Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith, This page created 7th March 2015. Best on 800*600.

Z&S Buses, Aylesbury: Dennis Dart SLF

Z&S DMS Like many small bus companies, Z&S began by taking over routes on the very periphery of the old London Transport Country area as Arriva retreated in 2006, using midibuses such as Varios and MetroRiders.

Marshall Capitals

A quartet of ex-Orpington Darts with Marshall Capital bodies arrived in October 2009, 8.9m DMS class buses.

127, 130, 132 were painted purple and branded for route 7: (Lavric Road - The Willows - Aylesbury - Buckingham Park).

129 adopted allover red, and was used where needed. Latterly it deputised for the Solo as the Silver Rider: (Aylesbury - Fairford Leys).

They lasted until 2014, when they went for scrap.

Z&S DML These three were followed by a third-hand 9.3m DML in February 2010. This one originated with Metroline London North, as DML7, but had spent some time in Sunderland with Go-Wear before coming back south. Repainted overall red, 152 found a regular home on route 18 (Bradville - Central Milton Keynes - Bletchley). It departed from Z&S in summer 2014.

Urbanstar 162

162 came in April 2011. It had been used in the East Midlands, passing through Cavalier of Huntingdon into Stagecoach hands, before coming here. It lasted just six months.

Pointer MPD 295

Pointer 295 lasted even less time. It was an eleven year old 8.8m MPD, bought by Metrobus initially for use on the Gatwick Direct. It had been sold in 2008 through Ensignbus to Clintona in Essex, for whom it was a large bus. They painted it blue and white. It arrived at Z&S in Aylesbury in May 2011, and went into service still dressed in Clintona blue and white. But it caught fire in July 2011, and did not run again.

The East Yorkshire Pointers

Z&S 10.7m Pointers Three more Pointers arrived in June 2011, displacing smaller midibuses. All were in tidy East Yorkshire Motor Services maroon and cream, and all three went into service wearing it - some still with East Yorkshire fleetnames briefly! One was a 10.7m 39-seater Pointer2, and the other two 8.8m MPDs.

The longer one, soon numbered 164, found a home on route 165 (Aylesbury - Leighton Buzzard). It was repainted in white with blue and red bands upswept at the rear sometime in 2014, but has continued on the 165.

The two MPDs also went into service in maroon and cream. 166 gained the white with blue and red after a while, but 168 seems to have retained the maroon and cream. Both seem to be used on a spread of the company's small-bus routes.

The London Central Pointer, LDP185

Z&S 10.7m Pointers A shortish (9.3m) Pointer 2 arrived from London Central in April 2012, and went into service still in London Central red with charcoal skirt and yellow stripe. Unusually it retained its blind displays, at least until late 2014, whereas the other company Darts had adopted LED displays on arrival. It also has retained its livery, at least until now (early 2015). It seems to be used wherever this size bus can go.

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