G515VYE history

Vehicle details and history for G515 VYE

 

Registration:                G515 VYE

Chassis:                       Dennis Dart 8.5SDL

Bodywork:                    Duple Dartline B28F

Capacity:                      28 seated + 13 standing = 41 total

Engine:                        Cummins 6BT (5.9 litre turbocharged 6 cylinder diesel)

Chassis Number:         8.5SDL3003/153

Unladen Weight:          5600 Kg

Built:                            March 1990

Original Operator:        London Buses Ltd.

Fleet Number:              DT15

 

G515 VYE was new to London Buses Ltd. in March 1990, receiving the fleet number DT15. It was one of 167 ‘DT’ class 8.5 metre long Dennis Darts delivered new to London Buses in 1990 and 1991. DT1 – 27 were bodied by Duple with DT28 – 167 being bodied by Carlyle who bought the design rights from Duple when they ceased trading. In 1991 they were joined by the 1989 built Duple bodied demonstrator which became DT168.

 

The bus entered service in April 1990 with the London United subsidiary painted in London Buses red livery with London United fleetnames and ‘Harrier’ branding for London United’s new midibus routes. It was initially allocated to Fulwell (FW) garage but was transferred to Hounslow (AV) garage later in April 1990. London United was privatised in November 1994 being sold to a management led team.

 

In June 1995 DT15 was despatched to Eastleigh to be converted for the new Airbus Direct services linking central London hotels to Heathrow Airport. It was fitted with air conditioning, 21 dual-purpose (coach type) seats, large full height luggage racks over both front wheel arches and was repainted into Airbus Direct livery. Following conversion it was allocated to Heathrow West Ramp (WR) depot in July 1995 for Airbus Direct services. In December 1998 the bus was placed into store at Stamford Brook (V) garage. It was transferred to sister company Westlink, Kingston (K) garage, in December 1999. In April 2000 it was transferred back to London United, Stamford Brook (V) garage, where it was used as a driver training bus.

 

At some point the large full height luggage racks over both front wheel arches were removed and replaced with 7 bus seats trimmed in matching moquette, making the bus a 28 seater again.

 

The bus was sold to Weaverbus, Weymouth in June 2000 where it was painted in green and cream Weaverbus livery and route branded for their Dorset Linkrider service 30 from Weymouth to Winfrith (and onto Lulworth during the summer). It also operated a school contact which fitted in between journeys on the 30. When the company ceased trading the bus was sold to Alder Valley Travel (AVT), Alton, Hampshire in August 2005. It was painted in AVT’s red and white livery and used on school contracts in Surrey, rail replacement bus services and private hires until May 2009 when AVT ceased trading. After a period of ownership with a private individual it was acquired by Cresta Coaches, Alresford, Hampshire in February 2011 where it was used on school contracts in Hampshire as well as on a local bus service around Alresford and the surrounding villages. Cresta simply added a yellow band to the AVT livery to put the bus into the company’s red and yellow livery.

 

G515 VYE was acquired from Cresta Coaches by the DT15 Group in May 2015 for preservation. It was known that the roof leaked when the bus was purchased so one of the first jobs was to find and rectify the leaks in the roof. This involved removing the air conditioning trunking and the wet rotten plywood roof lining and the carpet covering it from the ceiling inside the bus. As the bus was going to be restored to original, pre-Airbus condition, the opportunity was taken to remove all the air conditioning equipment from inside the bus as well as the pod on the roof and the air conditioning equipment contained within it. The roof was replaced and the bus repainted into London Buses livery in 2017. Since then restoration of the gutted interior has slowly been taking place. In 2024 the vinyls were applied to return the vehicle to original condition as a London Buses (London United subsidiary) ‘Harrier’ midibus. There are currently still a few outstanding jobs to do to complete the interior restoration.

 

The owners would like to thank Jeff Soul of Cresta Coaches for his help in ensuring this vehicle went into preservation and Adam Buxton of Cardinal Buses for all his assistance and for sorting out the electrical problems.