The Southern Vectis Unofficial Bus Enthusiasts' Website
Bristol LHS/ECW (1980-1981)
 
Technical & History Briefing
Chassis: Bristol LHS6L Body: ECW Series 2
Registration
Mark
Fleet
No.
Type Chassis
Number
Body
Number
Date
New
Date
Withdrawn
Other Owners
FDV793V [200] B35F LHS-356 23615 01/1980 10/1988
01/1980: Western National [1563]
01/1983: Devon General [1563]
05/1986: Southern Vectis [200]
10/1988: Musterphantom Ltd t/a Solent Blue Line, Southampton [200] - withdrawn 08/1990
09/1990: Wacton Trading, Bromyard (dealer)
10/1990: Riggers, Birmingham
by 08/1991: Irwell Valley, Eccles
date unknown: Mancunian, Bradford
1993: Coombs, Weston-Super-Mare - withdrawn by 07/2001
10/2005: R. Sinclair, Bournemouth (for preservation)
LFJ849W [201] B35F LHS-358 24713 01/1981 10/1988
01/1981: Western National [95]
01/1983: Devon General [95]
05/1986: Southern Vectis [201]
10/1988: Musterphantom Ltd t/a Solent Blue Line, Southampton [201]
09/1990: Wacton Trading, Bromyard (dealer)
probably during 1990: Golden Coaches, Llantwit Fardre
by 2001: MacEwan, Amisfield
KDL202W
Preserved
[202] DP31F LHS-368 24715 10/1980 08/2001
10/2001: Bartrum, Cox & Legg, Shanklin (preserved)
KDL203W
Preserved
[203] DP31F LHS-369 24716 10/1980 08/2001
by 09/04/2002: Hamps Valley Coaches, Leek, Staffs.
by 10/2005: Mike Nash t/a British Bus Sales, Cobham (dealer)
11/2005: enthusiast, Isle of Wight (for preservation)
KDL204W [204] DP31F LHS-373 24717 11/1980 11/1989
11/1989: Musterphantom Ltd t/a Solent Blue Line, Southampton [204] - withdrawn 08/1990
09/1990: Blandford Bus, Blandford Forum
1994: Wilts & Dorset
probably 1994: Shaftesbury & District
1997: Cudlipp Coaches - later Linco Travel, Sturminster Newton - withdrawn 10/2001
 
Detailed History
Three Bristol LHS6L's with ECW bodywork, Leyland six-cylinder diesel engines and five-speed synchromesh transmission were bought new by Southern Vectis in 1980 and entered service in January 1981 in dual-purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery. These buses were supplied new with coach style seating but were otherwise very similar to the previous batch supplied in 1975. KDL202W / KDL203W & KDL204W were originally intended to be numbered [DP2] / [DP3] & [DP4] but were numbered [202] / [203] & [204] respectively instead. Interestingly KDL202W [202] was not fitted with foglamps whereas KDL203W [203] & KDL204W [204] were.

In May 1986 a further two Bristol LHS6L's were acquired second-hand from Devon General:

  • FDV793V [200] was new to Western National in January 1980 as their number [1563] passing to Devon General in January 1983 as their number [1563]. It was acquired by Southern Vectis in May 1986 and entered service still in Devon General's NBC Red & White livery but with Southern Vectis fleetnames.
  • LFJ849W [201] was new to Western National in January 1981 as their number [95] passing to Devon General in January 1983 as their number [95]. It was acquired by Southern Vectis in May 1986 and entered service still in Devon General's NBC Red & White livery but with Southern Vectis fleetnames. [per Gavin Rowney]

They were repainted into Cream & Emerald Green livery in:
August 1986: KDL203W [203]
September 1986: FDV793V [200]
October 1986: KDL204W [204]
Probably September or October 1986: LFJ849W [201] with a "West Yar Link" paint scheme with landscape scenes painted onto the lower panels of the sides of the vehicle.
August 1989: KDL202W [202]

During 1986/1987 LFJ849W [201] was almost confined to the shuttle service between Yarmouth and Freshwater, that was necessary due to the renewal of the River Yar bridge at Yarmouth, hence the special paint scheme applied.

