Project R114

Good news from Project R114:

We are pleased to announce that we have secured Dennis Dart Pointer 2 R114OFJ for preservation today. Being the first Pointer 2 to enter service with Plymouth Citybus, on Sunday 17th May 1998, it carries the start of a 20+ year long history of them in the fleet.
While we haven't settled on a long term plan for it we will be aiming to run it at a couple of events during this summer, with more info to follow.

© Project R114 Group

You can follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/R114OFJ

and I hope to include any further updates here too.

Thanks for permission to post their photos here:

I have used a bit of Photoshop magic here to remove the car that was in the way – I think its done a pretty good job really!

and from its days in Plymouth one of mine from October 2014.

and lastly from 2007 still sporting its awful dull original livery

It will be interesting to see how this project progresses. Good look team!

Thirty years of Citybus Darts

Its quite a landmark day today as it marks thirty years of continuous service of Dennis Darts by Plymouth Citybus.

The 1st of August 1992 saw the first one 101 K101SFJ with the others of the batch following on in October 1992.

When they arrived it was a great improvement on the Mercedes 709s and even more so over the awful Dodge breadvans. The only disappointment was that they arrived in probably one of the most insipid dull liveries ever to grace the Citybus fleet.

Its somewhat surprising that they have managed a full thirty years of Dart operation as only one continues in service:

251 LX05EYV which cant have long left now.

I know not everyone likes this livery, but its a lot better than the grey.

Congratulations to the Dennis Dart! Who would have thought they would manage 30 years…

Fleet News: Plymouth Citybus Dennis Darts

A much needed catch up on the Citybus Fleet starts with Dennis Dart News

There has been an exodus of the Darts over the last few weeks mostly sold for scrap

Dan Shears has collected

60 WJ52GNY

63 WJ52GOC

73 WA54JVW

76 WA54JVZ

77 WA54JWC

78 WA54JWD

whilst others have gone for scrap:

70 WA03BHZ

71 WA03BJE

74 WA54JVX

75 WA54JVY

I believe this just leaves 61 66 and 68 at Milehouse unless I have missed them (quite likely)

The cull extends to the short Darts to with the following collected by Dan Shears:

250 LX05EYP

254 LX05EYU

256 LX05EXZ

This just leaves Dennis Dart 251 LX05EYY which is still available for service for the time being.

More fleet updates over the next day or so.

Thanks to everyone who has supplied the updates!

The last days of the Citybus Darts Part Two

The second batch of photos from Mark Bailey of the last few days of Plymouth Citybus Dennis Dart operation, this time the 54 Reg batch

76 Eggbuckland 19th April

77 Keyham 19 April 2022

78 Weston Mill 21 April 2022

Thanks once again to Mark for the photos.

The last days of the Citybus Darts Part one

Its taken me a while to get round to these but Mark kindly sent in a batch of photos he managed in the last few days of Dart operation:

60 Eggbuckland 19th April 2022

61 Stoke Damerel 19th April

61 seen in Kings Tamerton 20 April 2022

Thanks again to Mark Bailey for the excellent photos.

More to follow within the next few days…

Plymouth Citybus Fleet Update Single Decks

Dennis Darts

The Dennis Dart is almost extinct with 60 61 63 76 77 78 all expected to come out of service with the new timetables from the 24th April. The last one is expected to be 251 which will hang around for a short while longer eventually being replaced by short length E200s coming up from Cornwall.

Mercedes Citaro

The remaining Citaros are all expected to come off service by 24th April. The plan to retain some for the training fleet has been dropped in favour of the dual door E200s mentioned yesterday.

I noticed that the oldest Citybus Citaro, 87, was out in service today so I popped over to Eggbuckland to capture it on Culver Way working back to the city centre on the 28A from Crownhill.   ©Mark Bailey

Enviro 200s

There will be a few movements within the two fleets with 148 to 153 expected to return to Plymouth. Recently acquired E200s 167 will will be Plymouth based along with 168 when it comes back from refurbishment shortly leaving 169 and 170 to be converted. Three short 8.9M E200 are expected from Cornwall later to replace Dart 251 and E200s 160 and 161.

Coaches

When the E400s transfer to the training fleet its expected that the coaches 313 314 currently in use will be withdrawn with 317 and possibly 316 being retained in the coach fleet.

As always plan can and do change – Ive lost count of how many times we were expecting the Darts to be withdrawn, but they still solder on… but if you are lucky enough to spot a dart or a Citaro out and about then get your phots while you can!

