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As always, if you have any additional information or photos for the pages on this website I would be delighted to hear from you at rob@robsly.com. From September 29th 2007 I shall record all changes of vehicle status on this page with credit to the contributor.
I am in the process of adding a page for every operator who has ever run a VR, RE, LH or Lodekka. You can follow progress by visiting the Operator Cross Reference page.
I am also adding a history page for every individual VR, RE, LH and Lodekka. You can follow progress by visiting the Illustrated History Log page.
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:
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Date of Change |
Source of Information | Details of Change |
| 11th March 2010 | Michael Wootten, Mike Nash, Roger Brown | All of a sudden REs are in the news! Firstly former Colchester RELL6L SWC24K has been sold by Woottens of Chesham to Dreadnought Coaches of Alnwick where it is hoped it will enter service next month. Secondly there are two REs for sale on a buy-one-get-one-free basis and finally former Bristol Omnibus 1212 (YHY592J) has been acquired by North Somerset Coaches, also for use in service. |
| 7th March 2010 | Vince Mathers | Former West Yorkshire VR 1769 (SUB793W) had a very short career in Essex as a mobile publicity unit and has now passed to Vince Mathers & Sue Hitchen of Stockport for preservation, although its first movement this week was to a storage location in Selby. It retains Embling livery with a large picture of Mike Tyson added! |
| 7th March 2010 | Tim Weatherup | Tim has unearthed a photo of dual-door former City of Oxford VR 497 (HUD497W) at Santander Airport in September 2008. Spain appears to have become something of a hot spot for dual-door VRs with no fewer than six of them out there, three having previously been converted to single door but of course retaining their centre staircases. |
| 4th March 2010 | Richard Hughes | Alpine of Llandudno are now down to just two withdrawn VRs, YMB507W (now BEY938W) having been removed today by Wigley, Carlton (dealer). |
| 3rd March 2010 | Barend Golverdingen | The latest Lodekka to turn up is former United Automobile/Western SMT FLF6G THN263F which is out of use in Melle, near Brussels in Belgium. It is available for sale at 2,500 euros if anyone is interested. |
| 23rd February 2010 | John Bowden | John Bowden and Marleen Schelvis of Shirehampton, Bristol have spent the last nine years slowly renovating the mechanicals and converting the body of former Cheltenham District/Bristol Omnibus 5087 (NHU670R) for use as a mobile home. It is expected that the work will be completed in 2011 and I am, of course, delighted that yet another former Cheltenham VR survives. |
| 23rd February 2010 | Karen Griffin | Former United Counties/M&E Coaches VR SNV934W has been sold out of preservation and converted as a party bus to a very high quality and shipped out to Spain where it is now the Costa Blanca Party Bus. |
| 19th February 2010 | James Willmott/Richard Hughes | A number of VRs have been scrapped in recent months. The entire stock at Wacton scrapyard in Bromyard has gone - WTU490W and VUA471X were broken last year, while XHK220X (for many years the Street Safe exhibit in and around Newquay) succumbed last week. Meantime Trevor Wigley (Carlton breaker) collected WTU499W from Alpine of Llandudno earlier this week. |
| 18th February 2010 | Danny Chabaud/Maurice Bateman | A new addition to the pages of this website is former Midland General 310 (TRB577F) which has turned up for sale in Haute-Savoie in France nearly thirty years after being exported. |
| 16th February 2010 | James Denny | James contacted me this morning with the great news that he has acquired both Doctor Who VRs remaining in the UK directly from BBC Wales. HJB455W has been taken to Suffolk on suspended tow already and is now preserved, while GGM84W will follow, although it is only fit to provide spares for HJB after the body was damaged beyond repair during the filming of the episode Planet of the Dead. A photo showing the rescue has been added as Photo of the Month. |
| 16th February 2010 | Danny Chabaud | Long-time French correspondent Danny Chabaud reports that Alexander-bodied Tayside VR 187 (OSR187R) is parked outside a restaurant somewhere in Alsace, France - an incredible survivor! He also sends news of an as-yet unidentified Lodekka FLF for sale in Haute-Savoie - you can see it here - do please let me know if you are able to identify it. |
| 13th February 2010 | Steve Simister | Very unusual news in 2010 is that of a VR entering service with a new operator. Former West Yorkshire/Hedingham Omnibuses PWY39W was acquired by Ensign on January 21st and was in service in Harlow on service 55 the following day on hire with quaintly-named Travel with Hunny. It has now been acquired. |
| 8th February 2010 | Phil Logie | Great news is that, courtesy of the Lincolnshire Co-Operative, unique former Lincoln Corporation Alexander-bodied RELL6L 73 (UVL873M) is to see full restoration over the coming months, as reported in this article. |
| 7th February 2010 | Paul Palmer/John Haines | Former Southern Vectis FS6G 573 (YDL318) has been in Scotland for the last few years with McKindless of Wishaw, but has now been bought by Phil Blair for return to the South Coast. When Paul went up to Wishaw to inspect 573 he found two further Lodekkas (FLFs) in the yard surrounded by scrap vehicles. They are Central SMT BL341 (HGM341E) and Mansfield District 694 (TRB589F) and are also both up for sale. |
| 6th February 2010 | Thomas Wollenberg | Bristol Omnibus FLF6G 7252 (FHW157D) is alive and well in Germany in the hands of Thomas Wollenberg based in Essen. It is used for private hires and pretty much anything else they can think of! There is a gallery of photos of the bus which is in fantastic - if not exactly totally original (!) - condition here. Take a look at some of those interior views!! |
| 5th February 2010 | Bob Martin | Rather amazingly, former Eastern Scottish AA287 (LFS287F) has moved on once again from California where it has resided for the last 21 years (spending many of those immobile in the desert) and has turned up in a garage close to Chicago, Illinois! This is rather ironic because it was purchased by Chicago Motor Coach in 1991 but never actually made it there, remaining in the desert for the next 12 years before being resurrected by British Bus Company of San Diego. It will be interesting to see whether it makes it into service in the Windy City - it would certainly be a waste after making the effort to transport it so far! |
| 21st January 2010 | Dave Arnold | And then there were two.... Hedingham & District L253 (PWY39W) passed to Ensign, Purfleet (dealer) today leaving just two VRs in the fleet. |
| 20th January 2010 | Simon Watkins | Simon acquired well-travelled former Hants & Dorset VR 3402 (BFX570T) from Morris of Pencoed in December 2008 for preservation. He has been steadily working on it since and hopes to have it MoT'ed next month, ready for the rally season in the Spring. |
| 17th January 2010 | Keith Rapley/Allan Macfarlane | Long-lost Lodekkas continue to reappear in North America. The two most recent examples were identified as a result of posting photos to the Unidentified Lodekkas photo album on my recently-added fan page for this website on Facebook. There are more to be identified on there - do please visit and become a fan. The first is a rare 31' FLF6G, ex-Eastern Scottish AA210 (GSG210D) which lay derelict in Beaver Bay, Minnesota in July 2007 - it had previously been last reported in 1982. The other is a gem - photographed in black and white in April 2004 was former Bristol Omnibus LD6G L8482 (838CHU) which was looking in poor condition in a yard in Anchorage, Alaska - a long way from Denver, Colorado where it had arrived in the US in 1977 and had remained unreported ever since! |
| 9th January 2010 **Updated 10th January and again 20th January | Ben Vallance | Since reporting the number of licensed VRs yesterday the figure has already dropped by two with the withdrawal of SVL177W and SVL180W by Johnson of Hodthorpe, the latter with what is described as a "terminal problem". Good news is that SVL180W has now been reinstated, the problem having turned out to have been minor. |
| 8th January 2010 | Chris Fenner | A unique vehicle currently for sale is the prototype Series 3 VR, new to Western National as 1078 (ODV78M). It is still fitted with its Leyland O510 engine and is kitted out as an exhibition unit. The only slight fly in the ointment is that it is in New Zealand, having been exported there in 1991. You can view the advert here. |
| 8th January 2010 | Jake Bamford | Another VR entering preservation is Maidstone & District 5807 (PKE807M) which was bought for Jake Bamford as a Christmas present by his partner Claire! It had spent more than twenty years as a mobile crime prevention unit with Kent County Constabulary and joins former East Kent 7681 (SKL681X) in Jake's stable. |
| 8th January 2010 | DVLA | I have been using the DVLA website to check the remaining VRs owned by operators in the UK. The total licensed for service currently stands at 67, the lowest ever total. This is down from 95 in September 2009, although many of those now on SORN are seasonal vehicles (open top/contract) which tend to be relicensed for the summer months. On the positive side there are now 212 VRs recorded in preservation in the UK, many of which are either undergoing restoration or already fully restored. |
| 6th January 2010 | Karl Wenn | Two long-lost FLF Lodekkas have been identified within a few miles of each other in California. Karl was looking for a bus to convert to a motor home during 2009 and ended up buying Western National 2034 (414PTA) which had actually been converted to a high standard back in 1982 but had become derelict in a field in Paso Robles. Karl has already stripped out the interior and plans his own conversion during 2010. He had a choice of two because in nearby California City sits Bristol Omnibus C7018 (813MHW) which had been "Flynn" with Top Deck Travel's short-lived US operation in the 1980s and which still carries a green version of their livery. Despite requiring a lot of work its current owner was asking a lot more money than for 2034 so it had to be that one! The full fascinating story is told on Karl's blog at Gone with the Wenns. |
| 4th January 2010 | Buses Magazine | There's a nice article in the January issue of Buses magazine celebrating 50 years since the launch of the first Lodekka prototype. An accompanying photo showed former Thames Valley FLF6G D23(FJB739C) still in service with Nostalgia Travel in Oxfordshire - I hadn't previously appreciated that this bus was still in regular use with this PSV operator and, as such, is one of the longest-lasting Lodekkas in continuous passenger service in the UK. |
| 24th December 2009 | Dr Mike Walker, Chris Stewart, Don Roberts | A number of reports have been received in recent months concerning the demise of the last large fleet of operational REs anywhere in the World - Bayline of Tauranga, New Zealand has run in excess of 30 examples for several years, many with original Leyland 510 engines (as fitted in the Leyland National) and also some with Christchurch Transport Board retrofitted MAN engines. Sadly stupid age-restriction rules (which totally ignore quality of maintenance regime) have caught up with the fleet and they are being quickly replaced by horrid Japanese imports. Survivors include RE2551 (reregistered with this suitable mark from IP4359) which is the only one in the fleet with an ECW-pattern body (built under licence in New Zealand by Hawkes) and was recently receiving a new radiator so may be retained. |
| 24th December 2009 | Jeff Tattershall | Well-travelled former Devon General LH 112 (KTT42P) has been sold on again, this time turning up in a yard near Bedlington Station. Jeff managed a view of it through the fence revealing that it has received home-made Bristol LH badges at the front. |
| 19th December 2009 | Richard Hughes | It appears that fifteen years of continuous VR operation at Alpine of Llandudno came to an end quietly this week when the two remaining ex-Williams of Deiniolen-liveried examples - BEY938W (ex-YMB507W) and UEY551T (ex-BAU179T) were taken off the road. |
| 19th December 2009 | James Griffiths | The sale of XJJ663V to Chepstow Classic from Pike of Andover fell through and so the Hull & Country Preservation Group have taken the opportunity to snap it up for preservation alongside XJJ669V. It still retains Stagecoach stripes and has a seized engine, but a replacement engine is planned and it will then be run in its existing livery. |
| 18th December 2009 | Steve Cocks | Steve has reunited the two remaining Western National Marshall-bodied LH coaches, fleetnumbers 1318 (BDV318L) and 1319 (NTT319M). 1319 had previously been saved by Neil Halliday in Yorkshire after a lengthy career and will require plenty of restoration work, while 1318 has never been based very far from Cornwall, having spent a very long time with Willis of Bodmin prior to purchase and subsequent restoration to Royal Blue livery by Steve. |
| 10th December 2009/Updated 13th December 2009 | Bob Martin | Bob has confirmed two further VRs with British Bus Company in San Diego, California, U.S.A. seen during his visit in September of this year. WKO128S has had some of its upstairs windows and pillars removed but retains its roof, whilst VPF287S is now fully open-top apart from the front and rear domes which remain intact. Bob has now forwarded me full details of his amazing trip to California in September - he tracked down no fewer than 12 Lodekkas and 21 VRs showing just how prevalent these wonderful machines are on the other side of the Atlantic! |
| 7th December 2009 | Jock Brandis | Jock has recently been cutting away enough overgrown trees to be able to reach a Lodekka buried in a garden in North Carolina. He has now identified it as former Crosville DFB100 (910VFM) which is in need of a lot of TLC but is basically intact. It was exported in the late 1970s and appears to have been in Rhode Island and Connecticut in the meantime but has clearly been in its current resting place for very many years. |
