Promoted Comment...

This was posted as a couple of linked comments but I feel its better placed as a proper posting so it does not get missed.

It was half 5 this morning i wrote this comment about the new buses , now a better version of it now properly awake and had chance to look back at things !

• June 1996 - Dennis Dart SLF's 1 to 12 - new for 43 and 23/24. All retired from service during 2014, largely through corrosion issues. Bus 10 was by far the last one to stay in service, Bus 9 first one to go summer 2013. PCC provided improved raised kerb facilities at key bus stops on those routes , to maximise the benefit to passengers of the low floor buses.

• May 1998 - Dennis Dart SLF's 13 to 26. 14 buses as part of a Service change Sunday 24th May 1998. Principally new on 21/51 Plympton, with the rest on 16 and 35. This improved 21/51 from Mini to slf. 13 and 16 were both at Plymouth Hoe Rally on Sunday 17 05 98, 13 entered in the Rally, 16 used as Rally Control. 14 was first to enter service on 17.05.98. Various from this batch were made DDA compliant with ramps in 2014, with several repainted, too. 16 17 21 23 25 the last to stay in service, with 17 lasting until late 2018.
• May 1999 - Dennis Dart SPD's 28 to 40. New for 43 and 21/51. These carried more seats than SLF and had new features such as double glazing, Purmo blown heating rather than saloon radiators, a bigger engine and a different gearbox.
  Displaced SLFs onto 40/41/44/44A, and Step Darts went onto 8/9 and part of what was 28/28A/29. This also saw the 16 interwork onto the 35 improving both routes. Several routes, 40 41 44, 21 51, 8 and 9, saw frequency reductions from 8 to 6 trips an hour, but on SLF instead of Minibus. Most retired during 2016. Bus 28 famously the first low floor to go in 2010.
  
• Oct 2000 - Dennis Dart SPD's 41 and 42 new for service 18, Devonport to Cattedown, partly funded by the Regeneration Budget. Both carried lettering to this effect. MPD's 201 to 204 new for 25/25A Milehouse Park and Ride to Barbican/West Hoe.
  
• Jan 2001 - Dennis Dart SPD 43 new. Apr 2001 - Dennis Dart SPD 44 to 48 new. All retired during 2016/2017. Sept 2001 - Dennis Dart SPD 55 to 59 new. All retired during 2016 for chassis corrosion. 59 retired Summer 2015 for same reason.
  These vehicles together converted what were the cycles of 50 61 62 from DART to SLF / SPD.
• Sept 2002 - Dennis Dart SPD Euro 3 60 to 66 new for service 43.
  
• Mar 2003 - Dennis Dart SPD Euro 3 67 to 71 new. 67 and 68 part of the SuperRider fleet, 69 to 71 in green and yellow for PR2 to Coypool. MPD 205 also part of this. Withdrawn late 2015 fire damage.
  These were fantastic buses. Extensively used in Cornwall up until 2020. Mostly retired Nov 2020, 60, 61, 63 reinstated a year or so later, all retired summer 2022.
  
• Nov 2004 - Dennis Dart SLF 72 to 79 new for 43A/43B/part of 29. Lasted on 29/43B for many years. All retired from service Nov 2020, but 76 77 78 reinstated a year or so later, all retired summer 2022.
  
• Nov 2005 - Citaros 80 to 87 new for Plympton services 21/51. 80, 82, 83, 84, 86 all retired summer 2021.

• Oct 2006 - Enviro 200s 133 to 135 new for service 34, remember that advert wrap! 133 135 retired spring 2023, 134 spring 2024.
  
• Jan 2007 - Citaros 88 to 94 new for 43. 90 first to go spring 2021, rest retired spring 2022. 94 continues use as the safe bus.
  
• June 2008 - Enviro 200s 136 to 146 ordered to a much higher spec with display screens (which never worked), leather seats, 6 cylinder engines. New for 40 41 42, soon moved onto Plymstock in the bus war in 2009. 136 fire damage summer 2024. Rest still in service.
  
• April 2012 - Volvo Eclipses 100 to 109 new for 43 and 43A. Displaced 214 215 216 Oxford Darts, 132 (last Step dart), 183 188 Volvo deckers, SLF's 1 2 3 4 but all of those 1 2 3 4 were reinstated to provide resources for the 45 to Ivybridge a few months later. First new buses under Go ahead.

• September 2013 - ADL Enviro 400s 501 to 508 first new double deckers since 177 and 178 in early 90's ! Ironically it was these buses that saw off 177 and 178, plus the last of the F reg Volvo B10 deckers which soldiered on forever; 181, 182, 184, 185, 186, 187.
  505 top 508 new for 21/21A, 501 to 504 new for 12 to Tavistock. Interesting , 501 to 504 all arrived in red as 505 to 8, but were sprayed up blue for Tavistock before even entering service because the next batch wouldn't be here in time !
  
• January 2014 - 509 to 516 arrived late December 2013 for 21/21A
  
• March 2014 - 517 to 520 as above
  
• September 2015 - 521 to 530 arrived throughout August for Yellowflash 50. Replaced ex London B7's 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 438, 439
  
• January 2016 - Enviro 200s 147 to 159. 147 to 153 arrived just before Christmas 2015, 154 to 159 early January. 147 - 153 on 8/9/23/24, 154-159 in green for 5/5A. Point to note 154 to 159 stayed in green until 2020, but were switched onto 8/9/23/24 in
  
• September 2017. 134 and 135 also joined them in green in summer 2017, to make up 8 buses for 8 23 9 24. These generally saw off most of the remaining T reg SPD's from 99, and some of the R reg Darts which hadn't been made DDA compliant yet.
  
• February 2016 - Enviro 400s 531 to 538 arrived. 531 to 536 new for Torpoint services 70, 537 to 538 in green for 5/5a. Didnt last long at all, both 537 to 538 turned yellow by April 2017 These saw off a lot of the remaining B7tl's, 402, 406, 407, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 419
  
• July 2017 - E400 Citie's 550 to 565 arrived for 21 21A. This saw the 42's become Red Flash increasing to DD capacity, Blue Flash Volvo Eclipses moved to 11/11A.

• December 2019 - E400 Cities 566 to 576 new for 42's. These replaced the remaining B7's and Tridents.

The post above was as submitted via comments – the photos are mine. Thanks for this potted history which I felt needed elevating so everyone sees it!