The VDL DB250 (launched as the DAF DB250 in 1991) is a double-decker bus sold in the UK through VDL Bus International's UK dealer Arriva Bus & Coach. The Northern Counties Palatine is a Step-entrance Double-decker bus body built by Northern Counties of Wigan UK Metrobus operates local bus services in south and south-east London, and parts of Surrey, Kent, West Sussex and East Sussex. An open top bus is a Bus, usually but not exclusively a Double decker bus, where all or part of the roof has been removed to enable enjoyment of fresh air and uninterrupted City Sightseeing is a global sightseeing bus brand started by Ensignbus and the spanish Hispalense de Tranvíaswhich operates Tour bus rides around various A double-decker bus is a Bus that has two levels While double-decker long-distance coaches are in widespread use around the world double-decker city buses are The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located VDL Bus International is a Netherlands -based bus builder which originated from the bus-building business of DAF. Arriva plc ( is a British -based international public transport operator headquartered in Sunderland. Apart from the UK, a small number of DB250 had been sold for service in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches
The original DB250 was sold on a variety of bodies, including the Optare Spectra and Northern Counties Palatine. Launched in 1991, the Optare Spectra is a Double decker bus body built on the DAF (now VDL DB250 chassis The Northern Counties Palatine is a Step-entrance Double-decker bus body built by Northern Counties of Wigan UK The original design was based on the MCW Metrobus for which Optare and DAF Bus International (then VDL) bought the rights after MCW decided to end bus production. The MCW Metrobus is a Double decker bus model manufactured by MCW ( Metro Cammell Weymann) from 1977 until 1989 with over 4000 examples built MCW Metroriderjpg|thumb|right|An MCW Metrorider]] Metro Cammell Weymann (MCW was once a major player in transportation manufacturing in the UK and Europe
The DB250LF, the Low Floor version of the DB250 chassis, is perhaps more well known as the first low floor double-decker bus chassis 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, with the modified Spectra body which was sold exclusively on the DB250. Optare plc is a bus manufacturer and Importer based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Later the Alexander ALX400, Plaxton President, East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander and Wright Pulsar Gemini (which was almost identical to the Eclipse Gemini sold on the Volvo B7TL chassis) also became available. 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 The Plaxton President is a Double-decker bus body originally built by Plaxton of the United Kingdom, it was unveiled in 1997 and built East Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of Bus bodies and Carriages founded in Blackburn in 1934 This article is about the East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander a double deck body on the DAF DB250 chassis Wrightbus is the UK's largest independent coachbuilder and pioneer of the low floor Bus in the United Kingdom. The Wright Pulsar Gemini is a type of double-decker bus body built for VDL DB250 and used in the United Kingdom. The Wright Eclipse Gemini is a type of Double-decker bus body built for Volvo B7TL and later Volvo B9TL for use in the United Kingdom Volvo B7TL is a Low-floor Double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian (its 3-axle version The development of a Wright alternative arose because Arriva wished to buy both the Wright body and VDL chassis. Arriva plc ( is a British -based international public transport operator headquartered in Sunderland. Unable to do so, Arriva took delivery of over 100 Wright-bodied Volvo B7TLs. Wright subsequently developed the Pulsar Gemini in order to win more orders from Arriva.
The low floor variant entered service in 1997 with AB Buses of Bristol, which narrowly beat a Travel West Midlands DB250LF from being the UK's first low-floor double-decker bus. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London National Express West Midlands is the current trading and brand name of West Midlands Travel Ltd (part of the National Express Group) a company which operates
Despite the DB250LF arriving early to the market, DAF had always struggled to find orders. Travel West Midlands (TWM) ordered 20, for example, but after Dennis and Volvo entered the market with the Trident 2 and B7TL respectively, TWM never ordered any more. Dennis Specialist Vehicles is a major British coachbuilder and manufacturer of specialised commercial vehicles based in Guildford, England. Volvo Buses is a Subsidiary and a business area of Volvo which became an independent division in 1968 For 3-axle longitudinal-engine Dennis Trident built for export see Dennis Trident 3 / Dennis Trident E500. Volvo B7TL is a Low-floor Double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian (its 3-axle version Despite this DB250s are quite numberable, by far the biggest number owned by the operator Arriva, mostly for its London subsidiary, but a number of the type can be found with Arriva Midlands and Arriva Yorkshire on both the East Lancs body and unusually on the Wright Pulsar Gemini body, these being some of few Pulsar Gemini single-door bodies. Arriva plc ( is a British -based international public transport operator headquartered in Sunderland. Arriva London is a division of Arriva. It operates bus services in London, England. 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 Yorkshire is a division of Arriva which operates bus services around West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Apart from Arriva, other sizeable operators are Travel West Midlands and Wilts and Dorset.
Production of the DB250 ended in 2006, but still with examples entering service in the UK in 2008. Its successor, a VDL/Wright integral double decker, was announced in December 2007 and expected to be launched in 2008. [1]
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Competitors:
Other bus products from VDL:
For 3-axle longitudinal-engine Dennis Trident built for export see Dennis Trident 3 / Dennis Trident E500. The Scania OmniDekka is a Double-decker bus built for sale in the UK. Volvo B7TL is a Low-floor Double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian (its 3-axle version The VDL SB120 (previously known as the DAF SB120) is a low-floor light-weight Midibus produced from 1999 by VDL Bus International (formerly DAF Bus The VDL SB200 (previously known as the DAF SB200) is a light-weight 12m citybus produced from 2001 by VDL Bus International (formerly DAF Bus International The VDL SB250 (previously known as the DAF SB250) is a full-size Low-floor city bus launched in 1997 which was designed specifically for Continental EuropeDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic