KRM431W (now reregistered PHH149W) found fame as the last surviving VR with Stagecoach North West (Ribble/Cumberland), even receiving Stagecoach "rolling ball" livery, from which it has now been repainted into Cumberland's post-deregulation livery having passed into preservation last October. It is a credit to new owners Brian Pritchard and John Burrow (the latter having performed the repaint himself).

Abus of Bristol have owned REs on and off throughout their existence, even in the earlier days when they were associated with Crown Coaches as their fleet history will testify, so I am pleased to be able to report that OAE954M has recently been renovated and returned to service in latest fleet livery of cream with maroon skirt and rear end. It is being operated in revenue-earning service over the Christmas break, when double deckers are not required for certain journeys. There is no better sounding bus than a RELL with a Leyland O680 livery so do take the opportunity to ride this one through the Somerset countryside if you possibly can.

The REMH coaches (the M is variously believed to stand for Maximum or Motorway) with Alexander bodies were impressive vehicles in their own right, but nearly forty years ago they must have turned heads up and down the country. There were two Scottish operators of the type, and I have been busy putting together fleet histories for each which can be found by following the links to Eastern Scottish and Western SMT. The REMH shown above is LFS276F of Eastern Scottish (preceding the VRTLLs with of the same registration block) - it carries the original yellow and black livery of that operator. You will see that I am missing a great many photos of these magnificent coaches - if you're able to fill in any of the gaps I'd love to hear from you at rob@robsly.com

Carl Berry kindly sent me this photo of XAN431T which has recently received the current fleet livery of Westward Travel of Bristol. This is one of seven VRs delivered new to the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell in Oxfordshire of which five are still very much alive and well and still running in service around Britain. I would be really grateful if anyone has any scans of these with AERE that they could send to me at rob@robsly.com as such views are extremely hard to come by and have so far completely eluded me.

Rob Ryder of Summercourt Travel in Newquay has been a regular contributor to the website during the time he has operated VRs. Recently UWV617S has been disposed of to a non-PCV owner, but UWV613S is to be retained and Rob has sourced a new roof for it after the original was lost somewhere between Sussex and Fife ownership, making it convertible open-top again. Presentation of the VR is excellent, as is that of the Street Safe exhibition unit XHK220X which is also maintained by Summercourt, although it is actually operated by a consortium of local police, ambulance and council. It is to be hoped that VRs will continue to ply the streets of Newquay for many more summers.

I don't often feature types other than VRs in here, but the news of a fifty-year-old Lodekka turning up in Denmark nearly thirty years after it was exported is surely worthy of celebration. The bus in question is former Western SMT B1168 (GCS254) and it was spotted and captured on camera by John Blakey (now there's a good name for a busman) in North Jutland on November 29th in use in connection with a Christmas fair. It appears to be owned by Connex Denmark, but that is unclear at this point. B1168 was quite a survivor even in 1975, having given a full twenty years of service to its original owner - a very rare event at the time. Interesting to note it was exported by none other than a fledgling Ensign organisation (then based in Benfleet) - one of the first of a very long line of half cabs to journey from Essex to the many far-flung corners of the World!! 

Bristol VRs can still be seen operating in everyday service at both ends of Great Britain - the Cornish operations of First are well documented, but Highland Country also run services in the northern-most towns of Scotland, including right the way up to John O'Groats. Former Eastern Counties KVF246V is seen here in Thurso, on the service to Wick. It is rumoured that Highland may be about to sell out to Stagecoach, with whom surely the VRs will not survive long - so take the chance to sample these remote services while you still can.

This month's study is an interesting view from Neil Halliday depicted the three VRs of the West Yorkshire Road Car Company Limited Preservation Group. The Group now has one of each VR series, all of which were new to the West Yorkshire company. Closest to the camera is Series 1 VR4 (XWW474G) which has been in preservation for twenty years now and might - one day - receive a repaint out of its NBC red livery as carried while still in service with the company. In the middle is Series 2 (curved windscreen) 1968 (JWW227N) which has had a partial repaint back into NBC red from its Grayscroft of Mablethorpe livery. Furthest away is newest recruit, 1746 (PUM149W) which was recently acquired from a member at Keighley Bus Museum. More can be learned about these preserved VRs by following the links from their registration numbers in this text.

