丹尼士三叉戟 Dennis Trident
編號 Class：ATS
隨著丹尼士關閉了統治者之生產線，縱然為應付香港巴士公司訂單，特別增闢生產線繼續製造三車軸版之巨龍及禿鷹底盤，但另一邊廂，丹尼士也積極設計一款全新低地台巴士底盤─三叉戟，以取代上述兩款巴士。按照廠方之設計，三車軸版本三叉戟一共有三種長長度供用家選擇，包括最長之十二米，十一點三米及十點六米，及後因應新世界第一巴士公司之要求，再設計出十點三米版本。
九巴是香港，以至全球首家引入三叉戟的巴士公司，首架十二米樣板車早於一九九七年五月登陸香港，並於同年十一月投入服務，在之後因應發展需要，九巴引入大量十二米版三叉戟。而為了應付本港部份路窄多彎的路面，丹尼士亦於一九九九年向香港提供了一架配都普車身的十點六米三叉戟樣板車，並且由城巴購入。隨後新巴因應接辦中巴路線，亦訂購六十二架十點六米三叉戟，不過卻配用了亞歷山ALX500車身。反觀九巴，雖然九巴是擁有最多的十點六米三叉戟，但偏偏卻是最遲引進同型新車的巴士公司，首架十點六米三叉戟於一九九九年在九巴屯門車身裝嵌廠完成裝配後，隨於同年年尾投入服務。
九巴首批十點六米三叉戟訂單總數為五十部，全數裝配都普車身，在這批巴士完成裝配後，九巴所有新巴士都把電子路線牌列標準裝置，換句話說，這批三叉戟亦成為最後一批配用膠牌的新車。當新車陸續投入服務後，主力被派往一些客量稍低的路線，例如沙田廠的84M，86A，九龍灣廠的11D及13D。在較後時間，這些新力軍陸續被安排加入5C，46，108，234X及264M服務乘客，而到了二零一三年二月，九巴將一套由Groba提供的橙色子路線牌安裝於ATS25(JK2480)身上作試驗，成為車隊中別樹一幟的成員。
為了接替車隊中車齡漸高的兩軸雙層巴士，例如利蘭奧林比安，都城嘉慕都城型，以及同廠的統治者，九巴再於二零零一年引入五十架十點六米三叉戟，不過配上改良版亞歷山大ALX500車身，以及使用Hanover電子路線牌箱。這批三叉戟陸陸續續由二零零一年夏季投入服務，並加入23M，64K，92，234X，273A及299路線行走。在這五十架三叉戟中，ATS96及97是配用歐三引擎的樣板車，並鬆上Kolibri漆油，成為「綠悠悠巴士」車隊成員，用以突出採用歐盟三型引擎之特點，並安排行走往返何文田及中環港澳碼頭的109路線，直到二零一零年，兩部「綠悠悠巴士」被翻油標準九巴低地台巴士的金色車身色彩，與其他成員看齊。到了二零零二年，九巴購入最後一批同樣為數五十架的十點六米三叉戟，並且配用歐三引擎，當中二十架由亞歷山大裝配車身，而最後十架三叉戟亦改配ZF波箱，而非標準的福伊特。這批三叉戟投入服務後被安排行走17，29M，77K，109，117，269M，273A。而在二零零二年，九巴透過十點六米三叉戟，聯同同廠的短龍，實現了何文田區路線全空調服務的目標。
不幸地，ATS36(JK6249)於二零零八年三月三十一日的天水圍車廠火災中被嚴重焚毀，成為第一架退役的十點六米丹尼士三叉戟，至於ATS20(JK1534)亦於二零一七年八月中，因交通意外而退役。隨著九巴加快淘汰使用塑膠路線牌的巴士，除了前述已改用Groba電子牌箱的ATS25，餘下配都普車身的十點六米三叉戟巴士亦不能倖免，自二零一七年十一月分批停牌提早退役，最後一批服役於九龍灣廠的三叉戟於二零一七年十二月中退役，標誌著九巴車隊全數成員，均配用電子路線牌箱。至於ATS25則較其他兄弟，在路面上行走多一個多星期後退役，未能過渡至二零一八年。踏入二零一九年年中，全數二零零一年出牌的三叉戟已經到達了十八年車齡退役的期限，但因應向Wright訂購的Streetdeck新車未能及時付運(而有關訂單最終亦未能兌現)，合共二十二架三叉戟，計有ATS54 - 57，60，62，63，67 - 70，73，75，79 - 81，83，86 - 88，90，獲得延續一年壽命以解缺短陣雙層巴士不足問題。而到了二零二零年首季，由於接棒的亞歷山大丹尼士Enviro500MMC十一米仍需作出測試及進行調校工作，屬於歐三批次的首十六架三叉戟獲續牌四個月，以應付營運需要。過去一段長時間，十點六米三叉戟活躍於不同九巴路線上，包括5C，8A，14B，28，30，31M，45，46，64K，81K，91M，92，269M，283及299X等路線，隨著九巴安排更大型的巴士行走上述部份路線，十點六米三叉戟期後主要安排於31M，53，64K，81K，269M及276路線行走，直到亞歷山大丹尼士Enviro500MMC十一米於二零二零年六月投入服務後，前述以三叉戟作主力的路線除了81K亦陸續換入新車，至於這些三叉戟本身亦自二零二零年三月份開始陸續退下火線，最後三架三叉戟(ATS148 - 150)亦於二零二零年十月二十八日退役，除了標誌著這款最早出現於香港的短陣三軸低地台巴士，消失於九巴車隊編制中外，亦代表香港路面上再沒有同款巴士行走。
After the closure of the production line of Dominator, although Dennis still produced the 3-axle version Dominator named as Dragon for KMB while Condor for CMB, Dennis was actively in designing the Trident, the new low-floor bus chassis, as a replacement of the Dragon and Condor. Dennis Trident was first available in lengths of 10.6m, 11.3m and 12m followed by a 10.3m version as requested by NWFB.