| 4th December 2009 | Bob Martin | VRs believed to have been long-since scrapped continue to turn up unexpectedly overseas. The latest is former United Counties 861 (RRP861R) which was discovered recently by Bob in the fleet of British Bus Company in San Diego, California, U.S.A. It was identifyable by the fleetnumber 861 showing inside the cab, the top-mounted windscreen wipers characteristic of some R-registration VRs and - most tellingly - signs of the previous two-tone green livery not having been covered by the new red livery. |
| 3rd December 2009 | Wayne Snowden | Wayne has acquired his second Yorkshire Traction VR for preservation. He has just acquired Johnson of Hodthorpe Series 2 HWE826N straight from service and this will look great alongside MWG941X which was acquired from Embling of Guyhirn this time last year. |
| 29th November 2009 | Chris Stewart | The second former Embling VR to turn up today (see update three entries down) is SUB793W which is in use as a mobile advertising unit and was noted as such in Braintree last week. |
| 29th November 2009 | Peter Hellgren | Peter informs me that he has now acquired his second Lodekka and it makes a pair because he now has both 803KDV and 809KDV, formerly Western National 1998/2004. |
| 20th November 2009 | Robin H | It is understood that Hants & Dorset/Hampshire Bus 3315 (GLJ467N) has passed to Black & White Motorways of Winchester after many years in store at one of their premises. They hope to return it to the road during 2010. |
| 18th November 2009/Updated 29th November 2009 | John Wakefield/Tony Barfield/Robin H | Former Cumberland VR 418 (FAO418V) has turned up with Chris Coombs of Melbourn, Cambs. It had previously been thought that this sale by Embling had been for preservation, but Chris runs a house clearance business and is converting the VR for non-PCV use in conjunction with this. More details here. A photo has come to light of this VR in its new environment here. |
| 17th November 2009 | Roger Downs | All four Johnson VRs (HTU159N, OWE854R, OWE857R and TDT864S) attracted bids at the auction on Saturday, but none reached their reserve and all four are still available - details here. |
| 16th November 2009 | James Griffiths/John Butt | Hull & Country Bus Preservation Group made a trip to Andover today to pick up XJJ669V from Pikes for preservation. They would have liked XJJ663V as well but that has already been snapped up by David Hoare's Chepstow Classic Bus, presumably for spares. |
| 14th November 2009 | Robin H | Matt Reynolds made the trip from Bristol to Purfleet this morning to seal the deal on the purchase for preservation of former Hants & Dorset/Wilts & Dorset 3455 (KRU855W) from Ensign. |
| 11th November 2009 | BBC Wales | I have received an update on the VRs used during the filming of the Doctor Who episode "Planet of the Dead" earlier this year. The two VRs remaining in the UK have turned up in Wales and the BBC are looking to sell them either for scrap or to a preservationist. GGM84W is confirmed as the one damaged on purpose as the studio "double" for RUA461W, whilst HJB455W appears largely intact. Where will they turn up next? |
| 8th November 2009 | Robin H/Tim Weatherup | A trio of former Hants & Dorset LDs are worthy of mention. 1368 (SRU981) was still in non-PCV use in Birmingham as recently as 2007 but is now restored to Hants & Dorset livery (although still in exhibition unit configuration) in the North East. The very next member of the fleet, 1369 (SRU982) is still intact, although very derelict, at Mount Carmel in Ohio, U.S.A. while I am delighted to report that an LD that I came across on a cold January night in 1996 remains in exactly the same spot at MacDonalds restaurant at Västerås in Sweden - 1402 (UEL723) is used as a cinema where children can eats their burgers and chips (and of course the fruit salad on offer these days!). |
| 7th November 2009 | Mart Wools | A couple of VRs have been acquired by car dealer First Call Trading of Ipswich from Blue Bus of Debach in the shape of HJB459W (which was driven back to Ipswich today) and BRC839T which will follow next week. HJB seems to be in excellent condition with a full set of original autumn gold seats throughout. Both are available for sale - please contact Mart at mart2005@btinternet.com. |
| 6th November 2009 | Ben Vallance | Johnson of Hodthorpe continue to run many of their VRs on schools and other contract services for the time being. SVL179W is now confirmed as having been withdrawn in July. Four VRs are to be put up for auction at Redferns on November 14th, viz, HTU159N, OWE854R, OWE857R and TDT864S (Yorkshire Traction fans take note!). I don't have any contact details for the auction, but I daresay an enquiry direct to Johnson Bros will prove fruitful. |
| 1st November 2009 | Richard Waterhouse | Richard, along with Ian Thurman, has added a Series 2 Midland General VR to his Series 1 (BNU679G) and Series 3 (LRA801P). The acquisition is YRC125M, said to be in fantastic condition and a credit to Enterprise Boats of Truro who owned it for more than 18 years. The VR is making its debut today at the Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society event. |
| 30th October 2009 (updated 5th November) | Chris Stewart/Robin H (update Ross Newman) | After a prolonged period of storage, Wilts & Dorset have now sold their remaining stock of VRs to dealer Ensign. Confirmed in Essex are GEL682V, KRU848W and KRU851W - others are certainly involved but firm identities have not yet been established. The fourth VR confirmed at Purfleet is KRU855W. |
| 28th October 2009 | Christian Göll | This discovery is why I like my hobby so much! Regular readers will know that Bristol Omnibus Company is my "home" fleet so it is always special when a former BOC vehicle turns up, but I can't remember one being unreported for 32 years before surfacing again. The vehicle in question is former City fleet LD6B Lodekka LC8501 (826CHU) which was exported to Austria in 1977 and as far as I can tell nobody has heard of it since - until Christian emailed me yesterday to say that he now owns it. Used for many years as a fast food outlet he describes it as "fit for scrap" but the photo he sent (see LC8501's illustrated history page) shows it to be reasonably intact and it still runs, presumably under power from its original Bristol AVW engine. |
| 26th October 2009 | Tony Greco/Bruce Henderson | Two Bristol double deckers have surfaced recently in different parts of the World. Tony Greco has former West Yorkshire VR 1997 (WWY127S) which has turned up after ten years unreported in Italy. The other one is former Scottish Omnibuses AA768 (USC768) which has been standing outside at an antique store in Powells Point, North Carolina, U.S.A. for a long time now and is steadily deteriorating. This one has proved tricky to identify as it carries some marking for former Hants & Dorset YRU70, but detailed analysis has confirmed it is definitely a former Scottish example. |
| 20th October 2009 | David Bloomfield | Former Bristol Omnibus 5033/8615 (JHW107P) open-top VR didn't last long in preservation, having now been sold to Shropshire Bus & Coach of Wem for use in their operational fleet. |
| 11th October 2009 | Thomas Bond | Preserved former Scottish Omnibuses/Southdown/Alder Valley open-top VR LFS296F was purchased in September by Foundry Coach Hire of Oughtibridge, north of Sheffield. It is still considered to be preserved, but will venture out on the occasional private hire to earn its keep. |
| 4th October 2009 | Steve Graham/Julian Patterson | The unique prototype ECW B51-bodied RELH coach (VHK177L) has just this weekend passed from Steve to Julian. Steve was reluctant to see it go, but the proceeds will allow him to build a more balanced fleet for his Classic Coaches North West private hire business. It will regain its original registration in the next few days. |
| 4th October 2009 | James Griffiths | Former West Riding VR RUA455W didn't last long in preservation, having been sold to Carl Ireland in September after a brief stay at Keighley Bus Museum. |
| 3rd October 2009 | Bob Martin | Bob located two Lodekkas in a scrapyard in Burbank, Los Angeles recently. He paid $2 to be allowed to inspect one of them (yes they charge their customers to look and see if there are any parts they need!). Its chassis plate identified it as former Mansfield District 546/East Midlands 346 (242MNN). Sadly the other one was inaccessible, but do take a look at it here and please let me know if you know which one it is (that open-top conversion must give some clues). |
| 1st October 2009 | Sean Keating | Former Western National 2044 (ATA125B) is currently for sale on eBay in North Dakota, U.S.A. and such is the interest it is generating it looks like it has found a new home! |
| 27th September 2009 | Paul Harrison/Chris Stewart | The most wonderful vehicle restoration hit the road this weekend. Paul Harrison has owned former Eastern National FLF coach 2614 (AVX975G) for more than 20 years and has finally been in a position to restore it to its former glory. It made a run from Essex into London yesterday and today is making its public debut at Showbus. It also now features as the new Photo of the Month on this website. |
| 25th September 2009 | Chris Fenner (RVPT) | C & G Coaches of Chatteris have not run a VR since 2006, but they have only recently sold their last VR - former Ribble 1440 (LHG440T) for scrap - a shame because it was about to be visited by the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust to see if it was saveable. |
| 22nd September 2009 | Rob Evans | BCL213T - former Eastern Counties open-top VR - has been spotted several times in and around Blackpool in recent months. Rob Evans has now reported that he is planning to operate it on tours of the illuminations this season, but thus far the company has no name so it is recorded under Evans of Blackpool. |
| 22nd September 2009 | Peter Green | A Lodekka changing hands (and country) in North America is former Crosville FLF6B DFB114 (147YFM) which has been in use as a food retail outlet since arriving in the US in 1995. It has now crossed the border to an as-yet unidentified owner in Canada who is currently trawling through the paperwork to get permission to continue to operate the bus in the same role. |
| 17th September 2009 | Gareth Crowther | Dual-door VRs are thin on the ground these days, but Tyler Horne owns one in Texas, U.S.A. which he is in the process of getting back onto the highway. It is former City of Oxford 474 (HUD474S) which is still in fleet livery and carrying the Brighton & Hove fleetnames it received in 1995 during a brief loan spell. By complete co-incidence I have just this evening finished adding the history page for CJO473R, its immediate predecessor in the Oxford fleet! |
| 14th September 2009 | Jeff Hanson | Jeff is the proud owner of former Eastern Counties LD5G LKD194 (VVF194). He bought it last year and keeps it in his home town of Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A. He hopes to get it back on the road ASAP. |
| 13th September 2009 | Tim Weatherup | A photo has surfaced of former Bristol Omnibus VR 5054 (LEU262P) at a service station in Astoriga in Spain having been abandoned by a group of travellers after suffering mechanical failure. The photo is dated October 2008, but it is not known whether or not the bus is still there. |
| 8th September 2009 | Operator | Pikes of Andover have two former East Kent VRs for sale - further details here |
| 8th September 2009 | Mark Howarth | Another Embling VR on the move is Western National 1211 (LFJ858W) which has passed to Western Greyhound where it will join JWV259W in the heritage fleet. Lodekka FLF6B EOO590, ex-Eastern National is still owned, stored awaiting its turn for restoration. |
| 6th September 2009 | Julian Patterson | Having previously been sworn to secrecy I can confirm that former Eastern Counties (but ordered by Waveney District Council) VR190 (VPW85S) has been restored by Julian into NBC red livery and made its debut at today's Norwich Rally. |
| 6th September 2009 | Ross Newman | Former Hedingham & District L245 (SGR780V) was sold on in August by Ensign (dealer) to a company called Prosolve Consulting in London W1, its intended non-PCV use currently unknown. |
| 5th September 2009 | Mark Golding | Lodekka FLF6G DHT784C, new as Bath Tramways 7204 and later Bristol Omnibus has turned up in Switzerland, still owned by Serg Kaslin more than a decade since it was last reported. |
| 4th September 2009 | Ian Lang | Ian was very surprised this morning to discover DNG233T in the Totnes yard of River Link. It is still in full Embling of Guyhirn livery, but has been pressed into service here and ran schools service 102 from Totnes to Brixham and then on to Paignton on the 68 this afternoon. |
| 3rd September 2009 | Mike Smith | Mike has become the only person in the World to own two London Country VRs with the acquisition last October for preservation of PPH462R from Chepstow Classic. It joins PPH471R in his stable. |
| 3rd September 2009 | Rob Hardy/James Griffiths | VPF288S didn't spend long back in revenue-earning service. After 18 months with McEwen Travel it has re-entered preservation with Rob Hardy and Luke Reveley in Hull. |
| 2nd September 2009 | Mel Williams | Three Bristol double deckers have been spotted recently in Brittany, France. Two were known previously and are former Crosville ML688 (RFM433) and Western National 1906 (UOD489), both LD6Bs with Publibus, Lezardrieux. The third however is a big surprise, being former Eastern Counties DEX231T (now registered BRX381T) which had previously been believed scrapped in 2003/2004. It is currently dumped in a field in pretty poor condition. |
| 30th August 2009 | Caroline Cleaveley | It isn't often that an RE is scrapped these days, but former United Counties 279 (TBD279G) was in poor condition and has been broken by the Stroud RE Group in order to keep other vehicles going. |
| 27th August 2009 | Tony Edwards | Hants & Dorset VR 3311 (NRU311M) passed to the Church of Scientology in 1998 and apparently went for use in France but has been unreported ever since. It has recently been vandalised and is now for sale for spares. |
