Plaxton Pointer

Single-deck midibus body on Dennis and Volvo chassis

The Plaxton Pointer[a] is the body of a bus. It is a single-decker bus. It was built from 1991 to 2006: first by Reeve Burgess, then later by Plaxton, TransBus International, and Alexander Dennis.

Plaxton Pointer
Stagecoach in Oxfordshire Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork in 2015
Overview
ManufacturerReeve Burgess
Plaxton
TransBus
Alexander Dennis
Production1991–2006
AssemblyScarborough, North Yorkshire, England
Designer
  • Pointer 1
  • Capoco Design
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2
Floor typeStep entrance/Low-floor (SLF)
ChassisPointer (Step entrance):
Dennis Dart
Volvo B6
Pointer (Low floor):
Dennis Dart SLF
Volvo B6LE
Pointer 2 (Low floor):
Dennis Dart SLF
Blue Bird LFCC9
Powertrain
EngineCummins B Series (Dennis Dart)
Cummins B Series/ISBe (Dennis Dart SLF)
Volvo TD63 (Volvo B6)
Volvo TD63/D6A (Volvo B6LE)
Capacity44-62 (29-41 seated)
Dimensions
Length8.5–11.3 metres (28–37 ft)
Width2.3–2.4 metres (7 ft 7 in – 7 ft 10 in)[1]
Chronology
SuccessorAlexander Dennis Enviro200

Plaxton Pointer 1

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The Plaxton Pointer 1[b][2] is a body of a bus. It is a single-decker. It was built from 1991 to 1997 by Plaxton.

The body could be built on the step-entrance Dennis Dart chassis[3] and the step-entrance Volvo B6 chassis.[4][5]

1995 improvements

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In 1995, Plaxton made a new bus body called Plaxton Pointer 1, It was built from 1995 to 1997. it had new front and rear lights, new front and rear bumpers, new interior and it had a low floor instead of steps.

The body could be built on the Dennis Dart SLF (Super Low Floor)[6] chassis and the Volvo B6LE chassis[7]

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Plaxton Pointer 2

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First Hampshire & Dorset Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork in 2008

The Plaxton Pointer 2[c][8] is a body of a bus. It is a single-decker and has a low floor. It was built from 1997 to 2006 by Plaxton.

The body could be built on the Dennis Dart SLF chassis[9] and the Volvo B6LE chassis.

Dennis Dart SPD/MPD

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The Plaxton Pointer body could be built on the long Dennis Dart SPD (Super Pointer Dart) chassis[10] and the short Dennis Dart MPD (Mini Pointer Dart) chassis.[10]

Exports

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Hong Kong

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In 1998, New World First Bus ordered seventy-six Dart SLFs with Pointer 2 bodywork.

In 2003, Park Island Passenger Transport ordered eight Super Pointer Darts Pointer 2, They were painted yellow and had luggage racks. The last two were delivered in 2008.[11]

Canada

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From 1999 to 2001 BC Transit ordered ninety air-conditioned Dart SLFs with Pointer 2 bodywork.[12]

Iceland

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In 1999, Hagvagnar ordered two Dart SLFs with Pointer 2 bodywork for use on Strætó bs services.[13]

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Notelist

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  1. Previously called Reeve Burgess Pointer, and TransBus Pointer and Alexander Dennis Pointer
  2. Previously called Reeve Burgess Pointer
  3. later called TransBus Pointer and Alexander Dennis Pointer

References

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  1. "POINTER - Low-floor midibus specification". Guildford: Alexander Dennis Limited. November 2004. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  2. Beeton, Cliff (15 July 2023). Independent Buses Around Stoke-on-Trent. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-3981-1366-4.
  3. Devoy, David (15 September 2015). Lanarkshire Independents. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-5250-4.
  4. "First UK midis shown". Coach & Bus Week. No. 18. Peterborough: Emap. 20 June 1992. p. 14.
  5. Tucker, Peter (15 July 2020). Urban Buses in Northern England. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-9761-1.
  6. Bartlett, Andrew (30 January 2021). Buses Along the South West Coast Path from Minehead to Poole Harbour via Land's End: A History of the Past & a Guide to the Modern Day. Pen and Sword Transport. ISBN 978-1-5267-5543-8.
  7. "Mainline P101NDT, Volvo B6LE / Plaxton Pointer image". Flickr. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  8. Jones, Stuart (8 August 1997). "Plaxton Pointer 2: A softer look for Britain's best-seller". Bus & Coach Buyer. No. 421. Spalding: Glen-Holland Ltd. pp. 8–10. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  9. Tucker, Peter (15 July 2023). Buses in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-3981-1416-6.
  10. 10.0 10.1 "Pointer". alexander-dennis.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007.
  11. Li, Hanhua (18 July 2018). 香港空調巴士漫遊 [Hong Kong air-conditioned bus tour] (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Zhonghua Book Company (Hong Kong) Limited. pp. 92–105. ISBN 978-988-8513-52-9. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  12. Curtis, Malcolm (10 January 2001). "Lighter, tighter British buses unveiled". Times Colonist. Victoria. p. 15.
  13. Goundry, Andy (23 March 2020). Dennis Buses and Other Vehicles. Ramsbury: Crowood Press. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-78500-708-8. Retrieved 10 August 2024.

Other websites

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