A Dennis Dart SLF with Alexander ALX 200 bodywork. Powered by a Cummins 6BT and with an Allison AT545 gearbox, it certainly packs its punch and sounds amazing too!

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For those interested in the history of the vehicle, and this is piecing together bits of information so take it with a pinch of salt. If anyone has any more information on the vehicle do let us know. The vehicle was part of a batch of two ordered / leased to 2 Travel of Pentrechwyth for the 501 Park and Ride service between Landore and Swansea City Centre. This and VX51 RCO was then both sold on. RBY, passed briefly to Munro’s of Jedburgh and was numbered 471, it was used on their 68 contract they’d won. I am relatively unsure as to its whereabouts after that, but from what I can gather it was then bought by Stagecoach Bedford (United Counties) for use on their (I’m assuming council funded) Park & Ride service between Bedford and Elstow Park & Ride. It gained a Stagecoach fleet number (33181) and a rather striking green and blue livery. 2011 and it received Stagecoaches Beachball livery until its withdrawal from the fleet.

In 2016, it then found its way to Buglers of Bristol for use on their local work. 2020 and it found its way at Paul’s Coaches in Stoke for use on rail replacement work, then GMBuses of North Wales, then several local companies in Warrington before being bought by us for preservation.

So quite the colourful past as you can see.

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As for work, from what we know so far it needs a new fuel injector supply pipe as it’s leaking quite badly. It also needs a new alternator belt, the bonnet repairing as it’s fell off, and a starting issue. So plenty to keep us on our toes. We plan to get it running and hopefully at rallies relatively soon. All parts are ordered, so hopefully won’t be long before she’s back on the road.