Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
This page created 16th August 2000, updated 10th January 2003. Best on 800*600.

The Reeve Burgess / Plaxton Darts

Part Two: 9.0m, DRL, DP

London Buses DRL Cute as the 8.5m buses were, their 28 (or 24) seats were a limitation on serious routes, or for anywhere with a commercial rather than a tendered service. Operators quickly found that the next size up, 9.0m, offered most of the advantages of the short bus, and an extra bay of seats: that is, 32 (or 28). They were suitable as an urban bus, a suburban bus, or a country bus. Yes, you've got it, the RF had been re-invented, only with rather fewer seats in its thirty foot length, and several tonnes lighter.
Plaxton production boomed.

London Buses bought 171 before privatisation, and the process continued afterwards with some of the companies under the new dispensation. Independents also found the 9.0m Dart useful in the London tendering environment, and the old London Country companies found it fitted their requirements better than the short one.


London Central: DRL1-16

The first sixteen of the slightly longer Darts settled with London Central, who use them in the Surrey Docks area on the P12 and P13:

Mid-2000 has seen most of them transferred to Camberwell, displaced by newer DPLs from London General.

MTL London Northern: DRL17-37, DP234-241, DP273-276

DRL37 at Kings Cross Stn, April 2000 DRL37 at Kings Cross Stn, April 2000
DRL37, one of the MTL originals, now sports Metroline colours as it takes a turn on the 214 at Kings Cross in April 2000.
MTL DRL MTL London Northern had just 21 DRLs from London Buses, but acquired another three from R&I in 1996. Also from R&I in the takeover came another eight 9.0m Darts, labelled DP (in the same number sequence as some 9.8m examples). MTL then added another four in 1997. One (DRL17) was transferred to MTL in Liverpool.

They have been used indiscriminately with the company's other Darts on the 46, 112 and 274, based at Holloway.


DP239 at Kings Cross Stn, September 2000 The takeover by Metroline initially saw little change, other than the gradual repainting into red and blue livery. However, a shuffle caused by new low-floor Darts on the C2 in May 2000 has put DNLs onto the 214, and caused an efflux of the DRLs to Potters Bar for use on the 383, PB1 and W4, displacing shorter DRs. A few went to North Wembley for the PR1 and PR2 in 2001.

The ex-R&I Darts in September 2000 wore unrelieved dull red, as shewn by DP239 threading through the traffic at Kings Cross on the 214.
The ex R&I DP Darts stayed on at Holloway on the 274 until May/June 2001, when another influx of low-floor buses sent them out to the less-fussy suburbs of Potters Bar. Early 2002 saw all the Metroline batch from Potters Bar heading north to dealers Holt of Bolton.

Leaside DRL

Leaside Buses / Arriva London South: DRL38-52

Leaside's fifteen buses have wandered. Tender changes saw some of them transferred within the Cowie group, some to South London in April 1996, with more going to County Bus in December. 1998 saw them concentrated to Arriva London South, both those from County (Arriva Herts & Essex) and those remaining with Leaside (Arriva London North).
South London uses them as part of its pool of DRLs and similar Darts, (see below).


London General DRL

London General / London Central: DRL53-95

London General started with 43 DRLs, which it used on the 211 (Waterloo-Victoria-Hammersmith), operated by Stockwell, and in a pool with DRs on the 39, 170, 239 and 265 from Putney and Merton. A solitary DRL operated on the 293 from Sutton.

They received Streetline branding initially, which is still being replaced by London General orange flashes as buses come for repaint.


DRL144 at Putney Bridge Stn, June 2000 DRL52 at Putney Bridge Stn, June 2000 DRL75 in Buckingham Palace Road, February 1998

Above: Putney Bridge Station, June 2000. London General DRL144 and DRL52 keep company with Metrobuses between turns.
Right: DRL75 on the 211 in Buckingham Palace Rd, February 1998.
Having lost the 211, London General has cascaded some of the DRLs into the London Central fleets at Peckham for use on the P12 and P13 and New Cross for the 278 (Lewisham - Lee Green - Kidbrooke Stn).

