Dennis Dorchester
Encyclopedia
The Dennis Dorchester was a mid-engined heavy-duty single deck coach or bus chassis built by Dennis
in small numbers between 1983 and 1988.
About two thirds of the total number built were bought by Scottish Bus Group
subsidiaries Western Scottish, Central Scottish and Clydeside Scottish. These consisted of 23 with Plaxton
Paramount
coach bodywork, and 21 with Alexander
bodywork to each of the three T-type variants (TS service bus, TE express semi-coach and TC full coach).
Leicester City Transport bought three Dorchester coaches with Plaxton Paramount bodywork, but sold them fairly quickly to Kingston-upon-Hull City Transport, which also bought one new. South Yorkshire also took on three similar vehicles.
Of the Dorchester customers in the independent sector, Geoff Amos of Northamptonshire included three high-capacity bus versions among their five examples, two with Wadham Stringer bodywork and one with Reeve Burgess
bodywork, all with 71 seats. Tillingbourne Bus Company
also purchased two 61-seat Wadham Stringer-bodied buses.
Other body manufacturers for the Dorchester were Duple
(five, including the sole export Dorchester, for South Africa), Caetano
(two coaches which made up the remainder of the Amos contingent), and Berkhof (one vehicle).
Dennis Specialist Vehicles
Dennis Specialist Vehicles is a major British coachbuilder and manufacturer of specialised commercial vehicles based in Guildford, England...
in small numbers between 1983 and 1988.
About two thirds of the total number built were bought by Scottish Bus Group
Scottish Bus Group
The Scottish Bus Group was a state-owned Scottish holding company that included a number of bus operators covering the whole of Scotland. The group was formed in 1961 as Scottish Omnibuses Group Ltd, to take control of the British Transport Commission's bus operating subsidiaries in Scotland...
subsidiaries Western Scottish, Central Scottish and Clydeside Scottish. These consisted of 23 with Plaxton
Plaxton
Plaxton is a builder of bus and coach vehicle bodies based in Scarborough, England.-History:The Plaxton of today is the successor to a business founded in Scarborough in 1907 by Frederick William Plaxton.-Beginnings:...
Paramount
Plaxton Paramount
The Plaxton Paramount was a design of coach bodywork built by Plaxton. It first appeared at the 1982 British Motor Show and was built until 1991....
coach bodywork, and 21 with Alexander
Walter Alexander Coachbuilders
Walter Alexander Coachbuilders was a Scottish bus coachbuilder and operater based in Falkirk.-History:Walter Alexander, notice a lack expasion by the Falkirk and District Tramways Company's especially in to Grangemouth which never hdd a tram line. In 1913 Alexander's Motor Service was created to...
bodywork to each of the three T-type variants (TS service bus, TE express semi-coach and TC full coach).
Leicester City Transport bought three Dorchester coaches with Plaxton Paramount bodywork, but sold them fairly quickly to Kingston-upon-Hull City Transport, which also bought one new. South Yorkshire also took on three similar vehicles.
Of the Dorchester customers in the independent sector, Geoff Amos of Northamptonshire included three high-capacity bus versions among their five examples, two with Wadham Stringer bodywork and one with Reeve Burgess
Reeve Burgess
Reeve Burgess was a bus body manufacturer based in Pilsley, North East Derbyshire in the United Kingdom. It was a subsidiary of Plaxton from 1980 until its closure in 1991....
bodywork, all with 71 seats. Tillingbourne Bus Company
Tillingbourne Bus Company
Tillingbourne Bus Company was a bus operating company based in Cranleigh, Surrey, England, which operated a local service from 1924 to 2001. It was founded as Tillingbourne Valley in 1924, and became a limited company in 1931, taking the name Tillingbourne Valley Services...
also purchased two 61-seat Wadham Stringer-bodied buses.
Other body manufacturers for the Dorchester were Duple
Duple Coachbuilders
Duple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
(five, including the sole export Dorchester, for South Africa), Caetano
Salvador Caetano
Grupo Salvador Caetano, SGPS, SA is a Portuguese holding based in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal that controls some enterprises on vehicle assembly, components and distribution business....
(two coaches which made up the remainder of the Amos contingent), and Berkhof (one vehicle).