DT Class

29-07-2013 7:27pm #1

For those who don't know, Harristown have 10 ALX400s which are based on Dennis Trident II chassis rather than the Volvo chassis used in the AV and AX. I've only ever been on them twice and it was the same one - DT3. Got it on a late 27B one night and recently got it on a rush hour 41 heading towards the city centre.

How good or bad are these buses? They certainly sound like they have more poke than the AV/AX.

dfx- · 30-07-2013 1:51pm

I've been on most of them at this stage, except perhaps for DT9 since its fire.

They are very difficult to track down, being on Euros all over the city like the 41 or blanchardstown corridor and there could two or three of them on the 17A. DT4 was on the 13 last night and likewise DT8 on Friday

I like them, but I don't think they are as powerful as the noise they make suggests. I'd imagine with their Euro usage that they've had an easier life compared to similar age AVs. I'd prefer a smooth older AV but I'd prefer an AV to almost the entire fleet. I'd have them somewhere between a VG and an AX in 4th/5th/6th place if I was to rank the types.

_Kaiser_ · 30-07-2013 3:42pm

I think the first ALX400 demonstrator was a DT that was later sold off to AMC - I remember because my former employer used them.

It didn't take long before it was in shite though! Makes you appreciate DB maintenance I guess!

As an aside, what's the differences between the AV and AX?

Trebor176 · 30-07-2013 4:01pm

Mechanically, I don't think there's any difference between an AV and an AX. Appearance-wise, there's nothing really to distinguish them externally, and similarly with the interior. Unless the reason for the change from AV to AX is that the AVs were built by Transbus Alexander, while the AXs were built by Alexander Dennis. Both classes were built in Falkirk, though, with some AVs built in Belfast also.

The DTs are easy enough to distinguish from an AV/AX. Most notably would be the squared-off rear downstairs window, compared to the more rounded edged ones of the latter classes. The window on the emergency door of the DT, and the small window opposite aren't as low as the rest of the windows. The middle side windows are wider than those on an AV/AX. Also, the front destination is mounted higher in the surround than an AV/AX. The DTs are slightly taller too.

Inside the DTs, there are two steps up to the rear downstairs seats, rather than one, while the rear window is closer. The obvious difference too would be the dashboard, what with them being Dennis, rather than Volvo. They are also devoid of vibration from the engine too, unlike a good few AVs, and perhaps the odd AX.

I am a big fan of the DTs, but I'd have to get them more often just to get a better feel of them. Certainly the ones that I have been on have been great, and they do seem quite powerful as well.

devnull · 30-07-2013 9:43pm

The AX's have a slightly different front windscreen area internally on the near-side, but you can't notice this from the outside. The panels between the driver and the staircase are a little different too, other than that not so easy to tell differences.

30-07-2013 9:47pm

I remember hearing at the time of their introduction that the AX has an electronic braking system rather than a mechanical one. It also sounds to me as if the gearbox is different. They seems to change between first and second a lot earlier than the AVs do.

Another minor difference which I notice on the inside is that the stop buttons are different on the AX, VT and EV compared to the AV. However some of these buttons have made it inside the AVs due to maintenance.

dfx- · 31-07-2013 2:23am

For me, the height of the dashboard gives an AX away. Of course, the lack of an LED display also is almost certain indicator that an AX is approaching.

20-10-2014 8:27am

Sorry to bump this but a very interesting observation this morning. Around 08:20 in Drumcondra I saw no less than four DTs in the space of a couple of minutes. DT9 on the 13 and DT6, 2 and 8 on the 41X. Out of a fleet of only 10, what are the odds?

20-10-2014 8:38am

And now DT10 on another 41X in Santry! Why are there so many 41X buses this morning?

L1011 · 20-10-2014 10:05am

Karsini wrote: »

And now DT10 on another 41X in Santry! Why are there so many 41X buses this morning?

Port Tunnel was blocked for a prolonged period so this will have had all sorts of impacts on Swords buses.

Csalem · 20-10-2014 8:41pm

There are 6 41X departures from Swords in the morning:
http://dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/41x/

DTs are normally to be found on the Xpressos in the morning. Best time to see them. They often work back to Harristown after the morning peak on the 4.

dublinman1990 · 23-10-2014 10:05pm

I was on the 4 and got off at Simmonscourt Road at around 9:20am yesterday morning.

The bus I was on was a GT but another GT (don't know it's number) was spotted in Booterstown village because it was waiting in some traffic at the lights near the DART station.

I then eventually pass St. Vincent's Hospital a few minutes later and see DT9 on Nutley Lane after it's morning peak on the Xpresso's with 4 Ballymun sign on the front. Not knowing what will happen next, I got off at Simmonscourt and see 3 buses that were bunched together all lined up outside Bewley's Hotel in which they were all going on the no.4.