Between 27 September 1987 and 26 March 1988 FDV793V [200] & KDL204W [204] went on loan to Badger Vectis of Poole operating as their number's [80] & [81].

In September 1988 FDV793V [200] went on loan to Musterphantom Ltd. t/a Solent Blue Line of Southampton operating as their number [200].

In October 1988 FDV793V [200] & LFJ849W [201] were withdrawn from service.

In November 1989 KDL204W [204] was withdrawn from service.

Between 26 March 1990 and 7 April 1990 KDL203W [203] went on loan to Seaview Services.

Between 26 June 1990 and 2 July 1990 KDL202W [202] went on loan to Musterphantom Ltd. t/a Solent Blue Line of Southampton.

In April 1996 KDL202W [202] & KDL203W [203] were repainted into the Mushroom & Dark Green livery. [per Gavin Rowney]

In August 2001 KDL202W [202] & KDL203W [203] were withdrawn from service. [per Gavin Rowney]

Subsequent History

FDV793V [200]:

  • In November 1988 it was transferred to Musterphantom Ltd. t/a Solent Blue Line of Southampton operating as their number [200].
    In January 1990 it was repainted into Solent Blue Line livery.
    In August 1990 it was withdrawn.
  • In September 1990 it was sold to Wacton Trading of Bromyard (dealer).
  • In October 1990 it had passed to Riggers of Birmingham.
  • By August 1991 it had passed to Irwell Valley of Eccles.
  • It subsequently passed (date unknown) to Mancunian of Bradford.
  • In 1993 it was purchased by Coombs of Weston-Super-Mare.
    During 2000 (at least) it went on loan to Somerbus of Paulton.
    By July 2001 it had been withdrawn.
  • In October 2005 it was sold to R. Sinclair of Bournemouth for preservation.

LFJ849W [201]:

  • In November 1988 it was transferred to Musterphantom Ltd. t/a Solent Blue Line of Southampton operating as their number [201].
  • In September 1990 it was sold to Wacton Trading of Bromyard (dealer).
  • Probably during 1990 it subsequently passed to Golden Coaches of Llantwit Fardre.
  • By 2001 it had passed to MacEwan of Amisfield. [per Gavin Rowney]

KDL202W [202]:

  • In October 2001 it was purchased by a consortium of Island based preservationists (Bartrum, Cox & Legg of Shanklin) and was repainted into the original NBC Leaf Green & White dual-purpose livery. [per Gavin Rowney]

KDL203W [203]:

  • On 7 February 2002 it was sold to Hamps Valley Coaches of Leek (Staffordshire) being delivered to them by 9 April 2002. [per Dave Jolliffe / Rob Sly]
  • By October 2005 it has been sold to Mike Nash t/a British Bus Sales of Cobham (dealer).
  • During November 2005 it was sold to a local enthusiast on the Isle of Wight, being collected from Cobham on 12 November 2005. [per Paul Budden]

KDL204W [204]:

  • In November 1989 it was transferred to Musterphantom Ltd. t/a Solent Blue Line of Southampton operating as their number [204].
    It received Solent Blue Line livery in December 1989.
    In August 1990 it was withdrawn.
  • In September 1990 it was sold to Blandford Bus of Blandford Forum.
    In 1994 Blandford Bus was sold to Wilts & Dorset and it passed to them.
  • Probably during 1994 it passed to Shaftesbury & District.
  • In 1997 it was sold to Cudlipp Coaches of Sturminster Newton whom subsequently changed trading name to Linco Travel.
    In October 2001 it was withdrawn.
 
