PRESERVATION DEBUTE! | Arriva London North DAF DB250/Alexander ALX400, DLA1 (R101 GNW) | Route 22
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- 10/7/2022
Previously a driver trainer in north London (I’m not sure if it was Wood Green or another depot), now jointly preserved by Bromley bus group and Arriva Kent teams at the Tunbridge Wells depot
This was DLA1’s first ever run in preservation since ADL themselves helped said team beautifully restore the ALX400 bodywork, and I believe it also received some engine work but I’m not sure on that. Either way, I’m pleased with the way it’s turned out!
Now we insert a mayonnaise joke cos I like Euro 2 DLAs that much. About time I had some proper Euro 2 DLA action again, been 3 years since I last had it on 6310 (DLA310) around Wycombe on 32!
This bus was working Route 22: Godstone Green - East Grinstead, War Memorial (Stop J) via Lingfield
© Chiltern Transport Productions 2022
When these came into Ponders End / Wood Green for the first time for 144/221, W3 and then 149/279 I was starting secondary school and it was a whole new world of bus seating inside but we learnt to love them but they aged badly quickly but was so memorable, until the VLWs came in and then the current DAFs that Arriva have, DWs
How exactly did they age “badly”?
Whilst alot of these in my old area were known for being absolutely buggered in terms of performance, my gosh these do bring back some good memories. DAFs just have that character that never goes way, whilst they weren't always the most reliable of buses, they'll always have a place in my heart. I'm glad Luton still use one 51 plate and one 02 plate but I think it's only a matter of time for those two sadly :( thanks for such a good video on this one
You’ve echoed my sentiments on the character and always having a special place in my heart, especially since these are the buses that got me into this hobby!
And thank you, pleased to see you enjoyed this video 😁
The 51 plate’s been withdrawn. I think the gearbox blew up.
@@leicestertravels4705 It had a dodgy idle when I filmed 4712 in I think October 2020, so I’m surprised it lasted this long but somehow 4713-4714 didn’t
@@ChilternTransportProductions Yeah, I remember that vid, and I was staggered as well, especially since 4714 still drove like a much newer bus.
Well, the Euro 2 Lowlander era with Arriva is now finished. I’m not sure about other examples with coach companies but if you want an Arriva one, you’ll have to wait till 4706 makes its debut. In all honesty, the wait is bloody killing me since they’re what got me into buses way back in 2003.
@@leicestertravels4705 Well there was some ex IOM ones with Dekkabus that shamed the Arriva lot but that company has now folded, so I don’t know what’s happened to them. And if there’s any other Euro 2 Lowlanders to catch or not
While i’ve always preferred a trident over a DB250, this one definitely warrants as better than a lot of tridents i grew up with. DB250s are lovely buses even if they’re not my number 1. I had a Euro2 DB250 on the Victoria Coach Stn running day and my god that was a beauty. DAFs may not pickup as good as a trident but the sounds it makes make up for it. Great video and of course props to the owners of this bus. They have done wonders to it!
Which DB250 did you do at that Victoria running day?
The fact that DB250s can sound so charming even without kickdown or much speed in general is what I liked about them, Tridents come very close second for the low floor decker league and they’re great with performance but they just don’t have that charm the DB250s do if you know what I mean
@@ChilternTransportProductions Optare Spectra 701 (J257MLU). It’s currently preserved I believe but it is a Euro2 DAF DB250
@@plasmauktransport1657 Oh Reading Buses 701. You lucky son of a gun, I’d kill for a ride on that!!! It still sounds as great as it did in 2008!
Yes it is preserved, by the CEO himself Robert Williams who filmed nearly all the native Spectras back in 2008, has a whole playlist dedicated to that and still checks the odd video today!
Nice one, glad to see the very first ALX400 preserved and restored after it being originally scrapped by Arriva.
To answer your question, after the restoration was completed at ADL Harlow the bus didn’t have an engine due to the original one being damaged prior to the restoration. The solution around it was to essentially cannibalise another DLA in order to get this one running again. The guys who did it are very experienced with DAFs and were able to get it up and running again hence why this historic vehicle is still with us today!
I don’t think this is the first ALX400 in general but it certainly is for Arriva and also the first DAF one. I think the first one in general was Stagecoach’s TA1/17001,
I believe it was a Y-UGC that donated its engine for DLA1
I remember the times when you would post lots of euro2 DB250 Acton as said in your description. Those Y reg beasts I miss alot, they done the 320 in watford sometimes because a couple of thwm were with hemal for a while before they went to Aylesburyand ended service at Wycombe. Your lucky to find any DB250s these days unless it's a euro3 or preserved beast like this, great video 🙂
I clearly enjoyed my local DB250s quite a lot! They’re the buses that got me interested in buses as an enthusiast, I remember being upstairs at the front on one in 2015 from Bourne End to Wycombe on 37 and particularly by Wooburn Green Tesco Express (near the old station site) I remember thinking “wow this sounds good!”. That’s probably where it all began before I was introduced to the technicalities!
