CAP187 & CAP234 were new to Brighton, Hove and District in August 1940 & October 1940 operating as their numbers [6360] & [6350] respectively.
Prior to rebuilding to convertible open-top by Brighton & Hove the high radiators were replaced with the lower PV2 type in 1952 [6360] or 1953 [6350].
In 1955 both CAP187 & CAP234 were renumbered to [360] & [350] respectively by Brighton & Hove.

In 1960 CAP187 & CAP234 were acquired by Southern Vectis in March 1960 & February 1960 as numbers [902] & [903] respectively.

During the summer season of 1960 both CAP187 & CAP234 entered service in Tilling Cream & Green livery and were based at Shanklin Depot.

During 1962 both CAP187 [902] & CAP234 [903] became permanent open-top when the roofs were sold to Thorness Bay Holiday Camp.

A further two Bristol K open-top buses with ECW six-bay bodywork and five-cylinder Gardner engines were acquired second-hand from Brighton, Hove & District during 1962 by Southern Vectis.
FHT112 & GHT124 were new to Bristol Tramways in September 1938 & December 1940 operating as their numbers [C3209] & [C3312] respectively.
In 1951 the body of GHT124 [C3312] was refurbished.
In January 1955 both passed to Brighton & Hove operating as their numbers [5995] & [989] and were rebuilt to convertible opent-top during 1955 [5995] or 1956 [989] respectively - GHT124 [989] received a fibre-glass roof. Both received PV2 type radiators around this time.
In May 1956 FHT112 [5995] was renumbered to [995].

Both FHT112 & GHT124 were acquired by Southern Vectis in October 1962 as numbers [906] & [907] respectively.

All four of CAP187 [902] / CAP234 [903] / FHT112 [906] & GHT124 [907] were fitted with two-aperture type "D2" destination screens front & rear and a single-aperture square destination screen over the entrance platform - only the lower destination screens front & rear were used by Southern Vectis with the remaining screens painted over.

During the summer of 1963 both FHT112 & GHT124 entered service in Tilling Cream & Green livery. Based at Ryde Depot, they operated a short-lived Ryde Cross Street - Ryde Esplanade - Appley Park Canoe Lake service 21 open-top route.

For the 1964 season a service 23 over the same route was planned to be run in conjunction with the proposed HoverTravel hovercraft service to Southsea (which in the event did not commence until 1965).

Instead, during the summer seasons of 1964 to 1966 both FHT112 [906] & GHT124 [907] operated an open-top service over the Ryde Esplanade - Seaview service 7 route.

They were withdrawn from service in:
September 1964: CAP187 [902]
July 1966: FHT112 [906]
July 1967: CAP234 [903] & GHT124 [907]

Subsequent History

CAP187 [902]:

• In August 1965 it was sold to North of Sherburn-in-Elmet (dealer).

CAP234 [903]:

• In December 1968 it was sold to an Enthusiast Consortium of Liphook for preservation.
• By 1977 it has passed to J. Lowe of Holbury for preservation.
• In August 1986 it passed to D. Priddle of Farnham for preservation. Until early 2005 it was stored at the IW Bus Museum of Neport, IW, for several years.

FHT112 [906]:

• In July 1966 it was sold to J.A. Golding of Wellow & I.R. Watson of Wootton Bridge for preservation.
• In January 1975 it was sold to D.W. Boughton of Ipswich (later Felixstowe) for preservation.

GHT124 [907]:

• In December 1968 it was sold to D. Fereday-Glenn of Fareham for preservation.
• In January 1971 it was sold to K. Dobson of Farncombe for preservation.
• During early 1980 it was exported to J. Smart t/a Bisbee Bus Company of Bisbee, Arizona, USA. It operated a service between Bisbee and Tombestone (Arizona) on arrival in USA.
• By 2000 it appears to have passed to West National Bus Lines of Tuscan, Arizona, USA.
• During 2000 it was sold to unknown owner of Show Low, Arizona, USA. It was intended to be used as a cafe, but this did not materialise.
  During late June/early July 2005 it was advertised for sale on e-Bay.

Colour prints may be available to buy - please e-mail Peter J. Relf for details