Northcord Model Company is proud to make the official announcement to relaunch its open top model based on the casting of the Alexander ALX400-bodied Dennis Trident. This is ukbus 1501, a replica of an open-top ALX400-bodied Dennis Trident in the fleet of megasightseeing.com in London.

ukbus 1501 represents fleet number 18496 (LX06 AHC).

The brand-new, first low-cost London sightseeing tour was launched by megabus, along with Stagecoach London on St. George’s Day, 23rd April 2018. The visitors to the capital were then able to use the great service to take them across London to view 50 of its best known sights. The new service makes a circuit of London without stopping, so customers get to see the sight rather than waiting for other customers at each stop. Each trip on the route is approximately two hours long, and uses a GPS activated pre-recorded ‘guide’. The three circular routes, which run hourly on the hour start from Tower of London, The London Eye, and Park Lane.

With ticket prices staring from only £1 online at the start of the operation, passengers would get to view sights like Big Ben, the Tower of London and London Eye from only 2p a sight, all from the comfort and convenience of a megasightseeing.com bus. The current price is £9 online.

Nine vehicles, initially used on the service, are former East London and Selkent 2005/06 Alexander ALX400-bodies Dennis Tridents. All Dennis Trident employed on the tour were adapted by manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) in Anston and Harlow. Four vehicles are fully open top and five offer a partially covered top deck. 18496 is one of the partially covered top deck Dennis Trident.

The exterior of the buses proudly sport the well known face of megabus.com mascot Sid and each vehicle has been named after a famous person with a London link. 18496 is known as Sir Christopher Wren with the St Paul’s Cathedral logo on the bus. The names on the other buses include: King Henry VIII, King George V, Queen Elizabeth II, Lord Nelson, King Charles II, King William I, Sir Winston Churchill, and Queen Victoria.

18496 was new to Stagecoach East London (Selkent) in March 2006 and was amongst the final batch of Alexander Dennis ALX400-bodied Dennis Trident entering service in East London.

The ALX400 open-top replica features excellent detailing inside and out. This is a one-piece casting whose clean lines enhance the livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible.

The interior plastic blister has been redesigned to ensure the secure positioning of the model on the plinth by following the shape of the megasightseeing.com open-top model.

The brand-new Alexander ALX400-bodied Dennis Trident Open Top UKBUS1501 bus models will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Porte Publishing Company (Japan), 80M Bus Model Shop and Concorde Hobby Shop (HK) respectively. The UKBUS1501 model is limited to 888 pieces worldwide.