Dennis Dominator
The Dennis Dominator was a chassis for double-decker buses, trolleybuses and Eindeckerbusse the British commercial vehicle manufacturer Dennis Brothers. The model was built from 1977 to 1996. The chassis was available in several, to meet the needs of the respective operators tailored variants. The Dominantor replaced with many operators the Daimler Fleetline.
Background
Dennis had built no more buses since 1967. The Dominator was the first double-decker chassis of Dennis with rear transverse mounted engine. This construction had largely prevailed already in the 1970s, but they allowed a low floor of the passenger compartment and offered in contrast to the front -mounted engine, as it still had the Dennis Jubilant, easier access to the engine and the transmission. Even the entry to it for the one-man operation without Schaffner front of the front could be implemented more easily. The Dominantor was available in many variants.
Construction
Dominator was powered by a six-cylinder diesel engine of Gardner in conjunction with a DIWA automatic transmission from Voith. The Gardner 6LXB made 127 bhp at an engine capacity of 10.45 l. Optional were other diesel engines like the supercharged Gardner 6LXCT, the Rolls- Royce Eagle, Cummins L10 or motors available from DAF. Instead of the rear axle with a normal differential gear and a rear axle could be ordered with hub reduction. From Fleetline, the Dominator differed by the arranged on the front of the vehicle cooler. The placement of the radiator in the rear area, as it was still common in the Fleetline and other buses of the first generation of buses with rear engine had performed just in subtropical and tropical climates to problems with engine cooling.
Successor of the Dominator was Dennis Arrow. From 1977 to 1986 1007 buses were built. After the deregulation of bus services by the Transport Act 1985, the production figures from dropped dramatically, the Dominator was built from 1992 only sporadically. In 1992, eight buses built in 1993 three, in 1994/95 rested the production of the Dominator completely and 1996, the last four buses have been built.
From 1978 until the publication of Dennis Falcon 1980, the Dominator was built as a monoplane. The three-axle version Dennis Dragon was derived from the Dominator. The Midibus Dennis Domino was also based on the Dominator.
Use
United Kingdom
The largest buyer in the UK were South Yorkshire PTE, bought a total of 323 buses, including a trolley bus, which was purchased in 1985 for testing purposes. Many of the buses got the Rolls- Royce engine and a planetary rear axle. The mass of the buses was delivered 1981-1986 and received the RH- construction Alexander. The other buses had superstructures of East Lancs or Northern Counties. The Dominator were delivered in different lots to replace the planned decommissioned Fleetline, Leyland Atlantean and Volvo Ailsa B55. From the last lot got 20 buses coach seats installed. These buses were used under the brand FastLine to over regional express trains. In South Yorkshire the Dominator was placed out of service until July 2006.
Another significant customers were Leicester City Transport, procured from the 1977 143 buses, usually with a build up of East Lancs. However, seven buses were given a structure of Marshall & Co. Leicester City Transport presented the buses out of service in 2005. Central Scottish procured from 1981 also the Dominator, traditional with a build-up of Alexander. The RL setup had a lower overall height due to local circumstances. In addition, other bus operators procured the Dominator in smaller numbers.
Hong Kong
Dennis had designed in the then British colony of Hong Kong traditionally had a strong position and with the Jublient specifically for this market and produced. Also, the Dominator was sold to Hong Kong. China Motor Bus (CMB ) introduced in 1979 the first Dominator with a structure of East Lancs into service. 1982, followed by six buses with the RL setup of Alexander. Kowloon Motor Bus ( KMB ) procured 1983 and 1984 a total of 40 buses with Duple bodies of Metsec.
Singapore
A single Dominator with DAF engine was exported to Singapore in 1982 and tested at Singapore Bus Services. After completion of testing, the bus went to Kowloon Motor Bus in Hong Kong, where it was used as a driving school vehicle.