| 23rd August 2009 | Clive Williams | Clive was amazed to spot the unmistakable shape of a flat-front VR whilst on a touring coach on the outskirts of Tangier, Morocco on August 1st. He was able to glance enough of the registration to confirm on this website when he got home that it was former West Yorkshire VR44 (BYG851H). If anyone is ever in a position to check out this VR and - especially - grab a photo of it, Clive noted it was parked (definitely not dumped) on the side of the main road heading back into Tangier from Cap Spartel and the "Caves of Hercules". Also if anyone can provide further updates for its history (disposal date by WYRC, acquisition by Tillingbourne, confirmation of ownership by Top Deck Travel) I'd be most grateful. |
| 21st August 2009 | Tim Weatherup | Kells Transport Museum in Cork, Republic of Ireland has amassed a huge collection of vehicles including several REs, but has only now added its first VR - former Ribble 2026 (DBV26W) which has been in Ireland for several years in use as a film location vehicle. Their website reports that a second VR is due soon - it will be very interesting to see which one turns up! |
| 19th August 2009 | Paul Palmer | Paul has kindly sent an update on the Pike of Andover fleet. Just one VR remains in service, this being IUI5036 (formerly JWV256W). XJJ663V and XJJ669V are stored and complete. 663 has a seized engine but is otherwise sound, whilst 669 has a corroded chassis. Both are available for sale and it might be possible to make good one from the pair. Finally IUI5037 (EAP978V) was sold for scrap earlier this year having previously been heavily cannibalised for spare parts. |
| 7th August 2009 | Mick Bruce | An update to the July 2008 entry for VHB672S is that, sadly, this unbelievably well-travelled VR was destroyed by fire last November when two gas cylinders used for cooking caught fire and reduced the bus to just its chassis. |
| 6th August 2009 | Nick Green | Former Crosville VR DVG468 (WTU468W) has just been thoroughly renovated for continued use as the Buzz Stop - a mobile community drop-in centre and coffee bar in the North East |
| 5th August 2009 ***Updated 7th August 2009*** | Rob Hardy/Alan Walker | Two further VRs have been exported recently - KKK887V and FRP907T had both previously operated for The Running Footman of Martlesham, but had been with dealer Carl Ireland since 2007. The latter has gone to Italy, but the destination of the former is unknown. FRP907T is in fact with Columbana, Oxford which also has several other VRs - see Non-PCVs in Central England |
| 31st July 2009 | Brian Coney | Spotted in March in the same area of San Francisco that it went to back in 1980 was former Bristol Omnibus C7245 (FHU58D), sister bus to Mike Walker's C7246 (FHU59D). |
| 28th July 2009 (August 1st 2009) | Tim Weatherup/South West VR News (update from James Pratt) | Long-withdrawn convertible VDV134S has been sold (just last week) to Terry Partridge for preservation. It was the penultimate VR in First ownership. Another VR saved is URU691S, latterly 5063 in the Damory Coaches fleet which now lives at Carnon Downs, near Truro and was present at the Plymouth Rally last weekend. The owner of 5063 is in fact converting it for use as a film location unit, but is enthusiastic towards VRs and is making the conversion as sympathetic as possible. |
| 25th July 2009 | Dave Arnold | Hedingham Omnibuses are down to just three VRs now, with the sale of L245 (SGR780V) to Ensign (dealer) last Thursday. |
| 22nd July 2009 | Julian Patterson | Two further former Eastern Counties VRs have passed into preservation although unusually neither of them are owned by Julian! VR260 (RAH260W) is with Neil Jordan in Norfolk, whilst VR291 (VEX291X) was withdrawn recently by Hulme Hall following a minor electrical fault and is with as yet un-named owners. |
| 21st July 2009 | Steve Simister | Steve reports that four Embling VRs are currently for sale - DNG233T, LFJ858W, SUB793W and FAO418V. The remaining four VRs are intended to stay in the fleet for the time being. A full list of these (and other surviving operational VRs in the UK) can be found here. |
| 21st July 2009 | Tim Weatherup | Tim found a picture on the Internet which shows former Hants & Dorset/Wilts & Dorset 3400 (BFX568T) was still running in London, Ontario, Canada as recently as August 2008. |
| 18th July 2009 | Stewart Brown | Stewart recently found former Hants & Dorset FLF6B FLJ156D alive and well in the wonderfully-named US town of Kalamazoo, Michigan. |
| 15th July 2009 | Dave Preston | Dave has recently sold his Lincolnshire FS5G DFE963D to well-known Lincoln-based preservationist Mike Gallagher and the Lodekka made its way "home" earlier this month. |
| 14th July 2009 | Chris Stewart | Two of the final few RELLs still owned by Lough Swilly have been shipped to the mainland for preservation. BXI2570 is in Swilly colours and will remain so with Chris Stewart, while AXI2539 remained in Citybus colours throughout its time with Swilly and has joined Mike Nash's preserved fleet. Two RELLs remain with Swilly - BXI2581 in use as a storeshed in poor condition and XOI2512 which was only ever used for spares and which is now almost totally dismantled. |
| 13th July 2009 | G Tether | Another Alexander-bodied RELL of Ulsterbus has been saved for preservation. Mr Tether came across BXI2588 at dealer Wacton of Bromyard and just had to save it from being scrapped. |
| 11th July 2009 | Tim Weatherup | Identified by a rear view showing its towing hook, former Hants & Dorset/Southern Vectis convertible open-top VR UFX857S is now numbered 360 in the Big Bus tour fleet in Philadelphia, U.S.A. It carries Big Bus purple livery, but that is currently covered by a vinyl advertising wrap which includes rear wheel covers. |
| 5th July 2009 | Russell Meddings | Present today at the Goodwood Festival of Speed was former United Counties Lodekka FS6B 717 (KBD717D) which is actually now based in Switzerland for Londag (translates as "London") but was being used as an exhibition unit for Red Bull. |
| 30th June 2009 | Shaun Courtnage | Griffiths of Port Dinorwic have sold their last VR in the form of Crosville DVG521 (BMA521W) to an as yet unknown preservationist in the North West of England. |
| 30th June 2009 | Derrick Cuff | Former Lincolnshire VR 1966 (SVL176W) is on a farm off the A3075 towards Newquay in Cornwall. It was previously used as a film unit for a TV company but is now in a poor state. |
| 29th June 2009 | Mr & Mrs Crump | Acquired by Coney Green Farm, Stourport-on-Severn is well-travelled former Maidstone & District Series 2 VR HKE678L. It is to be used as a showpiece at their annual steam rally. |
| 26th June 2009 | Richard Sinclair | An unusual survivor on the Isle of Skye is LHL coach EAW752L (originally XTF468L with Robinson of Great Harwood). It has previously been used as a horsebox but is now converted for use as a mobile home. Richard and a group of enthusiasts recently commandeered the vehicle for a ride with its current owner, Robbie Pict!! |
| 20th June 2009 | Tony Barfield | Jane Dicker's preserved ECW coach-bodied RELH6G, former Eastern National 454 (RPU869M) is undergoing extensive rebuild and restoration at Cobus in Bridlington. It is currently without internal fittings, electrics or glass, but when reconstructed it will surely be the finest example of its type. |
| 19th June 2009 | Rev Patrick Coleman | You wait years and then two Bus Ministry VRs come along at once. Hot on the heels of HDL409N in Scotland we have HJB454W which is undergoing a transformation as the Abergavenny Community Bus. There is a report on this conversion in the South Wales Argus which you can read here. |
| 19th June 2009 | Richard Hughes | Arriva Cymru 3992 (YMB512W), the last surviving VR with the group, has been unveiled with signwriting for the new Pride of Llandudno open-top service which starts on June 28th and runs into early September. |
| 18th June 2009 Updated 19th June 2009 |
Vincent Lochhead | Well-travelled ex-Southern Vectis VR 647 (HDL409N) is currently in a yard outside Cumnock in Scotland, having been replaced as an exhibition unit with Ignite Bus Ministries by a Metrobus. It would likely be for sale to a sympathetic buyer. Vincent has contacted me again to say that he has since discovered the Ignite Bus Project website which indicates that the VR is to be retained and used alongside the Metrobus - good news indeed! |
| 18th June 2009 |
Robin Harrison Robin - please note, all attempts to email you result in "undeliverable" messages so I have been unable to respond to your messages |
Former Go South Coast VRs continue to see use with special events BFX666T and recently-preserved GEL685V running Festival shuttles on the Isle of Wight last weekend. |
| 16th June 2009 | Chris Knight |
Lodekkas continue to turn up all over the World. The latest to appear
is former Western SMT B1933 (XCS954)
which is lying derelict in the town of Amory, Mississippi in the
U.S.A. This FLF6G was last reported in March 1982 with Gray Line in
Galveston, Texas. You can actually "visit" this bus using Google Maps - type "Amory MS" into the search function, you'll bring up the town. Zoom in to where US 278 (6th Avenue S) crosses Main Street S, just to the east of the railway track. Between the track and Main Street S, you'll see a long narrow white building parallel to the road. Just where the dirt meets the grass, to the left and closer to the road, you'll see a vague reddish oblong at a diagonal to the road. Zoom in on that and voila. Use the Steet Level icon and pop him in front of the bus and have a walk around it. Thanks to Chris for these instructions. |
| 16th June 2009 | Chris Stewart | After a lengthy period in hibernation the first production short-wheelbase VRT is now out and about on the rally scene, having been treated to a coat of NBC green paint. The vehicle in question is of course former Eastern National 3000 (CPU979G). |
| 16th June 2009 | Paul Bateson/BBANA | Former Western National FLF6G 1989 (135HUO) is now in derelict condition in Edmonton with broken windows and no tyres. It was recently with Nite Tours, but they seem to have ceased trading and this Lodekka now needs saving before the inevitable one-way trip to the scrapyard. |
| 15th June 2009 | Caroline Cleaveley | I'm pleased to hear that former United Counties RELL6G 311 (NBD311F) has been acquired in Gloucestershire for restoration and renovation. The intention is to return it to Tilling green and cream. |
| 15th June 2009 | Steve Graham | The prototype B51 coach-bodied RELH, former Eastern National VHK177L has recently been reregistered 819XUP for use by Classic Coaches North West on regular rail replacement work. The original registration mark is retained on paper for when the coach is returned to pure preservation. Two other RELHs operate in the fleet - former Crosville AFM106G and Western National 837SUO, although these have been restricted to private hire work so far. |
| 9th June 2009 | Allan Macfarlane | One of the most widely-travelled VRs in the UK has made yet another move. Former Western National 1117 (VDV117S), latterly on Guernsey with Universal Limos, has arrived in the yard of Bristol Bus & Coach Sales. It is hoped that a preservationist will move in for this most worthy bus. |
| 7th June 2009 | South West VR News | Convertible VR VDV142S is the latest to join the Chepstow Classic fleet, having recently been in the hands of preservationist Terry Partridge. It was noted in use in open-top configuration at the Epsom Derby. |
| 4th June 2009 | Chris Candy | There are literally hundreds of former buses converted to mobile homes running around the length and breadth of New Zealand and a good proportion of those are former Christchurch Transport Board RELLs. It is very hard to trace these, but now and again I get reports of one and the latest is former 478 (HH8179) with ECW pattern Hawkes bodywork which is now reregistered DQK434 and is currently undergoing conversion. |
| 3rd June 2009 | Ivan Chircop | Ivan has former Bristol Omnibus 5136 (AHU513V) in Melbourne, Australia and is giving it a most thorough refurbishment before putting it to use over there. |
| 2nd June 2009 | BBANA | Former Southern Vectis LD6G 549 (ODL9) is currently in a yard in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, U.S.A. having been under the same ownership for nearly 30 years. It is for sale, and a deal looks imminent for it to pass into safe hands. |
| 2nd June 2009 | Sam Malins | The Leyland engined VR was always a flaky vehicle and most were rightly scrapped twenty or more years ago. Right? Wrong!! Apart from my being obviously biased (I do own one after all), the survivors are definitely proving this to be an unjust reputation. Take GTX750W - recently withdrawn from passenger duties it has been open-topped and will be heading off to Le Mans this weekend for the 24-hour endurance race (taking punters not participating, you understand) |
| 1st June 2009 | Ross Newman | The ranks of preserved VRs continue to swell as examples come available straight from service with operators such as Alpine, Wilts & Dorset, Hedingham and Damory. There are now no fewer than 207 listed on my Preservation Focus page. The most recent one, acquired last month from Hedingham via dealer Ensign is former West Yorkshire 724 (JWT757V) which has been acquired by Nick Peters of Farnborough. |
| 1st June 2009 | Ben Vallance | Most regrettably, and entirely due to the arbitrary rules being introduced by the local authorities, Johnson of Hodthorpe have begun the withdrawal of their fabulous fleet of VRs, many of which are in superb condition and far more sound than many more modern vehicles. However, all are over 25 years old and so will have to go as they will no longer be allowed on schools services. Three withdrawn in May were HTU159N, OWE854R and OWE857R. On the positive side, and showing what a shock these new rules were to the business, LVL804V is just emerging from thorough refurbishment and repaint; it is believed that the recent refurbs will be kept for suitable work for the foreseeable future. |
