Alexander-Dennis Enviro 400 Vs Wright Gemini 2

[Busman84]

The Enviro 400 was a step down from previous ALX400 and Presidents. The last of the Presidents was in 2004 when Transbus went bust. The Volvo B7TL/President was a good bus - this had no rattles either. The ALX400 continued until late 2006 as an ADL bus with either the Volvo or previous Trident chassis. I never drove the Volvo type ALX400 (apart from very early ones) but they had revised dashboard in 2005/06 which was set up pretty well regarding controls and switches, possibly better than the later 2005-07 Volvo/Gemini buses layout.

 

[heathrowrail]

Yes the "in house" electric E400EV has new bodywork

Alexander Dennis

Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) is Britain’s biggest bus builder and the world’s largest manufacturer of double deck buses with a strong presence in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand. Alexander Dennis offers a full range of coaches under the...

www.alexander-dennis.com

I won't take this too off track but ADL did the same with the Enviro 400 when it changed the bodywork slightly between 2010/2011 models to one having smaller headlights and an indent in the panels. That's probably just a minor refresh until 2024/25.

 

[prod_pep]

The Wright Gemini 2 is clearly superior to the Enviro400 in ride quality terms. Locally, we have various Gemini 2s on the VDL DB300 chassis (mostly still excellent) and Volvo B5LH (generally decent). The Enviro400s have declined at a faster rate and a large number ride poorly nowadays with dreadful suspensions.

The rate at which Wright's build quality declined was dramatic, however, as the Volvo B5LH/Wright Gemini 3s Arriva use locally are diabolical riders that are worse than the Enviro400s.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

The Volvo/Alexander combination I always thought was best but this has become less common in the last 20 years or so.

 

[ElBoiii]

Obviously any Gemini (there's lots of them in Sheffield so I'm sort of biased)
also 100th voter