DT9 was literally empty while passing me because the other 2 GT's had already taken up the passengers on the Merrion Road ahead of it. I have to say that is an incredible waste of resources for that particular time of day.

LXFlyer · 23-10-2014 10:15pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I was on the 4 and got off at Simmonscourt Road at around 9:20am yesterday morning.

The bus I was on was a GT but another GT (don't know it's number) was spotted in Booterstown village because it was waiting in some traffic at the lights near the DART station.

I then eventually pass St. Vincent's Hospital a few minutes later and see DT9 on Nutley Lane after it's morning peak on the Xpresso's with 4 Ballymun sign on the front. Not knowing what will happen next, I got off at Simmonscourt and see 3 buses that were bunched together all lined up outside Bewley's Hotel in which they were all going on the no.4.

DT9 was literally empty while passing me because the other 2 GT's had already taken up the passengers on the Merrion Road ahead of it. I have to say that is an incredible waste of resources for that particular time of day.

So would you prefer the bus to return out of service to Harristown from UCD instead?

These duties are "euro" duties. They operate for several hours in the morning and then again in the afternoon/evening.

23-10-2014 10:17pm

Speaking of which, do the DTs only ever do Euros? Someone told me before that they did, because Dublin Bus had no warranty on them after TransBus went bust.

dfx- · 24-10-2014 1:58am

Certainly not in the past few years. DT2 was on the 13 on Monday evening, but they're not on the 13 much. 12 months ago you could regularly find three or four of them on the 17A of all routes. Recently DT1 has had a residency on the 27B and then you can find some on the 40D and 40.

The 40D is a great route to get them.

DT1 · 03-11-2014 9:55pm

I love the DT's, very fast and powerful, new seats and very clean interior with a lot of new bus smell down the back. Some of them can be very noisy too which is lovely! Thank God they're all based in Harristown where maintenance is a priority. There's always at least 3 of them in Belfield at 16:00 - 17:30 doing euros on 39A and 41X and on 38s. Other than that they're most likely on the 17A as drivers pick them a lot and sometimes the 40D. They are rare on any other route but on average are found once a week on the 13, 40, 27B each. They are very rear on the 15. Hope this sums it up and I hope you get these great powerful buses!

Buffman · 28-02-2016 1:19pm

Bumping an old thread I know, but the 10 DTs along with 74 AVs are for sale until 11th March.

DT1 · 28-02-2016 1:30pm

It's very saddening news. The DT's going alongside the best buses in the fleet the 2000-2002 AV's. The fleet of DB will be so boring

AlekSmart · 28-02-2016 1:31pm

Buffman wrote: »

Bumping an old thread I know, but the 10 DTs along with 74 AVs are for sale until 11th March.

These will sell well into the UK market.

It's a pity that they aren't "politically" acceptable in the Volvo dominated Dublin Bus environment.

Similar reason why we,as yet,have not had an ADL MMC (Major Model Change) Enviro 400 over on test yet,even if the operator reports on the new model Enviro's are very encouraging.

macroman · 28-02-2016 2:23pm

AlekSmart wrote: »

These will sell well into the UK market.

It's a pity that they aren't "politically" acceptable in the Volvo dominated Dublin Bus environment.

Similar reason why we,as yet,have not had an ADL MMC (Major Model Change) Enviro 400 over on test yet,even if the operator reports on the new model Enviro's are very encouraging.

Been on one of the new ones in London on the 78, very smooth and less rattles than our SGs!

I wonder why the DB and ADL relationship soured after 19 years

dublinman1990 · 28-02-2016 5:03pm

I've seen that all of them in Harristown got a new repaint and new LED displays fitted recently. It's a real shame for the NTA to say that as they all run and look so well right now that they're being sold off as they're probably seen as a 'waste' of taxpayers money.

Shame on them for not keeping them for a little while longer.

AlekSmart · 28-02-2016 8:28pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I've seen that all of them in Harristown got a new repaint and new LED displays fitted recently. It's a real shame for the NTA to say that as they all run and look so well right now that they're being sold off as they're probably seen as a 'waste' of taxpayers money.

Shame on them for not keeping them for a little while longer.

If I were commercial manager I'd be bidding on the 10 of them for
Airlink work.

AlekSmart · 28-02-2016 8:35pm

macroman wrote: »

Been on one of the new ones in London on the 78, very smooth and less rattles than our SGs!

I wonder why the DB and ADL relationship soured after 19 years

Politics is never far from the front in these matters.

ADL closed their Mallusk plant,leaving Wrights as the only Irish bodybuilder,so when Ministers need a 'Hands across the border' themed photo-op then Ballymena is the place .

I'd be happier if they'd work a bit harder on their rattles !

The MMC Enviro's,according to ADL,had extensive engineerin design input based on driver feedback which identified rattles as a major negative feature of operating new generation bus designs.
Over here nobody's got around to asking !!

DT Class

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