25-518: The Bristol VR was a rear-engined double-decker bus chassis which was manufactured by Bristol Commercial Vehicles as a competitor to the Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline . The Bristol VR was originally designed for single-deck or double-deck bodywork. The design featured a longitudinal mounted engine set behind the rear offside wheels, rather than the more typical transverse layout. A choice of Gardner 6LX or 6LW engines or
50-407: A VR for a summertime open-top tour of Llandudno and Conwy . The chassis code of a Bristol VR is very logical, and reveals a lot of information regarding the vehicle. The format is VRw/xxx/yyy, where w is the engine orientation (T or L: transverse or longitudinal, respectively. The prototype chassis carried an X here, i.e. VRX), xxx reflects the chassis details, and yyy the engine, e.g. VRT/SL3/6LXB
75-697: A new version, the VRT, with a more conventional transverse-engined layout. The chassis was only available as a double-decker. There was also a choice of two frame heights. The longitudinal mounted version remained, and became known as the VRL. However, in July 1968 the British government introduced a grant intended to modernise the British bus fleets , and speed-up the introduction of one-man operation. The standard specification for
100-741: A number of services that were previously operated by Kernow under different circumstances. First South West routes cover much of Cornwall. It operates the Park & Ride service in Truro . In March 2015, First Kernow commenced operating some of Western Greyhound following its sudden closure. Although the operator is named ‘First South West ’, it only operates minor services in Devon . Most services are based in Cornwall and Somerset . Many routes are operated commercially and not under any tender or subsidy by
125-971: Is a bus company operating services in the English counties of Somerset and Cornwall . It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup . First South West includes the Kernow , Truronian , Adventures by Bus and Buses of Somerset brands. First South West was known as 'First Devon & Cornwall' until 2015. This had been formed from two previous FirstGroup companies: Western National in Cornwall and south Devon, and Red Bus in north Devon. FirstGroup purchased independent Cornish operator Truronian in April 2008 and merged it into First Devon & Cornwall. First Somerset & Avon routes around Taunton and Bridgwater were transferred to First Devon & Cornwall in 2014 and rebranded as The Buses of Somerset . On 6 September 2015,
150-546: Is a short, low, Series 3 with a transverse Gardner 6LXB engine. The VRT/SL3/6LXB with ECW bodywork is the most common variant of the VR. The chassis types are as follows: Engines: Like most Bristol buses, most VRs were bodied by Eastern Coach Works . However, some were bodied by Alexander , East Lancs , Metro Cammell Weymann , Northern Counties and Willowbrook of Loughborough . Willowbrook bodied VRs for various customers like East Kent , Northern and Cardiff. Notable users of
175-662: The FirstGroup fleet, they are large fleets of Plaxton Presidents on Volvo B7TL and Dennis Trident 2 chassis, Plaxton Pointer on Dennis Dart chassis, Optare Solo's and Mercedes-Benz Citaros . Until December 2006 First South West operated the last sizeable fleet of Bristol VRT double-deck buses in the United Kingdom. Some of these Bristol VRTs were preserved. As at May 2019, the oldest buses are Dennis Trident 2/Plaxton Presidents from 1998 operating out of Bridgwater depot. A Volvo Olympian has been preserved in
200-678: The Leyland O.600 engine were to be available. The transmission was a semi-automatic unit by Self-Changing Gears . Originally intended to be designated the Bristol N-type, the chassis became known as the Bristol VR, an abbreviation for V ertical R ear, a reference to the layout of the engine. Two lengths were available, 32 ft 9 in (9.98 m) and 36 ft (11 m), and these were designated VRS and VRL respectively. A drop-centre rear axle and low frame were employed to keep
225-478: The Plymouth , Dartmouth and Tavistock garages were taken over by Stagecoach South West . Torpoint depot is being used to store the unused members of the fleet. At the same time, First Devon & Cornwall changed their name to First South West to reflect their new area of operation which is only in Cornwall and south Somerset. In January 2020, Cornwall Council awarded the entire tendered bus network within
250-414: The engine at the rear of the vehicle. The center of gravity of the engine itself is behind the rear axle. This is not to be confused with the center of gravity of the whole vehicle, as an imbalance of such proportions would make it impossible to keep the front wheels on the ground. Rear-engined vehicles almost always have a rear-wheel drive car layout , but some are four wheel drive . This layout has
275-416: The 14 ft 2 in (4.32 m) height allowed under later versions of the grant specification along with the 13 ft 10 in (4.22 m) convertible open-toppers for companies such as Hants & Dorset , Southdown and Devon General . [REDACTED] Media related to Bristol VR at Wikimedia Commons Rear-engine design In automobile design , a rear-engine design layout places
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#1732798193852300-853: The Series 3 VR, although with updates such as air suspension. The later Bristol VRs remained in service with many independent bus operators and some major bus companies across the United Kingdom until the late 2000s: East Yorkshire Motor Services , having amassed a total of 150 new and second-hand VRs, withdrew their last closed top examples in 2004; Wilts & Dorset withdrew their last examples in 2007, with some continuing operating until 2009 with subsidiary Damory Coaches , and First Devon & Cornwall withdrew their last closed top VRs in December 2006. First Hampshire & Dorset operated one VR on an open-top service between Weymouth and Portland Bill until September 2010, while Arriva Buses Wales operated
