Alexander Dennis Dart SLF
| Alexander Dennis Dart SLF | |
|---|---|
| |
| RHD Dart SLF with Plaxton body | |
| Years of manufacture | 1995 to 2008 |
| Length | 8.8 to 11.3 metres |
| Width | 2360 millimetres |
| Fuel | CNG, Diesel |
| |
| LHD Dart SLF with Plaxton body | |
The Alexander Dennis Dart SLF is a low floor midibus chassis. It was originally designed and produced by Dennis as the low floor version of their Dart. Like the Dart, the Dart SLF (super low floor), was built at their facility in Guildford, England. It continued to be produced by TransBus International after its formation in 2001. Following TransBus's financial trouble, production of the Dart SLF was continued by Alexander Dennis. The Dart was finally replaced by the Enviro200 in 2008.
A number of bodies have been fitted on the Dart SLF chassis. These include the Alexander (later TransBus) ALX200, Plaxton (later TransBus and Alexander Dennis) Pointer and Pointer 2, Caetano Compass and Nimbus, CAMO, East Lancs Spryte, Hispano, Marcopolo, Marshall Capital, UVG Urbanstar, and Wright Crusader.
The chassis used a deep drop beam front axle supplied by Kirkstall which allowed for step-free access to the front half of the bus. At its introduction, the Dart SLF was available in lengths of 9.2 to 10.5 metres. A longer 11.3 metre version was introduced in 1997. It was called the Super Pointer Dart as it was initially used exclusively for the Plaxton Pointer body. The following year, an 8.8 metre version called the Mini Pointer Dart was launched.
At the end of the 1990s, BC Transit was interested in lighter and more compact buses to operate on routes in lower density areas. They placed an order for the Dennis Dart SLF with the Plaxton Pointer 2 body. Soon after, the Mayflower Corporation, which owned Dennis, entered into a joint venture with Freightliner, which owned Thomas Built Buses, to sell the Dart SLF in North America. Known as the Thomas Dennis SLF, the bus used the Alexander ALX200 body. Alexander, like Dennis, was part of the Mayflower Corporation at the time.
Specifications
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length: 8.8m, 9.0m, 9.5m, 10.0m, 10.5m, 10.7m, and 11.3m | |
| Width: 2360mm | |
| Engine | Emissions |
| Cummins 6BT5.9130, 145, 160, 180, or 215 hp | Euro 2 |
| Cummins ISBe 4 cylinder, 3.9 litre, 135 or 150 hp | Euro 3 |
| Cummins ISBe 6 cylinder, 5.9 litre, 215 hp (Super Pointer Dart only) | Euro 3 |
| Transmission | |
| Allison AT-545 | |
| Allison B300R (Super Pointer Dart only) | |
| Allison 2000 Series | |
| Voith D823.3 | |
| Voith D823.3E | |
| Voith D854.3E (Super Pointer Dart only) | |
| Axles | |
| Front: Dana S46 LF 'I' beam axle, 4500kg capacity, 53º lock angle | |
| Rear: Dana 08-18 single reduction hypoid axle, 4.88:1 ratio attaining 47mph (76 kph) maximum speed at governed RPM | |
| Suspension | |
| Two 10" (254mm) diameter air bags and two double acting dampers located by trailing taper leaf springs and panhard rod on each axle | |
| Brakes | |
| Full air with separate system for each axle with Bendix AD6S air dryer and Bendix 1W250R compressor | |
| Wheels | |
| 6.75" x 19.5" spigot mounted, 8-stud steel wheels | |
| Tyres | |
| 245/70 R19.5" low profile tubeless tyres | |
| Steering | |
| ZF 8095 integral power steering | |
Operators
Canada 
- Central Fraser Valley Transit System - Central Fraser Valley region, BC
- Chilliwack/Agassiz-Harrison Transit System - Chilliwack ,BC
- Comox Valley Transit System - Comox Valley, BC
- Cranbrook Transit System - Cranbrook, BC
- Dawson Creek Transit System - Dawson Creek, BC
- Fort St. John Transit System - Fort St. John, BC
- Kamloops Transit System - Kamloops, BC
- Kelowna Regional Transit System - Kelowna, BC
- Kitimat Transit System - Kitimat, BC
- Vernon Regional Transit System - Vernon, BC
- Victoria Regional Transit System - Victoria, BC
- Whistler Transit System - Whistler, BC
Hong Kong 
Macau 
Portugal 
- Scotturb - Sintra, Cascais and Oeiras
- Stagecoach Portugal - Sintra, Cascais and Oeiras
United Kingdom 
- Arriva North East - North East
- Arriva Yorkshire - Yorkshire and the Humber
- Eastbourne Buses - Eastbourne, South East
- First London - London
- First Manchester - Greater Manchester, North West
- First Somerset & Avon - Somerset; South Gloucestershire; Bath; and West Wiltshire, South West
- Go North East - Northumberland; Twyne and Wear; and County Durham, North East
- Hackney Community Transport - London
- Lothian Buses - Edinburgh
- Metrobus - London
- Renown Cavendish - Eastbourne, South East
- Stagecoach in Bedford - Bedford, East
- Stagecoach in Devon - Devon and Torbay, South West
- Sullivan Buses - Greater London
References
- Dennis Dart SLF Specifications (2000), archive.org, retrieved on 2009-04-01
- TransBus Dart SLF Specifications (2000), archive.org, retrieved on 2009-04-01
- Personal notes & sightings