Bristol VRT Double Deck Buses

Model Bus Zone Fotopic Gallery

7th October 2005

The EFE VRT can be produced as either a mark II or mark III version this is achieved by using different castings for the front grille and engine compartment.
The closed top versions were the first to appear with the mark II making it's debut in December 1995 followed in March 1996 by the mark III.
The Open top versions both share the same top deck casting with the first issue of mark III coming in April 1997 followed by the mark II in July 1998.

185xx Bristol VRT Series 2 Open Top Double Deck Bus
186xx Bristol VRT Series 3 Open Top Double Deck Bus
203xx Bristol VRT Series 2 Double Deck Bus
204xx Bristol VRT Series 3 Double Deck Bus

The Bristol Commercial Vehicle Company developed the VR rear engine design in the mid 1960's. The first VR's were however somewhat trouble some, the in-line vertical engine proving a major problem. Thankfully these VRL's were soon replaced by a more reliable transverse engine version which was classified the VRT.
The VRT was produced in three versions, the mark I that had a flat windscreen, the mark II that featured a curved windscreen, and the most popular mark III version that featured a redesigned radiator grille and rear engine cover.

Bristol VRT's were the standardized double deck type for most operators within the National Bus Company, however examples of the type also found favour with several municipal operators.
Almost all the VRT's were bodied by Eastern Coach Works, although some operators specified small batches with body designs by other builders.

Convertible open top versions of the ECW bodied VRT were popular with several National Bus Company operators who operated coastal services. Southdown had several batches of such vehicles that operated seasonal open top services during the summer period, and then had the roofs re-fitted during the winter months allowing operation of normal services.

18501 - Southern National 862x510 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18502 - Eastern Counties 853x498 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18601 South Wales 844x516 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18602 - Wilts & Dorset (Route 152) 865x504 2005-10-07 00:00:00
18603 - East Yorkshire 916x549 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18604 - Crosville 904x564 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18605 - First Provincial 1012x672 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18606 - Cumberland 1012x672 2005-10-07 00:00:00
18607 Stagecoach Devon General 1033x693 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18608 - Southdown (Route 3B) 1045x684 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18608A - Southdown (Route X16) 2003 Southsea Rally 1279x870 2005-10-07 00:00:00	18609 - The Village Bus Co (Southern Vectis) 1033x675 2005-10-07 00:00:00
18610 - New Forest Tour (Solent Blue Line) 1200x682 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20301 - East Yorkshire 910x597 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20302 - Bristol 901x591 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20303 - Southdown (Route X71) 895x597 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20304 - Greater Manchester Transport 904x600 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20305 - West Yorkshire 901x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20305DL -York City & District (Deluxe Series) 901x600 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20306 SELNEC Cheshire (Route 90) 904x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20306DL - SELNEC Cheshire (Route 381) Deluxe Series 1006x711 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20401 - Badgerline 907x597 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20402 - United 895x597 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20403 Devon General 907x603 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20404 - East Kent 910x600 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20405 - Northern 901x600 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20406 - Cambus 895x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20406SB - Cambus (1996 Showbus Rally) 898x600 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20407 - Crosville Cymru 904x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20408 - Eastern Counties 907x606 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20409 Southern Vectis 907x600 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20410 - Southdown (Part of set 99912) 1003x681 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20411- Western National 919x600 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20412 - Eastern National (Route 72B) 913x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20413 - Great Yarmouth 910x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20414 Hedingham & District 904x591 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20415 - Blue Bus 901x606 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20415SB - Blue Bus (1998 Showbus Rally) 898x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20416 - Maidstone & District 907x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20417A-GS - Aldershot & District (Alder Vally - Route 443) Part of Modelzone set 99916A) 1027x708 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20417GS - Aldershot & District (Alder Vally - Route 444) Part of Model Collector set 99916) 1018x702 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20418 - Wallace Arnold (Viscount Bus & Coach) 910x597 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20419 - Ensignbus 922x594 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20420 - United Tyne & Wear 1018x723 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20421 - Wilts & Dorset (Route 132) 1021x717 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20422 - Southern National 1036x708 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20424 - Mayne of Manchester 1024x705 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20424 - Stagecoach United Counties 1021x702 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20425 - Wilts & Dorset (Route 3) 1063x729 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20426 - Eastern National (Route 193) 973x690 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20427 - West Riding 1045x732 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20428 - Southend Transport 1033x747 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20429 - Solent Blue Line 1000x714 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20430 - Northumbria 1237x936 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20431 - Brighton & Hove 1264x951 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20432 - Devon General (Route 120) 1225x912 2005-10-07 00:00:00
20432A - Devon General (EFE Subscribers Special) 1201x713 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20433 - Alder Valley (Route 34) 1126x843 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20433DL - Alder Valley (Route 292) Deluxe Series 1276x873 2005-10-07 00:00:00	20435 - Eastern National (Route 103) 1189x852 2005-10-07 00:00:00