Sunday, February 22, 2015

25 years of Dennis Dart

Dennis Dart was introduced in 1989 in UK, and arrived HK the next year. Time flies and it is already 25 years since its first introduction.

(EP5213) This is one of the first two sample of KMB fleet. The length and bodywork are unique. It is 8.9m long with a Carlyle body.


The Carlyle body work is more common in China Motor Bus fleet and subsequently the New World First Bus (NWFB). The standard length now becomes 10m. When this photo was taken, IFC was still under construction. 

An example of Dennis Dart 10m with Carlyle body is still survived in Citybus private fleet as of 2014.



This is the production version of KMB Dart in 1993, also 10m long, but now in Duple bodywork.


Another member. When the Hong Kong Science Park was newly opened, many of them serve route 272K from University Station to there. They carried a full advertisement of the Science Park.


In 1996, the wheelchair accessible version has been introduced. It was still 10m long, but will Plaxton body.

Dennis Dart SLF even served in Lantau Island, but roads in Lantau Island was too harsh for them.

Dennis Dart SLF has been further extended to 11.7m. This bus serves Park Island until now.

Even in Discovery Bay
A first hand NWFB Dennis Dart, they are near retirement as of 2015.
NWFB 2063 HY7985 Dennis Dart 10.1m


Dennis Enviro 200 can be considered as the evolution from Dennis Dart. It is 10.4 m long in KMB fleet.
Single door version