Alexander Dennis Enviro 300
Encyclopedia
The Alexander Dennis Enviro300 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro300) is a light-weight full size single-deck bus
built by Alexander Dennis
(previously by its predecessor TransBus International) in the UK
since 2001. The design was the first of the new Enviro range of buses from TransBus and also the first bus to be built as an integral bus by TransBus.
The Enviro300 was introduced in order to fill a gap in the manufacturer's product range. At the beginning the Cummins
ISBe220
5.9 litre Euro III engine was provided as standard, but for Euro IV and V, the engine is the 6.7 litre ISBe with 225 hp for Euro IV and 225 or 250 hp for Euro V. There is a choice of 3 gearboxes: ZF 6HP504C (originally 5HP502C), Allison
T280R and Voith D854.5 (originally DIWA854.3E).
It was developed to compete with the Europe
an-built heavy-weight single-decker buses sold in the UK
, the most notable being Volvo
. Many full-size (12m or more) single-decker buses are primarily designed for use on the continent and to carry a large number of standing passengers which is commonplace on the continent, but the Enviro300 is designed solely for the UK market where large numbers of standing passengers are not often carried. TransBus therefore believed that operators could make significant fuel savings by operating light-weight buses and produced a vehicle which is claimed to be lighter than its continental rivals but offer more seating capacity.
The Enviro300 had not sold as well as the manufacturer had hoped, though sales were not helped by the collapse of TransBus International in 2004. The majority of the original style Enviro300s sold to First Group are all operating within First Midland Red
subsidiary, all but one are of 12m length. A small number of original style Enviro300 had been sold to Stagecoach Group
.
After few years since its launch, the chassis of the Enviro300 became available with East Lancs Esteem bodywork, with the first two for Courtney Coaches
entered service in 2006. This is the first time the Enviro300 chassis being constructed with bodywork by another manufacturer.
In late 2007 Alexander Dennis introduced an all new 2nd generation version of Enviro300 which featured styling cues similar to the Enviro200 Dart and the Enviro400. The body is also available on MAN 18.240 and Volvo B7RLE
chassis. The 2nd generation Enviro300 has been far more successful sales wise than its predecessor, including finding its way in to some of Arriva and Stagecoach's operations, First has also purchased some new style vehicles for its other operating companies other than First Midland Red. For the Enviro300s with other chassis, Stagecoach placed the first order of 100 Enviro300-bodied MAN 18.240 as part of the 2007/8 order, 93 are standard 12m buses and the other 7 being 12.8m long, with the first one entered service in January 2008; further orders boosted the total number to over 350. In mid-2008 Ulsterbus
ordered 45 Enviro300-bodied Volvo B7RLEs, which are the first to feature Volvo chassis since the introduction of this option, they are also built to a rural specification featuring unusual modifications such as narrower entrance doors, side wheelchair access door and 55 seatbelted seats in the form of 2+3 layout.
In January 2011, Stagecoach Group
placed an order for 50 Enviro300s on the Scania K230UB chassis. These will be the first Enviro300s based on a Scania
chassis.
Competitors (bodywork):
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
built by Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis Limited is the largest bus builder in the United Kingdom. It incorporated the three last surviving bus manufacturers which started bus production before World War II: Dennis, Alexander and Plaxton.- History :Alexander Dennis was formed as TransBus on 1 January 2001, after the...
(previously by its predecessor TransBus International) in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
since 2001. The design was the first of the new Enviro range of buses from TransBus and also the first bus to be built as an integral bus by TransBus.
The Enviro300 was introduced in order to fill a gap in the manufacturer's product range. At the beginning the Cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
ISBe220
Cummins B Series engine
The Cummins B Series is a family of straight-four and straight-6 diesel truck and industrial piston engines manufactured by Cummins. The B Series is known for displacing "one liter per cylinder" because of the popular straight-four and straight-six. A straight-four is also available...
5.9 litre Euro III engine was provided as standard, but for Euro IV and V, the engine is the 6.7 litre ISBe with 225 hp for Euro IV and 225 or 250 hp for Euro V. There is a choice of 3 gearboxes: ZF 6HP504C (originally 5HP502C), Allison
Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
T280R and Voith D854.5 (originally DIWA854.3E).
It was developed to compete with the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an-built heavy-weight single-decker buses sold in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the most notable being Volvo
Volvo Buses
Volvo Buses is a subsidiary and a business area of the Swedish vehicle maker Volvo, which became an independent division in 1968. It is based in Göteborg....
. Many full-size (12m or more) single-decker buses are primarily designed for use on the continent and to carry a large number of standing passengers which is commonplace on the continent, but the Enviro300 is designed solely for the UK market where large numbers of standing passengers are not often carried. TransBus therefore believed that operators could make significant fuel savings by operating light-weight buses and produced a vehicle which is claimed to be lighter than its continental rivals but offer more seating capacity.
