Arriva – DAF DB250 Alexander
On 1 April 1989 London Buses was divided into 12 business units, in preparation for sell-off. The companies were created along geographic lines, with all but Westlink having routes running into Central London. The division names and a small graphic device were added to the buses, in white.
Routemaster RML2538 on route 159
An exception to this was the Westlink unit, which received a new livery altogether. Some of the names chosen were drawn from the pre London Transport era, namely London General Omnibus Company and London United Tramways.
One of these is Arriva London, a bus company operating services in Greater London. It is a subsidiary of Arriva and operates services under contract to Transport for London. It was formed from a fusion of previously separate Arriva subsidiaries Grey-Green, Leaside Buses, Kentish Bus, London & Country and South London Transport. Operations are split between two registered companies, Arriva London North Limited and Arriva London South Limited.
On 9 December 2005, route 159 was the last route to be converted from Routemaster to low-floor bus operation, with new Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL double deckers taking over. Brixton Garage gained the whole service. The route was converted gradually from the start of service on the last day, with the last scheduled Routemaster journey (operated by RM2217) departing Marble Arch at 12:08, arriving at Brixton Garage at 14:03. The final service operated by RM54, terminated at Streatham at 14:07.
Alexander ALX400
The Alexander ALX400 is a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders. It was one of the ALX-series bodywork, all of which 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.
Volvo B7TL VLA172 on route 159
Released in 1997, it was fitted to numerous chassis, including the Dennis/TransBus Trident, the DAF DB250LF (our paper model) and the Volvo B7TL. It proved a big success with national operators; huge numbers serve London and the rest of the United Kingdom. From its introduction until 2006, it had been the favoured double-deck model for the Stagecoach Group. Production of the ALX400 bodywork ceased after the delivery of the 100 ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TL in late 2006.
It was recently announced that Arriva London’s DLA1 (R101GNW) the first built ALX400 and London’s first low floor double decker is to be transferred to the London Transport Museum Depot to be added to the collection of the London Transport historic bus collection.
Scale Model H0 (1/87)
London Bus
