Durham Travel Services (Easylink) Dart SLFs![]() Background![]() ![]() Hired Darts: DE130-134, DP135, DE136 and DP137So DTS hired eight Dart SLFs from Dawson Rentals, six with East Lancs Spryte bodies and two with Pointer2 bodies. Seven were in dealer white, while the other (DP135) was in First Manchester's "tomato soup" colour. They were 10.6 or 10.7m long.Hired Darts: DCL404, 406, 421, 422, 424-426![]() Delays and collapseThe OmniTowns did not arrive in time for DTS' formal takeover of the route in April, and most of the hires continued. The OmniTowns started to arrive in July. Just four were in service by 21st August, when the company ceased trading mid-afternoon. Fare paying passengers suddenly found themselves as unsecured creditors as they were dumped at the nearest stop, the company having been advised that they were no longer insured to carry passengers. The buses were returned to the garage. The Caetanos went back to Connex, and those Dawson hires still with DTS were removed to Ash Grove Garage for safe-keeping. As Tommy Cooper put it: "Just like that".
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