Lothian Buses: Dennis Trident / Plaxton President (V reg)

English: The V registration (Vnnn ESC) batch of the Dennis Trident / Plaxton President fleet of buses operated by Lothian Buses. A total of 35 were delivered in October and November 1999. Fleet numbering began at 511, matched to the registration (e.g. V511 ESC). This was the first full batch to arrive after the small batch of five (506-510) delivered as part of the initial low-floor double-decker deliveries. The first 30 buses were for the standard fleet, the last 5 were for airport routes, later cascaded to the main fleet. The first 20 buses have since been converted to open top buses for use on the tour service, while the remaining 15 have been sold. The sale of these buses led to the numbers 531-4 being re-used on four W-reg Trident open top buses.

511-39 in standard service edit

The first 30 were delivered in the original version of Harlequin livery, initially with a simple route branding band, later removed. These buses later received the simplified harlequin livery.

in simplififed Harlequin

541-5 edit

The last 5 were the first Tridents for the airport fleet, wearing the new Airlink livery. These were later cascaded to the main fleet, wearing Harlequin livery. They later received minor route branding for route 35, first a green ban, later a lilac one. They then received a special green roofed version of Harlequin livery, for Park & Ride route X48. 542/3 were later returned to standard Harlequin.

Park & Ride livery

511-530 as open toppers edit

The buses retained for tour use were converted in Seafield Works into either partial or full open top configuration - partial: 511-3 & 525-530; full: 514-524. They all received updated versions of the two-tone green Edinburgh Tour or blue/yellow Majestic Tour livery, replacing older Olympians in those liveries.

Edinburgh Tour livery edit

511-20, plus 529/30, were turned out in Edinburgh Tour livery, later joined by 521 (repainted from Majestic). The only other Trident to receive Edinburgh Tour livery are 509/510 from the T-reg batch. 512-6 were later repainted in into World Heritage Tour livery

Majestic Tour livery edit

521-8 were turned out in Majestic Tour livery, with 521 later receiving Edinburgh Tour livery

World Heritage Tour livery edit

512-6 were later repainted from Edinburgh Tour livery into World Heritage Tour livery