Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith, This page created 15th May 2012, updated 11th April 2017. Best on 800*600.
Red Route Buses' Dennis Dart SLFs
Red Route Buses operates in the Gravesend hinterland, mostly providing schools services and contract/hire work.
They also have at times operated bus services, such as the 475/476 between Longfield and Bluewater,
providing connections to trains at the former and the wider bus network at the latter.
Two Dart SLFs have been in the single-decker mixture (as well as an ex-Metroline EDR). One came in March 2011, a 10.0m "shoebox" from London General, the other a 9.2m shoebox from Arriva The Shires. The 475/476 came to an end in September 2014, Red Route concentrating on its schools routes and contract work. In December 2015 Redroute acquired a pair of elderly 10.8m Dart SLFs that had long and varied careers, first as leased buses for a variety of operators (including Epsom Buses) and then with Bedfordshire as Park & Ride buses (operated by Stagecoach Bedford). These histories are incomplete. They are being assembled as I garner information from a variety of sources. Particularly useful have been:
LDP 74 R474 LGH 11/97 10m Dennis Dart SLF SFD212BR1VGW11339, Plaxton Pointer , #9710HJZ7711, B36F
11/97 NX new to London Central for 321 (New Cross)
174 CLT reregistered
NX (New Cross)
by 7/00 NX downseated to B35F, with wheelchair ramp
10/00 SW transfer (Stockwell)
12/00 NX transfer
2/01 BX transfer (Bexleyheath)
9/01 NX transfer
3/02 NX
1/03 Q transfer (Camberwell)
9/03 loan to Mitcham Belle for 127, 200, 201, 493
12/03 A return to London General for 540 & commercial (Sutton)
R474 LGH 11/04 A reregistered
6/05 A
2008 A
8/09 BX transfer into store, withdrawn
10/09 PL transfer, reinstated (Plough Lane)
12/09 AL transfer
5/10 BX transfer
7/10 NX transfer (New Cross)
11/10 Q transfer: unusual on 42
12/10 AL transfer
2/11 BV transfer into store (Belvedere)
3/11 sold to Ensign Bus (Purfleet)
3/11 bought by Redroute Buses, Northfleet
9/14 Red Route
3209 R209 GMJ 1/98 9.2m Dennis Dart SLF SFD112BR1VGW11748/ Plaxton Pointer 979.2HEZ7842, B35F
7/00 GR (Garston)
3/02 GR
4/04 GR in service on 10
6/05 GR
11/05 HH transfer (Hemel Hempstead)
2/06 HH unusual on H22
6/08 HH
8/10 GR repainted to interurban style
3/13 GR
5/13 sold to Ensign Bus (Purfleet)
5/13 bought by Red Route Buses, Gravesend
5/13 used on 474/475
9/14 Red Route
by 2/16 gone
VX51 RCF 11/01 10.7m Dennis Dart SLF SFD322BR1YGW14679, Alexander ALX200 007/2, B38F
11/01 new to Davidson Buses,Bathgate
7/03 on hire to Epsom Buses for 293: white
9/03 off-hire to Mistral
*/05 bought by Bedfordshire County Council
7/06 Stagecoach United Counties #33183, Bedford: Park & Ride blue/green
11/06 Stagecoach United Counties #33183
7/08 Stagecoach United Counties #33183, Bedford: Park & Ride blue/green
1/16 acquired by Redroute Buses, Gravesend
VX51 RCU 11/01 10.8m Dennis Dart SLF SFD322BR1YGW14703, Alexander ALX200 0007/4, B38F
11/01 hired, new, by Epsom Buses for K50 contract: white, turquoise vinyls
1/02 returned off-hire
3/02 London Transit, Hare Street
3/09 Stagecoach South Midlands 22184, Bedford
6/11 Stagecoach South Midlands 22184, Bedford
1/16 acquired by Redroute Buses, Gravesend
T205 AFM 3/99 10.8m Dennis Dart SFD322BR1WGW12797, Marshall Capital C39.328 B40F
3/99 new to Warrington #5
7/09 in service, Warrington: red/white $
5/10 in service, Warrington: red/white $
1/16 bought by Redroute Buses, Gravesend
1/16 in service on 416: Gravesend - Meopham $
3/16 in service on 417: Cliffe- Northfleet
2/17 in service
VX51 RCF 11/01 10.8m Dennis Dart SLF SFD322BR1YGW14679, Alexander ALX200 0007/2, B38F
11/01 new to Davidson, Bathgate
7/03 on hire to Epsom Buses for 293
9/03 off-hire to Mistral
10/03 acquired by Accord Southern, Southampton
8/04 acquired by Shetland Islands Council, Lerwick
acquired by New Bharat Coaches, Cranford
10/05 bought by Bedfordshire County Council
7/06 acquired by Stagecoach United Counties #33183
8/06 in service, Stagecoach Bedford: green/blue P&R livery $
11/06 Stagecoach United Counties
8/07 in service, Stagecoach Bedford: green/blue P&R livery $
7/08 Stagecoach United Counties, Bedford: Park & Ride blue/green
6/12 in service, Stagecoach Bedford: national livery $
2/13 in service, Stagecoach Bedford: national livery
12/15 bought by Redroute Buses, Gravesend
VX51 RCU 11/01 10.8m Dennis Dart SLF SFD322BR1YGW14703, Alexander ALX200 0007/4, B38F
11/01 hired, new, by Epsom Buses for K50 contract: white, turquoise vinyls
1/02 returned off-hire
3/02 hired by London Transit, Hare Street
in service on 331 to Buntingford, London Transit: white
5/03 acquired by Go West, Kings Lynn
6/03 in service, Norfolk Green: white $
10/03 acquired by Accord Southern, Southampton
9/04 acquired by Ambassador, Great Yarmouth
12/04 acquired by New Bharat Coaches, Cranford
10/05 bought by Bedfordshire County Council
to Stagecoach United Counties, Bedford 33184
2/06 Bedford P&R: green/blue, 33184
3/09 Stagecoach South Midlands 33184, Bedford
6/11 Stagecoach South Midlands 33184, Bedford
6/12 Stagecoach South Midlands 33184, Bedford: national livery $
12/15 bought by Redroute Buses, Gravesend
A key to the references is in the bibliography. Photographic references
R209 GMJ TLB603 p45 on 475 to Bluewater
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