Dennis Dragon

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Dennis Dragon

The Dennis Dragon was a chassis for double-decker buses from the British commercial vehicle manufacturer Dennis Brothers . The type was built from 1981 to 1999. The bus was based on the two-axle Dennis Dominator . The vehicles used at China Motor Bus were given the name Condor . The bus was built exclusively for export. A total of around 2000 buses were produced.

background

With the bus produced from 1977 onwards, Dennis had a breakthrough on the market in what was then the British crown colony of Hong Kong . The bus was, however, problematic in terms of driving dynamics because of its long overhangs. The nodding when starting and braking, which reminded the journey of the bus like a duck walking, had earned him the nickname Duck . In addition, the number of seats was insufficient. In addition to the Dominator, the bus line operators had also tested other buses with air conditioning. However, these tests were not very successful and the air conditioning systems were soon removed. However, air conditioning seemed indispensable under the climatic conditions in Hong Kong.

Dennis extended the Dominator to a length of 12 m and inserted an additional axle in front of the driven rear axle. This created more space for passenger seats and provided enough space for a powerful air conditioning system to be set up. In addition to the long version, the bus was also available in lengths of 9.9 m, 10.3 m and 11 m and with different drive units and superstructures.

One of the largest operators of the Dragon was Kowloon Motor Bus . The Chinese name Kowloon meant nine dragons (German: nine dragons). Since China Motor Bus did not want to name a bus with the name of its competitor, the vehicles delivered to CMB were given the name Condor .

construction

The basic design of the Dominator was retained. The motor was arranged at the rear, the 3rd axis was driven. The buses were powered either by a Gardner or Cummins engine . The Cummins motor was originally available as an option, but over the course of production it replaced the Gardner motor as the standard drive. Automatic transmissions from Voith or ZF were used as the transmission .

All buses with the exception of four prototypes received a body from Duple-Metsec . The prototypes had an Alexander body .

use

Kowloon Motor Bus

Dennis Dragon with 9.9 m length from KMB

In 1982, Kowloon Motor Bus procured three 12-meter-long Dragons with superstructures from Alexander without air conditioning for testing purposes. These buses were given the internal index 3N. Immediately after the test was completed, 188 more of these buses were purchased, but now with a three-door body from Duple Metsec. From 1991 to 1999, 170 more long buses with air conditioning followed.

The 11 m long version was procured from 1986. These buses did not have air conditioning and were given the S3N index. They were intended for use in the New Territories . Fifty of the buses were originally intended to be equipped with air conditioning and had a closed rear. Between 1986 and 1994 a total of 370 of these buses were delivered.

In 1990, Kowloon Motor Bus tested an 11-meter-long Dragon with air conditioning. Thereafter, 235 9.9 m long Dragon (ADS) and 360 in the 11 m long version (3AD) were procured by 1999. All of these buses had air conditioning.

All 12 m buses and 270 11 m buses without air conditioning have since been decommissioned, and some are still used as driving school vehicles. In addition, a smaller number of air-conditioned buses went out of service after accidents, among other things.

China Motor Bus

Dennis Condor from NWFB, 11 m long version

In 1982 China Motor Bus tested two 12 m long Condors without air conditioning, one with an Alexander body and the other with a Duple Metsec body. After the tests had been completed, the decision was made to purchase 46 Condors in the 12 m version. After the Mass Transit Railway line opened in the 1980s, China Motor Bus did not have much of a need for such buses. In addition, until 1997 buses in the 11 m version were purchased, 92 of them with and 28 without air conditioning. China Motor Bus bought the last Condor as an interim solution because of the unpredictably long delivery time of the Dennis Trident . After China Motor Bus lost the franchise in 1998, all buses were sold to New World First Bus .

Some buses have since been sorted out and sold. Twenty of the Condor in the 12 m versions came back to Great Britain. One bus was given an open-top structure and was used in regular service until 2008.

Citybus

Citybus purchased the Dragon from 1993 exclusively with air conditioning. The Duple Metsec superstructure, which was manufactured by Caetano in Portugal, differed from the previous superstructures in that it had a wider front door and the design of the front, which was adopted from the Alexander R. Between 1994 and 1998, 80 Dragons in the 12 m version and 40 buses in a 10.3 m version were added to Citybus . One of the short buses was converted into the world's first three-axle double-decker trolleybus with air conditioning in 2000.

HACTL

The Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited bought in 1996 four Dragon as service vehicles. The structure was similar to that of the 12 m version of Citybus , but the destination displays were missing, and the seats were narrower for the buses. After HACTL ceased business trips with its own buses in September 1999, the vehicles went to New World First Bus .

Africa

Dennis Dragon from Stagecoach in Manchester, originally deployed in Kenya

In 1992, Stagecouch procured ten Dragons for the plant in Malawi and between 1995 and 1996 another twenty for Kenya . Between 1998 and 2000 the buses were brought back from Kenya and put into service at Stagecoach Manchester.

Web links

Commons : Dennis Dragon  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files