Early Days in Welwyn Garden City with Sovereign (2000-2005)
X581MBH entered service in November 2000, new with Sovereign Bus & Coach. A Dennis Dart MPD (Mini Pointer Dart), short wheelbase variant of the well-known SLF chassis, bodied with a Plaxton Pointer 2 body, a B29F (29 seats, front door) layout. Used on fleet number 581, the bus was a familiar sight on Hertfordshire town services in Welwyn Garden City. Photographic proof shows it in use on route 403 in November 2003. The bus was used in tandem with a sister bus, X579MBH, and they were allegedly the workhorses for this specific route.
In late January 2005, the local bus network was totally transformed with the takeover by Arriva the Shires of Sovereign’s business in Welwyn Garden City. X581MBH and its identical twin bus were not included in the transaction. They were moved elsewhere to another Blazefield Group subsidiary.
A Move North: Keighley & District and Lancashire United (2005 onwards)
After the sale of the Welwyn Garden City business, X581MBH traveled north to become part of Keighley & District’s West Yorkshire-based fleet. The transfer was an in-house management exchange within the Blazefield Group. Although full records of its ownership by Keighley & District are not traceable, it is noted to have worked local work in and around the Keighley district.
Later, the bus was passed to a Blazefield company, namely Lancashire United. The precise timing of the transfer and its exact routes and depot allocation during this period are not well recorded within extant records. The operational record for most buses of this period is usually based on meticulous records of bus enthusiasts and photographers.
Last Chapter in Cornwall: St Ives Minibus Services
Following its service in north England, X581MBH traveled for the final time to the quaint seaside resort of St Ives in Cornwall, where it became part of the fleet of St Ives Minibus Services. The bus remained in public service in its later years, possibly on shorter-distance local services between the town and other places. Public transport records that confirm it to have been with the St Ives fleet.