And I feel your pain with the Y-UGCs, they were my favourite batch. Bucks has never been the same since they were withdrawn
@@ChilternTransportProductions I know right, the KL52s remind me of garston but the Y UGCs were something else. You would be surprised, my first bus ride got me into buses, the YJ57 plaxton centres that got withdrawn, well not BWF in Telford but I doubt I'll be going there for that it's refurbished too anyway so it won't have the old arriva maquette most likely. The two YJ58s at Aylesbury are nice to still have around but being euro4, they remind me of pulsars norw than the 57 plate ones garston had. After riding FFC on the 500 the other day though, it was nice to catch a centro after so long on such a good route. That was a long day, I got SN51 TCJ at redline and I saw an old R reg dart. Going to bucks is like the old days in Watford for me so it's always enjoyable. I see why you always told me to get intalink and adventure out cause I feel stupid now always telling you to come to Watford
@@Glowaxy R reg Dart ~ R301 CMV 🙂
@@shiresbusveg That's right 😄
There was also R445 LGH with sister company Red Rose that sometimes did 352 between Watford and Hemel via Bovingdon, a few years before Vale Travel took over in exchange for Red Eagle receiving 354 from Vale
But it was also known to do 23 and other city routes in MK as well as 33 to Northampton
Seems quite alright 2 decades later, great video!
More than alright I reckon! Good as new!
And thank you! Pleased you enjoyed it :)
Now that is a proper DAF beast. Interior looks amazing too.
You’re telling me, fellow DLA appreciator! ADL have done a cracking job at this!!!
This really brings back many happy memories of all the ones in south Buckinghamshire I used to roam around in, I’m sure it does the same for you and your Leicestershire lot 😌
@@ChilternTransportProductions I think I’m on my own for Leicester’s as they didn’t take to them so fondly up here.
Great video and great thrash. Was a great day that event. Went on it that day and it was a beast. It was my first time on a DB250 after they left arriva london. I remember them being on the 258 and they would sound strange yet amazing. Nice one bro.
Thank you! Glad to see you enjoyed this :)
I never did them in London, instead I did a bunch of them when some north London ones came to me at Wycombe and Aylesbury depots in Buckinghamshire, of which you can see some videos on my channel right now if you so wish
@@ChilternTransportProductions Will do. Its always great to see these buses being preserved for events. It's gives them a chance to be used at their best abilities😉
@@dramadani2 Absolutely! That and relive the memories of better days gone by! I know I could do with plenty of those opportunities these days…
This is what you call a proper preserved bus! Great Video!
Ayyy, you said it pal!
Cheers, glad you enjoyed 😁
Ayyy, you said it pal!
Cheers, glad you enjoyed 😁
I so miss these buses. I remember the days when these and the Volvo B7TL's with the ALX400 bodyshells mostly dominated the Arriva London fleet in the golden days. I love the sound and the whine of these DAF's as well. Great video. I hope I can visit the group sometime in the future. I assume they have open days.
Cheers! No this group don’t do public open days, I have never known any to unless they have their own museum which the Bromley group do not. But they do host their own running days however, this I believe was their first
@@ChilternTransportProductionswhere do I catch these
@@ThatRandom6 Bus running days and rallies
i remember these on the 243
DB250s are the best deckers if you ask me, can't hate on one (apart from the Arriva G1 you posted a whole ago. That one was pretty bad). I too felt so glad to ride a Euro2 DAF once again
There are worse members of that batch, don’t worry.
@@leicestertravels4705 Are there any good ones. 🤣
I always thought the FJ06s in and from Leicester were pretty good..
Actually I could and did hate on half the ones Wycombe and Aylesbury (especially Wycombe) had as they were utterly fucked like 6283 and 6302-6303, clearly didn’t look after them but when they were, they were among the best deckers out there like 6301, 6305 (my fav!!! 😍) and 6309, maybe even 6310! Certainly the low floor ones if not in general
@@LondonTransportMaster There’s a few. 4759 is an utter monster. I would say you gotta watch out for heaps, but it’s fairly easy as generally, it’s the Journey Mark ones, while the Interurban ones are the good ones. There are exceptions of course (like the one in that video) but that’s how I usually look at it.