| 19th May 2009 | Shaun Courtnage | Some seven years after SKL685X was deroofed under a Basingstoke railway bridge whilst operating with Hampshire Bus, another one of the very same batch of East Kent exiles has suffered exactly the same fate in Hampshire, this time SKL680X with Pike of Andover. The accident happened on May 12th and it was towed for scrap just two days later. |
| 19th May 2009 | Ben Vallance | Former Eastern National 3112 (XHK217X), latterly registered XIL1254 with Flagfinders of Braintree, has finally gone to Barnsley for scrap after clinging on for a couple of years being used for spares at various locations. |
| 12th May 2009/19th May 2009 | Andy Owen/Ivor Bufton (photo) | Voel Coaches of Dyserth have owned Alexander-bodied VR 63 (VVV63S) since 1992 and for some time it has been the last former Northampton example in passenger service. The great news is that it has just returned from repaint in orange livery, matching the colours carried by their premier coaches and its future is secure for the foreseeable future. |
| 11th May 2009 | James Griffiths/Charles Roberts | Another VR has made it into preservation, this time former West Riding RUA455W which ran for Grierson of Fishburn over the past year or so. It has taken up residence at Keighley Bus Museum. |
| 7th May 2009 | Robin Harrison | After nine years unreported, Robin (sorry, my replies to your email are being returned as undeliverable) confirms that former Southern Vectis RELL6G 866 (TDL566K) is safe and well in storage on the Isle of Wight, owned by preservationist Derek Priddle. |
| 29th April 2009 | Daniel Stazicker | Former East Yorkshire VR 511 (PAG511W) has emerged in Holland from a very long refurbishment including being lowered by taking out some inches from the upper deck windows and pillars. |
| 27th April 2009 | YouTube | The oldest surviving RE has found another claim to fame as it currently appears in a national advertising campaign for Maltesers chocolates. You can watch (and hear!) 837SUO in action here. It forms part of the Classic Bus North West fleet operated by Steve Graham. |
| 23rd April 2009 | Mark Priest | Unique former Sheffield Corporation East Lancs-bodied VR 271 (OWE271K) has recently been treated to a reapplication of its eye-catching Corporation livery. |
| 16th April 2009 (updated 23rd April 2009) | Bart Prins | Bart has acquired four VRs from Alpine of Llandudno and these are already safely at his depot in Holland. The four are URU689S, HJB460W, HJB461W and YMB518W. Bart has also acquired former Eastern National Lodekka 2898 (WVX525F) which is currently undergoing extensive renovation work. |
| 16th April 2009 | Russell Meddings | Spotted and photographed by Russell at Blue Star's Eastleigh yard today was newly-repainted VR GEL681V which has been donated by Go South Coast to City College where it will be used as a mobile training vehicle. |
| 16th April 2009 | Geoff Meek | Sad news is that former Standerwick VRL coach 79 (PRN79K) has left the Freckleton premises of the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust for dismantling. However, all useful parts are being used to restore LRN60J which has been out on road test in Barnsley this week having been fitted with a new engine. |
| 14th April 2009 | Glyn Bowen | VRs are alive and well still in New Zealand. Glyn's daughter Alison saw former Trent 832 WRC832S in service on the Auckland Explorer yesterday - I rode on this magnificent tour last year but was VERY disappointed to find it was in the hands of a horrible Japanese minibus thingy for the entire duration of our visit!! |
| 13th April 2009 | Wayne Ball | Wayne has added a former Bristol Omnibus ECW-bodied VR to his collection of preserved Reading Northern Counties "Jumbos" in the form of MOU739R (which your editor used to travel on to school in Cheltenham in the 1980s). It last ran with Black & White Motorways of Winchester but will be on SORN for some time to come as it has a seized engine. Good to see it in safe hands though. |
| 13th April 2009 | BBC Doctor Who website | The episode Planet of the Dead duly aired on Saturday evening with no fewer than three VRs starring alongside David Tennant. RUA461W had been patched up in Dubai to appear in the desert (but seems likely now to be scrapped), HJB455W did the street scenes in Cardiff (posing as London) while GGM84W was butchered in the UK to resemble RUA for internal scenes shot in the studio. It too will likely be scrapped post production - it will be interesting to see whether HJB surfaces again. |
| 10th April 2009 | Mike Ede | Former City of Oxford dual-door VR HUD496W passed to the Stroud RE Group last month for use for spares after many years sitting outside at Woodchester. It has quickly been broken up and now all that remains are the two axles. Unique parts have been salvaged for help in restoring the centre door on AHU518V to full operation. |
| 9th April 2009 | Philip Higgs | VDV139S has become surplus to requirements at Classic Bus in Blackpool and has been sold to an operator in Rome, reportedly for use on sightseeing work (I would be VERY grateful for more news of this). It is believed that it will rejoin VDV140S which was driven to Italy last month, ex-Mortons Coaches of Basingstoke. |
| 3rd April 2009 | Chris Clegg | Pike of Andover have sold one of their withdrawn VRs to an unknown dealer in Barnsley for scrap. Former Southdown IUI5035 (ex-JWV266W) leaves just two VRs in service here. |
| 31st March 2009 | Richard Hughes/Ivor Bufton/Darren Tasker | Further valued updates from Alpine continue to arrive. They are now down to just two in service - and against the odds it is the two former Williams VRs that remain : UEY551T (ex-BAU179T) and BEY938W (ex-YMB507W). The two ex-Southdown VRs have been saved for preservation - new owners Darren Tasker and David Grimstone hope to drive PUF586R and AAP651T back to Brighton in the next few weeks. |
| 22nd March 2009 ****updated 26th March 2009**** | Ivor Bufton/Ian Wilson | Alpine are down to just three operational VRs now: BMA520W, BEY938W (ex-YMB507W) and YMB517W. Sadly UEY551T (ex-BAU179T) was damaged in a depot accident with an Olympian (which came off worse apparently), but the remaining serviceable VRs appear to be attracting plenty of interest from potential buyers, so expect to hear more of those before long. ***Correction - the damaged VR is in fact YMB516W and not UEY551T (which remains in service for the time being) |
| 19th March 2009 | Leo Roberts | Damory Coaches 5066 (UDL673S) has kindly been donated to the Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum and arrived back on the island yesterday afternoon for its new life in preservation. |
| 18th March 2009 | David Oakley | Well-travelled former Western National VR LFJ853W has turned up on the appropriately-named Leyland Court Farm in Bradley Stoke in use as a control tower for show-jumping events. It is not operational these days - if it needs to be moved it is dragged by a tractor! |
| 17th March 2009 | Ben Vallance | It had been thought that ex-Lincolnshire Road Car VR LVL804V had been withdrawn by Johnson of Hodthorpe last August when it was put on SORN, but the good news is that it has been undergoing renovation and is due to be tested in the next few weeks. Still 31 VRs up and running with the largest remaining operator of the type anywhere. |
| 13th March 2009 | Barrie Gilbert | Former City of Cardiff 350 (WTG350T) very nearly clocked up a full decade with Swansea City Council as the T.A.R.D.I.S. playbus but has now passed to a scrap dealer at Neath Abbey |
| 8th March 2009 | James Willmott | Former West Riding 471 (VUA471X) has turned up at dealer Wacton at Bromyard having gone missing after being sold by Walton of Freckleton around 2005. The upstaird seats have been removed, and sadly this one is only fit for scrap. |
| 4th March 2009 | Crosville Yahoo Group/Richard Hughes | Alpine of Llandudno are rapidly winding down their VR fleet with the recent acquisition of replacement Olympians, some not much newer than the VRs themselves. PUF586R and YMB516W have already been withdrawn and the remaining nine are all in danger. |
| 4th March 2009 | Philip Higgs/Carl Berry | BusWorks have yet another Bristol on their books right now in the shape of Lincolnshire Road Car Mark I ECW-bodied RELH6G coach 1431 (CVL850D). It has been in preservation for over 25 years and will make a very welcome addition to the ranks of restored vehicles when done. |
| 1st March 2009 | John Rickard/Andy Baldwin | The VR which has been running around Newquay for the past few years as the "Street Safe" exhibition (XHK220X) has been superseded this year by a portakabin and so the VR has been sold to dealer Perry of Bromyard. |
| 1st March 2009 | DVLA/South West VR News | I have finaly come to accept that the VR has run its last in ordinary service with Go South Coast (Wilts & Dorset/Damory Coaches). Several examples remain licensed, but all have now been stored for some time, with the exception of GEL681V which was withdrawn on February 25th with Marchwood Motorways and appears to have been therefore the very last active VR within the group. The current whereabouts of BFX666T is unclear, but I am going to consider this one to be in active preservation. Thus the final operation of closed-top VRs with a former NBC operator quietly ends. |
| 28th February 2009 | James Willmott | Always welcome is the news of a dual-door VR being saved for preservation. Former Bristol Omnibus 5141 (AHU518V) has been purchased by James from a non-PCV owner in the North East and returned to Bristol today, covering the 300 miles requiring nothing more than oil and water top-ups. Although it has been used as a kitchen for several years the interior is basically intact, including the bulkheads for the centre doorway, and James plans eventually to restore it to City Line condition. |
| 25th February 2009 | Peter Cook | Excellent news is that the future preservation of the very first VR new to Hants & Dorset (CRU301L) has been secured by John Cumming who will now be sharing ownership (and therefore restoration costs) with the Heritage Bus Collection of Hants & Dorset and Wilts & Dorset - the new name for the consortium of owners of UFX858S amongst other vehicles. |
| 22nd February 2009 | DVLA website | Former Crosville VR DVG285 (MDM285P) has been in use as a non-PCV since 1987 and has recently (January 2009) been relicensed, recorded as in a green livery. It was last reported in 2004 as with Hackney Adult Education Institute in a grey livery - if anyone has any sightings, or any photos at all (not necessarily current) I would be very pleased to hear from you at rob@robsly.com. |
| 21st February 2009 | Dave Godley | David Hoare (Chepstow Classic) continues to acquire VRs. Latest to join the fleet is XAN48T which had spent the previous decade with Roselyn in Cornwall. It was one of seven that were new to the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell in Oxfordshire. |
| 21st February 2009 | Craig Allan | A rare survivor is long-wheelbase Tayside Alexander-bodied VRT/LL3 195 (OSR195R) which is in use as a playbus at the Maynard Arms, Bagworth, Leicestershire |
| 19th February 2009 Updated 20th February 2009 |
Chris Mason | Former Southern Vectis FLF6G 609 (CDL477C) has turned up in Washington state in the U.S.A. having not been reported since 1992! It is with The Old Cannery, Sumner having been bought from a dealer in South Carolina in 2005. It was previously with MacDonalds in Charlotte, North Carolina and still carries their sticker in the stairwell. From pictures now supplied by Chris I must correct this item. The FLF in Washington is in fact former Mansfield District 657 (FNN159D) which has had its identity swapped with CDL477C, even down to the chassis/body plate inside the bus! |
| 11th February 2009 | Mike Nash | The last three open-top VRs have finally been sold by Southern Vectis after 28 years of continuous ownership. They were, I believe, the last three VRs to have remained under the same legal ownership from new (go ahead, prove me wrong) so ends an era in the history of the make. FDL681V, FDL682V and DPX683W have all passed to K&J (York Pullman). |
| 8th February 2009 | Julian Patterson | A pink VR with a furry snout (I kid you not!) which has been photographed several times in the Nevada Desert in the USA has proved difficult to identify but we have now cracked it and what a gem it is - none other than former West Riding/Circle Line/various Essex independents UNW928R (I know a certain reader in Shenfield will be pleased) |
| 4th February 2009 | Maurice Bean | Maurice has fulfilled an ambition and has today completed the purchase of a Bristol RE, and an Irish one at that! New to preservation is former Citybus 2526 (XOI2526) which has spent some time stored in Kent since withdrawal from Belfast in 2003. |
| 1st February 2009 | Andy Chown | Steve Hillier has come across long-wheelbase East Lancs-bodied former Lincoln VR 38 (UFW38W) well off the beaten track - in Seoul, South Korea. It is a static display at Jau Centre Wedding Hall and has never run in Korea having been exported without an engine. |
| 31st January 2009 | Peter Newman | A surprise development in the Doctor Who saga is that Ensign have reported that they have supplied a third VR, former Alder Valley GGM84W, to BBC Wales for filming on the Easter Special. It is believed (although not confirmed) that it is on its way to Dubai to deputise for RUA461W which was severely damaged in transit earlier this month. |
| 29th January 2009 | Julian Patterson | Former Eastern Counties coach-seated VR VEX291X has been spotted at the Carlton dealers this week, but fear not - it is there to have a reconditioned gearbox fitted and Hulme Hall have no intention of selling it in the next 12 months. |
| 26th January 2009 ***updated 29th January*** | Dave Henderson, Allan Macfarlane | An update on WTU465W which was on eBay last week :- it sold for £1070 and was noted today heading south on the M5 near Cheltenham. It will be interesting to see where it finally ends up. It has been acquired by Bristol Bus & Coach for onward export to Italy |
| 25th January 2009 | John Hembry | John has re-acquired famous ex-Western National RELL6G 2700 (HDV626E) from Terry Partridge who is thinning down his fantastic fleet of preserved vehicles. |
| 23rd January 2009 |
BBC Doctor Who website!!
