South West Bus News
Preserved NDL637M
Information provided by Nigel Harris
Statistics
Southern Vectis 637 / Solent Blue Line 37
Bristol VRT/SL2/6G
Eastern Coach Works H39/30F
04/07/73 - Chassis delivered from Bristol to E.C.W.
05/10/73 - Completed Bus delivered from Lowestoft
11/10/73 - 1st Registered
Chassis No. - SL/2/598
Body Number - 20579
Height - 13' 8 and a half"
Length - 30' 8 and a half"
Width - 8' 2 and a half"
Unladen Weight - 8,924Kg
Cost New - £11,975
History
As a 'Tilling' Company, Southern Vectis standardised on the Bristol VRT as soon as it became available in 1969 when a pair of series 1 buses were purchased, followed by six series 2 models with Mk 1 style bodywork. 20 curved windscreen series 2 buses entered the fleet in 1972 – 1975 including 637 which was in the 1973 delivery of nine. These were all in the National Bus Company’s standard livery of leaf green with diamond white relief which had been introduced in the previous year. When new, these VRs were precluded from use on the Company’s busiest route (16, Ryde – Shanklin – Blackgang) by a low railway bridge at Morton Common, Sandown, until the road was lowered in 1976. S.V.O.C’s VRs were usually worked from Newport Depot on either Ryde – Cowes crew duties or one – man routes although 637 was eventually allocated to Ryde.
A major improvement was the fitting of power steering in 1984.
Soon after privatisation 637 was one of the vehicles chosen to inaugurate a new mainland operation – Musterphantom Limited (t/a Solent Blue Line) – in Southampton from May 1987. It worked initially from the Anglesea Terrace competing against Southampton Citybus on three city routes and had been painted in the – yellow / light blue / mid blue - colour scheme of Solent Blue Line. After the takeover of Hampshire Southampton operations, NDL 637M (by now fleet number 37) worked farther afield and was often found on the Waterside routes to Hythe, Fawley or Langley. Urban operating conditions were much more arduous than those 637 had experienced on the Island (which sometimes included a period of winter lay – up) and most of the S.B.L. VRs were sold for scrap.
NDL 637M however was withdrawn and sold in May 1989 to Taylor of Sutton Scotney, north of Winchester. Painted – dark green / orange / cream – the bus was used on school contracts until August 1995 when it passed to Steele (t/a Home James) at Totton. Although repainted in white with red and yellow relief it only stayed with that operator until February 1996 when it was acquired by Crowther (Classic Bus) of Booker, near High Wycombe. It was again used on weekday schools work but at weekends could often be found on London area rail replacement duties.
After being stored in July 1999 it was acquired by Richard Newman for preservation from February 2000 and soon after swapped its white livery for S.B.L. colours, applied at Hampshire Body & Paint, Barton Park. It was loaned to Newbus (t/a Westbrook Travel) on the Island from May 2001 but was not used during the 2002 season. It made the long journey to Worksop for engine attention at Johnson Brothers Tours, returning in autumn 2003 to the Island for preservation as representative of the pioneer Blue Line Fleet. From January 2006 the bus has been owned by Richard Newman & Nigel Harris.
The original 5 speed gearbox was replaced with a 4 speed type some years back and it also has a later Gardiner LXB engine. It is the last survivor of the 'M' registered Batch of Bristol VRs supplied to S.V.O.C.
Photo's taken 19/04/09 - further Solent Blue Line information available by clicking here (page under development, contributions welcome).
