View source for VDL DB250

{{distinguish|VDL SB250}}
{{short description|Twin-axle double-decker bus chassis}}
{{Infobox UK Bus
| name = DAF/VDL DB250
| image = DLA304.JPG
| imagesize = 
| caption = [[Arriva Shires & Essex]] [[Alexander ALX400]] bodied DB250LF at [[Northwood tube station]] in 2014
| manufacturer = [[VDL Bus & Coach|DAF / VDL]]
| production = 1991&ndash;2007
| assembly = [[Eindhoven]], Netherlands
| class = 
| capacity = 
| length = 
| width = 
| height = 
| floortype = [[High-floor|Step entrance]] DE23<br>[[Low-floor bus|Low floor]] DE02
| doors = 1 or 2
| weight = 
| related = 
| engine = DAF ATi RS 8.6 litre<br>DAF [[Paccar]] PS 9.2 litre
| powerout = 
| transmission = [[Voith DIWA]].3 851.3<br>Voith DIWA.3 854.3<br>[[ZF Ecomat]] 4HP500<br>ZF Ecomat 5HP500
| predecessor = 
| successor = [[Wright Gemini 2|VDL DB300]]
}}

The '''VDL DB250''' (originally the '''DAF DB250''') is a twin-axle [[double-decker bus]] chassis manufactured by [[VDL Bus & Coach]].

==DB250==
[[File:P337ROO.jpg|thumb|Preserved [[Harris Bus]] DB250 with [[Northern Counties Palatine II]] bodywork]]
The DAF DB250 was launched in October 1991 and originally only available with [[Optare Spectra]] bodywork with 260 built, mainly for operators in the United Kingdom.<ref name=BLOW>[http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/index.htm?http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/list.asp?listname=241 Optare Spectra] Bus Lists on the Web</ref><ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/24th-october-1991/22/putting-on-a-brave-face Putting on a brave face] ''[[Commercial Motor]]'' 24 October 1991</ref>

25 DAF DB250s with Optare Spectra bodywork were delivered to [[London Buses]] in 1992, with all but one delivered to the [[London Central]] subsidiary with a single door arrangement;<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=19 September 1992 |issue=31 |page=10 |title=London's first Spectra |magazine=[[Coach & Bus Week]] |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap}}</ref> [[Metroline]] received a single dual door example for evaluating replacements for [[MCW Metrobus]]es on [[London Buses route 16|route 16]].<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=10 October 1992 |issue=34 |page=14 |title=Spectra for Metroline |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap}}</ref> [[Capital Logistics]] also received a delayed order of six dual door Spectras in 1999 for their operation of [[London Buses route 60|route 60]].

31 left-hand drive examples were exported to Turkey in 1994, with 26 being delivered to [[IETT]] in [[Istanbul]] and the remaining five being delivered to İzulaş in [[İzmir]].<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=7 August 1993 |title=First Spectra set for Turkey |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=26 February 1994 |page=10 |title=Izmir gets first deckers |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap}}</ref>

The DAF DB250 later became available with [[Northern Counties Palatine II]] bodywork in 1994.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Jones |first=Stuart |date=14 October 1994 |url=https://archive.org/details/buscoachbuyer-issue277/page/15/mode/1up |title=Hughes DAF unveil the DAF DB250 - Northern Counties Palatine II |magazine=Bus & Coach Buyer |issue=277 |pages=15–18 |location=Spalding |access-date=6 April 2024}}</ref> [[Arriva London|Cowie London]] purchased 13 Palatine IIs on the DB250 chassis,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Morgan |first=Mike |date=6 January 1996 |url=https://archive.org/details/cbw-issue199/page/n8/mode/1up |title=New look for new year |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=199 |page=9  |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=6 April 2024}}</ref> while [[Harris Bus]] would also acquire fleets of DB250s.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=25 October 1996 |issue=381 |page=22 |title=Deckers upgrade Harris fleet |magazine=Bus & Coach Buyer |location=Spalding |publisher=Glen-Holland Limited}}</ref>