|
Two VRs (HJB455W and RUA461W) were reported on December 2nd to have been sold to BBC Wales, ex-Hedingham. Nobody would have believed then that just a few weeks later a photo of David Tennant and Michelle Ryan would appear on the home page of the BBC's Doctor Who website at the rear of the upper deck of HJB! RUA has been shipped overseas for "outer space" filming but has unfortunately been damaged beyond repair when a 30' container was dropped on it at the dockside. It will be patched up sufficiently for filming to be carried out then will be scrapped. |
| 18th January 2009 | Alan Moore | Alan has provided extensive coverage of a trip to Holland and Belgium last June, and I will be updating the website accordingly over the next few days. First vehicle to come to light was former Hants & Dorset 1508 (BRU138B) which had previously gone missing since 1999. |
| 17th January 2009 | James Griffiths, eBay | A couple of ex-Crosville VRs have recently left preservation, DVG465 (WTU465W) being advertised on eBay with a dealer in Ashton-under-Lyne and DVG508 (YMB508W) already in the scrap line at PVS, Carlton. |
| 14th January 2009 | Dave Arnold | Hedingham Omnibuses are down to just four VRs now - former Alder Valley 614 (GGM84W) was taken off to Ensign (dealer) today. |
| 10th January 2009 | Simon Wood | Preserved York-West Yorkshire Lodekka FS6B YDX221 (NWU265D) has recently received a repaint and looks fabulous in its Tilling red livery. |
| 7th January 2009 | Colin Billington | Colin, well known for his fabulous collection of preserved Western National vehicles, has recently acquired the oldest surviving ECW-bodied LH saloon, former Cornwall-based 716 (MUO328F). |
| 5th January 2009 | Julian Patterson | Ensign have already sold VEX287X to a new owner in Italy - this one was previously preserved in Eastern Counties "venetian blind" coach livery. Updated January 10th - the owner is Little Italy, Lacatena, owner of RAH265W and HJB464W as well. |
| 5th January 2009 | Julian Patterson | Dealers Ensign of Purfleet have acquired the latest VR from Hedingham Omnibuses in the shape of former West Yorkshire 724 (JWT757V). |
| 4th January 2009 | Richard Hughes | Alpine of Llandudno still have eleven VRs in use (all in yellow schools livery), but PCA425V was sold to Wigley, Carlton (dealer) for scrap last October. |
| 4th January 2009 | VR-Lewis | Lewis kindly got in touch to say that the other remaining M&E VR, former National Welsh 501-engined GTX750W was sold in October 2008, to Chris Markey of Ongar for conversion to an exhibition unit. |
| 3rd January 2009 | Glenn Knight | The first VR of 2009 to enter preservation is former United Counties 934 (SNV934W) which has been acquired by Martin Macey from M&E of Southend. |
| 2nd January 2009 | Nigel Eadon-Clarke | A very welcome addition to the ranks of restored Lodekkas in the UK made its debut at the Winchester New Year event. It is former Hants & Dorset FS6G 1450 (5677EL) which has been beautifully restored in Tilling green livery. |
| 30th December 2008 | Sean Keating | Former Hants & Dorset FLF6G 1535 (FEL428D) is currently for sale on eBay, converted to open-top, in Los Angeles, having been there since the early 1990s. |
| 29th December 2008 | Julian Patterson | Another long-lost Bristol has turned up, this time Hants & Dorset/Wilts & Dorset Series 2 VR NRU307M which has been identified as the playbus being used on Tenerife, carrying a Series 3 front cowl. It was last in service in Milton Keynes with Buckinghamshire Road Car. |
| 27th December 2008 | Patrick Dunford | Have you ever hoped to find a long-lost RE well off the beaten track? If so then New Zealand is the place to go. Believed to have been scrapped many years ago, former Christchurch Transport Board 463 (HL9405) is just about still intact at Waipara where it has been heavily converted for use as a static caravan. |
| 26th December 2008 | Glen Merritt | Another FLF is for sale on eBay in the USA. This time it is Midland General 629 (1390R) and it is notable in having an International DT466 engine and Allison transmission fitted, replacing the original Bristol BVW engine. |
| 26th December 2008 | Chris Steel | Chris has bagged one of the recently-withdrawn Damory VRs for preservation in the form of 5074 (ELJ220V) which was, of course, new to Hants & Dorset. |
| 20th December 2008 | Andy Veitch | A VR which has bitten the dust recently is former Maidstone & District 5885 (HKM885V) which had run for the RMT Union, based at Eastleigh, for the past several years. It passed to Truckbizz, a dealer near Winchester, who cut out the engine, gearbox and rear chassis member (including chassis id plate) and advertised it for sale. It was quickly snapped up and shipped to Reliance Bus Works in Stoke-on-Trent where it is to be fitted - appropriately - to 5832 (BKE832T) from the same original operator. |
| 19th December 2008 | Allan Macfarlane | It has only come to light through the pages of Allan's Bristol Passenger magazine that on withdrawal by Wilts & Dorset from Ringwood in October, 4431 (GEL681V) quickly passed to Marchwood of Totton for use on schools services. VR South West News reports it on the 705 Totton College service today. It is believed to have been joined at Totton by recently-repainted 4413 (BFX666T). |
| 13th December 2008 | Philip Higgs | Another VR has entered the Busworks in Blackpool for full restoration work to be carried out. This time it is West Yorkshire 731 (LUA714V) which most recently ran for Alpine of Llandudno. |
| 13th December 2008 | Andy McClelland | Andy photographed two Lodekka FLFs running for Royal London Bus in Leipzig, Germany last week in the shape of Eastern Counties KAH461D and Bristol Omnibus EHT110C. |
| 13th December 2008 | Torsten Weitzel | Former Western SMT B1726 (TCS174) is alive and well in Germany having been used as an exhibition at the Musikfabrik disco at Celle for 12 years before falling out of use last year. |
| 10th December 2008 | Paul Bateson | Unusual news is of an FLF6G passing into preservation.... in Canada! It is former Eastern Counties FLF482 (KPW482E) which has been in Canada since 1992. In the late 1990s it was renovated, but never subsequently saw any use and has now been snapped up by none other than Paul Bateson (of British Buses Abroad in North America) and friends. It is now under cover at a site near Niagara Falls. |
| 9th December 2008 | VR South West News | Wilts & Dorset are down to their last three VRs in service, although three more are held in reserve with current road licenses. Meantime Damory Coaches are also down to just two operational VRs with one held in reserve. It is clear that the marque's days are very much numbered here. May I also take the opportunity to commend the work done by the team at VR South West News to cover daily sightings, providing a fascinating and valuable historical reference. |
| 9th December 2008 | Rob Hardy | VRs continue to pour into preservation - the latest example is former Crosville DVG463 (VCA463W) which last ran for Wilby in Lincolnshire but has been owned by dealer Carl Ireland for the past year or so. New owners Rob Hardy and Luke Reveley recovered it to Hull just this last weekend. |
| 8th December 2008 | Wayne Snowden | Another VR has been sold by Embling of Guyhirn for preservation. This time it is MWG941X which was the last VR new to Yorkshire Traction and which will be returned to their NBC livery by Wayne Snowden at a future date. I also have it on reliable authority that Embling sold WRC830S for preservation earlier this summer - if anyone has further details I'd be pleased to hear from you. |
| 3rd December 2008 | George Fraser | Not a vehicle that you would necessarily expect to be thriving, but former East Kent Willowbrook-bodied VR 7988 (TFN988T), which was converted to open-top by London Coaches, has recently been acquired by a private owner in Sarasota, Florida where it will be taken from its current home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. |
| 2nd December 2008 | Ross Newman | Yet another ex-Hedingham VR has passed through the hands of Ensign (dealer), this time RUA461W which has been sold on to BBC Wales alongside HJB455W |
| 2nd December 2008 | Malcolm Pelling | Reports of VRs being scrapped are becoming fewer these days, but it is inevitable that numbers will continue to dwindle over time. Latest casualty is now-rare ex-WMPTE MCW-bodied TOE426N which had sat derelict in Sussex for many years after use as a playbus with Brighton Council. |
| 25th November 2008 | Philip Higgs | Classic Bus/Totally Transport CIC of Blackpool continue their off-season buying spree with their sixth VR in the shape of VDV139S from Big Red Bus of Seaton. |
| 24th November 2008 | Philip Higgs | Another VR has emerged from the Busworks having had "the treatment". Mike Ellis's Western National 1168 (FDV780V) looks superb in its NBC green livery and maintains the highest standards of work performed in Blackpool. |
| 22nd November 2008 | Tim Weatherup | Streamline Tours are a long-established operator of British buses in Holland. They currently have two Lodekkas in their fleet (which is listed here). They are Wilts & Dorset FS6B 653 (691AAM) and Hants & Dorset FLF6B (now fitted with a DAF engine) 1568 (LEL652F) |
| 21st November 2008 | James Willmott | James acquired the penultimate VR with Abus of Bristol (EWS739W) today for preservation. That makes it the fifth member of the EWS-W batch of just fifteen VRs to have made it into preservation! |
| 19th November 2008 | Larry Henck | Thanks are due to Larry, who now works for Starline Tours of Los Angeles, for providing confirmed details of the identities of no fewer than ten VRs which operate on the streets in and around Hollywood. |
| 17th November 2008 | Karl van Camp | Karl has been busy tracking down Lodekkas on mainland Europe. Three have been identified in the last 24 hours! For sale in Switzerland is former Crosville LD6G 287HFM having been with Rapold for more than 20 years. At the same time Western National FLF6G BOD24C is for sale in Belgium, whilst Bristol Omnibus FLF6G EHT113C was sold in Belgium last year but is yet to be traced again. |
| 17th November 2008 | Daniel Stazicker | Daniel caught up with an old friend in Holland recently. Another West Yorkshire VR, this time NUM341V remains in Hedingham Omnibus livery with Standby95 in Emmen. |
| 17th November 2008 | Alan Hitchmough | West Yorkshire VR LWU470V remains in Halewood, Liverpool, stored at Lydiate Lane awaiting mechanical attention, having been withdrawn by Kensington Monarch Majorettes way back in 2001. |
| 15th November 2008 | Will Hughes | Will has provided a comprehensive list of subsequent disposals for fleet of RELLs with Lough Swilly. Several have made their way to City Sightseeing in their native city of Belfast, but as yet none has entered service there. |
| 12th November 2008 | Mark Loughlan | Former Central S.M.T. BL341 (HGM341E) is not as lucky as others recently reported, having arrived at the premises of McKindless, Wishaw for onward despatch for scrap. It has been used for spares at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum at Lathalmond after use as a playbus. |
| 12th November 2008 | Dave Moore | The stream of Lodekkas reported around the World continues, this time former Western National 2091 (BOD33C) looking well in Italy. |
| 11th November 2008 | Karl van Camp | Another Lodekka which continues in productive use is Eastern Counties FLF456 (JPW456D) which has just this week changed hands in Belgium. It is now converted as a mobile cafe. |
| 11th November 2008 | Tim Weatherup | Former Bristol Omnibus 7102 (547OHU) is alive and well and in use as a coffee retail outlet in Washington, Missouri, U.S.A. |
| 8th November 2008 | Essex Bus News Google Group | Two further ex-Hedingham Omnibus VRs have been exported by dealer Ensign. RAH265W and HJB464W have gone to an owner in Rome, Italy. |
| 8th November 2008 | Stephen Blackmore | Stephen has just returned from the most amazing road trip across Africa using VR XJJ668V. Photos have been added to the vehicle history - some of them need to be seen to be believed - and Steve's website is also well worth a look. The bus has been left in Addis Ababa. |
| 7th November 2008 | Stephen Payne | Keeping up the recent trend of trusty LHS coaches being refurbished for further service, former Gash of Newark WNN572S (now registered WWB987S) has been acquired by Rivercourt Coaches of Dublin where it has been named "Biddie" and is to earn its keep as a front line PSV. |
| 3rd November 2008 | Mike Nash | At last Malta is to resound to the sound of the VR after many years enjoying Leyland 401-engined LHs! Series 2 ex-City of Oxford NUD106L and Southdown convertible dual-door TNJ998S are undergoing preparation and repaint for Oasis Tours of St Pauls Bay. |
| 2nd November 2008 | Johnny Rooke | Another long-lost Lodekka tracked down by Johnny is former Western National LD6B 1926 (UOD480) which was on land to the south of Nantes airport in France in August. |
| 2nd November 2008 | Tim Weatherup | Former Western National Lodekka FLF6G 2094 (BOD36C) and Bristol Omnibus L8394 (WHY947)are both alive and well and running tourist shuttles in Monnickendam, Holland for Special Buses Ltd. on behalf of Lakeland Hotel |
| 1st November 2008 | Matthew Reynolds | Good news is that another VR entered preservation today - Western National 1212 (LFJ859W) was brought home to Bristol by Matt Reynolds on behalf of the South West Preservation Group today from Stoke-on-Trent where it had been receiving some remedial work by Reliance Bus Works. |
| 31st October 2008 | Johnny Rooke | Johnny found previously unreported Midland General FLF 306 (TRB573F) this week at a garage just off the L16 between Lutzerath and Gevenich, near Cochem. |
| 31st October 2008 | Tim Weatherup | Two Lodekka FLFs have changed hands in California recently. Former Eastern National AEV811F (now converted to open-top) and ex-United Auto 5081HN have both passed to an organisation in Montreal, Canada called CloudRaker. Both remain in Los Angeles at the moment, but it will be interesting to see what happens to them. |
| 31st October 2008 | Philip Higgs | Another acquisition for Totally Transport CIC/Classic Bus Blackpool is new to Alder Valley open-top VR DSU107 (ex-CJH119V) which has been bought from Western Greyhound of Newquay. It is due to make the journey from Cornwall to Blackpool in the next few weeks. |
| 30th October 2008 | Chris Stewart | Chris has just returned from his latest trip to New Zealand where he came across a good number of former Christchurch Transport RELLs still in use. The country really is the last bastion of the RE model, although even over there numbers in passenger-carrying service are dwindling fast. |
| 28th October 2008 | Ken Menagh | Sadly former Ulsterbus/Lough Swilly RELL6G BXI2568 developed an engine defect early in its preservation days and has been despatched to Ards Bus Preservation Group for stripping for spares |
| 24th October 2008 | Mark Golding | Former Western National FLF6B 2044 (ATA125B) is for sale on eBay in Minnesota, U.S.A. and looks to be in remarkably original condition. |
| 23rd October 2008 | Jean-Luc Herminne | Jean-Luc owns former Lincolnshire FL6G OVL488 in Stavelot, Belgium. It is used to house his collection of Matchbox toys. |
| 17th October 2008 | Tim Weatherup | In 2007 a VR underwent a most amazing conversion in California, being covered with 300,000 LED lights attached to a kind of fur for an organisation called Shagadelica (their website here). The VR has been identified as former Yorkshire Traction LAK938W and it has been seen at the Burning Man festival alongside an unidentified VR painted allover pink with a furry "face" (see here - and let me know if you know which VR it is). I'd like some of what those folks are on ☺ |
| 17th October 2008 | Christophe Mesmacre | Christophe has just this week acquired his second early LD model Lodekka. Former Western SMT MCS756 joins ex-Crosville RFM443, both having been bought from owners in Belgium. Their intended use is as mobile advertising hoardings in France. |
| 11th October 2008 | James Griffiths | The Hull & Country Bus Preservation Group have recently acquired two single deckers for continued preservation. MCA620P is a former Crosville LH, whilst OEF74K is a Hartlepool RE. The RE is expected to be rallied in its unique advertising livery before full restoration and renovation. |
