Well this is it. Truely, yet again, the end of an important era. The Step Entrance Dennis Darts have been withdrawn from frontline service, with many due to be scrapped in just a couple of weeks. To think these have been bombing around the streets of Plymouth for nearly two decades is nearly incomprehendable. I think I'd upset quite a few people if I said they were as iconic as the Atlanteans, and indeed, they didn't last half as long! But as a younger enthusiast who struggles to remember the Atlanteans in service at all, these are my version of that type of icon for Plymouth. PCB was one of the very last companies to run the Step Dart on mass, and really, its quite amazing they have lasted this long. Plymouth accidently became quite a Mecca for Dart enthusiasts. Many other places you go, the odd Step Dart here and there is a great capture, and yet you have them running about all the time in Plymouth, or at least, did! Farewell Darts, Plymouth will never be quite the same again.
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Step entrance Darts still in service today. 128 worked the Tesco Lee Mill free bus service today (26/07/11) and yesterday and another (124 I think) was used on the 10:09 no. 59 service from Cornwood.
According to an anonymous post on the Plymothian Transit website today three step entrance Darts - 124, 128 and 132 have been kept for further service on routes 13 and 59.
Well at least they have been sensible and not withdrawn all of the Darts at once. I thought it may have been true that they had all gone though seeing as the last few times I've seen 13s and 59s they have been low floor operated.
From what I was told 124,128 and 132 are being kept in the reserve fleet for now, but generally won't be in daily use.
Good to see they are still lingering on for now, but I presume we won't see them in 'definite' operation on the 13s and 59s in the coming weeks.
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