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.

Contrasting rears : BN331 vs BN373

Double-deck Types

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