| 10th October 2008 | Bus Fotopic | Sadly this photo shows that former Eastern Counties/Delta of Stockton-on-Tees IIL2271 (ex-BVF668J) is now fit only for scrap at the Barnsley scrapyards and thus another one slips through the net. Of course not all Bristols can be saved, but it is always sad to see one go. |
| 9th October 2008 | Brandon Gee | Former Western National Lodekka FLF6B 2004 (809KDV) is in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. owned by FM109.7 Radio as it has been for many years now. It is currently undergoing refurbishment in preparation for receiving a new vinyl wrap for promotional purposes. |
| 9th October 2008 | David Barnard | David reports that he was part-owner of former Westbrook Travel partial open-top VR GTA51N when it was secured for preservation in 2003. Unfortunately its restoration stalled and it was moved to Havant in 2005/6 from where it was sold to an unknown motorcycle enthusiast for use for storage of bikes and parts. If anyone can add to the story I'd be pleased to hear from you. |
| 5th October 2008 | Ross Newman | EnsignBus have sold on former Alder Valley/Hedingham Omnibus VR HJB456W to Falli Lacatena, location unknown in Italy. |
| 1st October 2008 | Alan Bennett | Alan has just acquired for continued preservation the last survivor of the batch of six pre-production Series 3 VRs new to Southdown in 1975, 583 (GNJ583N). It will be making the long journey from York to Weymouth on Saturday where it will eventually be returned to original condition. |
| 28th September 2008 | Mike Nash | Another Plaxton-bodied coach LH on the move is NWW163K which has spent a couple of years in Mike Nash's dealer stock and is now preserved with John Holmes of Kesgrave, Suffolk. It is unique in carrying a Paramount front on its 1972 Elite body - I am not sure whether it is for operation or preservation at this stage. |
| 24th September 2008 | Paul Smith | The only surviving RE new to Isle of Man Road Services (Plaxton-bodied 40WMN, now registered SGF483L) was sold at an auction of items at the premises of The Running Footman in Suffolk to Talisman Coaches of Great Bromley. It is in poor shape - don't expect to see it in service for a while yet - but all the bits are there and Paul intends to see them put back together. |
| 24th September 2008 | John Hitchins | Plaxton coach-bodied LHS TCE131S has been acquired by John Hitchins for use for spares to help complete the restoration of former Hutchings & Cornelius of South Petherton ECW-bodied LH GYC160K. |
| 24th September 2008 | Paul Pearson | LFJ859W did not stay long with Powner (see 11th January entry) and has now passed to a dealer in Stoke-on-Trent, possibly for use for spares to repair BKE832T which has a blown Gardner engine. |
| 22nd September 2008 | Carl Berry | Very welcome was the appearance of Western National/Devon General LHS6L FDV793V at this weekend's Westpoint rally gleaming in red Devon General NBC livery. |
| 22nd September 2008 | Stuart Turner | Former Southern Vectis LHS6L 204 (KDL204W) was noted earlier this year by Roger Brown of Shaftesbury & District (who used to own it) in use as a mobile home. Any further information about the current owner and particularly a recent photo would be very much appreciated. |
| 22nd September 2008 | James Griffiths | HJB464W didn't last long with MacPherson of Donisthorpe, having now turned up with Abbey Coaches of Hull for use on schools services with this previously coach-only operator. |
| 19th September 2008 | Dave Clements | Former Cardiff Alexander-bodied VR 333 (WTG333T), which was listed on eBay as recently as June, has been broken up for scrap following several years standing withdrawn with Specialist Location Vehicles in Honeybourne, Warwickshire. |
| 19th September 2008 | Paul Smith | Former Ribble VR 2002 (CBV2S) which was converted to open-top in 1994 having lost its roof in an accident the previous year has been thoroughly refurbished by Talisman Coaches of Great Bromley for use by City Sightseeing Cyprus, where it will become the only Bristol in operation. |
| 18th September 2008 | Paul Emery | Former United Counties VR 899 (CBD899T) has succumbed to engine problems which caused its withdrawal last October and has passed from Nostalgia Coaches of Kingston Bagpuize to dealer Alan Hardwick, Carlton for scrap. |
| 15th September 2008 | Alan Walker | The former Bristol Omnibus/Badgerline VR that left Bristol in April for a 20,000 mile trip to Asia and back (EWS742W) returned on August 31st having travelled as far as Georgia before heading back via the Arctic Circle. It performed remarkably well with just a few minor problems that were fixed by the roadside. An account of the VR's return to the UK can be found here. |
| 14th September 2008 | Gareth Crowther | A very welcome addition to the ranks of restored preserved VRs is former Southdown 516 (UUF116J) which had latterly been a mobile platform for use in the Mersey Tunnel. It has been painstakingly returned to original condition including having a replacement roof fitted. The Southdown 516 Group are to be congratulated on their efforts. |
| 13th September 2008 | Watze Dammingh, Traveller Dave | Two former Western National FLF Lodekkas have turned up in Holland this week, both being used for homes by their owners. Non-runner 804KDV has been towed from its previous position as a snack bar at Antwerp Docks in Belgium to its new Dutch home, whilst BOD35C is still mobile and has even been fitted with a wooden front door in place of the folding originals! |
| 11th September 2008 | Eve Bailey | VR-friendly operator Black & White Motorways of Winchester have acquired a Wilts & Dorset VR from York Pullman. It is GEL680V which spent only a couple of months in Yorkshire. |
| 10th September 2008 | Phil Marfleet | CJH141V hasn't lasted long with Bankfoot Buses in Perth - having made the trip to Scotland from Essex in April it is now making its journey back south this very evening for a new life in preservation in Portsmouth with David Kennedy. |
| 8th September 2008 | Alex Hall | Two early LD-type Lodekkas are for sale on eBay in the US at the moment. Former Scottish Omnibuses LD6G AA745 (SWS745) is in Missouri whilst Eastern Counties LD5G LKD194 (VVF194) is in Colorado. |
| 6th September 2008 | Steve White | Two Lodekkas are currently for sale in Germany. Former Bristol Omnibus FLF6B C7135 (828SHW) was reregistered SKH717B before export in 2007 and can be viewed here. Former Southern/Western National LD6B 1920 (UOD503) still carries Top Deck Travel livery in its guise as "Rox" and can be viewed here. |
| 5th September 2008 | William Staniforth | Preservationist Trevor Cockram of Bristol has recently acquired two Royal Blue LH/Plaxton coaches - PUO328M is for spares to restore PUO331M. |
| 4th September 2008 | Rob Sly (via internet search) | Another former Hants & Dorset Lodekka KRU237F was reported last December to be undergoing preparation for use as a music stage at Hard Rock Cafe in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.A. Follow this link to Hard Rock Park and take a look closely at the British Invasion area to find this Lodekka's most recent resting place! If anyone is visiting do please get a photo of the real thing ☺ |
| 4th September 2008 | Christophe Heuer | Now in its 51st year former Hants & Dorset LD6G Lodekka UEL709 is still in one piece at Schlögmühl in Austria, between Vienna and Graz. It was exported there by Carl Ireland in 1987 for use as a mobile pub and is instantly recognisable by the distinctive roof line created by Carl on many of his exports to allow the vehicle to meet the 4m height restriction on mainland Europe. |
| 31st August 2008 | Adrian Rogers | Another new operator for the VR is MacPherson of Donisthorpe who have acquired two former Hedingham Omnibuses examples in the form of Eastern Counties RAH265W and Alder Valley HJB464W. |
| 27th August 2008 | Alan Grieve | Quantock Motor Services of Norton Fitzwarren have acquired another Lodekka for use on services around Minehead. It is former Hants & Dorset FLF6B(G) DEL893C and was previously owned by the company from 2002 to 2003 prior to restoration by Phil & Gareth Blair. The company confirms that they intend to keep the FLF in Tilling green for next year's services. |
| 27th August 2008 | Alan Walker | It is very rare these days for an operator to buy VRs for the first time, but an urgent need for schools services has seen Chapmans Travel of Tonyrefail acquire former Atomic Energy Research Establishment XAN431T from Westward Travel of Bristol. |
| 26th August 2008 | Neil Wise | Former Hants & Dorset LD6B Lodekka SRU981 appeared at Seaburn Bus Rally yesterday, now preserved by Neil Stratton of Sunderland. |
| 26th August 2008 | Alex Jeenes | Former National Welsh VR VHB678S has travelled home to South Wales for further preservation with the Cardiff Transport Preservation Group at their premises in Barry. It is unusual in having been rebuilt as a convertible open-topper in 1986, this resulting in its eventual transfer to Crosville Wales in 1990. |
| 21st August 2008 | Richard Hughes | It is not common for a VR to be repainted these days in the normal course of service duty, but YMB516W has recently received the allover yellow schools livery of Alpine of Llandudno, having been the last operational VR to carry the old green and cream livery |
| 16th August 2008 | Bob Pain | Embling of Guyhirn continue to sell VRs to preservationists. The latest to go is former United Counties 882 (XNV882S) which has gone to Bob Pain from Milton Keynes leaving them with just 12 in their current fleet |
| 15th August 2008 | Ant Poulton | Four further Wilts & Dorset VRs have gone to K & J Travel of York. Three are for further service - ELJ219V, GEL680V and GEL687V - while GEL679V is already stripped for spares and is unlikely to travel north before the final journey to the scrapyard. |
| 13th August 2008 | Patrick Burnside | It is always good to record a municipal VR entering the preservation ranks - former Great Yarmouth 31 (CVF31T) has been sold by Norfolk Training Services to the Great Yarmouth 31 Group, based in Norwich. It is hoped to exhibit it at the Norwich Bus Rally on August 31st. |
| 13th August 2008 | Patrick Burnside | Former West Yorkshire VR 998 (WWY128S) was believed to have been scrapped in the yard of Frank Jordan, Coltishall in 2001, so it is a surprise to find that it has now turned up in another Norfolk salvage yard, derelict but intact. |
| 12th August 2008 | Martin Curtis | Rare long-wheelbase East Lancs-bodied NFW37V, formerly of Lincoln City Transport, has been sold by Big Blue Party Bus of Bath to a family in the Outer Hebrides who plan to use it as a mobile home |
| 10th August 2008 | Russell Kirk | I'm grateful to Russ for identifying the VR that was for sale on eBay in May 2008 in Dothan, Alabama, U.S.A. It is former West Riding WRC831S which had latterly been used as a mobile classroom by Wigan Rugby League Football Club. |
| 10th August 2008 | James Griffiths | The slow demise of the VR with Emblings of Guyhirn continues with the sale of WKH526X to Hull Bus Restorers |
| 10th August 2008 | Andy Barlow | Former Eastern Counties RELL BVF668J (now reregistered IIL2271) has been noted at one of the Carlton dealers/breakers. I'm not sure whether it is there for scrap or to have some work done. |
| 7th August 2008 | Philip Higgs | Classic Bus/Totally Transport of Blackpool have added another VR to their operating fleet, this time former Crosville DCA525X which has been acquired from Griffiths of Port Dinorwic. It may be partially open-topped at BusWorks over the winter. |
| 7th August 2008 | Martin (Springfield Bus) | A1 Minibus of Warrington have sold their two VRs, DCA530X and FAO427V, to an owner in France - no further details are known so hopefully correspondents will keep their eyes peeled during the summer holidays! |
| 6th August 2008 | H John Black | I am personally delighted to discover that Cheltenham District VR 5088 (NHU671R) is alive and well in Holland, operating wedding hires for Wedding Classics of Vijfhuizen. I cannot however identify the other VR and Lodekkas shown on their website. |
| 5th August 2008 | John Godwin | Former Trent VR BRC834T is still in use in Sofia, Bulgaria as extra seating at a McDonalds restaurant, where it has been situated for nearly ten years since export. |
| 31st July 2008 | Stephen Cho | For no fewer than 34 years London Transport Bus Tours of Melbourne, Australia ran Bristol double deckers on tourist services. In 2006 they closed down, but three of the vehicles have been taken on by Dee Decker Tours who are also based in Melbourne. Crosville Lodekka LD6G 836AFM is serviceable, while Brighton, Hove & District FLF6G KPM84E was in the yard recently (unclear if this one is in use). The last Bristol is a gem - former Reading "Jumbo" NRD51M which is currently undergoing massive renovation and refurbishment in preparation for service in 2010. |
| 29th July 2008 | Mark Stokes | The latest batch of VRs to be released by Hedingham Omnibuses was driven to Ensign, Purfleet (dealer) this morning. The quartet comprises former Alder Valley HJB455W/HJB456W/HJB464W and Eastern Counties RAH265W. |
| 27th July 2008 | Rob Lane | I'm pleased to say that rare dual-door Southdown VR 625 (UFG625S) has been bought from non-PCV use for preservation by Rob Lane and Dave Mulpeter of Brighton. |
| 27th July 2008 | Ben Vallance | VPF288S has been sold out of preservation and has now been restored for further service and is in use on schools services with McEwen Travel in the Mansfield area. |
| 26th July 2008 | Zoe Wilson | Zoe has contacted me to say that she has had former Southern Vectis/Solent Blue Line flat-front VR SDL636J for the past eighteen years and that it is in use as a very nicely-converted mobile home. It is fully MoT'ed and although Zoe could now afford to buy a house she chooses to carry on in her VR. |
| 24th July 2008 | Florian Böcher | Former Eastern National FLF6G 2812 (GNO788B) has turned up in Hamburg, Germany. It was converted for use as a demonstration unit when in non-PCV use in the UK in the 1980s and remains in this condition. It may be about to be bought for renovation and continued use. |
| 22nd July 2008 | Mark Golding | Former Western National FLF6B 1998 (803KDV) has turned up in Tampa, Florida, having last been reported a very long way away in St Johns, Newfoundland back in 2001! |
| 20th July 2008 | Neil Wise | Former Gash of Newark/Lincolnshire Road Car LHS coach WNN572S has appeared on eBay looking in very tidy condition |
| 18th July 2008 | Mark Self | Very rare LHS/Duple coach XFP836Y has been repainted in metallic blue and black fleet livery by Victory Tours and is almost certainly the last LH on front line touring duty. |
| 17th July 2008 | Andy Powis | Former Bristol Omnibus/First Devon & Cornwall open-top VR JHW107P has had a repaint with Chepstow Classic Buses out of First livery into allover blue.... and has promptly been sold for preservation with the Stroud RE Group! |
| 14th July 2008 | Chris Stewart/Dave Godley | Rare Marshall-bodied LHS PCV178R was at Plymouth Citybus receiving mechanical attention today. |
| 14th July 2008 | Richard Stedall | At least two FLFs are believed to have been destroyed along with six other British double deckers by a fire in the Blake Street storage yard of Stu Jackson (British Double Deckers) in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. They were Central SMT HGM338E and Western National EDV518D. Bristol Omnibus 512OHU may have survived, having been stored some distance away from the destroyed buses. |
| 14th July 2008 | Jim O'Donnell | Former Crosville DFB52 (265SFM) is in use in Garrison, North Dakota for tours during the Dickens Village Festival in November and December. It has been named "Queen Elizabus"! |
| 11th July 2008 | Mick Bruce |
Believed scrapped back in 1998, National Welsh
Leyland 501-engined VR VHB672S has in
fact been rather busy on a tour of Africa and Europe before ending
up in Copenhagen, Denmark! It was then used
as an exhibition unit before sale in March 2005 whereupon, sadly,
the engine was run without any water in the cooling system and - one
loud bang later - it was consigned to a life as an immobile snackbar
near Copenhagen Airport where it remains today.