London United DRL

London United: DRL96-108, DRL159-171

London United received two batches of 13 DRLs, the first for the 290 and the second (London Buses' last purchases) for a non-LT set of routes, the 555/6/7 Heathrow Connection. This had been won by London United on a Surrey County Council tender in 1993. 1995 saw the buses dedicated to this group given a new Heathrow Connection livery and branding, as part of British Airport Authority's Heathrow Freeflow initiative.
They were replaced on this group of routes by new long dual-door air-conditioned low-floor Dart SLFs in March 1999, and returned to other duties, displacing DTs.
Selkent DRL

Stagecoach East London / Selkent: DRL109-146

East London had 38 of the London Buses DRLs. Most have gone to the provincial arms of the Stagecoach empire, but some were transferred to Selkent for use at Catford on the 124. The narrow roads of the Downham estate have made replacement by anything wider distinctly difficult, and they have hung on through 2000 despite the delivery of Dart MPDs (short SLDs) supposed to replace them.


DRL134 at Grove Park, March 2000 DRL134 at Grove Park, March 2000

DRL134 at Grove Park, March 2000

Catford's DRL134 turns short at Grove Park Bus Station in March 2000. It acquired a non-standard rear window late in 1999 after being stolen and used for a ram-raid, requiring a new back end.
Alongside, for comparison, is Northern-Counties bodied 3140 of Arriva Kent Thameside, also turning short on the 126.

South London / Arriva London South: DRL147-158, DRL210-218

DRL148 at East Croydon, Sept 2000 DRL152 at East Croydon, Sept 2000
DRL148 displays a fresh application of the "inner-London" Arriva livery, while DRL152 sports a faded version of the outer-London livery. Both were on route 410 on Monday 11th September 2000, at East Croydon.
London South DRL South London received a share of the Pointers for its lightly-used routes.

DRL213-218 were outdated by the time of their delivery in September 1996: most non-London operators were buying SLFs by now. But these six went to Thornton Heath to fulfill a contract on the 455, wearing the new livery of red with yellow Cowie stripes.

DRL212 at East Croydon, Sept 2000 DRL214 at East Croydon, Sept 2000

Also at East Croydon (hub of the South London Dart universe) DRL212 is on the 455 while DRL214 slides past on the 367. These photos were taken within minutes of those above: I must have seen several dozen Darts in half an hour.

London South DRL

Leaside Buses / Londonlinks:164-172 / ALS / Blue Triangle: DRL201-209.

The Cowie Group bought a batch of Plaxton-bodied Darts in 1995, some for Leaside Buses and some for South London. The Leaside examples moved on to the Londonlinks operation in 1997, and when that disappeared remained in the Arriva London South pool at Beddington Farm (BF). Livery 'progressed' to Arriva "ice-cream scoop" or "cow-horns" style.
In October 2000 Arriva sub-contracted the twisty 367 route to Blue Triangle for six months (after which it is due to go to Metrobus). With the contract went these nine DRLs which work on the route from their base in distant Rainham (the other side of the Thames). Some of the buses have had their Cowie-horns painted out (rather patchily on some), with Blue Triangle fleetnames and legal lettering added on the sides. Some have cream bumpers and front bands. DRL201, Bromley (Tweedy Road) November 2000 DRL208, Bromley South, November 2000
DRL 201 wears Blue Triangle cream bumpers and cream roof band, with Blue Triangle fleetnames in the adverising frames, on the 367 in Tweedy Road, Bromley in November 2000. On the same day DRL208 still wears Arriva cow-horns, with Blue Triangle fleetnames, at Bromley South.
After the contract expired in April 2001 the DRLs returned to Arriva London at Beddington Farm. Some have since been added to Croydon's complement for the 410 in overall red, and some have gone to Enfield, where they have been repainted into red cow-horns livery for use on the 497 until new buses arrive in the summer.

