Duple Dartline
| Duple Dartline | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer |
Duple Carlyle Marshall Bus |
| Production | 1989–1993 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Doors | 1 or 2 doors |
| Floor type | Step entrance |
| Chassis | Dennis Dart |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Cummins B series |
| Transmission | Allison AT545 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 8.5m, 9m or 9.8m |
| Width | 2.3m |
| Height | 3.2m |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Marshall C37 |
The Duple Dartline is a single-decker bus body built on the Dennis Dart chassis by three manufacturers - Duple Coachbuilders of Blackpool, Carlyle Works of Birmingham and Marshall Bus of Cambridge - between 1989 and 1993. This bus has an asymmetrical windscreen covering the destination sign with an arched top as common.
The Dartline was unveiled by Duple at the 1988 British Motor Show, along with the Dennis Dart chassis. The first body to be built on the Dart, it was 2.3m wide, and initially offered in just one length, 9m. Its most distinctive feature was its curved, asymmetric windscreen covering the destination sign with an arched top.
Four pre-production vehicles were built in Blackpool in the summer of 1989, and were used as demonstrators. Of these, three were 9m, but the fourth was 8.5m, after London Buses Limited had insisted on a shorter version.
Production commenced at the end of 1989, with 27 8.5m versions for the London United subsidiary of London Buses Limited, and 34 9m versions. Of the latter, 14 were for another London bus operator, R&I Tours, while five were for Southampton Citybus, three were for Great Yarmouth Transport, another three were for Rossendale Transport, and two were demonstrators for Hong Kong (and were eventually purchased by Kowloon Motor Bus). By this time, however, Duple (and Dennis) had been sold by the Hestair Group to a management buyout team, Trinity Holdings, which had made the decision to close down Duple. The rights to the Dartline were duly sold to Carlyle, and many of these 61 buses were completed by the Birmingham manufacturer and badged accordingly, although they retained their Duple body numbers.
...
Wikipedia