EYMS, and by Finglands.
  34. ^ Brown, Stewart J. (2005). "On the brink of change". Buses Focus. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 28–32. School transport helps justify the retention of six Alexander-bodied Dennis Tridents delivered in 2000 when Scania didn't offer a low-floor double-decker.
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