As per the previous batch of Lodekka's delivered in 1955 they featured a divided lower-saloon rear window, instead of the usual one-piece affair. This was to allow for the provision of an emergency door should platform doors ever be fitted, that never were by Southern Vectis. MDL954 [544] / MDL955 [545] & MDL956 [546] were fitted with short wings, as were subsequent deliveries of LD Lodekka's, but were otherwise identical to the previous batch delivered in 1955 except that they were all fitted with the newer style of "short" radiator.

Around 1956/1957 the original long front wings (which were like those to be found on the later FLF Lodekka's) were cut back to allow more air cooling of the front brakes to MDL951 [541] / MDL952 [542] & MDL953 [543].

Around 1959/1960 under-seat saloon heaters were fitted.

These buses were originally operated on rail-replacement services, and were fitted with a two-tier luggage rack over and behind the wheel arch on the offside.

During 1960/1961 the batch were converted to H33/27R by removing the offside two-tier luggage rack in the lower saloon (which were originally fitted for operation on rail-replacement services) and replacing with a longitudinal seat for three passengers in:
1960: MDL953 [543] / MDL955 [545] / MDL956 [546]
May 1960: MDL952 [542]
January 1961: MDL954 [544]
February 1961: MDL951 [541].

Between 1973 and 1975 five of the batch were converted to permanent open-top, as O33/27R, and re-entered service in NBC Dual Purpose livery of Leaf Green upto the lower edge of the lower deck windows and White above and renumbered in:
March 1973: MDL951 [OT1] / MDL952 [OT2]
June 1973: MDL953 [OT3]
May 1974: MDL954 [OT4]
May 1975: MDL955 [OT5]

MDL951 [OT1] was based at Freshwater depot (an out-depot of Newport) until 1978 operating exclusively on the Yarmouth-Alum Bay open-top service 42.
MDL952 [OT2] / MDL953 [OT3] / MDL954 [OT4] & MDL955 [OT5] were based at Shanklin depot until 1978 operating mainly on the Sandown Zoo-Ventnor open-top service 47.

In September 1976 MDL956 [546] was withdrawn.

From 26 June 1978 to 6 September 1978 MDL952 [OT2] went on loan to East Yorkshire Motor Services Limited, receiving temporary fleet number [101].

All but one of them were withdrawn from service in:
June 1978: MDL955 [OT5]
September 1978: MDL951 [OT1] / MDL953 [OT3] & MDL954 [OT4]

From October 1979, on the sale of DDL50 [703], MDL952 [OT2] was temporarily used as the tree-lopper during the winter/spring of 1979/1980.

For the 1980 season through to the end of the 1983 season MDL952 [OT2] was reinstated at Shanklin Depot (although it spent part of the 1982 season at Freshwater depot).

In January 1984 MDL952 [OT2] was renumbered [501].

In May 1985 MDL952 [OT2] was repainted into "Viewfinder" livery of blue, peppermint green and white. It was also transferred to Freshwater depot to run the Yarmouth-Alum service 42.

In April 1990 MDL952 [OT2] was repainted into a blue, white & green Colorbus advertisement livery for "Needles Pleasure Park".

In April 1994 MDL952 [OT2] was re-painted into Tilling Cream with green bandings & wings.

In October 2000 MDL952 [OT2] was withdrawn.

Subsequent History

MDL951 [541] / [OT1]:

• In November 1979 it was sold to Booth of Rotherham (dealer).
• In April 1980 it was exported to the USA, being purchased by La Pointe Resorts Hotel, Phoenix, Arizona . It carried the registration number 3ZB723 at the front of the bus and 3LJ747 at the rear.
  It was last noted still with Pointe Resorts, N. 16th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, USA in March 1994.
• In the late 1990's, it was acquired by Mr. Rodriguez, Sadena, Arizona. In the late 1990's it was leased to "Way of the Ancients", a local tour company based in Sadena - it was noted used by them in an allover white livery on 16 October 1999. [per Where in the World are the Southern Vectis Buses? by John Haines]
• By March 2004 it had passed to Massey's Diesel, Phoenix, Arizona .

MDL952 / BAS563 [542] / [OT2] / [501]:

• By 15 June 2002 it had been sold to Quantock Motor Services of Norton Fitzwarren. [per Gavin Rowney]
• By 3 October 2002 the (retained) registration number MDL952 had been sold privately. [per Gavin Rowney]

MDL953 / BAS562 [543] / [OT3] / [507]:

• In November 1979 it was sold to Booth of Rotherham (dealer).
• In April 1982 it passed to West of England Transport Collection of Winkleigh for preservation.
  By May 1985 it was with Interdec Designs of Milton Keynes, *maybe* on loan or contract, and was still with them in August 1988.
• It subsequently passed to a D. Hardcastle, for preservation.
• It then passed to Connells of Aylesbury.
  In June 1994 it was re-acquired by Southern Vectis, in the dark maroon livery in which it had been preserved, but was not used in service in this livery.
  In May 1995 it re-entered service with Southern Vectis in Tilling Cream & Green livery. It was renumbered [507]. It was used almost exclusively on the summer only Yarmouth-Alum Bay service 42.
  In May 2000 it was repainted into Apple Green & Cream livery with large fleetname, a livery previously adopted by Southern Vectis in 1932. [per Jeff Lyons]
  In October 2000 it was withdrawn.
  By 23 January 2002 it had been re-registered to BAS562. [per Gavin Rowney]
• By 8 July 2002 it had been sold to Quantock Motor Services of Norton Fitzwarren. [per Gavin Rowney]
• By 3 October 2002 the (retained) registration number MDL953 had been sold privately. [per Gavin Rowney]
• During November 2006 it was sold to Blair (t/a PB Bus Marketing) of Chandlers Ford. [per John Haines]
  During December 2006 it was noted being repainted into Tilling Cream with Green relief at Barton Park. [per Gavin Rowney]

