VDL DB250
Encyclopedia
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
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...
through VDL Bus International
VDL Bus International
VDL Bus Chassis is a Netherlands-based bus builder which originated from the bus-building business of DAF.Originally named DAF Bus International after being separated from the truck-building business of DAF, it joined the United Bus in 1990...
's UK dealer Arriva Bus & Coach
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
. A small number of DB250s have also been exported to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
DB250
The original DB250 was originally only available with Optare SpectraOptare Spectra
Launched in 1991, the Optare Spectra is a double-decker bus body built on the DAF DB250 chassis.The vehicle was developed as a joint project between Optare and DAF; based on the designs of the successful MCW Metrobus which Optare had purchased, but they are no means a restlyed Metrobus...
bodywork, with the Northern Counties Palatine
Northern Counties Palatine
The Northern Counties Palatine is a step-entrance double-decker bus body built by Northern Counties of Wigan, UK. It was built mainly on Leyland Olympian and Volvo Olympian chassis, although some were also built on DAF, Volvo B10M Citybus and Scania chassis...
body becoming available later. The original design was based on the MCW Metrobus
MCW Metrobus
The MCW Metrobus is a double decker bus model manufactured by MCW from 1977 until 1989, with over 4,000 examples built. The original MkI model was superseded by the MkII model in 1981/1982, although production of the original MkI continued for London Transport until 1985...
for which Optare and DAF Bus International (then VDL) bought the rights after MCW
Metro Cammell Weymann
Metro Cammell Weymann was once a major player in transportation manufacturing in the UK and Europe. It was formed in 1932 by Weymann Motor Bodies Ltd and Metro Cammell's bus bodybuilding division to produce bus bodies....
decided to end bus production.
DB250LF
The DB250LF, the low-floor version of the DB250 chassis, is perhaps more well-known as the first low-floor double-decker bus chassis available in the UK. The DB250LF is readily identified by the centrally-exiting exhaust at the rear, which can cause problems with extreme changes of slope. The new version of DB250LF was launched in 2004 which is officially known as DB250+. The design has received a number of modifications, one of which is the use of independent front suspension.The first DB250LFs were bodied by Optare
Optare
Optare plc is a bus manufacturer and importer based in Leeds and Blackburn, UK. The company operates from three main business units, Bus Manufacturing, Coach Sales and Unitec....
, with the modified Spectra body which was sold exclusively on the DB250. The first low-floor variant entered service in 1997 with Abus of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, which narrowly beat a Travel West Midlands DB250LF to become the UK's first low-floor double-decker bus. Later the Alexander ALX400
Alexander ALX400
The Alexander ALX400 is a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders...
, Plaxton President
Plaxton President
The Plaxton President was a double-decker bus body built at Northern Counties plant in Wigan, England and branded as a Plaxton product for its main production run. It was unveiled in 1997 and built between 1999 and 2005. When Plaxton became part of TransBus International, the body was sold under...
, East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander
East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander
The East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander is the type of bus body built on the DAF/VDL DB250 chassis by East Lancashire Coachbuilders.-History:The Myllennium Lowlander superseded the East Lancs Lowlander. The Lowlander was also the East Lancs body for the DAF DB250, but in 2000, was given a facelift with...
and Wright
Wrightbus
Wrightbus is an independent coachbuilder and pioneer of the low-floor bus. Based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, it was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and currently run by his son William Wright.-History:...
Pulsar Gemini
Wright Pulsar Gemini
The Wright Pulsar Gemini is a type of double-decker bus body built for VDL DB250 and used in the United Kingdom since 2003.It has been ordered almost exclusively by Arriva and largely in London, although several batches were ordered for use by Arriva subsidiaries outside London, and by smaller...
also became available. The development of a Wright alternative arose because Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
wished to buy both the Wright body and VDL chassis. Unable to do so, they took delivery of over 100 Wright-bodied Volvo B7TLs. Wright subsequently developed the Pulsar Gemini in order to win more orders from Arriva.
Despite the DB250LF arriving early to the market, DAF had always struggled to find orders. Travel West Midlands ordered 20, but following the launch of the Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2 is a 2-axle low-floor double-decker bus chassis originally built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, which was unveiled in 1997 and replaced the Dennis Arrow...
and Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
it did not purchase more. Despite this DB250s are numberable, by far the biggest number owned by Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
, mostly for its London subsidiary
Arriva London
Arriva London is a division of Arriva which operates bus services in London, UK. It is made up of many previous bus operators including previously independent Grey Green...
, but a number of the type can be found with Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands is a division of Arriva. It operates bus services around the Midlands area of England and is made up of various previous bus operators.-Arriva Midlands North:...
and Arriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire is a division of Arriva which operates bus services around West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and the southern areas of North Yorkshire in England.-History:Arriva Yorkshire was formed as a combination of mergers of previous...
with both East Lancs bodywork and unusually with the Wright Pulsar Gemini body. Other sizeable operators are Travel West Midlands, Reading Buses and Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
.
The DB250LF chassis was also adopted by Wrightbus for the development of its hybrid-powered double-decker bus, Wright Pulsar Gemini HEV.
Production of the DB250 ended in 2006, although examples continued entering service in the UK in 2008. Its successor, the Wright Gemini 2
Wright Gemini 2
The Wright Gemini 2 is a double-decker bus built by Wrightbus since 2008. It was announced in December 2007 but was not named until 2008.It was constructed as an integral with VDL chassis modules. It is available in two versions, the diesel-powered version and the diesel-electric hybrid version...
integral double decker with VDL chassis modules, was announced in December 2007 and launched in November 2008.
See also
Competitors:- Alexander Dennis Enviro400
- Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2 is a 2-axle low-floor double-decker bus chassis originally built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, which was unveiled in 1997 and replaced the Dennis Arrow...
- Scania OmniDekkaScania OmniDekkaThe Scania OmniDekka is a double-decker bus built for sale in the UK...
- Volvo B7TLVolvo B7TLVolvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
Other bus products from VDL:
- SB120VDL SB120The VDL SB120 is a low-floor light-weight midibus produced from 1999 by VDL Bus International of the Netherlands primarily for the UK market....
- SB200VDL SB200The VDL SB200 is a light-weight 12m citybus produced from 2001 by VDL Bus International...
- SB250VDL SB250The VDL SB250 is a full-size low-floor city bus launched in 1997, which was designed specifically for Continental Europe market by the Dutch bus builder VDL Bus International ....