It’ll probably be more apparent in about a year, as when the new electrics finally arrive, the good ones will move on, probably join the two at Wycombe, while the crap ones will be off to the scrapyard. Currently 4 of them already have.
@@leicestertravels4705 I thought they’re going in the autumn, possibly as early as September?
Very nice journey! Love a DB250. I was sitting on the far right at the back on this run lol
Oh right. Don’t remember anyone there, certainly not what they looked or sounded like
Good to see you appreciate a DB250 😉
Have you got a video of DLA1 and/or DLA147 coming up soon?
@@ChilternTransportProductions Yes I only rode DLA1 (twice) and recorded a journey on this run. I’ll upload it in a week or so
@@NLTransport Your video still isn’t up yet, I’m waiting to see it!
Was that you speaking around 0:28?
@@ChilternTransportProductions completely forgot to upload it! It’s not no lol
Honestly these busses can go another 10 years
Maybe in preservation they could where they’re not used so much, so there’s much less wear and tear and it’s spread out over a lot more time but the parts will still be challenging to source if something needs replacing, as new parts aren’t made anymore. You’re basically relying on recently scrapped buses to provide the parts
No chance they could do another 10 years in service even if no one cares about new buses and there’s no clean air zones. Unfortunately everything has an expiry date they meet at some point, just some can meet it much later than others
Great Video
Thanks
@@ChilternTransportProductions :)
It seems I must add 'DAF DB250' to my list of buses to catch!
You’ve been missing out big time son! Although you might want to know which ones are the good ones for maximum enjoyment
So I hear! Yes please, the only ones I know of are the Cummins-swapped ones in Newcastle and a rogue LJ05 one with McGill's that comes and goes whenever it pleases.
@@ThingsWithEngines Oh yes, the retrofits. I saw one of those in Liverpool and I swear I’ve seen them about in London too
Thought I should let you know that I've finally managed to catch some DB250s: Arriva Midlands's 4767, 4746, 4761, and 4760. I almost didn't go out for 4760 as it was getting very late, but I'm so glad I did as it was by far the best of them. And you were quite right, I had been missing out: those axles are insane!
The ibus announcement got removed. Why would it got removed? It should be having an ibus announcements on the ALX400 DB250
Because it’s TfL property, same as the Oyster readers. They would have been made to give them back anyway
Yes I really really really really hope that ALX400 will come back to London
They already do on some rail replacements and heritage bus events such as running days centred on recreating old routes like the 32, 65, 71 and 93 but never in TfL service I’m afraid. That simply would not be allowed
@@andreaholnessulez wont allow it
And yet DLA273 from Regional Transport has appeared a month ago on South Western Rail Rep out of Clapham Junction! So it seems ULEZ is not the obstacle everyone thinks it is!
Fantastic video, keep seeing loads of photos of This on Twitter of this bus. I have an interest in it. Same for DLA33 (S223 JUA). That’s the other one that’s in preservation, Arriva Wycombes 6000 (KL52 CWN) has now been withdrawn due to age unfortunately.
Cheers! Well it is a special bus with a special status, being the pioneer example of this type, so I’m not surprised!
There’s actually several more DLAs preserved, DLA273 with Regional Transport in Shropshire, DLA147 and 6250/DLA225 with South East Bus Group and DLA23 alongside DLA33 at Bromley bus group. DLA147 was running at this event with DLA1 but I never managed it
Fun fact for you: 6309 was almost preserved, Tim Jeffs was seriously aiming for it. However, Aylesbury sent it out without oil and it blew up on X60 so it didn’t survive. It was completely shagged out from months of constant X60 running on the full route to MK and not the old Buckingham/Maids Moreton shorts, which didn’t exactly help matters
I think 6305 is the one that should have been preserved however as that was unique to the area, being the only one with MAX interior, work put in to receive a reconditioned engine and new Voith gearbox, so it sounded much nicer and fresher than the others. It truly was the best in my eyes, my favourite for a reason, it’s criminal that it wasn’t saved! I’m still pissed off about it to this day, always will be…
@@ChilternTransportProductions That’s a big shame Y509 UGC blow up :(. 6305 Y505 UGC I presume why it wasn’t im not sure. That would have been fantastic, have a lovely rest of your day 😊!
@@shiresbusveg *Y526 UGC for 6305. It’s weird like that, I don’t know why it was that and not Y505 UGC, which is what you’d think it is
@@ChilternTransportProductions Yep indeed
What is going on there then
What do you mean?
Oh it's me lol
Which one is you? Didn’t even know you were there!
@@ChilternTransportProductions the black one
I hope you cleaned up after yourself 🤥
Always, every time! Would be rude not to!