Bus enthusiasts especially welcome - come and have a look around our VR

  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 victim of the politics of the 1970s and early 1980s. The specific model we deal with in most detail is the Vertical Rear-engined (VR) double decker which is still operating in several parts of the country, but in ever-dwindling numbers. 2008 saw the last former NBC fleet mostly withdrawn (Wilts & Dorset), but on the other hand there are now more than 200 VRs in various states of preservation in the UK. The youngest examples will celebrate their twenty-eighth birthday this year (2009), testament to the quality of design and build which was a hallmark of the Brislington factory where they were built.

Last Updated : June 30th 2009 (Photo of the Month updated, Still in Service page updated, LEU263P, KTT42P, JWV272W and CWU324T on eBay)

This week's interesting non-Bristols on eBay:
Updated *** Mercedes OH1416 N750LUS ***Updated
 AEC Reliance NMS372
Daimler Fleetline XSJ647T
Volvo Ailsa B999YUS
Volvo B10M/Duple 340 F374DUX
Volvo Ailsa A733PSU
Leyland Tiger Plaxton Supreme
 

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 or vehicle parts due to lack of available time. I do however now list Bristols advertised on eBay in the hope of alerting buyers who may otherwise miss the opportunity and have added a few additional links to interesting eBay categories such as those for Photos and Models at various points on the website.

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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 towardthe cost of having this website professionally hosted.

The Doctor Who story has been moved here


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Operator Focus (April 26th 2009)

Crosville RE

After taking four months to complete the West Riding VR operator focus (due to the volume of current updates in the world of Bristol buses) I have now moved on to Crosville REs. This gives me a chance to showcase the photographic collection of Graham Senior, already used extensively for Crosville LHs, which includes views of nearly every RE that ever ran for the great company. Above is CRG531 (AFM106B), an example of my favourite body type - the Mark I coach - in National coach livery.

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 (June 30th 2009 - updated July 3rd)

As Neil Walding (whose son Dan took this lovely photo) asks: was this taken in 1969 or 2009? Well, the answer is that it was taken this Sunday (June 28th 2009) at Minchinhampton during the excellent Stroud Running Day. All three subjects are early curved-screen REs - the two green ones being Southern Vectis sisters 808 and 810, while the Royal Blue coach is actually the oldest surviving RE of all, Steve Graham's RELH6G 837SUO (July 3rd update - actually the second oldest - I was forgetting 375GWN - thanks Carl for reminding me - do visit his website here). Sadly my VR (JOU161P) was not present as it is currently off the road with a defective windscreen wiper, but I personally sampled Bristol KSW 8336 and the excellent open-top FLF KPM91E which was much appreciated on what was a very hot and sunny day.

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. 

 

Mission Statement

The aim of this website is to be the up-to-date reference point for all surviving Bristol VR, Lodekka, RE and LH vehicles. Ultimately it is the intention to have an Illustrated History 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 15,000, many of which are already in use on the site. I have decided that the time has come to record all changes of vehicle status on the website, and this information can now be found on the Recently Recorded Changes Log.

Operator Focus

For a couple of years now I have been adding Illustrated Fleet Histories for operators who have run VRs, REs, LHs and/or Lodekkas at some point, ranging from large groups to tiny one-vehicle operations. Those added so far are listed by county on the Operator Cross Reference page (including an indication as to whether or not the list yet contains all the details and photos in my possession), but I now plan to showcase operators as I work on them. The purpose of highlighting them on here is both as a means of promoting the pages but also as a request for viewers to send in any photos that fill in the gaps in the Photo Archive sections on each page. The aim is to illustrate every vehicle in every livery with every operator and I want to thank all the very many kind individuals who have already made such contributions to this website.

The Illustrated Histories Log page details those vehicles that have already been processed. More are added each week. 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.

 

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 or vehicle parts due to lack of available time. I do however now list Bristols advertised on eBay in the hope of alerting buyers who may otherwise miss the opportunity and have added a few additional links to interesting eBay categories such as those for Photos and Models at appropriate points on the website.

 

ILLUSTRATED CURRENT SURVIVORS LISTS

VRs in Service ***New format***

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, listed by original owner. The lists show the current location of all survivors, all others being marked as scrapped.

BRISTOL RE

Here you will find all REs that were manufactured, listed by original owner. The lists show the current location of all survivors, all others being marked as scrapped. ***New feature - work in progress*** 

BRISTOL SU

Although we do not cover the Bristol SU, you will find very comprehensive comprehensive coverage on Gerry Tormey's website using the above link

BRISTOL MW

Gerry Tormey has also now completed a superb site devoted to the Bristol MW. Follow the link above.

BRISTOL SC

Further offerings from Gerry Tormey now include this site for the Bristol SC....

BRISTOL LS

...and this one for the integral Bristol LS model

This is a work in progress, but take a look - Frapper link - for the time being I have added my own VR and its sister with Stagecoach - do please feel free to add your own Bristol bus and photo

eBay items index

Contact Information

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

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I am selling a few photos from my personal collection on eBay to raise funds towards the continued restoration of JOU161P. Please click here or on the link below to take a look:

 

***32 new photos (United Counties and Luton & District) posted January 24th***

 
 

The British Bus Club is run by Mark Golding and provides an invaluable service to owners in the North American continent. Mark has built up a library of service manuals (including VR3, LH and Lodekka) and other useful documents which he has made available here with reasonable shipping costs to the UK and Europe. Proceeds go towards the Club. Mark also owns Lodekka FSF6G 52JAL. Click on the CD to visit his store.