Good Morning to you. Our offices are open now until 1600. Call us 01752 662271 or contact us via the app or our website. Royal Parade is open 0900-1600 today. https://t.co/gQyYyhGxPO.
This weekend marks the end of the era for the Dennis Dart fleet of buses in front line service. pic.twitter.com/zB2r0BFLRA

— Plymouth Citybus (@plymouthbus) April 9, 2022

Our offices are now closed. Back tomorrow from 0900.
Bowing out of front line service today the very last Volvo B7TL seen here on two of its final 34 trips. We wish you all a good evening! #Bekind
Photo used with permission. pic.twitter.com/jXiBmSSp4O

— Plymouth Citybus (@plymouthbus) April 8, 2022

Plymouth Citybus Fleet Update

Its not just the Dennis Darts that are being threatened with eventual extinction in the Citybus fleet as Mercedes Citaros are on dodgy ground too.

Citaro 80 WJ55HLG which recently had been demoted to the Training fleet has now been withdrawn.

its place in the training fleet will be taken by number 84 WJ55HLN

Meanwhile the first of other 03 Darts should be off for scrap this week. 67 WA03BHW

this was of course one of those that received the initial Go-Ahead livery. Not my favourite livery by a long mile, but it did look better on the Darts than on anything else.

167 LX07BXO, 168 LX07BXP, 169 LX07BXR,  170 LX07BYB

167 should be next to go to Hants & Dorset for the work shortly.

Finally for now we also have the imminent departure of a real survivor 416 PL51LGO the last of the East Lancs Volvos which as been sold on.

The last few of the Volvo double deckers cant have long left now. 440 was on the 50 the other day and didnt sound good, and took a long time to crawl up our hill – it was almost like watching an old Citybus Atlantean struggle.

Fleet Update: Plymouth Citybus Departures

The start of a bit of a catch on on Plymouth Citybus as I get to spend a bit more time on PT for a brief period at least

A couple of Darts that have departed for scrap:

73 WA54JVW

I still think the last livery to be carried by these buses is so much better than the first they carried

Another Dart now gone off for scrap is 252 LX05EYY

She looked very smart when first repainted back in April 2017

A very handy by product of Plymouth Citybus’ red livery is that she didnt look out of place running in London livery

Its not quite the end for Plymouth Citybus Dennis Dart operation as three of them (61 76 and 78) are being put through MOT to be kept as active reserves providing they are ok that is!

The Dart Decline Draws On

Two more Plymouth Citybus Darts have now departed…

72

79

And getting them to there final resting place are these two beauties

all the above © Jason Beverley

79 back in 2006 Never really sure why they merited the SuperRider Gold names…

72 in the revised SuperRider Gold livery which at least got rid of the awful grey

Dwindling Darts: 254

The last of the Dwindling Darts feature for now at least. Thanks to Mark Bailey for the photos:

Not sure why but I have always had a soft spot for these baby Darts.

Dwindling Darts: 77

There are now very few Dennis Darts left in service with Plymouth Citybus – so get them while you can as they cant have long left at all.

One person who has been out catching them on camera is Mark Bailey who has supplied a few photos which I will share over the week.

next up we have 77 with these two nice shots of her in action on the 25 and the 5

th

Dwindling darts. 63

There are now very few Dennis Darts left in service with Plymouth Citybus – so get them while you can as they cant have long left at all.

One person who has been out catching them on camera is Mark Bailey who has supplied a few photos which I will share over the week.

next up we have 63 seen on both the 48 and the 35A in March

both © Mark Bailey

Dwindling Darts. 60

There are now very few Dennis Darts left in service with Plymouth Citybus – so get them while you can as they cant have long left at all.

One person who has been out catching them on camera is Mark Bailey who has supplied a few photos which I will share over the week.

We start of with 60 WJ62GNY seen on both the 13 and the 61 during March, still looking very tidy in her swoop livery which I think really suits the Darts

Dennis Darts–The remaining 54’s

Part 3: It is clear that days of the Plymouth Citybus Dennis Darts are numbered, even if they have lingered in service a little longer than expected. A few pictures from the last few weeks of those that are left still working. (Less of these observed than the earlier batches!)

Dennis Darts–the remaining 03’s

Part Two: It is clear that days of the Plymouth Citybus Dennis Darts are numbered, even if they have lingered in service a little longer than expected. A few pictures from the last few weeks of those that are left still working

Dennis Darts–the remaining 52’s

It is clear that days of the Plymouth Citybus Dennis Darts are numbered, even if they have lingered in service a little longer than expected. A few pictures from the last few weeks of those that are left still working starting with the 52’s

Two for Today: Twenty Eight

Plymouth Citybus T128EFJ seen in the original (dull) grey skirt livery way back in 2006. She carries the SuperRider fleet name which never really meant anything special at all.

Some six years later we see 28 at the back of Milehouse in withdrawn condition, but at least she is in a much better livery