MDL954 [544] / [OT4]:

• In October 1979 it was sold for preservation to I. Cross and D. Priddle of Farnham.
  Between April 1986 and June 1987 it returned, on loan, to Southern Vectis and was used on the summer only Yarmouth-Alum Bay service 42.
  During the 1992 season it was on loan to Leisurelink of Norwood Hill/Crawley. [per John A Godwin]
  MDL954 is now owned exclusively by D. Priddle of Farnham.

MDL955 / BAS564 [545] / [OT5] / [500]:

• In June 1978 it passed to North of Sherburn (dealer).
• In July 1978 it was sold for preservation to R. Harverson of Horsham.
• In March 1993 it was re-acquired by Southern Vectis. It re-entered service in the previous (and as withdrawn) NBC Leaf Green & White livery but with Tilling-style Fleetnames. It was renumbered [500]. It was used almost exclusively on the summer only Yarmouth-Alum Bay service 42.
  Between 1994 and 1995 it was repainted into Tilling Cream & Green livery.
  In May 2000 it was repainted into Apple Green & Cream livery with large fleetname, a livery previously adopted by Southern Vectis in 1932. [per Jeff Lyons]
  In October 2000 it was withdrawn.
  In October 2001 it went on promotional work for Southern Vectis in Louviers, France. [per Gavin Rowney]
  By 23 January 2002 it had been re-registered to BAS564. [per Gavin Rowney]
• By 15 June 2002 it had been sold to Quantock Motor Services of Norton Fitzwarren. [per Gavin Rowney]
• On 28 May 2005 Helle Iversen of Tarm, Jutland, Denmark took delivery of it (still in Apple Green/Cream livery). The firm intend to use it on VIP excursions and sightseeing tours around Ringkobing Fjord in Jylland (Jutland). [per Geoffrey Morant]
  During November 2006 it was noted For Sale in the December 2006 edition of Bus and Coach Preservation magazine (Photo). [per Gavin Rowney]

MDL956 [546]:

• In July 1977 it was sold to North of Sherburn (dealer).
• In August 1977 it passed to Omnibus Promotions of London (dealer).
• In September 1978 it was exported to Denmark, still in NBC Leaf Green & White livery, where it stood in a school yard in Grenaa, Jutland, for serveral years. [per Where in the World are the Southern Vectis Buses? by John Haines]
• It subsequently passed to Lars Bang t/a Autobang of Copenhagen, Denmark, where it operated a city tour bus service until at least 1990. It was converted to offside entrance and reduced in height to conform with national regulations. [per Where in the World are the Southern Vectis Buses? by John Haines]
• It subsequently (and by June 2000) passed to Europark of Copenhagen, Denmark, noted in use as a static display. It carries trade licence plate mark 86 61028.

A nearside-front view of MDL951 as [OT1] after conversion to open-top in the Dual Purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery leaving Yarmouth after crossing the old River Yar Bridge on 14 August 1976.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

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

An offside-front view of MDL952 as [OT2] after conversion to open-top in the Dual Purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Shanklin Esplanade on 20 August 1974.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

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

An offside-front view of MDL952 as [501] in the "Viewfinder" livery that it carried from 1984 to 1990 at Yarmouth Bus Station on 6 October 1989.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

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

An offside-front view of MDL952 as [501] in the "Needles Pleasure Park" Colorbus livery at Yarmouth Bus Station on 29 May 1993.
[photo copyright of Peter Horrex]

Peter Horrex has a page devoted to a day on the Isle of Wight in 1993 at his British Buses web site

A nearside-front view of MDL953 whilst with Interdec Designs of Milton Keynes, sometime between 1985 and 1994 (date & location unknown). It was still in this dark maroon livery when re-purchased by Southern Vectis in June 1994.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

Visit BusSpotter! for UK Bus Operator's Fleetlists and South East England Bus & Coach photographs

During the 1992 season MDL954 went on loan to Leisurelink of Norwood Hill/Crawley.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

Visit BusSpotter! for UK Bus Operator's Fleetlists and South East England Bus & Coach photographs

A nearside-front view of MDL955 as [OT5] after conversion to open-top in the Dual Purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Sandown Zoo on 28 August 1977.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

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

An offside-front view of MDL955 as [500] in the (as re-acquired) NBC Leaf Green & White livery with Tilling-style Fleetname alteration at Alum Bay on 29 May 1993.
[photo copyright of Peter Horrex]

Peter Horrex has a page devoted to a day on the Isle of Wight in 1993 at his British Buses web site

A nearside-front view of MDL955 as [500] in 1932 Apple Green & Cream livery at Ryde Bus Station on 4 July 2001.
[photo copyright of Jeffrey Clayton]

For more discussion and photos of Southern Vectis buses visit Jeff's SVOC Collection Yahoo Group