Dennis Dorchester

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The name Dennis Dorchester refers to a chassis for heavy coaches , which was produced in small numbers by the British manufacturer Dennis Brothers between 1983 and 1988. The chassis was designed primarily for the construction of fast coaches that were to be used on motorway routes.

In 1979, Leyland Motors launched the Tiger . However, the successful design was only available with the TL11 engine from Leyland. However, many, especially Scottish operators, requested that it be fitted with a Gardner engine . However, Leyland initially refused to offer this engine as an option. Dennis recognized the niche in the market and developed the Dorchester. Significant orders came only from the Scottish Bus Group (SBG) , especially since Leyland also offered the Tiger with the 6HLX from Gardner from 1984 onwards.

The Dorchester was a bus with an underfloor engine. The motor sat in the middle between the axles. In the chassis of the 6HLXCT occurred in the lying type ( H orizontal) are used.

In total, only 67 buses were bought. About two thirds of the production, 44 buses, found their customers in subsidiaries of the Scottish Bus Group . Almost all of them were coached as coaches. Twenty-three vehicles received a Paramount body from Plaxton with 55 seats, twenty-one a body from Walter Alexander Coachbuilders , 11 buses received the TC body as coaches with 47 seats, five a TE body as an express bus with 49 seats. Five buses received the TS body from Alexander and were scheduled buses with 53 seats.

Leicester City Transport procured three Dorchesters with the Paramount superstructure and 49 seats, but quickly sold the buses to Kingston-upon-Hull City Transport , who added a new copy to their fleet. South Yorkshire procured three buses with Plaxton bodies and 44 seats.

Geoff Amos in Northamptonshire purchased three 71-seat buses and two 53-seat coaches. The bodies for the coaches came from Caetano in Portugal, those for the public buses from Wadham Stringer and Reeve Burgess. Tillingbourne also put two buses with bodies from Wadham Stringer, but with 61 seats in service.

Another five bodies came from Duple Coachbuilders , and Berkhof built a bus. A bus with a duplex structure could be exported to South Africa.

The Dorchester was replaced by the slightly lighter Dennis Javelin, which went into production in 1986.

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