Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith, This page created 15th July 2012. Best on 800*600.

Sullivan Buses Dart SLFs: DN, LDP, DLS, DPS

Caetanos: DN1-7

Sullivan Buses of South Mimms established themselves as a supplier of Railway Replacement buses and contract work, using mainly ex-London Transport and London Buses vehicles, notably Titans, Metrobuses and some Darts of various sizes and body maufacturers.

DN1 at Brooklands, April

DN1 at the Cobham Bus Gathering, Brooklands, in April 2002, wearing blinds for Potters Bar route 398.
In February 2001 Sullivan bought a new Dart SLF, an 11.0m Caetano Nimbus, and took on some rural (R3, R5 and R16) and Watford (Sunday W4) bus routes. DN 1 was given a vanity registration: X2 SUL, and overall red Sullivan Buses livery. Yellow doors and yellow on blue blinds added an attractive note.

Early in 2008 DN1 was sent to Caetano's for the fitting of a wheelchair space, and a repaint into blue with pink band and branding for the Thorpe Park Express, for which it was used alongside the low-floor LLWs until they were replaced by the ex-London United Darts (see below).

DN1 on 950 at Staines Stn, May 22nd, 2011 DN1 on 950 at Staines Stn, May 22nd, 2011

DN1 on the 950 to Thorpe Park, at Staines Station, May 22nd, 2011.
DN2 followed in April 2002. This was another longish Nimbus, at 10.5m, with another personalised registration mark: DN02 SUL. In February 2005 it had a spell in Kent, working on the Tunbridge Wells services taken over with Southlands Travel. It was back in Kent in May 2009, on loan to Nu-Venture.

DN2 on Hertford Loop Railway Replacement, June 2002 DN2 on 656, St.Albans, January 2008

DN2 was substituting for a train on the Hertford Loop in June 2002, near Cuffley. In January 2008 it was on the 656 to Borehamwood, in St.Albans.

Sullivan DN

DN3 and DN4 were shorter, at 9.2m, and four seats lighter at B29F. These too arrived in 2002, and were intended for the 398 (Potters Bar Station Loop - Clare Hall - Cowley Hill), which had been taken on as a Hertfordshire contract in February using two MetroRiders. They carried a Hertfordshire Intalink symbol above the cab.

In January 2005 DN4 was on loan to Southlands Travel for Tunbridge Wells services prior to their takeover.

DN 5-7 were also the short 9.2m Nimbuses, bought in July 2003 to take up London route 383 (Barnet (The Spires) - Woodside Park Stn). For a London tendered route these carried small bullseye/wheelchair symbols, and had black rather than yellow doors. Sullivan kept the contract until July 2008.

DN4 on B3 DN7 on Hertford Loop Rail Work.

DN4, away from the B3 on Railway work, Hertford North, June 2005. DN7, on the same day, sets off from Hertford Bus Station to play trains.
DN3-7 were given a repaint at the end of 2008, and displaced the older LDPs from the Borehamwood local services.

The march of progress (ie environmental legislation and contract renewals), saw DN5-7 sold in March 2011. They did not go very far: just to Nu-Venture at Aylesford on the Medway.

Pointers: LDP10,17,29,31,33, DLS103

In April 2004 Sullivan Buses bought the first two of five London General Pointers. LDP29 and LDP31, acquired via Ensign Bus, were early 10.0m "shoebox" Pointers seating 36, with only a single doorway. They were put to work on the 950 Express service between Staines Station and Thorpe Park, but were soon found on other Sullivan services as well.

In February 2005 LDP29 had a spell in Kent, working on the Tunbridge Wells services taken over with Southlands Travel. March 2005 saw the arrival of two more LDPs: LDP10 and 17 were the short 9.2m thirty-two seaters. In May, when Sullivan took over the Borehamwood local serevices B1, B2 and B3 from Arriva, the four LDPs became their normal vehicles. LDP33, another longer SLF, was added then too.

LDP31 at Hatfield Station on Rail Work, May 2007. DLS103 on 656 in st.Albans, January 2007.

LDP 31 at Hatfield Station, May 2007. DLS103 in St.Albans in January 2007 on 656 to Borehamwood.

A very similar short Pointer was acquired in August 2005: DLS103 was a 9.2m bus from Metroline.

The "shoebox" Pointers were sold off in 2009-2010, replaced by much younger EnviroDarts.

Ex-London United Pointers: DPS 574-7

Sullivan DPS

Four middle-aged (2001) Alexander Pointers were acquired from London United in December 2008, initially for Railway work but intended for use on the Thorpe Park Express instead of the low-floor Lance LLWs. They were 10.1m dual-doorway twenty-nine seaters. DPS 576 and 577 were repainted into blue in May 2009 ready for the 2009 summer season, shortly followed by the other two.

More ex-London United Pointers: DP 82, 92, 96

Three more dual doorway Pointer2s came from London United in July 2012, slightly longer this time at 10.7m, for route 306 (Borehamwood - Bushey - Watford).

Bus Stop SLF index. Sullivan Buses Dart SLFs. histories. photo refs.