NWFB Dennis Trident 12metres / Walter Alexander ALX500 body In 31st March 1998, the Hong Kong Transport Department announced that the franchised bus services of China Motor Bus will be terminated after 31st August 1998 and the New World First Bus will operate these 88 public bus routes from 1st September 1998 for 5 years. Other than acquiring second-hand fleets from CMB, NWFB also placed its first order of 278 new buses from Dennis Specialist Vehicles on May 1998. That included the amount upto 160 of Walter Alexander ALX500 bodied Dennis Trident 12metres. The first Dennis Trident 12metres for NWFB was arrived to Hongkong International Terminals (Depot 6) on 7th July 1998. The Trident was painted with the NWFB Wavy Livery which can be easily seen as NW on the livery. Just like the Trident acquired by Kowloon Motor Bus and Citybus, the NWFB Trident also powered by Cummins M11-305E engine and transmitted with ZF 5HP500 automatic gearbox. The interior saloon had been installed with 93 seats and branded Lazzarini. The bus was then fleeted as #1001 and with the registration license HU8370. The first 20 Alexander bodied Trident were featured a special interior design which is in KMB specification, such as the glass-fiber mounding and window capping. The other 140 Trident were all in NWFB standard. Totally 130 Trident were assembled the Alexander ALX500 bodywork in Scotland of UK, while the #1091 - #1100 were assembled in Mainland China and the last 20 Trident (#1141 - #1160) were assembled in the NWFB Chai Wan depot. All of their specifications are just very similar except the gearbox. Only 11 Tridents (#1001, #1131 - #1140) were fitted with ZF 5HP590 automatic gearbox and the others were transmitted with Voith DIWA-863.3 automatic gearbox. In November 1998, NWFB placed its second order on acquiring 222 new buses which included 30 Walter Alexander ALX500 bodied Dennis Trident 12metres. All of them were bodied in the Mainland China and the passenger capacity was revised to 131 where 57 seats and 32 seats were installed in the upper and lower saloon respectively. According to the June 2001 issue of BUSES magazine, NWFB had order another 21 Alexander bodied Trident 12metres and will be on delivery in the early 2002. Model: Dennis Trident Engine: Cummins M11-305E, Euro II standard Cylinder capacity: 10,800cc Maximum power output: 305hp / 1900rpm Maximum torque: 1250Nm / 1200rpm Transmission: ZF 5HP590 (#1001, #1131 - #1140) Transmission: Voith DIWA-863.3 (#1002 - #1130, #1141 - #1190) Capacity: U59 / L34 + S39 (#1001 - #1160) Capacity: U57 / L32 + S42 (#1161 - #1190) Dimensions: 12,000mm (Length) / 2,450mm (Width) / 4,380mm (Height)