*FAST* Route 100: First Essex: 33558 (SN58CGO) Dennis Trident II/ ADL Enviro400

Описание: So now to finish off from the Essex excursion, we finalise with First with a bus I initially wasn't going to video, but well, you'll see why I did, we have a vehicle I have done before. We have First Essex 33558.

SN58CGO was new in 2008 as DN33558, and was one of batch of 48 new ADL Enviro400's new to First London. This DN spent its operational life based out of Dagenham garage where it ran mostly on routes 179, 252 & 365. With Dagenham garage being the last of the former First London empire, and its routes the last to go, the DN was withdrawn in 2013, whereupon it was converted to single door, repainted in Olympia livery, and had its upholestery changed from fabric to e-leather and sent to Leicester at Abbey Lane garage where it wore yellow route branding for Route 54 (Beaumont Centre to Goodwood via City Centre). The arrival of new Wright StreetDecks in 2016 saw it travel south to First Essex at Basildon garage where it was one of 23 Enviro400s used to withdrawn the remaining Euro 2 Trident Presidents that still lumbered on 17 to 18 years later.

This was operating on my local route, the 100, which originally ran a 30 mile route from Chelmsford to Lakeside, but since 2022 had been bisected at Basildon, with the Lakeside leg retaining the 100 number and converted to double deck as it no longer has to run under the low bridge in Chelmsford. Route 100 runs from Basildon Bus Station to Lakeside Bus Station via Basildon Hospital, Corringham, Stanford-le-Hope, Socketts Heath & Grays. Our journey was bound for Lakeside.

33558 is powered by a Euro 4 Cummins ISB coupled to a ZF Ecomat 5HP500 5-speed automatic gearbox. This bus had left Basildon 10 minutes late, so the friendly driver was very keen to make up time, so kickdown and thrash may be plenty abound in this video. Hope you enjoy!

Start: Basildon Bus Station
Finish: The Sorrells, The Glen