Bristol RE

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Bristol
Bristol RE

Bristol RE

Bristol RE
Manufacturer Bristol Commercial Vehicles
design type Public bus
Production period 1962-1982
axes 2
length 9.1-12 m
width 2.5 m
Seats 32–53 depending on the structure
Previous model Bristol MW
successor Leyland National
Similar models AEC Swift
Leyland Leopard
Leyland Panther

The Bristol RE was a chassis for buses and coaches built by Bristol Commercial Vehicles in England . The type was built between 1962 and 1982. The type designation stood for R ear E ngined (rear engine). It was the successor to the Bristol MW . The buses built on this chassis were among the most successful types of the first generation of rear-engined buses.

The predecessor, the Bristol MW, was designed to meet the size restrictions in force in the UK at the time for buses 8 feet wide and 30 feet long. After lifting these restrictions, Bristol Commercial did not modify the chassis, but instead developed the rear-wheel drive successor, the Bristol RE. Initially, the bus was built only for the subsidiaries of the state holding company Transport Holding Company , which also included Bristol Commercial . After Leyland Motors acquired a 25% stake in Bristol Commercial in 1965, the bus was also procured by other, private operators. From 1972 onwards, sales to its main customer, the National Bus Company , which was the successor to the Transport Holding Company , began to decline. From 1976 the bus was only built for the two Northern Irish operators Citybus and Ulsterbus as well as for export to New Zealand after Leyland had released the National , which was supposed to replace all single-decker models used in the group.

On the chassis supplied by Bristol Commercial , superstructures from various coachbuilders were placed. This construction method was common at the time, as the superstructures could be better adapted to the wishes and ideas of the various bus line operators. The superstructures mostly came from the Eastern Coach Works (ECW), which were connected to Bristol Commercial through the joint holding company Transport Holding Company . A few buses also received bodies from other manufacturers. The buses built for Scottish operators traditionally got bodies from Walter Alexander Coachbuilders , here the M-Type, while the buses built for Northern Ireland were also traditionally equipped with bodies from the Alexander branch in Belfast . This is where the X-Type was used. The Panorama Elite from Plaxton was very popular with touring coaches , while the Commander design by Duple Coachbuilders was rarely found. Marshall also supplied some superstructures.

The chassis was built in a long and a short version. While the long version was 36 feet long and took full advantage of the length restrictions applicable at the time for two-axle buses, the short version with 30 feet was intended for routes with fewer passengers. It replaced the Bristol MW directly. After the size limit was raised to 12 m, Bristol Commercial released the maximum length . In addition to the length, the buses also differed in the floor height. While low-floor buses were used in city traffic, the versions with a higher floor were intended for the construction of coaches and multi-purpose buses. These multi- purpose buses, referred to as dual purpose in England , were relatively widespread at the time, as they could be used for regular services during the working week and for excursions at times of low traffic. The width of all buses was uniformly 2.5 m. In total, the following chassis designs were built:

  • RELL - l ong, l ow frame - long version, low-floor frame structure as a city bus
  • RESL - s hort, l ow frame - short version, low-floor frame, construction as a city bus
  • RELH - l ong, h igh frame - long version, high frame structure as travel and Mehrzweckbus
  • ASR - s s hort h igh frame - long version, high frame structure as coach
  • REMH - m aximum length (12m), h igh frame - longest embodiment, high frame structure as a coach for Express compounds

The bus was built as a coach with 32 to 49 seats, as a city bus with 35 to 53 seats and as a multi-purpose bus with up to 49 seats.

The Bristol MW was equipped with engines from Gardner and Leyland Motors . Six-cylinder diesel engines were used . Gardner supplied the 6HLX, Leyland the O.600 and O.680. The type designation received the suffix 6G for buses with Gardner engines and 6L for buses with Leyland engines. Although Bristol Commercial Vehicles was itself a major manufacturer of commercial vehicle engines , not a single bus was fitted with a Bristol engine. Only one prototype was experimentally fitted with a horizontally installed Bristol engine, but this was replaced by a diesel engine from Gardner before the bus was delivered. The buses intended for export to New Zealand received the O.510 also used in Leyland National . The engines were arranged lying in the stern. Although Bristol Commercial had offered the Bristol MW with air suspension from 1962 onwards , the RE again received conventional leaf springs. Overall, the RE had a simple structure, which, however, simplified operation and maintenance and thus contributed to the success of the bus. The handbrake was purely mechanical, while the Leyland Leopard already had a pneumatically assisted brake. There was also no power steering.

A total of 4629 buses were built, the RESH version with only 11 copies being the rarest version.

  • Bristol RE built as a city bus from ECW

  • Bristol RELL6G with Y-type body as a city bus from Alexander

  • Bristol RESL6G built as a Marshall city ​​bus

  • Bristol RESL6G built as a city bus from ECW

  • Bristol RESH6G with Commander body from Duple

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