325-888: The VR outside of the National Bus Company (NBC) included the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive , who took 200 on MCW bodies in 1970s and Liverpool Corporation Transport/ Merseyside Transport , who together took approximately 120 in total all on East Lancs bodies in separate batches in the late 1960s and mid 1970s. Other large users included the Scottish Bus Group , independents such as A Mayne & Son , and municipal bus companies including Burnley & Pendle , Cleveland Transit , City of Cardiff , Lincoln City Transport , Northampton Transport , Reading Transport and Tayside Regional Council . The ECW body
350-437: The county to Plymouth Citybus , consisting of 73 routes. Kernow continues to operate their entire commercial network across Cornwall, including Tinner, University, Lizard and Coaster branded routes, as well as the 24, 27, 87 and 91. Commencing from May 2021, First South West launched a number of services under the 'Adventures by Bus' brand across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. These services are operated commercially and include
375-420: The engine to higher up, just below the top deck windows, connected to the engine compartment by trunking, plus the removal of the grilles from the rear engine compartment door. The short, lowheight version became the standard vehicle for the National Bus Company. The VRT remained in production until 1981, by which time 4,531 had been built. The Leyland Olympian , the successor to the VR, shared many similarities to
400-458: The fleet consisted of 296 buses and coaches. First South West used to operate one of the older FirstGroup fleets with an average of 11.6 years, but investment in new buses has seen this figure decrease to 9.9 years. New purchases were made in 2016 and 2018 for the Kernow division. These were ADL Enviro400 MMCs , ADL Enviro200 MMCs and Optare Solo SRs. Most buses are second hand from within
425-618: The following features: This layout was once popular in small, inexpensive cars and light commercial vehicles. Today most car makers have abandoned the layout although it does continue in some expensive cars, like the Porsche 911 . It is also used in some racing car applications, low-floor buses , some Type-D school buses , and microcars such as the Smart Fortwo . Some electric cars feature both rear and front motors, to drive all four wheels. First South West First South West
450-452: The grant required a transverse rear-engined vehicle, with the result that few VRLs were produced. The first production vehicles entered service with Eastern Scottish , a member of the Scottish Bus Group , in December 1968. Almost immediately, problems were experienced with the transmission and overheating of the engine, problems similar to those experienced by early versions of the Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline . A large number of
475-419: The height of the vehicle down. Two prototypes were built in spring 1966, and were shown at the 1966 Earls Court Motor Show. This was the first show at which Bristol could exhibit since 1948, their products being available to the open market again. The prototypes had 80-seat bodies by Eastern Coach Works (ECW) and entered service with Central SMT and Bristol Omnibus Company . In July 1967 Bristol introduced
500-550: The initial production versions entered service with the Scottish Bus Group. Continued reliability issues resulted in 1973 in the exchange, on a one-for-one basis, of 91 Bristol VRTs from Central SMT, Eastern Scottish and Western SMT for front-engined Bristol Lodekka FLF6Gs from the National Bus Company , a majority of these being sent from Eastern Counties . A revision of the vehicle, the Series 2,
525-569: The local council. Many of these fall within Cornwall, yet many other services are also operated commercially rather than under tenders such as the Adventures By Bus routes. First South West, trading as The Buses of Somerset , operated the Taunton Park & Ride service under a contract with Somerset Council signed in 2021. This was due to last for five years, however, First South West informed Somerset Council it no longer finds
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#1732798193852550-605: The route to be viable and ended its commitment in February 2024. The service was taken over by Stagecoach South West. In May 2021, the 'Adventures by Bus' brand commenced operations across First South West's service area, with operations shared between the existing Kernow and Buses of Somerset divisions. The brand includes many seasonally operated routes. These include; The Dartmoor Explorer, Lands End Coaster, Falmouth Coaster, Atlantic Coaster, and Exmoor Coaster services. Many of these services operate using open-top vehicles across
575-421: The summer season. The Atlantic Coaster, and Lands End Coaster services operate on routes previously operated by Kernow . Adventures by Bus services operate out of multiple depots and outstations across the service area, all of which are owned and operated by either Kernow or Buses of Somerset . Adventures by Bus brought First services back to Devon for the first time since September 2015. As at April 2019
600-801: Was distinctive for its rounded rear upper deck, a feature carried over from the ECW bodywork on the Bristol Lodekka and having its roots in ECW 's styling on the Bristol K-type in the 1940s. The vehicles were typically constructed in the two heights set in the bus grant standards, 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) and 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m), the latter mostly being bought by Bristol Omnibus , Ribble , Northern and Maidstone & District . Other versions were built, including 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m) for City of Oxford Motor Services and
625-399: Was introduced in 1970, with changes including a replacement of the single-piece wrap-around engine compartment door with a 3 piece version with a lift up rear section and swing out sides. In 1974, the Series 3 was introduced, with the main changes being to the engine compartment, to keep in line with new noise legislation. The most visible change was to move the ventilation grills from alongside
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