| Detailed History |
| Six
series 3 Bristol VRT/SL3/6LXB's with ECW bodywork and
Gardner six-cylinder diesel engines were bought new by
Southern Vectis in 1980 and entered service in National
Bus Company Leaf Green & White livery. This batch
differed slightly from the previous batch of VRT's
delivered in 1979 in that they featured square style
front trafficators, the window hopper vents were wider
and had an additional cooling system vent grill towards
the front of the offside of the bus, between the lower
and upper deck. In July 1980 FDL680V [680] was painted with "wrap-around unibus" advertising for "Moreys". By July 1983 FDL680V [680] had the "wrap-around unibus" advertising for "Moreys" removed. In April 1984 FDL680V [680] was repainted into a Colorbus advertisement for "The Isle of Wight County Press Centenary". The lower half of the bus was repainted in 1985. In September 1987 FDL678V [678] was repainted into deregulation Emerald Green & Cream livery. In January 1988 FDL679V [679] was repainted into an overall advertisement for "Whitbread Strong Country Bitter". Between June 1988 and November 1989 FDL681V [681] carried "Red Squirrel" transfers for operation on the Porchfield and Newtown services. Some
were repainted into deregulation Emerald Green &
Cream livery in: In March 1989 FDL679V [679] was repainted into a Blue & Red Colorbus advertisement for "Blackgang Chine". Between April 1991 and June 1991 FDL681V [681] was experimentally fitted with the "Almex" computerised ticket machine. From June 1991 FDL680V [680] was experimentally fitted with the "Wayfarer 3" computerised ticket machine a system that is now universally used on Southern Vectis buses. In January 1993 FDL679V [679] was repainted in a Pink Colorbus advertisement, again for "Blackgang Chine". In May 1996 FDL678V [678] & FDL680V [680] were withdrawn. In November 1996 FDL677V [677] was withdrawn. In November 1996 FDL682V [682] was repainted into Mushroom & Dark Green livery. In May 1998 FDL679V [679] was withdrawn. In January 2000 FDL681V [681] was converted to permanent open-top (as O43/31F). In April 2000 FDL681V [681] was repainted into the 1932 Apple Green & Cream livery. During the 2000 summer season FDL681V [681] operated under "Village Bus Company" branding and under franchise as fleet number [1] operating the summer Shanklin-Sandown service 44. In October 2000 FDL681V [1] was reregistered to ODL447 and renumbered back to [681]. In March 2001 FDL682V [682] was converted to permanent Open-Top as O43/31F. In June 2001 FDL682V [682] re-entered service in Apple Green & Cream livery. At the same time it was re-registered to VDL744. By 17 August 2001 ODL447 [681] & VDL744 [682] had been fitted with Day-glow destination blinds. During the summer seasons 2001 to 2003 ODL447 [681] & VDL744 [682] operated the Yarmouth-Alum Bay open-top service 42 (previously operated by the 1956 Bristol Lodekka's). In February 2003 ODL447 [681] - or March 2003 VDL744 [682] - were repainted into Orange & Yellow "Open Top Tours" livery with branding for "The Needles Tour". For the 2004 season ODL447 [681] & VDL744 [682] carried branding for "The Downs Tour". Subsequent History FDL677V [677]:
FDL678V [678]:
FDL679V [679]:
FDL680V [680]:
|
| Photo Selection |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL677V [677]
in NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Shanklin Bus
Station on 24 July 1983. The later series 3 Bristol VRT's
featured square style front trafficators, the window
hopper vents were wider and they had an additional
cooling system vent grill towards the front of the
offside of the bus, between the lower and upper deck. [photo copyright of BusSpotter!] Visit BusSpotter! for UK Bus Operator's Fleetlists and South East England Bus & Coach photographs |
 |
| A nearside-front view of FDL677V [677]
in deregulation Emerald Green & Cream livery at Ryde
Bus Station on 29 May 1993. [photo copyright of Peter Horrex] Peter Horrex has a page devoted to a day on the Isle of Wight in 1993 at his British Buses web site |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL677V as
Solent Blue Line [169] in the Southampton area during