==DB250LF==
[[File:Brislington - Abus R222AJP.JPG|thumb|[[Abus (bus operator)|Abus]] [[Optare Spectra]] bodied DB250LF, the first low floor [[double-decker bus]] to enter service in the United Kingdom]]
[[File:159 to Kennington Church (16883340119).jpg|thumb|[[Arriva London]] [[Wright Pulsar Gemini]] bodied DB250LF at [[Trafalgar Square]] in April 2015]]
The DB250LF, the [[Low-floor bus|low-floor]] version of the DB250, was the first [[Low-floor bus|low-floor]] [[double-decker bus]] chassis available in the United Kingdom. The DB250LF is readily identified by the centrally-exiting exhaust at the rear, which can cause problems with extreme changes of slope. A revised version of DB250LF was launched in 2004 as the DB250+. The design has received a number of modifications, one of which is the use of independent front suspension.

The first DB250LFs received [[Optare Spectra]] body, which was sold exclusively on the DB250. The first low-floor variant entered service on 4 February 1998 with [[Abus (bus operator)|Abus]] of [[Bristol]], narrowly beating a [[National Express West Midlands|Travel West Midlands]] DB250LF to operate the first low floor double-decker bus service in the UK.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20151222120940/http://s101282612.websitehome.co.uk/abus/history.pdf The History] Abus</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=[[WP:SELFPUB]]|date=February 2022}} Travel West Midlands would later go on to order 20 more Spectras in 1999.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=19 December 1997 |title=TWM LF Deckers |magazine=Bus & Coach Buyer |issue=440 |location=Spalding |publisher=Glen-Holland Limited}}</ref> Additional operators of the DB250LF with Optare Spectra bodywork included [[Reading Buses]], who purchased 26, and [[Wilts & Dorset]], who purchased 78.<ref name=BLOW/><!--Not all of these were actual low-floor models - original author may have gotten mixed up?-->

Later DB250 chassis were fitted with [[Alexander ALX400]], [[Plaxton President]], [[East Lancs Myllennium Lowlander]] and [[Wright Pulsar Gemini]] bodies. The development of a [[Wrightbus|Wright]] alternative arose because [[Arriva UK Bus|Arriva]] wished to buy both the Wright body and DB250 chassis. Unable to do so, it instead purchased over 100 [[Wright Eclipse Gemini]] bodied [[Volvo B7TL]]s. Wright subsequently developed the Pulsar Gemini in 2003 in order to win more orders from Arriva.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061109120637/http://www.wrightbus.com/newspopup.asp?item_id=91 Show debut for Pulsar Gemini] Wrightbus 29 October 2003</ref>

[[Arriva London]] purchased and acquired 632 DB250s between 1998 and 2005 with Alexander ALX400 (389), Plaxton President (110)<!--Dubious - Paywall Fenton suggests 91 were bought and ten were acquired from Capital Logistics?--> and Wright Pulsar Gemini (133) bodywork.<ref>"Inward-facing rear seats go with disappearing DLAs" ''[[Buses (magazine)|Buses]]'' issue 720 May 2015 page 22</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Fenton |first=Mike |title=Fenton File |url=https://www.keybuses.com/article/fenton-file-14 |magazine=Buses |location=Stamford |publisher=Key Publishing |date=20 June 2019 |accessdate=22 February 2022}}{{subscription required}}</ref> [[Arriva Midlands]] and [[Arriva Yorkshire]] also purchased examples.

The DB250LF chassis was also adopted by Wrightbus for the development of its [[Hybrid electric bus|hybrid-powered]] [[double-decker bus]], the [[Wright Pulsar Gemini HEV]].<ref>[http://www.busandcoach.com/news/articles/archive/dublin-to-get-hybrid-double-decker/ Dubin to get hybrid double-decker] ''Bus & Coach Professional'' 11 April 2007</ref>

Production of the DB250 ended in 2006, although examples continued entering service until 2008. Its successor, the [[Wright Gemini 2]] integral double decker with VDL chassis modules, was launched in November 2008.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071217051013/http://www.busandcoach.com/newsstory.aspx?id=1724 New integrated Wrightbus double-deck] ''Bus & Coach Professional'' 13 December 2007</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|DAF DB250}}<br>
{{commons category-inline}}

{{Portal|Buses}}

[[Category:Double-decker buses]]
[[Category:Low-floor buses]]
[[Category:VDL Groep|DB250]]
[[Category:Vehicles introduced in 1991]]