In September 1972 XDL377L [630] was exhibited at the Earls Court Commercial Motor Show, prior to delivery to Southern Vectis. Internally, it was fitted with Blue Mouquette Seats with Red & White NBC Symbols.

Between 1977 and 1981 XDL377L [630] / XDL378L [631] / XDL379L [632] & XDL380L [633] had the rear destination blind screens removed and panelled over.

They were fitted with power steering in:
November 1983: XDL377L [630]
July 1984: XDL380L [633]
August 1984: XDL379L [632]
May 1985: XDL378L [631]

They went on loan to City of Oxford Motor Services (Oxford):
Between 4 January 1983 to 24 February 1983 XDL377L [630]
Between 4 January 1983 to 4 February 1983 XDL378L [631]
Between 10 February 1984 to 29 May 1984 XDL379L [632] & XDL380L [633]

In April 1987 XDL378L [631] & XDL380L [633] were repainted into Solent Blue Line livery at Hampshire Body & Paint, Barton Park, Eastleigh.

Between 8 May 1987 and by 21 May 1987 XDL378L [631] & XDL380L [633] returned to the Isle of Wight (after repaint) and were used on a Special Olympics event charter (between 8 May & 15 May, re-entering service until 21 May).

In May 1987 XDL377L [630] / XDL378L [631] / XDL379L [632] & XDL380L [633] were withdrawn from service.

Subsequent History

XDL377L [630]:

• In May 1987 it was transferred to Solent Blue Line as their number [27]. It operated with an incorrect fleet number, [30], for a few days before being corrected. In the same month it received the Pioneer version of the second Solent Blue Line livery (with double diagonal stripes) which was intended as a base for an overall advertisement for "Ocean Village" (which it never received).
  In May 1989 it was withdrawn, but was reinstated in June 1989.
  In October 1989 it was finally withdrawn.
• In March 1990 it was sold to PVS of Carlton (dealer). It was subsequently scrapped.

XDL378L [631]:

• In May 1987 it was transferred to Solent Blue Line as their number [28].
  In February 1989 it received a rear-end advertisement for "Ambush".
  In May 1989 it was withdrawn.
• In September 1989 it was sold to Goodwin of Carlton (dealer) for scrap. It may have subsequently passed to Wigley of Carlton (dealer), again for scrap.

XDL379L [632]:

• In May 1987 it was transferred to Solent Blue Line as their number [29]. It was repainted into SBL livery before entering service.
  During 1987 it was fitted with a tachograph and received ex-Southdown green moquette seats in the lower saloon.
  By October 1988 Solent Blue Line named it "Southampton Lions Club".
• In April 1989 it was withdrawn and sold to Southampton Airport (Eastleigh) and converted to a hospitality vehicle.
• In June 1993 it was sold to North's of Sherburn (dealer).
• By 1994 it had passed to Philip Dalston of Brighton, in use as a caravan. In an overall Cream livery, it was kept at the old Southdown Depot in Freshfield Road.
  By October 2002, still owned by Philip Dalston and still in use as a caravan, it had been moved to the Algarve in Portugal.

XDL380L [633]:

• In May 1987 it was transferred to Solent Blue Line as their number [30]. It operated with an incorrect fleet number, [38], for a few days before being corrected.
  In April 1989 it was withdrawn.
• In September 1989 it was sold to Goodwin of Carlton (dealer) for scrap. It may have subsequently passed to Wigley of Carlton (dealer), again for scrap.

An offside-front view of XDL377L [630] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Ryde Bus Station on 14 August 1985.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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An offside-front view of XDL377L as Solent Blue Line [27] in the Pioneer version of the second Solent Blue Line livery - later adopted as standard SBL livery - in Vincents Walk, Southampton, during June 1987.
[photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley]

A nearside-front view of XDL378L [631] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery entering South Street, Newport, on 14 August 1985.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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An offside-rear view of XDL378L [631] at the Isle of Wight College of Arts and Technology car park during July 1986. Visitors that day could drive the bus around the car park for £1, the proceeds going charity.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]

A nearside-front view of XDL378L as Solent Blue Line [28] at Ocean Village, Southampton, during May 1987.
[photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley]

In 1984 XDL379L went on loan to City of Oxford. An offside-front view at Witney (Oxfordshire) sometime during 1984.
[photo copyright of Terry Partridge]

A nearside-front view of XDL379L [632] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Ryde Bus Station on 14 August 1985.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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A front view of XDL379L [632] approaching the junction of Gills Cliff Road and Whitwell Road, Ventnor, on 13 May 1986 on the short-lived variant of service 18 (Ventnor-Godshill-Shanklin).
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]

An offside-front view of XDL379L as Solent Blue Line [29] in Southampton around 1987 or 1988.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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In NBC Leaf Green & White livery a front view of XDL380L [633] in the company of NDL634M [634] at Ryde Depot on 25 July 1983.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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An offside-front view of XDL380L as Solent Blue Line [30] in Southampton on 4 February 1989.
[photo copyright of Ken Lansdowne]