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Libertybus Preservation Pink Lady & friends on tour! One small part of Jersey's transport history comes to the UK. Part of the Shires BPG.

Follow the preservation journey of my 2002 Dennis Dart Caetano Slimbus, J101715/1113, fondly known in Jersey as 'The Pink Lady'.

18/10/26The brilliant 1109 made it's debut today, at Brooklands Museum's Transportfest. Somewhat unsurprisingly given wh...
18/10/2026

18/10/26

The brilliant 1109 made it's debut today, at Brooklands Museum's Transportfest. Somewhat unsurprisingly given who it spent 24 years with, she performed absolutely faultlessly - lovely and warm throughout the day and very well recieved by those that joined us for it's two rounders on the 462. Afterwards, we enjoyed a run around Buckinghamshire en route home, loosely recreating some local routes. Much to my happiness (as it means I don't have to paint the whole bus!!) it does scrub up rather well, better yet after I sprayed the front bumper as it was in about 3 different shades of white. I must say, all things considered, 1109 is a top tier example of a Dart - I didn't know what to do with it at first but it is most definitely a keeper.

13/10/26Now registered, 1109 has received some attention in the battery department today. The batteries have been totall...
13/10/2026

13/10/26

Now registered, 1109 has received some attention in the battery department today. The batteries have been totally dead since I purchased it (as we found out trying to disembark the ferry in Portsmouth), so some replacements were purchased to the tune of many monies, and whilst the old ones were out the opportunity was taken to grind off some of the rust on the battery tray, which is an incredibly well known issue with Darts. As I often joke it really is as if somebody dunked the front end into the sea as from the front axle back it is immaculate! Either way, a few coats of primer and gloss black later, the tray looks half presentable and the batteries will hopefully serve us without issue for years to come.

Hanover installation has also been progressing, more over the coming days!

10/10/26Following registration with the DVLA, 1109 and 1113 had a celebratory drive out around the local area today. 110...
10/10/2026

10/10/26

Following registration with the DVLA, 1109 and 1113 had a celebratory drive out around the local area today. 1109 performed very well, even if it is terribly slow on the open road. 1113 was as good as expected but the power steering pipe (which I have had to chase AD24 for 4 times over the past month and a half now, it's getting rather boring) means that it is now parked up for a while. 1109 is due some cosmetic attention tomorrow provided the good weather holds out, hopefully recieving a machine polish to try and bring up the 13 year old paintwork, wheels painted and potentially window black resprayed.

10/10/26Pleased to report that 1109 recieved it's UK reg yesterday, first time was the charm unlike with 1113. It has be...
10/10/2026

10/10/26

Pleased to report that 1109 recieved it's UK reg yesterday, first time was the charm unlike with 1113. It has been allocated LO52 BNJ (so a similar LO52 reg to 13 which was initially LO52 HNN). No doubt it'll recieve a private plate however we are yet to decide what it will be.

If I can get the plates printed today we will take it and 1113 out, which means they will run together for the first time in 10 months at least!

Insurance renewal for 1113 was yesterday and the good news is it has gone down. Routen Chaplin have done us well as always.

25/09/2026

Wightrider

I am sorry to say that due to fuel costs etc we will not be attending Wightrider this year. Sorry for any inconvenience, as I'm sure you can understand we do not make money from running our buses and the weekend was looking like it would cost north of £1000, which simply isn't viable currently. Sorry again.

13/09/26Following it's success at MOT, 1109 has had a good scrub today and for a bus that has been sat for 8 months has ...
13/09/2026

13/09/26

Following it's success at MOT, 1109 has had a good scrub today and for a bus that has been sat for 8 months has come up rather well! Next step is of course registration, this will be sent off tomorrow and should go through first time having learnt from a few mistakes with 1113.

12/09/26Interesting developments here in the Shires. 1109 was presented for an MOT today, and to my surprise, it actuall...
12/09/2026

12/09/26

Interesting developments here in the Shires. 1109 was presented for an MOT today, and to my surprise, it actually passed! My surprise was due to the fact it has sat since January and was presented absolutely blind, me having only done a brief once over on the rear of the bus (engine/box/prop) and exterior.

This means that 1109 will be registered in England and for now will remain a running bus, not a donor for 1113. Once registered it may be kept or made available for sale.

1113 was lifted again today for greasing. Despite having ordered the hydraulic hose on Tuesday, it hasn't arrived (or it has and some unfortunate person stole it off the porch😂). As such it will probably be sorted during the week, however we do have the windscreen to fit tomorrow morning.

06/08/26Engine oil / filrer service for 1113, went very smoothly. Also a brief check under the rear of the bus where hyd...
08/09/2026

06/08/26

Engine oil / filrer service for 1113, went very smoothly. Also a brief check under the rear of the bus where hydraulic oil hose part 432322 was found to have sprung a minor leak, pipe ordered for fitment next weekend. Propshaft to grease, windscreen to repair and 1x taillight to replace and she will be out on the road ready for Saturday 19th 500 Running Day - Aylesbury Hemel Hempstead

Shires Bus Preservation Group

29/08/261109 made it home! 135 miles and 5½ hours later, 09 arrived at the yard it now shares with 1113. Unfortunately, ...
30/08/2026

29/08/26

1109 made it home! 135 miles and 5½ hours later, 09 arrived at the yard it now shares with 1113. Unfortunately, primarily given the speed issue, we missed our MOT slot, but we will be up bright and early next Saturday to try again. 13 will have it's new windscreen fitted next weekend also, so it is good to go for the 500 Running Day and Wightrider. Depending on whether 09 passes it's MOT, we may look to put on a mini running day toward November/December with the 2 Darts. Let us know if you'd be interested!

28/08/26So, my solution to the windscreen issue was of course to buy another and use it as a vessel to ship another set ...
28/08/2026

28/08/26

So, my solution to the windscreen issue was of course to buy another and use it as a vessel to ship another set of windscreens over, obviously. Thanks as always to the great people at Libertybus, in particular Kevin for actually selling me the bus, all of the workshop team for getting the windscreens out of donor 1111, and today their mechanic Ash for the use of many tools to further cannibalise the sister buses.

1109's future within the group is unknown currently. It will be presented for an MOT and should the result go in our favour, registered. From there we may keep it or sell it on. Should it fail, we will repair it if it is cost effective, otherwise she will become a parts donor for 1113.

For now, we are safely aboard the Stena Vinga, looking forward to the long journey home at 36mph tomorrow. 😁



Shires Bus Preservation Group

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Saint Albans

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