The recent arrival at Chesterfield in early January of several low floored Dennis Dart type with a varied selection of bodywork designs has prompted me once again to riffle through my draws. And I have now come up with some images of the vehicles (or in one case a sister vehicle), as they were when they were operated in their original environments.

Two East Lancs bodied Dennis Darts were transferred in earlier from Manchester during 2009 from Dennis’s of Dukinfield based on the eastern side of Manchester. Originally fleet numbers DEL 1 and DEL 2, here the former showed off the nearside aspect as it departed from the town centre at Ashton-U-Lyme in March 2003, whilst sister vehicle DEL 2 featured the offside of the design in the city centre at Piccadilly Gardens earlier in July 2002. These two later became Stagecoach 33096 and 7.

In January three more Darts came from the same origins but this time with Plaxton Pointer bodywork that were taken over with the Stagecoach acquisition. Here the vehicle registered P547 HVM, which dated from October 1996 was seen in April 1997 as it passed through the busy city centre at Piccadilly Gardens. This has now become Stagecoach 33081. The other two P978/9 LNB are now 33082 and 3 respectively.

Moving on to the Mayne company who were also taken over by Stagecoach, a batch of five Marshall bodied Darts were acquired back in March 1998 as their fleet numbers 45-49. Four of these 45/6/8/9 have come to Chesterfield as Stagecoach 33345/6/8/9. Number 46 as was, one of two dedicated to and adorned with route branding for routes 171/172 that passed through the southern suburbs of Manchester, was seen here back in November 1998 between the rain showers as it operated through Didsbury. However, the next two images feature the last in the batch number 49, a bit closer to Chesterfield as it operated on service 373 through the Peak District during July 2002. The nearside aspect is shown of the bus as it climbed the road out of Castleton towards the terminal point at Treak Cliff Cavern one summer Sunday afternoon, whilst the offside is shown adjacent to the cavern entrance with the verdant surroundings of the Hope Valley as a backdrop.

All of the above are 37-seater single-door design at around 10.6m long*, whilst the final three are shorter at 9.4m. These are Alexander ALX200 with fleet numbers 34047/50/53, but whose origins lay with the Stagecoach subsidiary in London as their SLD 47/50/53. However, I appear to be unable to illustrate any of these, so have opted for a sister vehicle in the shape of SLD 42 as it departed from the bus and Underground interchange at Surrey Quays back in April 2000, in the usual London red livery.

* A correction by Mark Bennett (11 February 2010): Just a quick note to say that in Tony Wilson's recent online article on the former environs of Chesterfield Darts, it incorrectly states that former Dennis's Plaxton Pointer I bodied Dennis Dart SLF P547 HVM is, like the others mentioned, a 10.6/10.7m model, when it is in fact a 10.1m model. This can be seen in the wheelbase, and by the fact it has a half window bay forward of the rear axle.

Added 10 February 2010 One more to add to my earlier 'previous life' posting (first photograph), this time of 33094 when it in the ownership of Dennis's of Dukinfield taken in central Manchester in May 2000.

Also note on the image of DEL 2 (offside aspect - third photograph), that the blindbox shows the word "Stagebuster 216", when they were in close competition with the larger operator.