Photo Selection

A nearside-front view of FDV793V with Western National as their [1563] in NBC Leaf Green & White livery sometime in the early 1980's in Dorset on route to Bradpole.
[photo copyright of James Pratt]

 

A nearside-front view of FDV793V [200] at Newport Bus Station on 29 August 1986 which entered service with Southern Vectis still in NBC Poppy Red & White livery (ex. Devon General) with Southern Vectis fleetnames applied.
[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 FDV793V with Solent Blue Line as their [200] and still in Southern Vectis Cream & Emerald Green livery in Romsey Road, Eastleigh, during December 1988.
[photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley]

 
An offside-front view of FDV793V with Irwell Valley of Eccles still in Solent Blue Line livery at Piccadilly Bus Station, Manchester, in August 1991.
[photo copyright of Ian Roberts]
 

A nearside-front view of FDV793V with Coombs at their yard at Weston-Super-Mare on 27 October 2000.
[photo copyright of John L. Hammond]

 

An offside-front view of LFJ849W [201] in Cream & Emerald Green livery with "West-Yar Link" branding at Newport Bus Station on 22 September 1987. Note the reversed livery and variation of fleetname stlye - and the unique murals painted onto the sides of the bus.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

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

 
An offside-rear view of LFJ849W [201] in Cream & Emerald Green livery with "West-Yar Link" branding at Newport Depot (Nelson Road) during the Southern Vectis Open Day on 17 April 1988.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
A nearside-front view of KDL202W [202] in dual-purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Newport Bus Station on 28 July 1982.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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

 
A nearside-front view of KDL202W [202] still in NBC Leaf Green & White livery but with the NBC fleetname symbols replaced with the deregulation ones at Newport Bus Station during the summer of 1988.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
A nearside-front view of KDL202W [202] in Cream & Emerald Green livery in the bus park at Ryde Bus Station on 12 June 1995.
[photo copyright of Ian Roberts]
 
A nearside-front view of KDL202W [202] in Mushroom & Dark Green livery at Newport Bus Station on 25 September 1998.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
An offside-rear view of KDL202W [202] in Mushroom & Dark Green livery at Ryde Bus Station on 13 February 2001.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
An offside-front view of KDL202W [202] now preserved by a consortium of local bus enthusiasts and resplendent in the original dual-purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery in Freshwater during March 2002.
[photo copyright of Paul Budden]
 
A nearside-front view of KDL202W [202] in NBC dual-purpose Leaf Green & White livery at Ryde Depot during the Southern Vectis 75th Anniversary Event on 10 October 2004.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
An offside-front view of KDL203W [203] in dual-purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery in Newport High Street on 27 July 1983.
[photo copyright of BusSpotter!]

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

 
A nearside-rear view of KDL203W [203] in dual-purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Newport Bus Station on 13 May 1986.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
A nearside-front view of KDL203W [203] in the company of KDL202W [202] in Cream & Emerald Green livery parked at Ryde Depot on 15 May 1993.
[photo copyright of Ken Lansdowne]
 
An offside-front view of KDL203W [203] in Mushroom & Dark Green livery at Ryde Bus Station on 5 July 2000.
[photo copyright of Peter J. Relf]

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

 
A nearside-front view of KDL203W [203] in Mushroom & Dark Green livery at the Isle of Wight Bus Museum Running Day, Newport Harbour, on 15 October 2000.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
An offside-front view of KDL204W [204] in dual-purpose NBC Leaf Green & White livery at Yarmouth during May 1986.
[photo copyright of Kenneth Smith]
 
An offside-front view of KDL204W [204] in Cream & Emerald Green livery at Alum Bay during the summer of 1989.
[photo copyright of Chris Stewart]
 
An offside-rear view of KDL204W [204] in Cream & Emerald Green livery at Yarmouth in 1987 or 1988.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
An offside-front view of KDL204W with Blandford Bus Company at Castle Way, Southampton, during April 1991.
[photo copyright of Malcolm Audsley]
 
A nearside-front view of KDL204W with Linco Travel at the Isle of Wight Bus Museum Running Day, Newport Harbour, on 14 October 2001.
[photo copyright of Mike Ginger]
 
Information on all surviving Bristol LH's is available from The Bristol VR Enthusiasts' Society
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