This month's pair of photos are an exclusive, courtesy of Richard Waterhouse who has just completed this impressive and extensive restoration of Midland General 801 (LRA801P) back to its original condition (although I assume it still carries a Gardner engine having been repowered by Trent from its original Leyland O501?). We see 801 on its maiden journey in suitable rural surroundings, the rear view showing the original flaps for the powerful vacuum cleaner that was used to clean out the upper deck from the outside. The idea was that the inlet blew air in whilst the outlet sucked any loose items out. However, I believe the system was less than successful, with most of the dirt and rubbish simply being blown to the front of the deck where it had to be manually collected. Many congratulations are due to Richard and thanks for the photos.

Ian Wilson took this view of Alpine's former Crosville Wales DVG520 (BMA520W) this very afternoon while it dries after a repaint into their new yellow school bus livery. Ian understands that this one was chosen because it has been fitted with CCTV equipment and Alpine wanted to see what a VR looked like in this livery. If considered a success it is likely that others will receive the same treatment. It's always great to see VRs receiving new colours for further service and this is no exception.

Former Alder Valley driver Hans Retallick was most surprised to come across former Alder Valley VR 969 (WJM829T) during a recent trip to Rome. It has been converted to open-top for an unknown use, presumably some for of exhibition work, and was exported back in 1999 after withdrawal from Aldershot by Stagecoach Hants & Surrey (the spiritual successor to Alder Valley). 

It is very pleasing to note that VRs continue to operate in Solent Blue Line colours into 2003, despite SBL having sold their last examples at the end of 2001. This can happen of course through the use of franchise operators to run some of their services. One such operator is Bri-Jan Coaches of Bishop Waltham who run three VRs including one-time Bristol Omnibus C5104 (PHY698S). You will find further details of this opereator by following the above link because I have recently been extending the scope of the website to include ALL operators of VRs, not just those with four or more examples in service. This work will be completed in the next few weeks. C5104 was sold by BOC in 1993 to be replaced by Volvo Olympians. It continued to operate in Bristol though, neatly converted to single door (as seen here) by Bob Buglar. It was exchanged in September 2001 for YDL673T which remains in Bristol, and found its way into the Bri-Jan fleet in December of that year. My sincere thanks are extended to Gerry Tormey for supplying this photo (see the amended link to his own Bristol SU site below) and to all the other kind contributors who help to keep this site as up-to-date as possible.

This month we depict another First "Barbie 2" liveried VR, but this time it is First Western National permanent trainer, 1259 (URF668S). The lettering on the side reads "Your Bus Driving Career Starts Here". It is a shame that the pink fades have not been added to the livery to provide a splash of colour on what is an otherwise quite bland layout.1259 is an exceptional survivor, particularly when you consider that it started as an unusual ultra-lowheight Leyland O501-engined VR in the fleet of Potteries Motor Traction. Although PMT later became part of Firstgroup, it was not by inter-company transfer that it found its way to the South West. In 1992 it was sold to the independent Orange Bus Company in Bristol (later to become the Durbin operation) which was taken over by Bristol Omnibus in 1996. URF passed to Bristol in allover orange livery and its future was very uncertain, particularly when it passed to Western National for use for spares to keep the indigenous fleet going. However it was in good condition, too good to break, and it was fitted with the Gardner 6LX engine from scrap WDM341R. This engine was described as "gutless" by drivers around Plymouth and a 6LXB unit was substituted in 1997 and it remained in service in standard fleet livery until July 2002 when it received the livery shown above and settled into its new role. Many thanks to Richard Stedall for posting this picture which was taken last October.

Ken Larking has kindly sent me this photo of a real survivor. KOU796P was new to Bristol Omnibus as their fleetnumber 5510 and passed to Badgerline when that company was formed out of BOC in 1986. It passed to Western National as their 1085 in 1988 and was withdrawn in 1993, passing straight to the short-lived Nottingham Omnibus operation until it ceased in June 1994. Next stop was Stephenson of Rochford in Essex before finally arriving with the associated M&E Coaches of Shoeburyness where it remains to this day running schools services in the Southend area. To the left can be seen FKM875V which is clearly still in Maidstone & District's final pre-Arriva livery.

