Bristol Commercial Vehicles Enthusiasts

This website is for anyone interested in the products of Bristol Commercial Vehicles, a manufacturer swallowed up by British Leyland and a tragic victim of the politics of the 1970s and early 1980s. The models we deal with in full detail are the VR (Vertical Rear-engined) double decker, the remarkable Lodekka half-cab low-floor double decker and the single-deck RE (Rear-Engined) and LH (Lightweight Horizontal-engined) models with every single chassis listed from original owner through all subsequent owners to final (or current!) resting place. It is a sad fact that in 2024 all Bristols are now extinct in normal service but many VRs remain in use in the U.K. with certain operators and also in non-PSV roles. By contrast there are now well over 200 VRs recorded in various states of preservation in the U.K. with many more continuing to earn their keep in a multitude of uses around the World. Ever-faithful Lodekkas also continue to earn their keep in all corners of the World, some of them now well beyond their sixtieth birthday, while many are still in private hands in the U.K. Finally there are also many preserved REs and LHs that continue to provide nostalgia and enjoyment at events around the U.K.

Last Updated : December 8th 2024 (314PFM asking price reduced - contact rob@robsly.com for more details, PDL518 on eBay)

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Mission Statement
The aim of this website is to be the historical point of reference for all Bristol VR, Lodekka, RE and LH vehicles. It is still being updated daily with current and historical information. Ultimately it is the intention to have a profile page for every one of these vehicles that were built including photos with every owner in every livery. Obviously this is a lifetime's work and will not be achieved without the help of a great many contributors - these kind folk have already helped to swell the number of photos held for publication to over 45,000, many of which are already in use on the site. I am very careful not to breach copyright but if I have used any of yours inappropriately please contact me and I will put it right immediately. With the dramatically reduced activity in the Bristol vehicle world in recent years I now record all major vehicle changes and items of interest on the Recently Recorded Changes Log.

Site Map
You asked for it so here it is! I acknowledge that this website has not been the easiest to navigate, having grown organically over a period of 20 years, so I have put together a complete list of all areas of the site with links to find your way to every corner. I hope you find something new and that you enjoy this facility.

FEATURES
***Maintenance and Parts Manuals - Scanned and searchable***

***Most recent Unusual Bristol - Another Lodekka converted to OMO***

***Commercial Motors Archive***

Spotters' Log - all Bristol sightings recorded here

Bristols For Sale

I do not charge any fees for listing Bristol vehicles for sale on this page, but I regret I cannot advertise events due to lack of available time.

I hope that whether you are a regular visitor to this site or you have simply stumbled across it you can sense the enjoyment I have derived over many years in compiling it (and continue to do so - there's still a long way to go before I'm "finished" documenting these wonderful timeless vehicles). I have recently started a number of new pages which deal with the more unusual and noteworthy aspects of operation and use of the VR, Lodekka, RE and LH models and I thought it was time to share the links for these new pages with you. All are still very much under construction so do please come back periodically and see what I have added. The first page deals with unfortunate incidents resulting in fire and accident damage. Next comes vehicle liveries (this will take a long time to complete and the list is so far very incomplete). Finally there is a repository for operations, uses and conversions which I think merit their own separate entry which I am calling Unusual Bristols. I have also listed some coverage of Bristols on YouTube. If you have any contributions for any of these pages I would be delighted to hear from you.

Please help to support this website by using this link. Anything you buy (not just bus-related items) on eBay, having clicked through from here, results in a commission payment of a few pennies which I put toward the cost of having this website professionally hosted.

Please support our new Ebay Shop

Operator Focus (May 3rd 2024)

Bristol Omnibus

Bristol Omnibus is the next stop on my tour of major operators. Of course it was intrinsically linked to the Bristol marque and the company ran huge numbers of Brislington-built vehicles. It will probably take me a long time to work through the various lists (Western National took me three years!) but if you have any photos that might help fill some of the gaps (particularly Tilling, OMO and NBC liveries) I would be really pleased to hear from you at rob@robsly.com.

Operator Focus - Archive

The Operator Focus Archive contains a log of previously featured operators. If you can contribute to fill any gaps or correct any mistakes I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Photo of the Month (November 4th 2024)

I am delighted to feature Richard Belton's Lincolnshire Road Car Perkins-engined LHS 1809 (JVL928H) which has just had its thirteen year restoration completed. It has been restored to full bus configuration having previously been kitted out as a caravan. To some extent we already knew what to expect because of Richard's previous restoration of VR JVL619H, but this unique LHS6P is the crowning glory and I cannot wait to take a ride on it in 2025.

