Central SMT

Double-Deckers : Bristol VR

Central's Bristol VRs are yet another example of a seemingly excellent double-decker that failed to find favour with the company. In this case, the dissatisfaction ran throughout the Scottish Bus Group and led to the famous VRT / Lodekka swap with the National Bus Company in England & Wales, in 1973. NBC must have thought that Santa had come early : a chance to do a one-for-one swap of modern, one-man-operable double-deckers in exchange for older, crew-operated models.

Central had a total of 21 Bristol VRs. The main batch of 20, BN357-376, were VRTs with transverse engines, similar to the Daimler Fleetline. They seated 77 - not quite as good as the BL class Lodekka FLF. The first VR, however (BN331) was a VRL, with longitudinal engine mounted in the rear offside corner. Its seating capacity was an impressive 80.

The BNs were numbered in a common series with the Lodekkas. Following the NBC swap, the incoming FLFs were numbered BE357-376, i.e. direct numerical replacements for the outgoing BNs.

BN331GGM431DBristol VRX6GECW H45/35Fnew 1966 
 (Returned to Bristol, June 1970)
BN357NGM157GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN358NGM158GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Alder Valley )
BN359NGM159GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Alder Valley)
BN360NGM160GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Alder Valley)
BN361NGM161GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Alder Valley)
BN362NGM162GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN363NGM163GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN364NGM164GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN365NGM165GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN366NGM166GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN367NGM167GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN368NGM168GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Southern Vectis)
BN369NGM169GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN370NGM170GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN371NGM171GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN372NGM172GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to United)
BN373NGM173GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Eastern Counties)
BN374NGM174GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to Sunderland District)
BN375NGM175GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to United)
BN376NGM176GBristol VRT-SL6GECW H43/34Fnew 1967 
 (Sold in 1973 to United)

Contrasting rears : BN331 vs BN373

Double-deck Types