Bristol Lodekka FS/ECW (1962): YDL314-318 [569-573]

Technical & History Briefing
Chassis: Bristol Lodekka FS6G				Body: ECW Series 2
Registration Mark	Fleet No.	Type	Chassis Number	Body Number	Date New	Date Withdrawn
Registration Mark	Other Owners
YDL314 Scrapped	[569]	H33/27RD	196029	12967	07/1962	09/1978
YDL314 Scrapped	11/1979: Booth, Rotherham (dealer) and scrapped
YDL315 Preserved	[570]	H33/27RD	196030	12968	07/1962	07/1979
YDL315 Preserved	11/1980: D. Priddle & R. Harverson, Farnham/Rusper (for preservation) 03/1982: D. Priddle, Farnham (for preservation)
YDL316 Scrapped	[571]	H33/27RD	196031	12969	07/1962	07/1979
YDL316 Scrapped	10/1979: Western National [TV1] (as Driver Trainer)] around 06/1981: Western National [9701] 03/1991: Gale, Totnes (dealer)
YDL317 Scrapped	[572]	H33/27RD	196032	12970	07/1962	07/1979
YDL317 Scrapped	09/1980: North, Sherburn-in-Elmet (dealer) 03/1983: may have passed to Barraclough, Carlton (dealer)
YDL318	[573] previously [573]	H33/27RD	196033	12971	07/1962	08/1977
YDL318	02/1978: Southern Vectis (as Driver Trainer [TB1]) 05/1992: Southern Vectis (reinstated as [573]) 10/2001: London Bus Export Company, Chepstow by 01/2003: McKindless, Wishaw

Detailed History

Five Bristol Lodekka FS6G's, with ECW bodywork and six-cylinder Gardner diesel engines, were bought new by Southern Vectis during 1962 which entered service in Tilling Green & Cream livery. This batch featured a revised chrome radiator grill and cream window gasket rubbers but were otherwise similar to the previous batches delivered in the past.

They were repainted into NBC Leaf Green & White livery in:
March 1974: YDL316 [571]
April 1974: YDL317 [572]
May 1974: YDL315 [570]
June 1974: YDL314 [569]
August 1974: YDL318 [573]

They were withdrawn from service in:
August 1977 YDL318 [573]
September 1978: YDL314 [569]
June 1979: YDL316 [571] (following impact damage to the front nearside wing at Three Gates, Cowes that month)
July 1979: YDL315 [570] / YDL316 [571] & YDL317 [572]

Subsequent History

YDL314 [569]:

In November 1979 it was sold to Booth of Rotherham (dealer) for scrap.

YDL315 [570]:

In November 1980 it was purchased jointly by R. Harverson of Rusper and D. Priddle of Farnham, for preservation.
From March 1982 it has been owned solely by D. Priddle of Farnham.
Immaculately preserved in Tilling Green & Cream livery, YDL315 can often be found attending various bus rallies, particularly those staged around the south coast of England.

YDL316 [571]:

In October 1979 it was sold to Western National (Exeter), initially as a Driver Trainer numbered [TV1] but entered stage carriage service in November 1979.
Around June 1981 Western National renumbered it [9701].
In January 1983 it was transferred to Western National (Truro), and was subesquently converted to a tree lopper during 1983.
In March 1991 it was withdrawn and was sold to Gale of Totnes (dealer) in April 1991.

YDL317 [572]:

In September 1980 it was sold to North of Sherburn (dealer).
In March 1983 it *may* have passed to Barraclough of Carlton (dealer).
This bus was subsequently scrapped.

YDL318 [573]:

In August 1977 it was transferred to the service fleet as a Driver Trainer.
In February 1978 it was converted to a Driver Trainer, it was repainted into a Yellow and White band livery, renumbered to [TB1] being used as such from April 1978.
In December 1983 it went on loan to City of Oxford for a short period. [per Buses magazine, May 1984]
In 1990 it received a complete re-paint, again into Yellow and White band livery, with revised "Driver Training" lettering.
From March 1991 it was de-licensed and stored.
In April 1992 it was re-painted into Tilling Green & Cream livery and returned to passenger duties as part of the Vintage Fleet on 24 May 1992 (as [573]).
In September 1996 it was withdrawn, when Vintage Fleet operations also ceased, and went on loan to the Isle of Wight Bus Museum at Newport until 2001.
In October 2001 it was sold to London Bus Export Company of Chepstow (Gloucestershire).
Still in Tilling Green livery it operated on charter work and weddings, etc. [per John Haines]
By January 2003 it had passed to McKindless of Wishaw.

Photo Selection

A nearside-front view of YDL314 [569] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery entering Shanklin Bus Station during September 1976.
[photo copyright of Chris Stewart]

An offside-front view of YDL315 [570] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery, with early style NBC Symbol, at Ventnor Bus Station during June 1975.
[photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley]

An offside view of YDL315 [570] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery, with later style NBC Symbol, at Newport Bus Station on 15 August 1977.
[photo copyright of Stephen Dowle]

A nearside-front view of YDL315 [570] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery, with later style NBC Symbol, at Sandown during September 1978.
[photo copyright of Chris Stewart]

Immaculately preserved in the original Tilling Green & Cream livery, a nearside-front view of YDL315 at the Southsea Spectacular bus rally on 11 June 2000.
[photo copyright of Andy Mitchell]

After withdrawal YDL316 was sold to Western National, initially for use as their Driver Trainer [TV1]. A nearside-front view at Newton Road, Torquay, probably around 1980/81.
[photo copyright of Ken Baker]

A front view of YDL317 [572] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Yarmouth during September 1978.
[photo copyright of Chris Stewart]

An offside-front view of YDL317 [572] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery, with early style NBC Symbol, at Ryde Bus Station on 23 June 1979.
[photo copyright of Eamonn Kentell]

In the Yellow & White Driver Training livery, a nearside-front view of YDL318 (as [TB1]) at Newport Bus Station on 13 May 1986.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]

A year later, around November 1987, and still in the Yellow & White Driver Training livery with revised symbol, a nearside-front view of YDL318 (as [TB1]) at Newport Bus Station.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]

A nearside-front view of YDL318 in Tilling Green & Cream livery at the Isle of Wight Bus Museum at Newport Harbour on 25 April 1999.
[photo copyright of Gavin Rowney]

A nearside-front view of YDL318 still in Tilling Green & Cream livery with McKindless at their depot in Wishaw during May 2003.
[photo copyright of Tom MacFarlane]

Information on all surviving Bristol Lodekka's is available from The Bristol VR Enthusiasts' Society

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