Londonlinks DRL

Londonlinks / Arriva London South: DP160-163.

These four Darts were bought by Londonlinks in 1995, and used on the Croydon - Purley 407. The June 1998 reorganisation saw them remain at Beddington Farm (BF) as part of Arriva Croydon & North Surrey, which subsequently disappeared into Arriva London South. They still operate from BF alongside DRLs as part of the Dart pool collected from several sources.
DP160, Bromley March 2000 South London ended the century operating a number of DRL routes from Beddington Farm, Croydon and Norwood:
DP161, having lost the brilliant London & Country livery in favour of the lack-lustre national Arriva version, performs a back-road suburban turn on the 367 from Bromley North to West Croydon, in March 2000.


Grey-Green / Arriva London NE: 934-941

Grey Green DRL Grey-Green bought eight 9.0m Darts in 1993, for use on the 173. They were based at Ripple Road, Barking. Arriva reorganisations have seen them relabelled to Arriva London North-East, and repainted red, then reorganised into Arriva London North.

December 2000 saw them all banished to Arriva North-West when new 10.7m low-floor PDL Darts took over the 173.

Centrewest: DP1-32

Centrewest bought thirty-two 9.0m Dart Pointers for use on route 297, and also for their Orpington Roundabout routes R1 and R11. They were plainly decorated in overall red with local fleetnames. In 1996 they added the R9 and 336 to their Orpington operations, and moved their base from Swanley (SJ) to St. Mary Cray (Y). Orpington Buses DP Loss of the 297 at re-tendering has seen the dispersal of fourteen of them from west London to First Group companies elsewhere.

DP8, Bromley (Tweedy Road) November 2000 DP13, Bromley Garage, July 2001

DP8 was on the 336 in a shady Tweedy Road in Bromley in November 2000, while DP13 was enjoying the sunshine in July 2001 as it passed Bromley Garage on the R1.

London General / London Central: DPL1-16

DPL 10, Victoria, April 2002 London General bought a further sixteen 9.0m Pointers in 1995, for use at Merton on tendered routes 200, 201: Loss of the tender in mid-2000 sawthem moved to London Central's Peckham garage, displacing older DRLs. They all moved again in May 2001, this time to Putney, displacing short DRs.
DPL10 was on the 239 passing Victoria in April 2002.

TransCity DRL

TransCity / Kentish Bus

The 286 (Eltham - Greenwich) was won by tender by TransCity of Sidcup in 1992. Nine 9.0m Dart Pointer were bought for the service, painted mid-green with yellow stripe and TransCity Link logo. They were delivered with UGY registrations, and were reregistered to HGY - who wants to ride the UGY-bus!
TransCity was taken over by Kentish Bus in October 1993, and the Darts acquired first vinyl fleetnames, then repaints.

Two (100, 101) were used on Londonlinks services, then passed on to Maidstone & District in August 1997, while 103-109 were sold to Metrobus in January 1996.

Metrobus

Metrobus DRL228 Metrobus DRL716
Metrobus #228 (ex Kentish Bus) and #716 display two varieties of the bright yellow and blue company livery in March 2000, while resting at Bromley North between duties on the 351.
Metrobus of Orpington, having enjoyed their experience with 8.5m Dart Pointers, ordered nine of the 9.0m version in 1992, for use on the 358 route. They entered service in November, and were kept on the 358 until 9.8m Darts arrived the following year. Since then they expanded their repertoire of routes, and were often found on the 351 and 246. Metrobus bought another seven second-hand in 1997, from Kentish Bus, and a further ten in early 2000 from the Isle of Man. These mostly went to the "Country Area", at Godstone and Lewes. Back in town tender changes saw the loss of the 284 to Stagecoach, and newer buses on the 358, and then the 246.

Meanwhile the 138 lost its over-crowded Metroriders, and the narrow roads of the Downham estates were found to be negotiable by the narrow Darts. It did not last. In May 2003 new trials found that the speed bumps could now be negotiated by overloaded low-floor Darts, and that they could squeeze between the parked cars. The step-entrance Darts gave way, and headed for the country.