This photo has been kindly submitted by Ivor Bufton, who has also been a regular contributor to the news of VRs in North Wales over the last year. It shows NUD104L in use with (appropriately) the North Wales Weekly News during the late 1980s. This was a former City of Oxford coach-seated Series 2 VR of the ultra-low 13'5'' variety which was once used on the intensive Oxford to London express services. This VR is the latest to be treated to a full Illustrated History on the website and you can find the NUD104L page by clicking on the link. If anyone else has any more views of this VR to submit for publishing or requests for me to create any further Illustrated Histories then please feel free to contact me at Rob_Sly@idx.com

My sincere appreciation goes to Neville Tobin of Christchurch, New Zealand for posting this photo half way across the World for scanning for this feature. This VR was new to Crosville in 1978 as DVL368 (BTU368S), later re-engined with a Gardner unit and continued in service with Crosville Wales (as their DVG598) until 1996. It was exported to New Zealand in 1997 following a brief spell as a non-PCV in London and was used by Scenic Coachlines in Auckland repainted as an overall advert for Japan Travel Bureau. It is now with Redbus in Christchurch where Neville photographed it on sightseeing duties earlier in 2002. Redbus is the modern trading name for the former Christchurch Transport Board which of course took delivery of a great many Bristol RE single deckers and although all the REs have now been sold it is great to see that the traditional operation of Bristol vehicles in the city is being maintained.

It had been thought that the operations of Viking Tours of York had finished in the summer of 2000 and that the company was in liquidation. It therefore comes as something of a surprise that WTH962T has turned up back in service, repainted in a new livery but still sporting Viking signwriting on the rear as seen here. It would appear to be sponsored by Aston Villa Football Club judging by the choice of colours!! This VR was new to South Wales Transport as their 962 in 1979 and was sold to Battrick & Brown of Manchester in 1989. After two years it moved across to Viking in York whereupon it was converted to open-top and placed in service in May 1991, and it has been a regular sight ever since. 962 was delivered with a Leyland O501 engine like most South Wales VRs, and I have no record of it ever having lost this motor - can any local members confirm whether or not it has been re-engined with a Gardner please? Many thanks to Adrian Brown for supplying the photo which was taken on March 12th 2001.

This week we go right back to the beginning for the VR. GGM431D was the very first to enter service, being one of the two VRX longitudinally-engined long-wheelbase prototypes. This vehicle was demonstrated at the 1966 Commercial Motor Show before travelling north of the border for an extended period with the Scottish Bus Group. It is seen here soon after entry into service with Central SMT as their BN331 pounding the streets of Glasgow. You can find a detailed history of this vehicle on the VRX-1 Illustrated History page. This photo was kindly supplied by Mark Telfer, although he bought it from an anonymous dealer at a rally so if it's your copyright please let me know and I'll happily add a credit for you.

I make no apologies for posting this picture of recent ABus of Bristol acquisition MOU739R even though it has already appeared on the excellent ECWBristol egroup. This bus holds fond personal memories for me of journeys to school across Cheltenham in the early 1980s and I am really pleased to see that it has found a good new home having only earlier this year retired from mainline service with Stagecoach Cheltenham & Gloucester. It was new to Bristol Omnibus in 1976 as G5065 (the G denoted being a member of the Gloucester City Services fleet) in NBC green livery and with dual doors. It was transferred in about 1981 to Cheltenham and duly received NBC red livery in 1984 after the split from BOC. A spell in overall advertising livery for the Gloucestershire Echo was followed by a rebuild to single door layout in 1988. It was later transferred to Stroud Depot where, now renumbered 204, she received green and yellow "Starsky and Hutch" livery. The final transfer was to Stagecoach Cirencester where allover aircraft blue was applied for contract work, although 204 was also often to be found on stage carriage services. Hastily withdrawn early in 2000 under the new management regime which sees fit to cascade not much younger Limpalongs to the Stagecoach West fleets, 204 was sold along with most of her siblings to Simon Munden in Bristol. This view at the Munden/ABus yard at St Phillips was taken by John Hammond on September 11th, resplendent in a shiny new coat of white paint. One wonders what the future holds for this excellent machine.

6th October 2000

A real surprise is the repaint of one of Road Car's few remaining VRs into a new livery, especially considering how quickly the fleet has been disappearing over recent years. The livery is dedicated for school buses, following a recent national trend of US-style yellow school buses, and the first example into the scheme is 1957 (PFE541V) seen here on September 4th at the Road Car garage in Lincoln. Many thanks go to Michael Hill for supplying this photo and also for the wealth of other interesting photos he has supplied from this region recently. More of Michael's work will appear on this site soon.

22nd September 2000