| Detailed History | ||
| Seven
series 2 Bristol VRT/SL6G's with ECW bodywork and Gardner
10.45 litre six-cylinder diesel engines were bought new
by Southern Vectis in 1975 and entered service in
National Bus Company Leaf Green & White livery. This
batch differed from the previous batch delivered in 1973
in that they were fitted with black window rubber
surrounds instead of cream. This batch were hybrid's in
that they featured a smaller nearside rear window, on the
lower saloon, which was a feature of the series 3 Bristol
VRT's. They were the last double-decker vehicles supplied
with a rear destination screen (which Southern Vectis
seldom, if at any time, used). This batch were referred
to as "The OPO replacements" (one-person-operation). Between 1977 and 1981 HDL405N [643] / HDL406N [644] / HDL407N [645] / HDL409N [647] & HDL411N [649] had the rear destination blind screens removed and panelled over, those of HDL408N [646] & HDL410N [648] being removed during 1982. In December 1979 HDL407N [645] demolished part of the wall at the "Ship & Castle" at Ryde. Between 4 January to 24 February 1983 HDL405N [643] went on loan to City of Oxford. They
were fitted with power steering: Between 2 October 1987 to 12 January 1988 HDL406N [644] / HDL409N [647] & HDL410N [648] went on loan to Solent Blue Line operating as their number's [56] / [57] later [59] & [60] respectively. On 24 October 1987 HDL408N [646] received severe frontal accident damage at Ventnor and was rebuilt, in November 1987, with a series 3 style destination screen box. Five
of the seven were repainted into de-regulation Emerald
Green & Cream livery in: Between 4 October 1989 to 8 November 1989 HDL405N [643] went on loan to Solent Blue Line. In October 1989 HDL406N [644] & HDL407N [645] were withdrawn from service. Between 8 November to 11 December 1989 HDL411N [649] went on loan to Solent Blue Line. The
remaining five were withdrawn from service in: Subsequent History HDL405N [643]:
HDL406N [644]:
HDL407N [645]:
HDL408N [646]:
HDL409N [647]:
HDL410N [648]:
HDL411N [649]:
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| Photo Selection | ||
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An offside-front
view of HDL405N [643] in NBC Leaf Green & White
livery at Shanklin Bus Station on 26 July 1983. Visit BusSpotter! for UK Bus Operator's Fleetlists and South East England Bus & Coach photographs |
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| HDL405N subsequently operated with
Irvine's of Law. A nearside-front view of it at their
depot during April 1992. [photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley] |
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| HDL406N subsequently operated with
Hunts of Alford. An offside-front view at Skegness (date
unknown). [photo copyright of LEYTR] |
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| A nearside-front view of HDL407N [645]
in NBC Leaf Green & White livery with deregulation
symbol at Newport Bus Station during the summer of 1987.
Note the replacement black entrance doors. [photo copyright of Mike Ginger] |
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| A nearside-front view of HDL407N as
Gray Line number [221] at the Rockefeller Centre (New
York, USA) in April 1999. [photo copyright of Alex Hall] |
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| An offside-rear view of HDL407N as
Gray Line number [221] undergoing preparation for service
at Hoboken, New Jersey, on 14 August 2000. [photo copyright of Alex Hall] |
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| A final view of HDL407N tipped on
its side (bottom-left of picture) being prepared for
scrap at Newark, New Jersey, on 8 January 2002. [photo copyright of Alex Hall] |
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An offside-front
view of HDL408N [646] in NBC Leaf Green & White
livery at Shanklin Bus Station on 24 July 1983. Visit BusSpotter! for UK Bus Operator's Fleetlists and South East England Bus & Coach photographs |
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An offside-front
view of HDL409N [647] in NBC Leaf Green & White
livery at Tesco, Ryde, on 9 April 1985. Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details |
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A nearside-front
view of HDL409N at Norths of Sherburn-in-Elmet (dealer),
having passed from Formula Speedboat Sales, during 1997. |
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An offside-front
view of HDL410N [648] in NBC Leaf Green & White
livery at Newport Bus Station on 14 August 1985. Visit BusSpotter! for UK Bus Operator's Fleetlists and South East England Bus & Coach photographs |
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| An offside-front view of HDL410N [648]
on loan to Solent Blue Line as their [60] at Eastleigh
during October 1987. [photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley] |
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| HDL410N subsequently passed to East
End Motors of Clydach. As acquired and still in Southern
Vectis Emerald Green & Cream livery an offside-front
view at East End during October 1990. [photo copyright of Richard Haughey] |
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| Still with East End Motors of
Clydach, and after re-paint into their fleet colours, a
nearside-front view of HDL410N at East End during late
1990. [photo copyright of Richard Haughey] |
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| A view of HDL406N with Hunt's of Alford at the Bristol VR Website | ||
| Information on all surviving Bristol VR's is available from The Bristol VR Enthusiasts' Society | ||
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