Photo of the Month - Archive

This is the latest photo in a regular feature intended to showcase the work of some of the very kind contributors to this website to whom we are very much indebted.

The Illustrated Histories Log page details those vehicles that have already been processed. More are added every month. If you can help to complete any with either additional information or photos I would be delighted to hear from you, either through the submission of photos or slides for scanning, or through the email of digital images. You will find my Contact Information at the foot of this page.

ILLUSTRATED CURRENT SURVIVORS LISTS

VRs in Service

All current VRs operated around the UK.

Non-PCV VRs

Playbuses, exhibition units, caravans, etc. They're all here.

Preserved VRs

Over one hundred and eighty VRs are already in preservation. Keep up with their progress here.

All RE Survivors

Lists by original owner of all RE survivors from around the World

All Lodekka Survivors

Lists by original owner of all Lodekka survivors from around the World

All LH Survivors

Lists by original owner of all LH survivors from around the World

COMPLETE TYPE LISTS

BRISTOL VR

Here you will find all VRs that were manufactured with links to subsequent owners. This list shows all original owners and links to lists showing all known survivors, all others being marked as scrapped.

BRISTOL RE

Every RE ever built is listed here with links to all subsequent owners.

BRISTOL LH

Every LH ever built is listed here with links to all subsequent owners.

BRISTOL LODEKKA

Every Lodekka ever built is listed here, with links to all subsequent owners.

ALL OTHER BRISTOL MODELS

You will find very comprehensive comprehensive coverage of all the older Bristol chassis types on Gerry Tormey's website using the above link

Contact Information

Your webmaster would be delighted to hear from you about anything Bristol/ECW-related. His email address is rob@robsly.com.

This site is best viewed at a resolution of 1024 x 768 or higher

Carl Berry's Bristol RELH Website announcement

Many of you will remember Carl Berry's website about all aspects of the Bristol RELH coaches with the first generation ECW body style. Carl had built the site up over several years, while at the same time working on his own preservation project of one of these vehicles - Crosville CRG103 ( AFM103G ). Sadly Carl died in the early part of 2022, and the website disappeared a few months later.

In the following months, Nick Jackson and Nigel Frampton gathered the information and photos that they were able to retrieve from the original version of the site, and have created a new version, which now includes a substantial part of the data and photos that Carl had collected and published. Carl had collected a very large amount of data about these vehicles, and there is still a lot more that they will be adding to the site over the coming months, so there will be further updates in the future.

Carl's widow has now inspected the new site, and has given her seal of approval, so that they are now able to release the site. The URL is the same as before:-

https://bristol-re.co.uk/

Nick and Nigel look forward to your feedback - please send any suggestions or corrections to admin@bristol-re.co.uk or via the contact form at:-

https://bristol-re.co.uk/contact-us/

Bristols on Video
Following the use of JOU161P on free services in and around Cheltenham on Saturday 12th September 2009 a video of it appeared on YouTube, thanks to the prolific camera of Simon "Video47". This has prompted me to add a new page to this website where I will add links to videos of Bristol VRs, REs, LHs and Lodekkas across the Internet. If you find any more do please drop me a line at rob@robsly.com and I will build up this library of material.

Facebook Page
I thought it might be nice to have a forum whereby readers could easily comment on and raise issues about the website, chat with me and with each other and help with information and photos for use on the website. I have therefore added a page on Facebook where I will periodically post photos and information that might not normally make it onto this website. I have started off with four photos of Bristol Lodekkas which I hope we might be able to identify and thereby add to the historical record on here. Do please become a fan of this website - I look forward to seeing you there!

The Doctor Who story has been moved here

Special Feature - a Bristol VR at the 2010 World Cup

Morocco Special Bulletin

Fantastic news is that after 22 years "missing in action" Series 1 flat-front VR BYG851H, former West Yorkshire VR44, has been spotted in good condition in Morocco. It was parked just off the main road heading back into Tangier from Cap Spartel and the "Caves of Hercules". Unfortunately Clive Williams (whose quick thinking provided enough of the registration to check its identity on this website) was on a tour coach at the time so it was impossible to get a photo. My request to readers is for anyone who finds themselves heading out to Morocco to keep their eyes peeled for this one (and to carry a camera with them!!).