VDL SB200
The VDL SB200 was a light-weight 12m low floor single decker bus chassis produced from 2001 by VDL Bus & Coach. It superseded the SB220.
It is originally designed for use by Arriva in order to save fuel over heavy-weight citybuses which are designed for Continental Europe where buses carry large numbers of standing passengers, whereas in the UK they do not.
The SB200 sold very well in VDL's home market, the Netherlands mainly using VDL Berkhof type Ambassador and VDL Citea LLE bodywork. They were operated by all large transport companies in the Netherlands, Connexxion, Veolia Transport and Arriva. Arriva also used SB200s with Wright Commander bodywork.
Of the 831 built for United Kingdom operators, Arriva purchased 704, Tellings-Golden Miller 30 and John Fishwick & Sons 23.
Initially the SB200 built for the UK was only available with Wright Commander bodywork, but from 2006 it was available with the Plaxton Centro or Wright Pulsar bodywork, the latter being succeeded in late 2009 by the facelifted Wright Pulsar 2.
One VDL SB200 was fitted with an MCV Evolution body in 2012 as a static demonstrator for Arriva Bus & Coach, it was sold in 2014 to Richards Brothers in Wales.
