Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
This page created 17th February 2012.

Ealing CT Dart SLFs

Ealing CT Nimbus Ealing Community Transport had been a local operator of welfare minibuses, but in April 2003 took on tendered route 195 (Charville Lane Estate - Ealing Hospital). Thirteen 10.5m 32-seater dual doorway Caetano Nimbuses were acquired for the route, but some were late arriving, occasioning the short-term hire from Mitcham Belle of four of the ex-Sovereign Pointers (544,5,7,9,50). The final two arrived during May. The resident buses were in red, with a lime green band shading to yellow, with yellow/green elliptical logos. They were numbered 101-113.
It seems that an extra bus was required for the 195, as in March 2004 a white single doorway Pointer2 was hired for a year or so.

Another two-doored Nimbus was acquired in July 2005, presumably to replace the white Pointer. This was in company livery, and was given number 115.

The 195 was extended in April 2008, becoming Charville Lane Estate - Brentford. This required an extra three Darts. Three similar Nimbuses were acquired from Dawson Rentals, which had been with Docklands Buses. These became 116-118, and could be recognised at first because they were missing the coloured bands and large logos, being plain red with HCTBus in white on the front and above the door and cab.

I-Bus equipment was fitted in August 2008. That did not stop ECT Bus passing the route to First Bus in March 2009, thereby making the seventeen Nimbuses redundant. They were returned to Dawson Rentals.

After refurbishment by Dawsons, many of them were leased by Abellio London at the end of 2011.

Ian's Bus Stop Dart SLF index. ECT Darts. histories. photo refs.