3242 [P242 MKN] P242MKN (TWw; soon to be pres.)

Arriva Kent & Surrey Ltd.:

 

Dennis Dart SLF /

Plaxton Pointer (10.6m)

N40F - 5/1997

 

Delivered to The Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd. during early 1997 as part of a major investment by the Company covering 1996/7. A total of £8.3million was spent on a lovely shiny fleet of Northern Counties Volvo Olympians, Plaxton Beaver bodied-Mercedes-Benz's and these Pointer Dart SLFs. The first part of the SLF fleet were allocated to Maidstone (plus 3246/7 for P&R duties), with the latter being based at Gillingham.

 

3242 lived at GL and stayed in full service there until mid-2013 (unless someone can clarify lol) when she was transferred South to Tunbridge Wells for further use there.

The bus was loved by drivers, and only let us down once, following a very minor electrical fire during Autumn 2014. The bus was temporarily VOR, making a comeback to the streets of West Kent by December following a re-wiring repair.

 

As the investment of new buses in Maidstone and Medway saw off a huge number of SLFs, 3242 was one of only 3 within the Kent & Surrey fleet which survived into 2015. The other 2 being Northfleet-based 3228/38, of which 28 went to Guildford briefly, and can now be found at Colchester. 3238 meanwhile found her way into preservation under the very keen hands of a group of friends. 3242 was withdrawn from active service during February 2015. The future of this bus is as yet undecided, but don't be surprised if you see her alongside #MD3238 within the next year...

 

Arriva Tunbridge Wells bus garage, Saint John's Road

 

Saturday 17th October 2015

Done