Metrobus 712 on 138 Metrobus 711 on 138
9.8 metre Darts on the 138 in April 2003: 712 heads for Catford Bridge along Southover, while 711 pauses at Bromley North Station on the way to Coney Hall.
Quite a few of them departed for different climes in autumn 2003. Late 2004 saw most of theremainder retired even from country duties, and sold via Ensign Bus.


Thamesway / First Capital

Thamesway Buses DRL

Thamesway brought badgers back to the streets of London when they won the 214 by tender. For this they bought a batch of 9.0m Darts, in Thameway livery complete with badger logos over the rear wheelarches, denoting their place in the Badgerline fleet.

The 214 passed to MTL London Northern in January 1998, and initially the Darts were hired to MTL to continue on the 214. Presently the Thamesway fleet was reorganised, with six of the Darts going to First Capital, and others to First Eastern Counties
DLR DRL While the Docklands Light Railway was being extended to Lewisham during 1999 part of the line was closed. First Capital operated a replacement bus service over the Canary Wharf to Island Gardens section. For this they used six of the ex-Thameway Darts, repainted into a special DLR livery.

County Bus: DP301-313, DP323, DP324-334

County Bus DRL DP301-313 were bought by County Bus, then owned by the Lynton Travel Group, in November 1991, for use on services in the Lea Valley based on Edmonton garage. DP323 was added in 1995, under the ownership of West Midlands Travel.
The first batch, now operating under the LeaValley name, were transferred to Arriva London North in October 1998 along with Edmonton garage and its routes.

County Bus, newly acquired by the Cowie Group in February 1996, added another eleven step-entrance Darts, DP324-334, to its fleet for use on London contract routes 346 and 256. They joined the Thameside fleet, at Grays, in the new Cowie-style livery of cream with dark green skirt and Cowie-stripes.


White Rose DRL89

White Rose

White Rose of Thorpe, in Surrey, extended their fleet of ex-London (and new) buses during 2000-1, including the purchase of three DRLs. These were repainted in fleet livery of LT red, with white front bumpers and a white roof line. The company used an LT-style garage code - ST - and operated a number of tendered routes.
Newly-acquired and repainted DRL89 was a guest at RF50 in June 2001.

Southlands DRL8 at Westerham

Southlands Travel

Southlands Travel, separated off from Metrobus as a coach company, also acquired some bus contracts in Kent - notably the 285 at Tunbridge Wells - for which they bought three second-hand DRLs from London Central: DRL2, 8 and 14. Livery was yellow with a dark blue skirt.

They subsequently found employment on the 404 and 401.

DRL8 on arrival at Westerham on a Sunday morning 401 from Sevenoaks, in April 2003. It heads towards the Station to turn, having connected with a Metrobus 246. Yes, there are still connections at Westerham!

Southlands DRL8 at Swanley garage Southlands DRL8 at Swanley garage

DRL8 comes back to the Southlands Garage at Swanley after a Saturday turn on the 404 at Sevenoaks, in June 2002.

Centrebus

Centrebus of Leicester took over the Sovereign local operations in St.Albans in January 2004, then combined forces with other operators in the Luton and Dunstable area: LQT, Refresh Solutions and Lutonian Buses. The combined fleet contained a number of Darts of different shapes and sizes, including a half dozen or so with 9.0m bodies. They gradually acquired Centrebus orange and blue livery. One of them, 144, ex DR34, was then transferred to Uno when the St.Albans operations were passed on again in March 2008.

DRL34 (144) on 304 at St.Albans City Stn, Jan.2007 DRL34 (144) on 304 at St.Albans City Stn, Jan.2007

DRL34 (Centrebus 144) at St.Albans City Station on 304, January 2007. A year later it was performing the same duties for Uno Buses, still in the same livery.

DRL histories. DRL photos. Part 3: 9.5m EDR, DP, D, DS


Ian's Bus Stop Dart index. DR. DRL. EDR.