IAN EVERSON relates the long and varied career of a single-decker new to the Isle of Man and now — shorn of its roof — into the fourth phase of a 17-year Channel Island life on routes in Jersey
The appearance of an opentop Dennis Dart in Jersey this summer marks the latest twist in the long story of a vehicle first used on another island 23 years ago.
J 90172, a Plaxton Pointer-bodied 9.8m step-entrance Dart with 40 seats and a dedicated pen for luggage, first entered service in July 1994 with Isle of Man National Transport as its 73 (CMN 73X). Its life there was short, and it was one of six sold in 2000 to Jersey Motor Transport (JMT), the Channel island’s sole local bus operator, where it joined 20 similar vehicles in that fleet, which traded as Jersey Bus.
It gained its current Jersey registration on arrival and was numbered 14, the previous 14 having been a Willowbrookbodied Ford R1014 registered J 33617.
When tenders were invited to provide the island’s bus service, JMT lost out to Connex Jersey from September 2002. J 90172 passed to the associated operation of Tantivy Holiday Coach Tours, which by then traded as Tantivy Blue Coach Tours. Like JMT, this was part of the Lewis family’s Diamond Group…