*** Update 13th July 2008 - it turns out that a Gardner 6XLB was sourced and fitted later in 2005 so the VR is happily still mobile |
| 9th July 2008 | Ben Vallance | Johnson of Hodthorpe continue to run their immaculate fleet of VRs, even repainting some of them occasionally. The latest repaints are RWT544R and MIW2422 into revised Redfern livery of allover green. |
| 9th July 2008 | Stuart Turner | It is rare these days for a Lodekka to remain in the U.K. having never been in preservation, but former Hants & Dorset 1368 (SRU981) has seen continual non-PCV use since withdrawal from service. It was sold by Saga Radio in Birmingham last year but has not yet been traced, although it is believed to have been bought by an admirer, so hopefully it remains intact in the U.K. Reports are very welcome. |
| 8th July 2008 | Gary Payne | Many years after the event I have now heard that Yorkshire Traction VR HWE825N was scrapped in 1997 after engine failure with Bailey of Kirkby-in-Ashfield. It was thought at the time that it may have been sold for conversion to a mobile cafe but this did not go ahead. |
| 1st July 2008 | Colin Oakley | Two Series 1 VRs continue in service in Vancouver with Big Bus. They are former Western National OTA292G and Brighton, Hove & District OCD763G. Sisters OCD771G and OCK986K passed to Royal Blue Line in Victoria late last year. |
| 30th June 2008 | Steve White | Steve informs me that there was an item on Channel Islands ITV News this evening to say that Universal Limos have had their operating licence revoked which sadly means the end of VDV117S and LEU263P operating on the island. |
| 30th June 2008 | Steve White | Former Northampton Alexander-bodied VR PBD40R has begun yet another new chapter in its life as The Wonder Bus playbus in Coventry |
| 27th June 2008 | Adrian Mosby | The Bus Station Grille in Charleston, West Virginia, U.S.A. was famous for having two Lodekkas incorporated into the fabric of the restaurant. In 2004 it was rebuilt as a French cafe and the Lodekkas removed - I thought almost certainly for scrap. However, against the odds, both passed to an owner in Kanawha - former Bristol Omnibus C7199 (CHY417C) has since moved on again to an unknown destination, but Hants & Dorset 1249 (HRU677E) is still there, repainted roughly in allover blue livery and looking the worse for wear. |
| 24th June 2008 | Mark Golding | Two Lodekkas are reported as current in California - former United Auto 5081HN and Eastern National AEV811F |
| 22nd June 2008 | Mike Ede | After several years in hiding, apparently in the Bristol area, former Western National/Southern National 1168 (FDV780V) has now been purchased for preservation by the Stroud RE Group |
| 20th June 2008 | Graham Ashwell | Leyland 501-engined former PMT VR PJI5526 (ex-URF671S) has been sighted in a field between Sudbury and Long Melford being rubbed down in preparation for repaint. It was previously withdrawn by Mulley of Ixworth in 2005 and is now believed to be preserved. |
| 17th June 2008 | Mike Nash | York Pullman, having recently acquired BCL213T, have now sold their Pullman liveried VDV140S to Mortons Coaches of Basingstoke for use on a Hampshire tour centred on Winchester |
| 12th June 2008 | Mick Bruce | Not one but two Lodekka LD6Gs are reported to be in Copenhagen, Denmark. Southern Vectis 546 (MDL956) is in use as a thai food outlet whilst Southern National 1948 (VDV782) is undergoing preparation to act as a drinks outlet at the Roskilde Music Festival next week. |
| 10th June 2008 | Carl Lemon | Rare Willowbrook bodied VR (RVB977S), long converted to open-top, has returned home to Kent for a new life in preservation having been operated by Chepstow Classic for the past few years. |
| 8th June 2008 | Brian Watkinson | Embling, Guyhirn continue to slowly shed VRs with the sale of VVV948W to LondonBus of St-Amante-Tallende in France where it will be the first non-London Transport bus to join their fleet of promotional vehicles |
| 8th June 2008 | Andy Hill | West Yorkshire FS6G Lodekka DX159 (283BWU) has been a static "eye catcher" in British Columbia, Canada for some years. To read the amazing story of its recent rescue from certain scrapping click here - you will need to be a member of the British Buses in North America Yahoo group to do so, but you won't regret joining that vibrant forum. |
| 7th June 2008 | Neil Wise | Grierson of Fishburn have acquired RUA455W, latterly with Burns of Tarves but still in the livery of Ty-Draw of Brynford who sold it in 1994! Fair to say it looks a bit rough, but great to see it back in use. |
| 6th June 2008 | Frank Sharkey | Rare former West Midlands P.T.E. MCW-bodied VR TOE427N is undergoing a thorough refurbishment for continued use as a playbus in Yeovil having already carried out this role for more than twenty years. |
| 1st June 2008 | Glenn Knight | Former Crosville Series 2 VR HTU160N has been used as a dining bus for many years now, but appears to have finally reached the end of the road with Movie Motors, Abbots Langley which went out of business in April. It might be available to an enthusiast. |
| 31st May 2008 | Terry Stapley | Two Wilts & Dorset VRs are in use with York Pullman, noted at York Races today. They are KRU850W and KRU856W |
| 29th May 2008 | Martin | After twenty years of VR operation M & E of Shoeburyness have finally withdrawn their final one, SNV934W. It and Leyland 501-engined GTX750W remain at the depot, their future uncertain. |
| 27th May 2008 | Mark Self | Victory Tours of Poole have just acquired rare Duple-bodied LHS coach XFP836Y and plan an extensive refurbishment both inside and out before relaunch in their new blue and black fleet livery. |
| 27th May 2008 | Grant Thomson | Steve Graham has launched newly-restored prototype ECW B51 coach-bodied RELH VHK177L after a decade under wraps. It looks superb and is a very welcome addition to the rally scene. |
| 24th May 2008 | Daniel Stazicker | Daniel has been on the trail of hard-to-find vehicles once again. This time he has tracked down two VRs in Scotland in Non-PCV ownership. KVF246V is in Caithness having last been with Highland, whilst VTV169S is in Newtonmore having been a non-PCV for very many years. |
| 23rd May 2008 | Colin Rees | After the most incredible Indian Summer, the VR has finally been extinguished from the First Devon and Cornwall fleet. The last three open-toppers have been sold to Chepstow Classic Buses, comprising JHW107/8P and VDV143S. |
| 16th May 2008 (updated 18th May 2008) | Chris Lefort | The four flat-screen VRs that have operated for Gray Line in Vancouver since 1992 were withdrawn last year on closure of that franchise. Two of the four were however shipped to Victoria where they have now entered service with Royal Blue Line. One has now been repainted in their smart fleet livery. These are in addition to the operator's existing Lodekka fleet. |
| 16th May 2008 | John Sumner | Former Bristol Omnibus Lodekka FLF6B 7061 (506OHU) is being repainted by its owners in the town of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada for use as a "special events vehicle" |
| 16th May 2008 | Steven Blackmoor | Continuing the recent trend of VRs being prepared for use on overseas tours from the UK, former East Kent/Brijan Tours XJJ668V is currently undergoing preparation in Weymouth for an overland tour to Romania and onwards to Ethiopia |
| 14th May 2008 | Juan Manuel Guinea Ramos | VRs continue to pile into Spain as their popularity grows for use as large advertising contracts. The latest to board a ferry is UWV613S which has been acquired by Estubus in Madrid from Summercourt Travel of Newquay |
| 13th May 2008 | Mark Longley | Mark has gleefully informed me that he is the new owner of West Yorkshire 1731 (LUA714V), most recently with Alpine of Llandudno but laid up by them last summer. Now preserved it is hoped to restore it to NBC poppy red livery at a future date. |
| 13th May 2008 (corrected 18th May 2008) | James Willmott | Former Bristol Omnibus LH6L 448 (YAE515V) has turned up on eBay - there had been some mystery about its fate, but it is now in deepest Lincolnshire and the current bidding is only at £500. There are just a few days left and the owner plans to scrap it immediately if no buyer is found. |
| 12th May 2008 | Alan Walker | Two further VRs were exported by Bristol Bus & Coach (Munden) in April - they are former City of Oxford 497 (HUD497W) which has gone to Spain and East Kent 7664 (XJJ664V) which has gone to North Carolina in the U.S.A. |
| 11th May 2008 | Locobus | Locobus, one of a series of specialist companies across Europe using Bristols for promotional purposes, is based in Italy and has two VRs in its fleet - West Yorkshire 1759 (PWY45W) and long-lost Maidstone & District 5853 (BKE853T). |
| 6th May 2008 | Warren Woodrow/Craig Ryan | Former Western National/Devon General LHS 94 (LFJ848W) has turned up on eBay having been in use as an office to the north of Berwick. It only has a handful of seats remaining. |
| 4th May 2008 | Kevin Nicol | Two interesting Bristols previously thought to have been scrapped have shown up recently in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. Former United Counties 962 (VVV962W) is a VR with Party Buses, whilst former Southern Vectis 513 (KDL413) is a 1955 LD6G that was last reported in use as a ticket office in downtown Denver in 1998 and which is now stored at the Regional Transport District depot |
| 28th April 2008 | Sam Wickham | Former Eastern Counties Lodekka FS5G LFS54 (54CPW) spent many years as a mobile home transporting its owner between the UK and Germany, but on their sudden death in 2004 it was purchased by Wealden PSV (dealer) where it remains, seatless, awaiting someone to come along and give it some TLC. |
| 28th April 2008 | Dmitri Paltsev | Some thirty-three years after it was exported, former Southern Vectis 523 (LDL722) is returning to these shores. Its stay will be brief though, as it is to be thoroughly serviced and prepared by Bristol Bus & Coach on behalf of Russian owner Dimitri Paltsev before heading off on an overland expedition from London to Mongolia! |
| 23rd April 2008 | Kevin Going | MEL560P, the only VR operated by Casters Coaches of Romford, has turned up as a non-PCV with Spratton Folk Festival who are hoping to get it up and running around the Northamptonshire countryside very soon. |
| 18th April 2008 | Richard Glaister | The end of an era has come in North Wales with the withdrawal of the final VR by Clynnog & Trefor of Trefor. They have operated many examples since taking the type on in considerable numbers in 1992. The last one was XJJ664V which has now passed to Bristol Bus & Coach. |
| 10th April 2008 | Julian Patterson | Against expectations the former Hedingham Omnibus VRs with Ensign have escaped export and have in fact all travelled north to Bankfoot Buses of Perth |
| 8th April 2008 | Tony Barfiield | Tony sent updates on two ECW-bodied LHs which have not been reported for quite some time and are safely tucked away in storage for possible future restoration. They are former United Auto 1712 (MUP712T) and new to Davies of Pencader NDE916R. |
| 5th April 2008 | Paul Pearson, Ray Evans | With the conversion of Volvo double deckers for open-top use this season First Devon & Cornwall have started to dispose of their remaining VRs. Both GBF78N and RTH931S have been sold for preservation, GBF arriving home in Stoke-on-Trent this evening. |
| 4th April 2008 | Philip Higgs | Classic Bus of Blackpool have in fact swapped XHK217X for WTG360T with Double DeckBus Export of Rotherham (dealer), XHK now being likely to be exported. |
| 1st April 2008 | Carl Lemon, Mark Stokes | Two further Hedingham Omnibus VRs at Ensign are CJH141V and GGM108W. |
| 31st March 2008 | Peter Cook | Four of the withdrawn VRs with Wilts & Dorset have been sold to an exporter in Rotherham. Those in question are 4427 (ELJ219V), 4430 (GEL680V) and 4450/6 (KRU850W/KRU856W). |
| 23rd March 2008 | Steve Simister | The slow run-down of the Hedingham Omnibus VR fleet continues with the sale of RAH260W and RAH268W to Ensign for likely swift export. |
| 23rd March 2008 | Philip Higgs | Classic Bus of Blackpool continue to acquire VRs - the latest is WTG360T latterly with Southern Vectis although not used in service by them. |
| 20th March 2008 | Paul Bateson | Lodekka FLFs continue to show up on a regular basis around the World. Reported for sale (quite separately) on eBay in the U.S.A. at the moment are Western National 2006 (811KDV) and Hants & Dorset 1576 (LLJ442F) |
| 20th March 2008 | Bob Martin | In addition to the eBay entries above, real gems discovered in Jamestown, Pennsylvania are former Crosville ML693 (RFM438) and ML714 (RFM459). The former is still intact but minus an engine, while the latter is collapsing and past redemption. Both have been missing since 1970 - a record 37 years between sightings!! |
| 14th March 2008 | Bill Presley | Former Western National 2056 (BDV264C) is alive and well in Richmond, Indiana, U.S.A. Bill reports that it is currently under renovation |
| 13th March 2008 | Chris Wilhelm | Good news is that after many years untraced former Alder Valley VR 606 (GGM76W) has turned up on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. It is out of use with Duskin who ran three VRs in the late 1990s. The other two are also still present - one is former United Auto 765 (HUP765T), whilst the identity of the open-topper is unclear although documentation shows it to be a 1979 model. |
| 9th March 2008 | Philipp Nordmann | Philipp Nordmann has two Lodekkas safe and well in Germany. SAX989 was an LD6G of Red & White whilst EMR295D was an FLF6G new to Wilts & Dorset |
| 9th March 2008 | Alan Walker | HUD497W is another VR to pass through Bristol Bus & Coach on its way for export to Spain. It is due to sail to Santander next week having arrived from Coachman of Swindon last month |
| 8th March 2008 | Tom James | Village Coaches of Findon have sold open-top VR BCL213T to K & J Logistics (York Pullman) where it will join VDV140S in their outstanding livery |
| 8th March 2008 | Ant Poulton | VR operations with the last former National Bus Company operator are nearing an end. Wilts & Dorset have six remaining while the associated Damory fleet have eight. All are liable to be withdrawn by May when enough replacement Scanias are due to be delivered |