The Enviro300 had not sold as well as the manufacturer had hoped, though sales were not helped by the collapse of TransBus International in 2004. The majority of the original style Enviro300s sold to First Group are all operating within First Midland Red
First Midland Red
First Midland Red is a bus company operating in Herefordshire and Worcestershire in the English Midlands. The company was formed in 1981, and until 1999 was known as Midland Red West...
subsidiary, all but one are of 12m length. A small number of original style Enviro300 had been sold to Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
.
After few years since its launch, the chassis of the Enviro300 became available with East Lancs Esteem bodywork, with the first two for Courtney Coaches
Courtney Coaches
Courtney Coaches are a bus operator baseed in Bracknell, Berkshire, England. They operate a network of commercial and contracted local bus services and school buses in and around Bracknell and Maidenhead...
entered service in 2006. This is the first time the Enviro300 chassis being constructed with bodywork by another manufacturer.
In late 2007 Alexander Dennis introduced an all new 2nd generation version of Enviro300 which featured styling cues similar to the Enviro200 Dart and the Enviro400. The body is also available on MAN 18.240 and Volvo B7RLE
Volvo B7RLE
Volvo B7RLE is a low-floor single-deck citybus launched initially in Australia in 2001, and then in the United Kingdom in 2003 to supplement the B7L single-decker, which was unsuccessful in both countries. It is similar to the B7L's predecessor, the B10BLE...
chassis. The 2nd generation Enviro300 has been far more successful sales wise than its predecessor, including finding its way in to some of Arriva and Stagecoach's operations, First has also purchased some new style vehicles for its other operating companies other than First Midland Red. For the Enviro300s with other chassis, Stagecoach placed the first order of 100 Enviro300-bodied MAN 18.240 as part of the 2007/8 order, 93 are standard 12m buses and the other 7 being 12.8m long, with the first one entered service in January 2008; further orders boosted the total number to over 350. In mid-2008 Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink , which also includes Northern Ireland Railways, Metro Belfast and Flexibus.-Services:Ulsterbus is responsible for most of the province-wide bus...
ordered 45 Enviro300-bodied Volvo B7RLEs, which are the first to feature Volvo chassis since the introduction of this option, they are also built to a rural specification featuring unusual modifications such as narrower entrance doors, side wheelchair access door and 55 seatbelted seats in the form of 2+3 layout.
In January 2011, Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
placed an order for 50 Enviro300s on the Scania K230UB chassis. These will be the first Enviro300s based on a Scania
Scania AB
Scania Aktiebolag , commonly referred to as Scania AB or just Scania, is a major Swedish automotive industry manufacturer of commercial vehicles - specifically heavy trucks and buses...
chassis.
See also
Competitors (chassis/complete bus):- Volvo B7LVolvo B7LVolvo B7L was a low floor citybus chassis with a rear engine mounted vertically on the left of the rear overhang, it was built as a replacement for the Volvo B10L...
- Volvo B7RLEVolvo B7RLEVolvo B7RLE is a low-floor single-deck citybus launched initially in Australia in 2001, and then in the United Kingdom in 2003 to supplement the B7L single-decker, which was unsuccessful in both countries. It is similar to the B7L's predecessor, the B10BLE...
- VDL SB200VDL SB200The VDL SB200 is a light-weight 12m citybus produced from 2001 by VDL Bus International...
- Scania L94Scania L94The Scania L94 is a longitudinal inclined-engined bus built by Scania AB, which was a direct replacement of Scania L113. It is used widely in Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Australia...
UB - Scania K230UBScania K-seriesScania K-series is a series of bus with longitudinally, straight-up mounted Euro IV engine at the rear. For the 5- and 6-cylinder engines Scania is using exhaust gas recirculation system to fulfill the legal Euro IV emission standard...
- Scania OmniCityScania OmniCityThe Scania OmniCity is an integrally-constructed transverse-engined low floor citybus available on the European market. The OmniCity is a complete product built in Poland by Scania AB, a company based in Sweden....
- Scania OmniLinkScania OmniLinkThe Scania OmniLink is an integrally-constructed rear longitudinal-engined citybus available on the European market. It is a complete product built by Scania AB, a company based in Sweden....
Competitors (bodywork):
- East Lancs Esteem
- Plaxton CentroPlaxton CentroThe Plaxton Centro is a bus body designed by Bluebird Vehicles and manufactured by Plaxton. It was launched on the VDL SB120 in February 2006. The Centro was also made available on the VDL SB200 chassis in 2006. In 2007 the Centro was made available on the MAN 12.240 and the Volvo B7RLE chassis....
- Wright Eclipse Urban