The Southern Vectis Unofficial Bus Enthusiasts' Website
Bristol Lodekka LD/ECW (1958)
 
Technical & History Briefing
Chassis: Bristol Lodekka LD6G Body: ECW Series 2
Registration
Mark		 Fleet
No.		 Type Chassis
Number		 Body
Number		 Date
New		 Date
Withdrawn
Other Owners
PDL516
Scrapped		 [556] H33/27R 138104 10309 06/1958 04/1978
06/1978: North, Sherburn in Elmet (dealer)
03/1979: Argas Persicus, London [Dinger]
07/1983: Top Deck Travel, London [Dinger] - withdrawn around May 1988
PDL517 [557] H33/27R 138105 10310 06/1958 04/1978
08/1978: Euroscan Travel, London
11/1980: Argas Persicus, London [Drab] & [Gismo]
07/1983: Top Deck Travel, London [Drab] & [Gismo]
01/1997: Mr. Mendez (Movil Bus), Vigo, Spain
PDL518 [558] H33/27R 138106 10311 06/1958 04/1978
06/1978: North, Sherburn in Elmet (dealer)
06/1978: Argas Persicus, London [Lemming]
07/1983: Top Deck Travel, London [Lemming]
02/1993: D. Boughton, Totnes, Devon (for preservation-for sale 07/1998)
PDL519 [559] H33/27R 138108 10312 06/1958 04/1978
06/1978: North, Sherburn in Elmet (dealer)
09/1978: Argas Persicus, London [Tadpoles]
07/1983: Top Deck Travel, London [Tadpoles]
07/1998: on loan to IW Bus Museum, Newport, IW
 
Detailed History
Four Bristol Lodekka LD6G's, with ECW bodywork and six-cylinder Gardner diesel engines, were bought new by Southern Vectis during 1958 which entered service in Tilling Green & Cream livery.

Around 1959/1960 underseat saloon heaters were fitted to the batch.

During the mid-1970's PDL517 [557] was fitted with a chrome radiator grille following accident damage at Whitely Bank.

In April 1978 PDL516 [556] / PDL517 [557] / PDL518 [558] & PDL519 [559] were withdrawn from service.

Subsequent History

PDL516 [556]:

  • In June 1978 it was sold to North of Sherburn in Elmet (dealer).
  • In March 1979 it was sold to Argas Persicus (Top Deck Travel) of London, whom named it "Dinger".
    Around May 1988 it was withdrawn and scrapped.

PDL517 [557]:

  • In August 1978 it was sold to Euroscan Travel of London.
  • In November 1980 it was sold to Argas Persicus (Top Deck Travel) of London, whom named it "Drab" (it was also named "Gismo", but reverted back to "Drab").
  • In January 1997 it was sold to a Mr. Mendez (trading as Movil Bus) of Vigo, Spain.

PDL518 [558]:

  • In June 1978 it was sold to North of Sherburn in Elmet (dealer).
  • In June 1978 it was sold to Argas Persicus (Top Deck Travel) of London, whom named it "Lemming".
  • In February 1993 it was sold to D. Boughton of Totnes, Devon, for preservation. It was advertised for sale in Bus & Coach Preservation Monthly of July 1998.

PDL519 [559]:

  • In June 1978 it was sold to North of Sherburn in Elmet (dealer).
  • In September 1978 it was sold to Argas Persicus (Top Deck Travel) of London, whom named it "Tadpoles".
    In 1980 it was involved in a serious accident necessitating a major rebuild, when the roof was lowered by 4 inches.
    In July 1998 it was withdrawn, and has since been on loan to the Isle of Wight Bus Museum, Newport, Isle of Wight.
 
Photo Selection
A front view of PDL516 [556] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery following an accident at St. Johns Road, Ryde, during the 1970's.
[photo from the Mike Ginger collection]
 
A front view of PDL517 [557] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery in Freshwater, probably during 1973 or 1974.
[photo copyright of Chris Stewart]
 
An offside-rear view of PDL517 [557] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery in Freshwater, probably during 1973 or 1974.
[photo copyright of Chris Stewart]
 
A nearside-rear view of PDL519 [559] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Ryde Bus Station during the Queen's Silver Jubilee Fleet Review weekend in July 1977. To the right is ODL658R [658], a series 3 Bristol VRT, which was new in May 1977.
[photo copyright of Michael Taylor]
 
PDL519 (or "Tadpoles") later passed to Top Deck Travel and it is seen here at their Woking Farm during 1993. Top Deck Travel were a keen purchaser of second-hand Bristol Lodekkas', whom converted them to mobile touring homes for travel holidays abroad.
[photo copyright of Paul Harrison]
 

A front view of PDL519 (or "Tadpoles"), now on loan (from Top Deck Travel) to the Isle of Wight Bus Museum where it is seen here on 15 October 2000.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
Visit the Top Deck Reunion website for information on all Top Deck Travel buses
Information on all surviving Bristol Lodekka's is available from The Bristol VR Enthusiasts' Society
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