Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
This page created 27th September 2016.

TA, TAS: Dennis Trident, Alexander ALX 400

short third batch TAS

TAS223-260: Short (9.9m) Normal-height, low floor, wheelchair ramp

In September 2000 a batch of shorter Tridents started to arrive. These were missing the stretched middle short bay. Oddly, they came to replace long Volvo Olympians: Catford's VNs and Bromley's VAs, on the 194 . The Olympians in turn displaced Titans.

Likewise at Bow Tridents 237-246 replaced long Olympians on the 241. They also made appearances on the 26,86 and 277 with the longer TAs.

At Upton Park TAS247-260 were replacing Titans and S-class Scanias on the 147. There was still a question whether the short Tridents would fit through the route's restrictive street furniture, and at first some (TAS 247-252) were sent instead to Romford for the new 496, where they worked alongside older buses (Titans and Olympians). These also appeared on the 86, 175 and 374 The 147 was cleared for the low-floor buses and received the rest of the batch.

Upton Park had some minority work for its Tridents, such as a school-days only pair of journeys on the otherwise single-deck 104.

GarageRoute noRoute
TL Catford194Croydon Airport - Purley Way - East Croydon - Shirley Park - Eden Park - Elmers End - Anerley - Penge - Lower Sydenham - Perry Vale - Forest Hill
TB Bromley194Croydon Airport - Purley Way - East Croydon - Shirley Park - Eden Park - Elmers End - Anerley - Penge - Lower Sydenham - Perry Vale - Forest Hill
BW Bow241Stratford - Canning Town
U Upton Park147Ilford - Canning Town
NS Romford496Harold Wood Stn - Gallows Corner - Romford Market
U Upton Park238Stratford - East Ham - Barking Station

TA261-358: 10.5m Normal-height, low floor, wheelchair ramp, new livery

Longer Tridents began to appear at Plumstead in November 2000, beginning an ousting of some forty of the VN3** Olympians, which went to Catford to replace Titans. They joined earlier Tridents on the 53, and 122. From the start of 2001 a minority from this batch went to supplement the allocations at Leyton and Romford.

Also at this time the new Stagecoach liveries were introduced. The London version was still mainly red, but with a dark blue skirt and swirls of orange and blue - separated by white - sweeping up to the rear. Rears remained red, with blue skirt. The British Isles logo was replaced by a Stagecoach in London logo, whether in East London or Selkent areas. Older Tridents quickly began to receive the new colour scheme too.

Selkent received more longer Tridents in a flood during February 2001, at Catford for the 136 and at Bromley for the 208.

TA323 on 136 to Peckham TA319 on 136 to Peckham

Catford's Tridents on the 136, as delivered in plain red: TA323 heads past Lewisham Station in August 2002, TA319 sets off from Grove Park in September 2001.

GarageRoute noRoute
TL Catford136Grove Park - Downham - Catford - Lewisham - New Cross - Peckham
TB Bromley208Orpington / Bromley Common - Bromley - Downham - Catford / Lewisham

TA340 on 208 to Orpington TA337 on 208 to Bromley Common

Bromley's Tridents on the 208: in October 2001 TA340 has received the blue skirt and swirls, but due to having one of the withheld registration numbers has acquired a 340 on the front. More than a year later, in December 2002 TA337 is still in plain red as it struggles up Bromley Hill into Bromley. The two buses also illustrate that at that time the 208 was operated in two sections: Lewisham to Bromley Common and Catford to Orpington.
TA348 on 208 to Lewisham
Red, blue skirt and swirls. TA348 heads north past Bromley South Station in October 2001 on the 208.

Bus Stop TA99-222. TAS223-TA358 . TA359-TA534 . TA histories. TA photos.