Alexander ALX400

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.

Alexander ALX400
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

Description

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,[1] the DAF/VDL DB250LF and the Volvo B7TL.[2]

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
Pre-delivery ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident 2 in Dublin in 1999
Arriva Merseyside ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL in Bury in 2007
Arriva London ALX400 bodied DAF DB250LF in Stamford Hill in 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 early 1998, numbered DLA1 and built on DAF DB250LF chassis, which was London's first low-floor double decker. 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.[3][4]

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.[5]: 280 [6][7] 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 was donated to the Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester in 2021.[8]

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;[9]: 209  London United, who took delivery of 156 ALX400-bodied Tridents and 62 B7TLs;[5]: 280 [9]: 122  Metroline, who took delivery of 154 ALX400-bodied Tridents;[5]: 215  Connex, who took 128 Trident-bodied ALX400s;[5]: 215  First London, who took delivery of 64 Tridents and 27 B7TLs;[9]: 272 [5]: 280  London Central, who took one batch of 46 ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TLs in 1999 before moving onto the Plaxton President,[9]: 8–9  and Armchair Passenger Transport, who took 22 ALX400-bodied Tridents in 2002.[5]: 252 

The ALX400 was also popular with Dublin Bus of Ireland, which ordered 658 between 2000 and 2006.[2] 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. 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.

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.[10][11][12]

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,[13] 49 were delivered to Arriva Medway Towns in 2004 as part of Operation Overdrive,[14] two ALX400s were delivered to Arriva North East in 2005 as part of a larger investment in 24 new buses for the region,[15][16] and 30 ALX400s were delivered to Arriva Merseyside in 2006.[17] On the Dennis Trident chassis, 30 ALX400s were delivered to Arriva Shires & Essex in 2000.[5]: 270 

Smaller operators of Alexander ALX400-bodied buses included Lothian Buses, who had five delivered on the Dennis Trident chassis in 1999,[18] 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,[19][20] 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,[21] and Newport Transport, who took delivery of six ALX400s on Dennis Trident chassis in 2000.[22]

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 in late 2006.[23]

References
  1. Webb, Mary; Clarke, Jackie (2007). Jane's Urban Transport Systems. Jane's Information Group. p. 376. ISBN 9780710628169. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  2. Collins, Michael (2000). Rail Versus Road in Ireland, 1900-2000. Colourpoint. p. 49. ISBN 9781898392378. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  3. 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.
  4. Larkin, Nick (27 September 2022). "DLA desires". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough: Emap. Retrieved 28 September 2022.(subscription required)
  5. Wharmby, Matthew (31 July 2021). The London Dennis Trident. Pen and Sword Transport. ISBN 978-1-5267-8694-4. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  6. "Stagecoach order for 98". Bus & Coach Buyer. No. 422. Spalding: Glen-Holland Limited. 17 October 1997. p. 2.
  7. Blackwell, David (3 October 1997). "Trinity ahead 13% with record orders". Financial Times. London. p. 24. ProQuest 248469336.
  8. Larkin, Nick (2 February 2021). "Low-floor pioneer donated to museum". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough: Emap. Retrieved 7 April 2023.(subscription required)
  9. Wharmby, Matthew (11 November 2021). The London Volvo B7TL. Pen and Sword Transport. ISBN 978-1-52678-695-1. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  10. "Double-deckers go back on city streets". Belfast Telegraph. 26 March 2001. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  11. 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.
  12. "Translink orders 200 new buses for NI fleet". The Irish Times. 20 April 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  13. "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.
  14. Rowlands, P. (3 September 2004). "Medway Medley". Bus & Coach Professional. No. 87. Retrieved 14 July 2022 – via TRID.
  15. "Major improvements to bus service are set to roll". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 8 March 2005. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  16. Griffiths, Chloe (30 July 2005). "New bus fleet unveiled". The Journal. Newcastle-upon-Tyne. p. 26. ProQuest 350624135.
  17. Brown, Stewart (24 March 2006). "Investing in Merseyside". Bus & Coach Professional. Archived from the original on 24 March 2006. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  18. Walter, Richard (15 June 2019). Lothian Buses: 100 Years and Beyond. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4456-9190-9.
  19. Morris, Stephen (February 2000). "Trident tested". Buses. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 26–29.
  20. 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.
  21. Brown, Stewart J. (Winter 2001–2002). "EYMS Group - Traditional values". Buses Focus. No. 21. Shepperton: 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.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  22. Brown, Stewart J. (2005). "On the brink of change". Buses Focus. Shepperton: 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.
  23. "More Volvo double deckers for Dublin" (Press release). Volvo Buses United Kingdom & Ireland. 4 July 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
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