Alexander Dennis Enviro200Dart

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The Alexander Dennis Enviro200Dart is a midibus manufactured by Alexander Dennis for the UK market as the successor of the Dart chassis and Pointer body.

[edit] Design

The Enviro200Dart was announced by Alexander Dennis on 20 March 2006, with the vehicle being launched at a media event at the ADL factory in Guildford in August of that year. The bus is available in five lengths, ranging from 8.9m to 11.4m, and is offered with a choice of four or six-cylinder Cummins ISBe engines (including an option to meet Euro IV environmental criteria) with a range of transmission options, and features new front and rear axles.

Unlike the innovative but unsuccessful Enviro 200, the Enviro200Dart retains the conventional rear-engined layout of the Dart and offers the same seating capacity of the Pointer, but with more 'fixed' seats rather than 'tip up' for each length. The vehicle features integrated chassis and body multiplexing, and cantilevered seats.

Externally, the bus features the same front panel as the double-deck Enviro 400, projecting a 'family look' onto the two models. The Enviro200Dart chassis is also available with East Lancs Esteem and MCV bodywork.

60 confirmed vehicles were ordered at the vehicle's launch, with options for up to 50 more being declared. The first Enviro200Dart entered service in August 2006 with Leigh-based Jim Stones Coaches, and is a single 10.7m version of the model. The first in the London area were two 8.9m variants, operated by Sunray Travel on the 516 route from September 2006, Chart Downs - Dorking - Box Hill - Letherhead - Woodbridge - Epsom, newly won from Surrey Connect.

In January 2007 Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation of Hong Kong ordered 11 Enviro200Dart for delivery in 2008. [1]

As of February 2007 the Enviro200Dart body will also be available on MAN 14.240 chassis, this is to give the option of EGR emissions reduction as some operators prefer this technology to the Cummins' SCR. Stagecoach has ordered 50 Enviro200-bodied MAN 14.240.