LLD6G versus LDL6G - Lodekka Designations

In 1957 Bristol decided to construct some prototype long LD Lodekkas in order to test a larger road footprint; these were some three feet longer than the standard LD chassis. They were all constructed as part of Sanction 134 and were delivered as follows:

Chassis	Registration	Company/Fleet Number
134102	VDV752	Western National 1935
134103	UEL727	Hants & Dorset 1406
134104	VDV753	Western National 1936
134127	13DRB	Notts & Derby 464
134128	NBL736	Thames Valley 779
134153	YHT962	Bristol Omnibus L8450

These Lodekkas have been classified as LDL6Gs for very many years in enthusiast publications. However, there was some contradictory material published by the Bristol works in 1957, some suggesting that the LDL6G designation was correct and some giving the chassis type as LLD6G. This latter classification has been largely ignored in the succeeding years, but in 2017 the chassis plate of VDV753 was physically inspected and shown to be stamped LLD6G. Therefore the designations are considered to be interchangeable for the purposes of this website.

This batch of six prototypes should not be confused with chassis LDX/4 (delivered to Eastern National registered 236LNO as their 1541) which was constructed two years later, in 1959, and was effectively the precursor to the flat-floor series of FL-type Lodekkas. This vehicle has always correctly been referred to as type LDL6G with no contradicting evidence to the contrary.

Furthermore some drawings were made in late 1966 at BCV of a 33' Lodekka chassis - again designated LDL - designed to be a competitor to the A.E.C. Regent V, Leyland PD3 and Guy Arab V. The chassis had a slightly higher frame than normal with the fuel tank mounted amidships unlike the then current F types where it was forward mounted. The position of the gearbox suggests it would have been semi-automatic. It was to have had two steps at the entrance, fewer than the A.E.C. and Leyland and the same as the Guy, but there was only one enquiry (from overseas) and that's as far as it got. Thanks to Mike Walker the drawings still exist and are reproduced below (click to enlarge):

THE LONG LD-TYPE LODEKKAS OF 1957