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 SLFsRed 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London General for 540 & commercial (Sutton) R474 LGH 11/04 A reregistered 6/05 A 2008 A 8/09 BX transfer into store, withdrawn 10/09 PL transfer, reinstated (Plough Lane) 12/09 AL transfer 5/10 BX transfer 7/10 NX transfer (New Cross) 11/10 Q transfer: unusual on 42 12/10 AL transfer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 referencesR209 GMJ TLB603 p45 on 475 to Bluewater Bus Stop SLF index. Reg's text. histories. photo refs.
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