KMB was not only, but also the first bus operator in the world for testing Trident. A 12m demonstrator was arrived in May, 1997 and entered service in Nov., 1997. The trial of the Trident was satisfactory and further purchased of Trident 12m was resulted. To cope with the narrow road conditions in Hong Kong, a 10.6m demonstrator with Duple Metsec bodywork was send to Hong Kong in 1999 and become 2700 of City Bus. To go one step further, NWFB placed an order of 62 Dennis Trident with Alexander ALX500 bodyworks in 1998 for the acquisition of the CMB networks since Sep. of the same year.
KMB followed the same step and 50 Dennis Trident received their Duple Metsec bodyworks in Tuen Mun assembly plant. The first sample was entered service in the end of 1999.The first batch Dennis Trident was first deployed on routes with relatively low demand like 84M, 86A in Sha Tin and 11D, 13D in Eastern Kowloon. More short wheel-based Tridents was then seen on 5C, 46, 108, 234X and 264M. This batch of Dennis Trident Is the last bus fitted with traditional plastic route display in the fleet. In Feb., 2013, a set of orange coloured LED route display from Gorba was fitted on ATS25 (JK2480) for trial and this is an unique member in the family.
The second batch of Dennis Trident 10.6m were introduced in the summer of 2001 as a result of the withdrawal of those aging Leyland Olympian, MCW Metrobus and Dennis Dominator. Starting from this batch, all Tridents were fitted with modified Alexander ALX500 bodyworks with Hanover electronic route display. Two of the batch, ATS96 and 97 were demonstrator of Euro 3 engine and member of the "Green Bus" with Kolibri paint, they were finally repainted with the champagne gold livery in 2010.This batch of Trident were mainly seen on 23M, 64K, 92, 109, 234X, 273A and 299. In 2002, we saw the delivery of the last batch of 50 Trident 10.6m with Euro 3 engine and 20 of them were assembled by Alexander with ZF transmission unit instead of Voith was chosen on the last 10 Dennis Trident chassis. This batch of Trident were mainly serving 17, 29M, 77K, 109, 117, 269M, 273A. One thing had to mention, the goal of fully air-conditioned service of Ho Man Tin District was achieved by the Dennis Trident together with the Baby Dragon in 2002.
The first Trident 10.6m withdrawn from KMB fleet is ATS36 (JK6249), a victim of the serious fire accident in Tin Shui Wai Depot on 31 Mar, 2008 and the second member retired is ATS20 (JK1534) after involving a traffic accident. The remaining Trident 10.6m with Duple Metsec bodyworks (except ATS25 mentioned above) were forced to retire since Nov., 2017 as KMB speed up the elimination of buses using plastic signage. The last of the batch stationed at Kowloon Bay depot was delicensed in mid. of Dec., 2017 and indicated the whole KMB fleet was fitted with electronic display. ATS25 become the very last Duple Metsec bodied Trident 10.6m in KMB and finally withdrawn just after the Christmas Eve of 2017.
Those Trident commissioned in 2001 already reached the end of their useful service life in 2019, however, as the delay of the arrival of Wright Streetdeck (the purchasing order was finally cancelled), 22 of the batch (ATS54 -57, 60, 62, 63, 67 - 70, 73, 75, 79 - 81, 83, 86 - 88, 90) was extended their lifespan for one more year to relief the shortage of short wheel-based double decker. Unfortunately, the commissioned date of Alexander Dennis Enviro500MMC 11.3m was delayed and as a result, the registration expiry date of the first 16 Euro 3 batch was extended for further 4 months in the first quarter of 2020. All Dennis Trident 10.6m used to actively serve 5C, 8A, 14B, 28, 30, 31M, 45, 46, 64K, 81K, 91M, 92, 269M, 283 and 299X etc., as more and more full-sized double decker deployed on part of the routes mentioned above, Trident 10.6m then mainly seen on route 31M, 53, 64K, 81K, 269M and 276. Since Mar., 2020, the remaining Trident in the fleet was gradually withdrawn and except route 81K, they were mainly replaced by the brand new Enviro500MMC 11.3m after their commission in Jun., 2020.
Dennis Trident 10.6m was the first short wheel-based 3-axle super low floor double deckers in Hong Kong and followed the last three in KMB (ATS148 -150) retired on 28 Oct., 2020, indicated that no more Dennis Trident 10.6m was serving commuters in Hong Kong.
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