Tribute to the Bristol VRT

You can probably tell from the following remark that I'm not a bus driver - however, one of my favourite buses of all time is the classic Bristol VRT with Eastern Coachworks body. For me, its a design classic up there with the RT and RM. Sadly, these vehicles are disappearing from the national scene although a number have been preserved.

See also Southbus Bristol VRT set on Flickr

Click on a thumbnail to see a larger image.

	Early Bristol VRTs had flat windscreens as demonstrated by this Eastern Counties example. VR381 (XAH381H) waits at Sea Palling, Norfolk in this early 1980s view. Photo: Christopher Chatfield
	East Bergholt in Constable Country, Autumn 1987 - and the teminus of Eastern Counties 94 service from Ipswich. VR244, a Bristol VRT 3/ECW is seen with an older stablemate (registered OCK990K) which was new to Ribble Motor Services. .
	Maidstone & District 5810 (PKE 810M), shortly after arriving from Speldhurst. This bus was last reported as being in the ownership of Johnson of Hodthorpe, Derbyshire - click here to see a photograph.
	Former Maidstone & District 3826 waits at Maidstone Queens Monument with a Bygone Buses journey to Senacre Wood via Shepway (duplicating M&D's service 85)
	East Kent 7677 in Maidstone High Street on a service 10 journey to Ashford in 1989.
	Southdown Bristol VRT wearing a special livery for the company's 75th anniversary at Amberley Chalk Pits Museum
	Thamesway 3105, new to Eastern National in 1991 seen at Debden Broadway with a service 20 journey to Walthamstow Central in Autumn 1990.
	Eastern Counties VR199 rests under a big Norfolk sky at Hunstanton Old Railway Station in August 1990. An unidentified United Counties VRT is alongside.
	Wilts & Dorset 3386 at Stonehenge, shortly after arriving from Salisbury in July 1991
	Wilts & Dorset also provided the vehicles for Guide Friday's Stonehenge tour in July 1991. JJT 446N is seen in the car park.
	Maidstone & District selected 5742 as their Silver Jubilee bus in 1977. This highbridge vehicle is seen at Brenchley Gardens, Maidstone in 1978, the silver jubilee logo being covered by additional adverts from the sponsor.
	ECW bodied Bristol VRTs look almost as good from the back as they do the front. M&D 5843 is seen at Maidstone Bus Station in December 1986.
	By December 1986, the 341 service from Sheerness was a Tuesday only operation serving Maidstone Market. The highbridge vehicle is seen on layover at Maidstone Bus Station.
	Survivor. 3078 is one of a handful of Bristol VRTs left in Colchester. It is seen at the bus station on 27 April 2002.
	Eastern Counties VR265 shows the reverse red cream livery favoured by the company prior to the introduction of First corporate colours. The bus is seen at Showbus 2004.
	A rear view of Eastern Counties VR333 at Showbus 2006.