1997. [photo supplied from the BVRES collection] |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL678V as
Solent Blue Line [167] at Castle Way, Southampton, on 30
September 2000. [photo copyright of Gavin Rowney] |
 |
| A nearside-front view of FDL679V [679]
in NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Ryde Bus Station
on 13 May 1986. [photo copyright of Mike Ginger] |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL679V [679]
in the "Whitbread Strong Country Bitter"
Colorbus advertisement at Coppins Bridge Car Park during
the Southern Vectis open-day on 17 April 1988. [photo copyright of Mike Ginger] |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL679V [679]
in the pink "Blackgang Chine" Colorbus
advertisement entering Newport Bus Station on 12 August
1993. [photo copyright of Mark Pitman] |
 |
| A nearside-rear view of FDL679V as
Solent Blue Line [170] at Eastleigh Bus Station shortly
after being transferred to Solent Blue Line in 1998. [photo copyright of Gavin Rowney] |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL680V [680]
in NBC Leaf Green & White livery when new at
Nettlestone Green on 15 June 1980. [photo copyright of Peter J. Relf] Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL680V [680]
in NBC Leaf Green & White livery with the Wrap-around
advertisement for "Moreys" at Freshwater Garage
on 21 July 1982. [photo copyright of Peter J. Relf] Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL680V [680]
back in NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Newport Bus
Station during July 1983. [photo copyright of BusSpotter!] Visit BusSpotter! for UK Bus Operator's Fleetlists and South East England Bus & Coach photographs |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL680V [680]
in the Colorbus advertisement for "Isle of Wight
County Press Centenary" which it wore from April
1984 to November 1988 at Ryde Bus Station on 31 August
1987. [photo copyright of Peter J. Relf] Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL680V [680]
in deregulation Emerald Green & Cream entering
Newport Bus Station on 12 August 1993. [photo copyright of Mark Pitman] |
 |
| A nearside-front view of FDL681V [681]
in NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Shanklin
Esplanade on 31 August 1983. [photo copyright of Peter J. Relf] Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL681V [681]
in Mushroom & Dark Green livery at Newport Bus
Station during July 1999. Note the absence of foglights
compared with the photograph above. [photo copyright of Mark Pitman] |
 |
| An offside-rear view of FDL681V as
Village Bus [1] after conversion to permanent open-top in
the 1932 Apple Green & Cream livery sporting "Village
Bus" branding at Shanklin Bus Station on 29 August
2000. [photo copyright of Mike Ginger] |
 |
| A nearside-front view of FDL681V [681]
- reregistered to ODL447 - in 1932 Apple Green &
Cream livery entering the Needles Battery on 17 August
2001. [photo copyright of Mike Ginger] |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL681V [681]
- reregistered to ODL447 - in Orange & Yellow "Open
Top Tours" livery at Yarmouth Bus Station on 15
August 2003. [photo copyright of Mike Ginger] |
 |
| A nearside-front view of FDL682V [682]
in deregulation Emerald Green & Cream livery
approaching Newport Bus Station on 12 August 1993. [photo copyright of Mark Pitman] |
 |
| A nearside-front view of FDL682V [682]
in Mushroom & Dark Green livery at Newport Bus
Station on 5 July 2000. Note the absence of foglights
compared with the photograph above. [photo copyright of Peter J. Relf] Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL682V [682]
- reregistered to VDL744 - in 1932 Apple Green &
Cream livery at Alum Bay on 17 August 2001. [photo copyright of Mike Ginger] |
 |
| An offside-front view of FDL682V [682]
- reregistered to VDL744 - in Orange & Yellow "Open
Top Tours" livery at Yarmouth Bus Station on 15
August 2003. [photo copyright of Mike Ginger] |
| Information on all surviving Bristol VR's is available from The Bristol VR Enthusiasts' Society |
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