The Low,
or High relates to the chassis height forward of
the rear axle, the chassis of the RELL and RESL are ramped
upwards from the front, allowing a shallow entrance, whereas
the RELH chassis is almost level, giving a higher floor,
mainly used for coaches.
The first
REs delivered were of the series 1 RELH type, with manual
gearboxes and Gardner 6HLX engines. The first entered
service in November 1963, with the remainder following
in March, May, June & July 1964.
Fleetnumbers carried were 2115 to
2134
The bodywork
was of the classic ECW coach type, and they seated 45.
They were used principally on the Bristol Greyhound service
to London, and also on the Associated Motorways network
of express services throughout England and Wales.
In the early 1970s, they were replaced
by more up-to-date vehicles, and were sold on to Western
National, who continued to use them on express services
for a few years.
Regrettably, none are thought to
survive.
Next to appear,
were some Leyland 0.680 engined semi-automatic gearbox
series 1s (unique for the series 1 chassis). Numbered
2041 to 2047, they featured narrow two leaf folding doors
and T-type destination layouts (again unique for that
type of body). Principally, they were used on longer distance
country services, and also the occasional express duty.
In the late 1970s, they were (officially) relegated to
bus work, and were renumbered 2436 to 2442. None survive.
These were
followed almost immediately by the first series 2 RELH-4
examples, carrying the same body style as 2041 to 2047,
but with the shorter wheelbase. Numbered 2048 to 2053,
they were used on the same duties as the earlier series
one batch. As with other relegated REs, 2048 & 2049
later became 2443 & 2444. There are no survivors.
Also delivered
at this time were numbers 2151 to 2156, to the same layout
as 2048 to 2053, but used for the Bristol Greyhound service
and Associated Motorways work. They, too were later relegated,
though not for purely bus work. Their new numbers became
2079 to 2084, none survive.
In June 1967,
the first of a very long line of RELL-3 buses were delivered,
eventually numbered 1000 to 1340.
They had differing frontal styles as follows:- 1000 to
1103 had flat shallow windscreens with T-type destination
layout and all opening windows were sliders; 1104 to 1108
were flat fronted, tall windscreened, but with reversed
destination layout and the standard slider / hopper window
arrangement; 1109 to 1135 (I believe) had two leaf exit
doors; 1136 to 1156 had 4 leaf exit doors (slightly narrower
than the entrance doors); 1157 to 1165 had twin headlamp
flat fronts. All RELLs from 1166 had the curved front
body style with twin headlamps, although for some reason
1337 had single headlamps from at least 1979. RELLs 1298
to 1340 had deeper one-piece fronts with no bottom skirt.
RELLs were delivered at a steady
rate, of which no less than 152 were of the 44 seat dual-door
layout for the Bristol Joint Services fleet in the City
of Bristol, including a batch of 14 RELL6Gs diverted from
Western National, and 4 RELL6Ls diverted from Western
Welsh.
Bath,
Cheltenham and Gloucester depots also received some 44
seat REs, the majority of the other RELLs delivered were
single door 53 or 50 seaters for the country area depots.
Some earlier 53 seat examples from Bath, Cheltenham and
Gloucester were similarly converted to 44 seat dual-door
layout from 1969. As
a result of service revisions in the early 1980s, the
dual doored REs were withdrawn rapidly, their duties being
taken over in the most part by Bristol VR or Leyland Olympian
double deckers; this led to several dual-doored REs being
converted to 50 seat single door buses, a reversal of
what happened 12 or so years earlier! These were more
often than not to out live their sister dual-door REs,
working out of country area depots. Ironically, amidst
the heavy withdrawal programme, three were acquired from
Cumberland Motor Services in late 1983, entering service
in March 1984 at Bristol Marlborough Street depot. These
were numbered 1260 to 1262, (the native 1260 to 1262 had
long since been scrapped), and were 53 seat REs with 5
speed gear boxes and single headlamp fronts.
Happily,
RELLs 1000, 1003, 1071, 1119, 1212, 1222, 1257, 1260,
1262, 1272, 1292, 1317, 1325, 1330 & 1335 are preserved.
In June 1969,
5 more RELH-4s arrived, this time carrying bus style bodywork.
Numbered 2054 to 2058, these had the flat front, tall
windscreen, and twin headlamp body style. Their destinations
were also reversed in layout. These were followed in June
& July 1970 by 2059 to 2068, which had curved front
bodies (with two leaf doors), 2161 to 2163 (Plaxton Panorama
Elite 2 RELH6Gs diverted from Western National) in May
1972, and 2069 to 2078 which arrived in July 1972. This
last batch of 10 had the normal four leaf doors. 2161
& 2162 were later demoted to local coach status, and
were renumbered 2089 & 2090.
There are
two of these later RELHs preserved, numbers 2062, and
2073.
The last
type to appear was the 43 seat RESL, the first 15 were
RESL-5s, numbered 500 to 514 with flat front bodies, which
arrived July 1969. These were followed by RESL-8s, numbered
515 to 530. These had curved front bodywork, with revised
pillar spacing giving equal length windows throughout.
They arrived in three batches, from September 1970 until
May 1972.
There are
one of each type of RESL preserved, numbers 508, &
516.
Finally,
in 1983 and 1985, a batch of 9 RELH-4s were purchased
from Eastern National. Numbered 2079 to 2086, and 2091,
these included the celebrity refurbished ECW RE coach
VHK 177L (2079), and 8 Plaxton Panorama Elite 2 and 3
bodied examples. VHK 177L is preserved, along with 2084
& 2086 of the Plaxton examples.
Click HERE
for a Bristol Omnibus Company RE fleet list. I hope to
add further information, including withdrawal dates, and
disposal details in due course.
If you can
help with any updates or corrections, please email me
at "we1330@lycos.co.uk". Thankyou.