| 7th March 2008 | Steve White | Former Western National 2075 (BUO150B) has turned up at London Bus Company in Lydney. There is a bit of a mystery here - it was last reported in Lydney in 1995, but was for sale online in Austria in 2006 so it is a surprise for it to turn up in the UK again - repatriations are few and far between! |
| 3rd March 2008 | Mike Smith | Abus of Bristol have repainted one of their two remaining VRs, XHK221X in a special livery to celebrate the impending centenary of Bristol Commercial Vehicles in May. |
| 2nd March 2008 | David Oakley | Former United Counties 811 (RNV811M) is still going strong as an advertising unit for Irn Bru. David photographed it in Edinburgh in January. |
| 2nd March 2008 | Danny Chabaud | Another Crosville VR in the news is DVG473 (WTU473W) which is currently for sale on eBay converted for use as a mobile bar in North Devon |
| 29th February 2008 | Philip Higgs | Classic Bus of Blackpool continue to acquire VRs. The latest purchase is former Crosville DVG528 (DCA528X) which has come from Mike Nash (dealer) |
| 28th February 2008 | Allan Macfarlane/Terry Partridge | Well known former East Midland/Southern National open-topper MBZ7140 (ex-OTO151R) has now been sold by Chepstow Classic to Medios Moviles in Spain for use as a mobile advertising unit |
| 21st February 2008 | Jean-Pierre Bourreau/Danny Chabaud | Great to record no fewer than six previously unreported Lodekkas in Brittany, France. Four are in use with Publibus as mobile advertisements and in excellent. These are RFM433, UOD489, FWC427B and HHW459D. Meanwhile two FLFs are undergoing thorough restoration for similar use by Jean-Pierre Bourreau these being AAG125B and OPU825D |
| 9th February 2008 | Paul Turner | Former Ribble RESL OCK366K has spent many years in preservation in Hastings, having operated for Hastings & District in the early 1990s, even into Stagecoach ownership. It has now passed back into ownership closer to home with the Lancastrian Transport Trust |
| 6th February 2008 | Steve White | Former Bristol Omnibus C7252 (FHW157D) is for sale in Cologne, Germany at €40,000 |
| 3rd February 2008 | Michael Wootten | Wootten of Chesham have sold their last VR, JWV273W, for preservation, thus ending eight years of operation. They do however still have a RELL6L in the fleet (SWC24K) |
| 24th January 2008 | Neil Trump | Former Crosville Lodekka ML698 (RFM443) has turned up in a wood near Le Mans in France in use as a static caravan. Efforts are under way to fix serious problems with the Bristol AVW engine and anyone who can help with this is asked to get in touch |
| 22nd January 2008 | John Hembry | Damory 5070 (GEL686V) was withdrawn with accident damage in November, but has now been acquired by a number of drivers at Blandford Forum for repair and preservation |
| 18th January 2008 | Philip Higgs | Classic Bus Lancashire, the operating arm of Totally Transport (which in turn is associated with Lancashire Transport Trust) has acquired XIL1254 (XHK217X) from Flagfinders of Braintree for possible conversion to semi open-top for the 2008 sightseeing season |
| 18th January 2008 | David Mulpeter | SNJ593R has been sold from preservation to Village Coaches of Findon |
| 14th January 2008 | Cliff Essex | Cliff has sent in some fascinating historical views of Lodekkas with Far Eastern operators. FLF AVW397F was with Citybus, Hong Kong and is seen in 1983/4, whilst Fok Lei in Macau had LDs JDL997, NBD905 and SNN77 which are seen in the late 1970s |
| 13th January 2008 | Karl van Camp | News has been received of two VRs in Belgium - PRC851X is with Chantelly Chocolate in Baasrode as a publicity vehicle but is now for sale at €20,000, while BKE852T is in use at Antwerp Docks as a snack bar |
| 11th January 2008 | Dale Tringham | LFJ859W was only operated for half a term by Michael's Travel in the Forest of Dean before returning to Emblings for resale in October. It has now turned up working a Leicestershire schools service with Powner of Market Harborough still in Embling's livery |
| 6th January 2008 | Dave Clements/Leo Roberts | I have received updates on no fewer than three preserved flat-front VRs today. Restoration efforts continue on former City of Oxford 302 (OFC902H) as well as Southern Vectis 622 (NDL490G) and 628 (SDL638J) with the Isle of Wight Bus Museum |
| 29th December 2007 | Tom James | Now rare Plaxton-bodied LHS coach PHL454R has recently passed to York Pullman for continued PCV use |
| 29th December 2007 | Steve White | The sole surviving Greenslades RELH coach, UFJ229J, was recovered for preservation during Christmas week and is now safely stored in Exeter awaiting restoration |
| 28th December 2007 | Diamond M Ranch | Lodekkas continue to surface even in 2007 in all corners of the globe. The latest is former Hants & Dorset 1560 (KRU227F) which is in use (albeit static) on a ranch in Alaska |
| 24th December 2007 | Steve Simister | Flagfinders of Braintree have finally retired their last VR, XIL1254 (ex-XHK217X). It is currently for sale but must be off site by the end of January |
| 23rd December 2007 | Ross Newman | The two VRs sold by Travel Master to Ensign last month have now been sold on to Star Line Tours, the City Sightseeing franchise in Hollywood, California, U.S.A. They are VAH278X and SKL683X |
| 22nd December 2007 | Paul Brunton | One of only two roadworthy Standerwick VRL coaches anywhere in the World, OCK66K is out and about in Victoria, Australia this Christmas running Santa Specials. The other runner is LRN55J. |
| 20th December 2007 | Richard Glaister and Andy Barlow | HJB463W, withdrawn by Alpine back in February, has now been despatched to Wigley, Carlton for scrap |
| 19th December 2007 | Chris Stewart | The final VR with Cedric of Wivenhoe, former Maidstone & District 5881 (FKM881V) has recently been sold for scrap after suffering major mechanical failure during its last day in service in July |
| 17th December 2007 | James Ingram | United Auto LH6L AHN611M has been rescued for preservation by Neil Halliday, Shipley via James Ingram as dealer |
| 10th December 2007 | Mark Golding | Former Bristol Omnibus FLF6B 501OHU which previously ran for New York Double Deck Tours has turned up in Ohio with a private owner |
| 10th December 2007 | Rob Tyley and Maurice Bateman | Co-incidentally two Fife Scottish Lodekkas have turned up in very different parts of Europe. FS6G BXA462B is in Moscow having been exported in 2005, while FLF6G HXA413E is on the French Mediterranean coast, both in use as exhibition/advertising units. |
| 10th December 2007 | Andy Veitch | Another VR has made it into preservation - former Maidstone & District/Highland BKE832T was saved by Russell & Nigel Kirk and has now passed to Andy Veitch and Mark Plant |
| 6th December 2007 | Andy Richings | FDV837V left the UK on the noon Plymouth-Santander ferry on December 5th for a new life in Spain having been sold by Chepstow Classic Buses |
| 6th December 2007 | Gerry Tormey | Brijan Tours of Curdridge (formerly Bishops Waltham) have sold their two VRs - XJJ668V and BEP968V- as yet another long time Bristol finds themselves without the marque in their fleet |
| 6th December 2007 | Chris Lefort (BBANA) | The largest collection of flat front VRs anywhere have been retired from the Gray Line Vancouver tour which they have operated every year since 1992. It's not the end though, as they have all crossed to Gray Line Victoria for operation during 2008. |
| 3rd December 2007 | Bruce Henderson | Hants & Dorset FLF6L KRU237F is undergoing refurbishment at Vic Rabb's in Charlotte, NC in preparation for use by Hard Rock Cafe, Myrtle Beach, SC |
| 3rd December 2007 | Neil Markwick | Former City of Oxford 482 (OUD482T) was previously thought to have been scrapped, but is being used as a private static playbus on the premises of Horrocks of Brockton |
| 27th November 2007 | Graeme Wright | Graeme reports the continued existence of two Lodekkas in the USA - former Brighton, Hove & District LDS6B 8 (OPN808) is still in Virginia, whilst former Bristol Omnibus FLF6B C7294 (JHW62E) is in Florida |
| 26th November 2007 | Graham Jones | Wilts & Dorset 4422 (ELJ214V) has been transferred to sister fleet Damory Coaches as a result of the withdrawl of 5070 (GEL686V), the latter having sustained significant accident damage |
| 22nd November 2007 | Chris Stewart | Thanks to Chris there is a major update to the Lough Swilly RE page listing latest withdrawals and disposals |
| 22nd November 2007 | Martin | One of the very few remaining Leyland 501-engined VRs left in service was withdrawn at the end of October. It is GTX750W and was operated by M & E Coaches |
| 22nd November 2007 | DVLA website | Former Southern Vectis/Solent Blue Line SDL636J has not been reported since 1993, but has a current license and so is likely still to be in active use as a mobile home. Any sightings or photos would be most welcome |
| 21st November 2007 | Martin Gould | Sadly a buyer came too late for GHB146N and it has been cut up for scrap this week |
| 14th November 2007 | Colin Shears | Rare Plaxton-bodied LHL coach GNM235N has been sold for further preservation to Tony Mayle of Holsworthy, Devon |
| 14th November 2007 | James Griffiths | BMA524W has been sold by Silver Fox to Carl Ireland, Hull (dealer) |
| 13th November 2007 | Tim Weatherup | Former Guide Friday VR FWT956J is still plying its trade as a tour bus on the island of St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. It is of note as having carried City Sightseeing livery in 2004/5 - the only flat front VR to have done so |
| 13th November 2007 | Phil Logie | GHB146N has been listed for a second time on eBay - it looks like last chance saloon for this.....saloon |
| 11th November 2007 | Alan Walker | Former Clynnog & Trefor XJJ660V has been sold by Bristol Bus & Coach to Charter Entertainment, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. |
| 9th November 2007 | Mark Stokes | LDV467F has been sold to Talisman Coach Lines of Great Bromley as part of their heritage fleet |
| 8th November 2007 | Chris Platt | Former Northampton LHS 21 (KBD21V) has been on Orkney since the summer, smartly converted to a mobile home |
| 8th November 2007 | Rev Patrick Coleman | Midland General/Trent RELH6G ORC417N has been sold to Paul Smith, Tredegar for further preservation |
| 4th November 2007 | Allan Macfarlane | Ryan (City Tour) of Bath have sold their last VRs, AHW199V and UWV619S, to Munden, Bristol (dealer) and they are due to go to Spain this week |
| 3rd November 2007 | Sam Wickham (and others) | GHB146N is for sale on eBay and is in danger of being sold for scrap next week if a buyer doesn't come forward |
| 2nd November 2007 | Alan Thompson | LHG439T has been sold by Embling, Guyhirn to an owner in Bordeaux, France and is due to leave on Monday 5th November |
| 2nd November 2007 | Tim Weatherup | Former Western National FLF 2061 (BOD21C) has turned up in Indiana 29 years after the last reported sighting |
| 31st October 2007 | Neil Wise | Former Abbey Coaches RESL6L GHB146N is for sale on eBay, starting at £500 and is to be scrapped if no buyer is found by next week |
| 31st October 2007 | Neil Wise and Mark Harrington | Former United Auto LH 1600 (WHN600M) and Ribble VR 1448 (LHG448T) have been scrapped on site in recent weeks after many years deteriorating with Abbey Coaches in Middlesbrough |
| 28th October 2007 | Tim Weatherup | LEU263P, latterly the only bus on Alderney with Riduna Buses has been ferried across to Guernsey for proposed 2008 tour and excursion work with Universal Limos |
| 27th October 2007 | Ross Newman | Ensign (dealer) have acquired former Eastern Counties VR278 (VAH278X) from Travel Master in Kent |
| 26th October 2007 | Paul Bateson | Former Southern Vectis 613 (GDL768E) is at Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada |
| 22nd October 2007 | Robert Price | Chepstow Classic Buses has acquired former National Welsh Leyland 501-engined VRs BUH238V and GTX751W |
| 20th October 2007 | Paul Bateson (BBANA) | Paul has discovered former Crosville DFB53 (266SFM) at Lumsden, Saskatchewan, Canada in semi-derelict condition |
| 19th October 2007 | Mark Golding | Former Western National Lodekka 2113 (EDV525D) has been with LeRoy Watland in Wisconsin since 1998 |
| 12th October 2007 | Gary Cousins | Former Thames Valley Lodekka D32 (GRX132D) is operating in East Germany as a mobile bar and cafe |
| 12th October 2007 | Richard Glaister | WTG367T is now in service with Woolley, Newborough having been sold by Clynnog & Trefor |
| 12th October 2007 | Theo Vereecken | WJM820T is used as a promotional vehicle in Holland by KRAS Tours |
| 11th October 2007 | Marlene Thomsen | Former Western SMT LD6G GCS254 is alive and well and living in Denmark |
| 10th October 2007 | Melvyl Williams | AFJ749T sold by First Devon & Cornwall for preservation |
| 8th October 2007 | Terry Partridge | AFJ742T and JFJ500N sold for scrap after use for spares |
| 4th October 2007 | Dave de Carteret | Celebrity VR VDV117S has now turned up on Guernsey with Universal Limos of St Martins - planned use is currently unknown |
| 3rd October 2007 | Jake Bamford | Rare Leyland-engined VR FTU392T for sale - see Bristols for Purchase |
| 3rd October 2007 | Bus & Coach Preservation magazine - November 2007 issue | Rare former Cleveland Transit Northern Counties-bodied playbus RDC108R for sale - phone 01643 707190 |
| 3rd October 2007 | Bus & Coach Preservation magazine - November 2007 issue | Ex-Trent RELH6G ORC417N for sale at £1750 - phone 07967 990629 |
| 1st October 2007 | Gareth Blair | RLJ341H sold for further preservation, but then readvertised |
| 29th September 2007 | Michael Wootten, Trevor Shore | JWV272W sold to Shoreline Coaches |
| 29th September 2007 | Robert Price |
WTU490W sold for scrap VTH942T sold for further preservation BUH238V for sale GTX751W for sale |
Having received a copy of this newly-published book for Christmas, I can thoroughly recommend it both for the Bristol content (loads of Lodekkas and VRs) and also for the more general interest of seeing familiar British double decker buses running in the wonderful surroundings of New York City. The book is available for a discount on the cover price (including postage and packing) here.
