Image: Pre-delivery Stagecoach Dennis Trident Alexander ALX400, Dublin, February 1999

Description: An unfinished example of an Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident, seen here visiting Dublin Bus on the 26th of February 1999, the first ever production low-floor bus to visit Dublin, presumably here for a first look over by the operator. Production versions were being registered from January 1999, with the earliest receiving S-prefix UK plates. It appears to be a Stagecoach example based on the seating fabric, but which one isn't clear (DT22 doesn't seem to identify it in either case). It presumably didn't stay long, returning to be finished for onward delivery to whichever Stagecoach subsidiary it was allocated to. Dublin Bus later received two of its own long term demonstrators, on loan from Dennis, registered in September/October 1999, being numbered DL1 (reg. 99-D-41) and DL2 (reg. 99-D-42). The operator decided not to take the Trident/ALX400 combination, instead opting for what would be the first of an eventual 648 examples with Volvo B7TL chassis (which didn't start being registered until Autumn 1999), with Dublin's buses entering service from 2000 as the AV class (to 2005) and the AX class (2006). Dublin Bus did eventually take some Trident/ALX400s, but only a batch of 10, delivered in 2003 as the DT class (DT1-10).
Title: Pre-delivery Stagecoach Dennis Trident Alexander ALX400, Dublin, February 1999
Credit: DT22 new Low floor Dennis Trident/ALX 400.
Author: D464-Darren Hall
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
License: CC BY 2.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
Attribution Required?: Yes