Autobuses y autocares Dennis: libros - historia y modelos

120 Years of Dennis Buses

Este libro ilustrado repasa la historia de Dennis Brothers, fundada en la década de 1890 cuando John Dennis pasó de fabricar bicicletas en Devon a producir vehículos de motor en Guildford en 1901.
La empresa fabricó inicialmente automóviles, furgonetas, camiones de bomberos y autobuses. La producción de coches terminó en 1913, pero tras la Primera Guerra Mundial creció la fabricación de vehículos pesados, con ventas en el Reino Unido y en el extranjero.

Dennis Brothers fue adquirida por el grupo Hestair en 1972 y posteriormente cambió de propietarios varias veces. En 2004, un consorcio liderado por Alexander Dennis tomó el control. Con una amplia gama de productos, se convirtió en el mayor fabricante británico de vehículos de transporte de pasajeros.

Con numerosas fotografías inéditas, el libro ofrece una visión clara de la larga historia de los autobuses Dennis.

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Alexander Dennis Buses

Alexander, Dennis y Plaxton son tres de los nombres más importantes en la construcción de autobuses en Gran Bretaña. Pese a muchas dificultades, hoy están unidos como Alexander Dennis, el principal fabricante de autobuses y autocares del país.

Dennis, con raíces en el siglo XIX, fue reconocido como constructor de chasis. Sus modelos exitosos, como el Dart y el Trident, circularon en el Reino Unido y en el extranjero.
Plaxton lleva más de un siglo fabricando carrocerías en Scarborough, entre ellas los conocidos Panorama y Elite, y continúa produciendo autobuses y autocares.
Alexander empezó fabricando carrocerías para sus servicios de autobús en Escocia, con diseños como el Y-type y la moderna gama Enviro.

Cada empresa tuvo un papel importante en la industria británica de autobuses. Juntas, producen hoy autobuses sin emisiones en Gran Bretaña y los ensamblan en todo el mundo. Sus modelos de uno y dos pisos funcionan a diario en Europa, Asia y América del Norte.

Con más de 160 ilustraciones, este libro cuenta la historia de estas empresas pioneras y cómo superaron fusiones, adquisiciones y crisis financieras para crear Alexander Dennis, ahora fundamental en la industria británica de autobuses y autocares.

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Dennis Buses and Other Vehicles

The Dennis company has been building vehicles since 1895, making it the oldest continuously producing British manufacturer. From its origins in a small Guildford shop, the company has grown to become a major bus manufacturer with its products selling around the world.

This book discusses the company's highs and lows, through two world wars, challenging markets and ownership changes. It documents the vehicles produced and their innovative design features, from early cars and street-cleaning machines to vans, buses, trucks, fire engines and ambulances.
First-hand descriptions of how, and why, some of the company's most successful products such as the Dart, Trident and Enviro buses evolved. It explains why their once market-leading fire engines are no longer made.
It also analyses the reasons why some products were less successful and explores what happened to parts of the company that were sold over the years. Finally, the company's future opportunities and challenges are considered.

The author, Andy Goundry, has not only drawn on his own personal experience of almost twenty years of employment with the company but he has drawn on what is left of the company archives, private collections and first-hand accounts, to produce this book as a salutation of over 125 years of continuous manufacturing.

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Dennis Dominator - Including associated models the Domino, Falcon and Arrow

The Dominator was Dennis's first rear-engined double-decker bus chassis. It was launched in 1977. Dennis had been absent from the bus manufacturing market since the last Lolines were produced in 1967. The Dominator was described as bespoke, with numerous options. To some extent it was considered a successor to the Daimler/Leyland Fleetline.

By the time that production ceased in 1996 a total of 1007 of the model had been produced. The single largest customer for the type in the UK was South Yorkshire PTE, which acquired more than 320 (including one configured as a trolleybus for trials). Another significant market for the type was Hong Kong, where from 1979 onwards several batches were delivered. In 1982 a three-axle version - known as the Dennis Dragon - was produced specifically for the Hong Kong market; a number of these have been subsequently imported back to the UK and can now be found in use on sightseeing duties in London and elsewhere.

This volume details the development of the Dominator from its origins in the early 1970s through to the final years of operation. It also includes sections on associated models Domino and Falcon and its successor, the Arrow.

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London's Dart and Dart SLF

Launched in 1988, the Dennis Dart saloon became one of the most successful single-deck buses in the UK. Originally sold to London operators, provincial operators soon saw the success of the model and purchased large numbers. Several different manufacturers produced bodywork for these vehicles.

Going from strength to strength, a low-floor model was constructed in 1995, becoming known as the Dennis Dart SLF. Again, this model was purchased by many operators across the country, with the Plaxton Pointer and Alexander ALX200 body styles being the more popular choice.
Large numbers of both the step-entrance and low-floor machines were taken into stock by London operators, both big and small.

The Dart and Dart SLF became a worthy workhorse of the London bus network for over twenty-five years. David Beddall takes us through the history of this significant model, with a range of previously unpublished images from the nation's capital.

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The London Dennis Dart and Dart SLF

Introduced in 1989 the Dennis Dart became one of the most successful midibuses in the UK. Bodywork was supplied by Carlyle, Wrightbus, Reeve Burgess, Plaxton, Alexander and Wadham Stringer. A large number were taken into stock by London operators, replacing many of the smaller midibuses.
A low-floor version, the Dart SLF, was introduced in 1995, and like the step-entrance Dart this model also became popular with operators around the United Kingdom, as well as Hong Kong.

In 2001 Transbus took over production, only to revert to the Alexander Dennis name in 2005. The last Darts entered service in London during 2007, after which time the Enviro 200 took over.
This book provides a history of this popular London single-decker, from its introduction to its demise.

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The London Dennis Trident

Propelled towards the end of the 1990s by accessibility imperative requiring low floor buses both in London and the rest of Britain, Dennis developed a tri axle Trident double decker for Hong Kong and then adapted the design as a two axle version for Britain.
Orders came thick and fast between 1999, when the first Tridents for London entered service with Stagecoach and 2006, when the Enviro 400, a combination of its unified body builders, replaced it.

In those years over two thousand of the type appeared in London, ordered by Stagecoach, First London, United, Metroline, Metrobus, London General, Blue Triangle, Connex, Armchair, and Hackney Community Transport.
The body work was by Alexander ALX400, Plaxton, (Precedent) and East Lancs, to two available lengths, while badging itself progressed although Trans Bus, until this troubled organisation was suspended in 2004 by todays Alexander Dennis.
Versatile and personable, the Trident in all its forms lasted two decades in London, the last examples being withdrawn from service in 2020.

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