The Southern Vectis Unofficial Bus Enthusiasts' Website
Bristol Lodekka FLF/ECW (1965)
 
Technical & History Briefing
Chassis: Bristol Lodekka FLF6G Body: ECW Series 2
Registration
Mark		 Fleet
No.		 Type Chassis
Number		 Body
Number		 Date
New		 Date
Withdrawn
Other Owners
CDL476C
Scrapped		 [608] H38/32F 224141 14996 03/1965 06/1980
09/1980: North, Sherburn in Elmet (dealer)
FNN159D
previously
CDL477C
 [609] H38/32F 229034 14997 05/1965 09/1981
10/1982: APT, Lincoln (dealer)
??/1983: Omnibus Promotions, London (dealer)
05/1983: British Promotions, Norfolk, Virginia, USA:
exchanged identity (Licence Plates) with FLF FNN159D
??/????: Tuttle Travel, Hyanus, Massachusetts, USA
by 05/1992: MacDonalds, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
CDL478C
Scrapped		 [610] H38/32F 229041 14998 05/1965 06/1980
09/1980: North, Sherburn in Elmet (dealer)
CDL479C
Preserved		 [611] H38/32F 229068 14999 06/1965 09/1983
06/1984: Shamrock & Rambler [3199], Bournemouth
12/1985: Shamrock & Rambler [199], Bournemouth
11/1986: Southern Vectis [611]
09/2001: Isle of Wight Bus Museum, Newport IW
CDL480C [612] H38/32F 229069 15000 06/1965 09/1981
10/1982: APT, Lincoln (dealer)
??/1983: Omnibus Promotions, London (dealer)
04/1983: British Promotions, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
??/????: Marshall Ewald Realt & Co., Norfolk Beach, Virginia, USA
??/????: Antigua Airport, Antigua
 
Detailed History
Five Bristol Lodekka FLF6G's, with ECW bodywork, were bought new by Southern Vectis during 1965, which entered service in Tilling Green & Cream livery. They were fitted with revised design trafficator clusters at the rear but were otherwise identical to the batch delivered new in 1964. All were fitted with type T destination blind apertures at the front and rear, the rear destination blinds of CDL477C [609] was inverted (ie. numerals above destination).

They were repainted into National Bus Company Leaf Green & White livery in:
March 1973: CDL476C [608]
December 1973: CDL477C [609]
June 1974: CDL480C [612]
July 1974: CDL478C [610]
June 1975: CDL479C [611]

In June 1977 CDL478C [610] went on loan to Southdown for Fleet Review Park & Ride duties at Portsmouth.

They were withdrawn in:
June 1980: CDL476C [608] & CDL478C [610]
September 1981: CDL477C [609] & CDL480C [612]
September 1983: CDL479C [611]

Subsequent History

CDL476C [608]:

  • In September 1980 it was sold to North of Sherburn in Elmet (dealer) - it was collected by PVS of Carlton (dealer).

CDL477C [609]:

  • In October 1982 it was sold to APT of Lincoln (dealer).
  • In May 1983 it passed to Omnibus Promotions of London (dealer).
  • Also, in May 1983, it was exported to British Promotions, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
  • It changed identity with Bristol FLF FNN159D and subsequently passed to Tuttle Travel of Hyanus, Massachusetts, USA.
  • By May 1992 it had passed to MacDonalds of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

CDL478C [610]:

  • In September 1980 it was sold to North of Sherburn in Elmet (dealer) - it was collected by PVS of Carlton (dealer).

CDL479C [611]:

  • In June 1984 it was sold to Shamrock & Rambler (of Bournemouth) being numbered [3199] for driver training and private hire duties.
    In December 1985 it was renumbered [199] and was withdrawn in September 1986.
  • In November 1986 it was re-purchased by Southern Vectis and, after being repainted into original Tilling Green and Cream livery, re-entered service as part of the "Vintage Fleet" during the summer of 1987.
    In September 1996 it was withdrawn and went on loan to the Isle of Wight Bus Museum where it resided.
  • Around August/September 2001 it was purchased by the Isle of Wight Bus Museum.

CDL480C [612]:

  • In October 1982 it was sold to APT of Lincoln (dealer).
  • In April 1983 it passed to Omnibus Promotions of London (dealer).
  • Also, in April 1983, it was exported to British Promotions, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
  • It later passed to Marshall Ewald Realt and Company of Norfolk Beach, Virginia, USA.
  • It subsequently passed to Antigua Airport, Antigua. It was noted still there on 8 March 2000 in use as a passenger transfer vehicle.
 
Photo Selection
An offside-front view of CDL479C when with Shamrock & Rambler at Bournemouth during October 1985.
[photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley]
 

A nearside-front view of CDL479C [611] at South Street, Newport 31 August 1987, after being re-acquired by Southern Vectis and repainted in the original Tilling Green & Cream livery.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details
 
A nearside-rear view of CDL479C [611] in Tilling Green & Cream livery at Ryde Bus Station August 1987.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
An offside-front view of CDL479C [611] at Newport Harbour Quay on the IW Bus Museum Running Day of 15 October 2000. Note that the original cream window gasket rubbers have now been entirely replaced with black sustitutes.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
Again at Newport Harbour Quay a nearside-rear view of CDL479C [611] in Tilling Green & Cream livery on 15 October 2000.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
A nearside-front view of CDL480C, in use as a passenger transfer vehicle at Antigua Airport, Antigua on 8 March 2000. CDL480C apears to remain in original condition apart from the replacement tropical-style sliding windows.
[photo copyright of Nigel Newman]
 
An offside-front view of CDL480C, in use as a passenger transfer vehicle at Antigua Airport, Antigua on 8 March 2000.
[photo copyright of Nigel Newman]
 
Information on all surviving Bristol Lodekka's is available from The Bristol VR Enthusiasts' Society
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