South Yorkshire PTE (SYPTE) ran several trials in the late 1970’s to try and decide on a vehicle type to become their standard double decker. They ran a trial on the service 51 in Sheffield, which was considered to be the most demanding route SYPTE operated, comparing several different vehicle types. These include A Leyland Atlantean, Leyland Titan, Volvo Ailsa, MCW Metrobus, Dennis Dominator and a Foden – NC.

The Dennis Dominator came out best overall, with the MCW Metrobus second. Although the Dennis had come out best in the trials, the PTE’s engineers still thought it needed further work to bring it up to their specifications. The specification was seen as: Dennis chassis (With air suspension); Rolls Royce engine; Voith gearbox and Alexander bodywork.

The first SYPTE standard bus no. 2101 entered service at Doncaster on 1^st June 1981, being followed by another 293 over the following six years. Additionally a batch of ten were built by Northern Counties of Wigan (2311 – 2320), and 15 were bodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders of Blackburn, built to SYPTE spec/ Alexander ‘R’ type design (2351 – 2365).

2214 was new to the Doncaster depot of SYPTE in June 1982 and was painted in the standard fleet livery of cream and brown (nicknamed “Coffee and Cream”). However in August of 1982 2214 was repainted into Doncaster Corporation Tramways livery which was cream and maroon lined out in black and gold. 2214 was fitted with a tachograph and became the garage ‘showbus’, travelling to many events and transport rallies, including a visit to the London Transport Golden Jubilee celebrations at Chiswick works in 1983.

It carried this livery until the late 1980’s when it was repainted into the new SYT fleet colours of cream, red and brown. 2214’s next change of livery was around 1994 when it was repainted into the new Mainline livery of yellow and red, applied after the company was sold to its employees.

The company was sold to FirstGroup in 1998 and the yellow and red livery was simplified. It was in this livery that 2214 was withdrawn from service. Restoration work started in late 2003 into the special Doncaster Tramways livery it carried in 1982, culminating in a complete repaint during the autumn of 2005.