A further three Bristol LH6L's with ECW bodywork, Leyland 0.400 6.5 litre six-cylinder diesel engines and five-speed synchromesh transmission were bought new by Southern Vectis in 1970 and entered service in Tilling Green & Cream livery, the Cream being applied around the window frames rather than the usual Cream band below the windows. They were similar to the batch delivered in 1968 but featured taller front windscreens and shallower front peaked domes. The bodies were also 2.5 inches wider at 8-foot 2.5-inches which featured a revised grille & headlamp surrounds and they featured two-aperture type H destination screens at the front rather than the type G fitted to the 1968 batch.

In June 1970 PDL491H [829] was allocated to Newport Depot.

All of the batch were repainted into unrelieved NBC Leaf Green livery (without the White band) in:
March 1973: PDL489H [827]
April 1973: PDL490H [828]
July 1973: LDL263F [826] & PDL491H [829]
September 1973: LDL262F [825]

Some of the batch received the "relieved" White Band to complete the NBC Leaf Green & White livery in:
April 1977: PDL491H [829]
around 1977: PDL489H [827] & PDL490H [828]

In October 1978 PDL491H [829] was allocated to Shanklin Depot.

They were withdrawn in:
March 1977: LDL262F [825] & LDL263F [826]
October 1980: PDL489H [827]
September 1981: PDL490H [828] & PDL491H [829]

Subsequent History

LDL262F [825]:

• In June 1977 it was sold to United of Darlington and operated as their [1490].
• In October 1978 it passed to NBC Eastern Region Disposal Centre of Lincoln.
• In December 1978 it was sold to Lincolnshire of Lincoln for spares.
• In July 1979 the remains passed to Pickersgill and Laverack of Carlton (dealer) and scrapped.

LDL263F [826]:

• In June 1977 it was sold to United of Darlington and operated as their [1491].
• In October 1978 it passed to NBC Eastern Region Disposal Centre of Lincoln.
• In December 1978 it was sold to Lincolnshire of Lincoln for spares.
• In July 1979 the remains passed to Pickersgill and Laverack of Carlton (dealer) and scrapped.

PDL489H [827]:

• In March 1982 it went on hire to Sealink for use as passenger seating aboard MV Freshwater covering the Portsmouth-Ryde sailings whilst the normal ferries were refitted.
• In December 1982 it was sold to Martin of Middlewich (dealer).
• In October 1983 it was sold to Chasetown High School of Chasetown.
• By April 1988 it had passed to an unknown owner in Walsall.

PDL490H [828]:

• In March 1982 it went on hire to Sealink for use as passenger seating aboard MV Freshwater covering the Portsmouth-Ryde sailings whilst the normal ferries were refitted.
• In December 1982 it was sold to Martin of Middlewich (dealer).
• In 1987 it was sold to Babcock Power of Renfrew.
• In February 1988 it was sold to Tiger of Salsburgh (dealer) where it was most likely scrapped.

PDL491H [829]:

• In December 1982 it was sold to Martin of Middlewich (dealer).
• Around January 1983 it was sold to an unknown owner of Droylesden.
• In June 1983 it passed to Norman Lovatt of Stoke-on-Trent. Being semi-preserved as a caravan it was repainted into a fictitious Southern Vectis Green & Cream livery.
  During 1995 it was re-engined with a Leyland 0420 Turbo.
  During June 1999 it visited the Czech Republic.
  During May 2006 it was noted For Sale on e-bay . . . [per Gavin Rowney]
  . . . However, during December 2006 it was noted still with Norman Lovatt (not sold). [per John Haines]

An offside-front view of PDL489H [827] in unrelieved NBC Leaf Green livery at East Cowes Ferry Terminal during June 1975.
[photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley]

An offside-front view of PDL491H preserved in a fictitious Southern Vectis livery at the PMT Bus Rally at Crewe on 20 May 2001.
[photo copyright of Geoff Cross]