Dennis Darts

[Dart34518]

This might be covered elsewhere, but does anyone know of any companies still using Dennis Darts in normal service? I know Stagecoach has 2 remaining examples, AFAIK First, Arriva & Go-Ahead have none.

 

[W176 XMA]

This might be covered elsewhere, but does anyone know of any companies still using Dennis Darts in normal service? I know Stagecoach has 2 remaining examples, AFAIK First, Arriva & Go-Ahead have none.

I'm sure there's an 04 plate one with Arriva down south still running but could be wrong

 

[LG10]

I'm sure there's an 04 plate one with Arriva down south still running but could be wrong

There is only 1 04 plate left but we have 2 06 plates with the only arriva nimbus

 

[Cesarcollie]

This might be covered elsewhere, but does anyone know of any companies still using Dennis Darts in normal service? I know Stagecoach has 2 remaining examples, AFAIK First, Arriva & Go-Ahead have none.

Go South Coast (Damory) still have a couple.

 

[Dart34518]

There is only 1 04 plate left but we have 2 06 plates with the only arriva nimbus

Thanks for this!

 

[LG10]

Thanks for this!

Thats ok only because i live down here

 

[Dart34518]

Thank you!

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

A couple in Yorkshire. Globe Holidays have SN55 HSU (which I saw in Wakefield yesterday) and David Goodfellow of Thorne has SN55 DVR

 

[LG10]

Thank you!

Np need to know anything down ask me or anyone from kent

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

I believe the "Red group" companies in Aylesbury still have a few also, hopefully some local enthusiasts can confirm?

 

[kernowbususer]

Royal Buses in St Ives are still operating Dennis Darts with Pointer 2 bodies.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I believe the "Red group" companies in Aylesbury still have a few also, hopefully some local enthusiasts can confirm?

Bustimes.org for Red Rose Travel reports:

Dennis Dart MPD Plaxton Pointer 2 - BU05 HFZ and HW54 BTV (both last used today)
Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte - Y358 LCK (last used Wednesday)
ADL Dart SLF MCV Evolution - AE56 LWK (last used Wednesday)

 

[Jimmi]

Transpora North West still has ex Stagecoach 34594 / KP04GZR in use.

Cumbria Classic Coaches have KX06LXH, although the company will close at the end of this month.

Black Cat Travel still have a few Darts in service.

 

[SSmith2009]

Centrebus have 555 (SN55 DVC) based at Grantham depot but its not been out for a fair few months as it's undergoing some work.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Safeguard Coaches of Guildford have Mini Pointer Dart VU02 TTJ. Although they recently lost their ‘short bus’ route 81 in Woking, my understanding is that there’s no immediate plans to withdraw it so it will likely still pop up from time to time on their Bellfields 3 or Park Barn 4/5 routes, like it did prior to them gaining the 81 a few years ago. You can keep an eye on it on Bustimes.org at https://bustimes.org/vehicles/sfgc-vu02-ttj

 

[Russel]

Nice to see there aren't too many left!

That said, the E200 has taken the place of the Dart and they aren't much of an upgrade.

 

[GusB]

Nice to see there aren't too many left!

That said, the E200 has taken the place of the Dart and they aren't much of an upgrade.

I'm quite glad that there are few left!

When the Dennis Drat was introduced on my local service, I absolutely hated them.

I completely understand that there's a desire to preserve certain types and I'll grudgingly accept the need to preserve a few for posterity but I will not mourn the loss of these vehicles from our roads. Horrible things!

 

[Silver Cobra]

I believe I've seen a Dart still in use by Grant Palmer down here in Bedfordshire.

 

[JJM22]

Skills Coaches have a few for their NEC contact, all 53 plated.

 

[stadler]

Hams Travel in the Kent and East Sussex border area still have six of them in service:

MC06 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Novosadska Neobus

MC56 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK1

MC54 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

WD54 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

X9 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Caetano Nimbus

S4 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF MCV Evolution

They mainly get used on school routes. But the school routes are open to the public so you can still use them. Two of them (MC06 and MC56) are extremely rare vehicles and the only examples that still exist. They also use their Dennis Dart buses on rail replacement and occasionally on their ordinary routes 285 and 297 services.

Red Route Buses in the Kent area still have three of them in service:

HW54 BUO - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

KX04 KFC - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

LX06 EYT - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

These get used on their ordinary routes around the Dartford and Swanley areas as well as on their school routes.

Red Rose Buses in the Aylesbury area still have four of them in service:

AE56 LWK - Dennis Dart SLF MCV Evolution

BU05 HFZ - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

HW54 BTV - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

Y358 LCK - Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte

These get used on their ordinary routes around the Aylesbury area and the Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire areas.

Starline Buses in the Kent area have one of them still in service:

SN55 HSL - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

It gets used on their three school routes that they operate around the Tonbridge and Maidstone areas.

Cardinal Buses in the Surrey area have one of them still in service:

SN03 WMC - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

It gets used on school routes around the Surrey area but seems to have been out of use for a few months.

Bear Buses in the Surrey area have one of them still in service:

GX56 OGE - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

It gets used on school routes around the Surrey area but seems to have been out of use for a few months.

Safeguard Buses in the Surrey area have one of them still in service:

VU02 TTJ - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

It gets used as a spare bus on the 3/4/5 in Guildford and seems to still be in service fairly regularly.

 

[DJ_K666]

Nice to see there aren't too many left!

That said, the E200 has taken the place of the Dart and they aren't much of an upgrade.

Same (or upgraded) chassis, iirc, just like the E400 decker is basically a Trident

 

[m79900]

It's strange, becuase a couple of years ago there seemed to be a Dart on every route in every town but they've all but vanished and no one noticed

 

[TR673]

It's strange, becuase a couple of years ago there seemed to be a Dart on every route in every town but they've all but vanished and no one noticed

That feels true, because I remember around 2022/3 time Stagecoach Darts were fairly common yet in a matter of months they were completely extinct in the region.

I think it's because operators have been playing catch-up with fleet replacement since the pandemic years, aided by the likes of ZEBRA funding to purchase EVs. And for the smaller companies not buying EVs there now must be a lot more mid-life E200s on the 2nd hand market.

Similarly E400s are now creeping into the fleets of school/contract type operators that until now existed on ALX400s and Olympians.

 

[scosutsut]

It's strange, becuase a couple of years ago there seemed to be a Dart on every route in every town but they've all but vanished and no one noticed

Since the early 90s yeah. Would be an interesting bit of trivia, any major towns that have never seen Dart/E200/E200 MMC operation.

Nowhere I've been has escaped the scourge of them

 

[duncombec]

Hams Travel in the Kent and East Sussex border area still have six of them in service:

MC06 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Novosadska Neobus

MC56 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK1

MC54 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

WD54 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

X9 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF Caetano Nimbus

S4 HAM - Dennis Dart SLF MCV Evolution

Pedant point, MC56 is a Dart SPD, not an SLF. MC06 hasn't tracked since February, and is only used sparingly.

They also use their Dennis Dart buses on rail replacement and occasionally on their ordinary routes 285 and 297 services.

Almost never used on the 285 and 297 now, as the purchase of second-hand E200s over the last year, coupled with the regular investment in new vehicles (E200MMCs and Volvo/MCV Evora), means they are largely unnecessary for the regular work.

 

[stadler]

Pedant point, MC56 is a Dart SPD, not an SLF. MC06 hasn't tracked since February, and is only used sparingly.


Almost never used on the 285 and 297 now, as the purchase of second-hand E200s over the last year, coupled with the regular investment in new vehicles (E200MMCs and Volvo/MCV Evora), means they are largely unnecessary for the regular work.

It is the same thing. An SPD is a type of SLF dart. An SPD is simply the longest length 11.3m version of the SLF dart. Similarly the MPD is simply the shortest 8.8m version of the SLF dart. But an SPD is still an SLF dart.

 

[CN12 AWU]

Bustimes.org for Red Rose Travel reports:

Dennis Dart MPD Plaxton Pointer 2 - BU05 HFZ and HW54 BTV (both last used today)
Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte - Y358 LCK (last used Wednesday)
ADL Dart SLF MCV Evolution - AE56 LWK (last used Wednesday)

AE56 LWK ex Avon Buses any other ex Avon Darts still around in service or any ex GHA ones?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'm not understanding the resentment and hostility towards the Dart. They're one of the most successful designs ever and, let's face it, they were much more reliable than the Optare Vecta, Optare Excel, Volvo B6, Volvo B6LE, MAN 14.240.

Or is it that in the hierachy of buses (that bus enthusiasts like) then it can't be good as it "not a heavyweight" or "has tiny wheels" - despite proving to be remarkably resilient?

 

[m79900]

I'm not understanding the resentment and hostility towards the Dart. They're one of the most successful designs ever and, let's face it, they were much more reliable than the Optare Vecta, Optare Excel, Volvo B6, Volvo B6LE, MAN 14.240.

Or is it that in the hierachy of buses (that bus enthusiasts like) then it can't be good as it "not a heavyweight" or "has tiny wheels" - despite proving to be remarkably resilient?

Hear hear. They've served us well for 30 years, and the basic design continues to do so in the form of E200s and MMCs.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Cardinal Buses in the Surrey area have one of them still in service:

SN03 WMC - Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer MK2

It gets used on school routes around the Surrey area but seems to have been out of use for a few months.

It was returned to the road in August following completion of work over the school holiday break, however it is more a spare vehicle/owner's pet bus rather than a regularly allocated vehicle.