| The rear-engined bus was nothing new, but when Bristol set about building it they worked closely with their main bodybuilder, Eastern Coach Works (ECW) to avoid the sort of problems that were to cause problems for other builders - flexing and cracking of the body and the chassis.
The first vehicles to be produced were coaches called the RELH, with 19-foot wheelbases (later 18ft 6in). The bus versions came in two basic types - the longer RELL, and the shorter RESL. Their launch brought Bristol back to the Motor Shows, and to a wider customer base than simply the state-owned Tilling (and later BET) groups. They were so successful that they ran in large numbers in Ireland and Australia, with a variety of bodies other than just ECW. By today's standards they were not that low, but the fourth letter indicated whether they were low floored or high-floored. |
1000 (KHW 306E) has been restored to this condition in preservation, but for much of its life it ran as a B44D conversion in the red and cream OPO livery of Cheltenham District 640x425 052.129_155.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
1001 640x432 Blank200.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
1002 (KHW 308E) in Cheltenham District colours as delivered with single door 640x425 052.110_98.jpg 1969-01-22 00:00:00 |
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1003 (KHW 309E) in Cheltenham District OMO livery (ijn those days there was no political correctness!) working the local 587 service to Hatherley 640x425 052.477_204.jpg 1973-01-01 00:00:00 |
1004 (LAE 339E) leaves Gloucester on the 530 semi-fast service to Bristol 640x425 052.189_142.jpg 1969-12-10 00:00:00 |
1005 (LAE 340E) in Cardiff buss station ready to return to bristol on the 301 Severn Bridge service in 1969 640x404 052.119_172.jpg 1969-01-01 00:00:00 |
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1006 (LAE 341E) runs into Gloucester on the scenic 526 from Bristol via Wotton-under-Edge 640x457 052.431_71.jpg 1967-06-01 00:00:00 |
1006 (LAE 341E) runs through Longlevens on the 547 service to Churchdown and Cheltenham 640x425 052.413_189.jpg 1969-01-01 00:00:00 |
1007 (LAE 342E) wearing Gloucester City fleetnames 640x425 052.041_51.jpg 1967-08-01 00:00:00 |
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1007 (LAE 342E) wearing Gloucester City fleetnames 640x425 052.042_51.jpg 1967-08-01 00:00:00 |
1007 (LAE 342E) wearing Gloucester City fleetnames 640x423 052.043_51.jpg 1967-08-01 00:00:00 |
1007 (LAE 342E) wearing Gloucester City fleetnames 640x351 052.045_51.jpg 1967-08-01 00:00:00 |
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1007 (LAE 342E) wearing Gloucester City fleetnames as it passes the Trustee Savings Bank in Barton Street 640x425 052.049_51.jpg 1967-08-01 00:00:00 |
1007 (LAE 342E) wearing Gloucester City fleetnames follows one of Gloucester's Green Goddess fire engines along Barton Street during the carnival 640x423 052.051_51.jpg 1967-08-01 00:00:00 |
1007 (LAE 342E) wearing Gloucester City fleetnames passes the Barton Street signalbox in Gloucester 640x332 052.044_51.jpg 1967-08-01 00:00:00 |
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1007 (LAE 342E) wearing Gloucester City fleetnames to introduce the new generation of singledeckers to Gloucester: the vehicle was borrowed for the Gloucester Carnival 640x425 052.040_51.jpg 1967-08-01 00:00:00 |
1008 (LAE 343E) in Bath colours 640x425 052.255_121.jpg 1970-05-18 00:00:00 |
1009 (LAE 344E) drops the last passengers from the 542 service in Cheltenham's Royal Wells bus station 640x431 052.128_108.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
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1010 (LAE 345E) 640x428 052.430_71.jpg 1967-06-01 00:00:00 |
1010 (LAE 345E) being assisted by a heavily-disguised AEC Matador 640x415 052.428_108.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
1010 (LAE 345E) is towed away after breaking down in Cheltenham Road, Gloucester 640x415 052.429_108.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
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1010 (LAE 345E) on the 548 alternative route from Gloucester through Churchdown to Cheltenham 640x425 052.038_58.jpg 1968-04-03 00:00:00 |
1011/12 640x425 Blank201.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
1013 (LAE 348E) in Bristol 640x425 052.021_51.jpg 1967-08-03 00:00:00 |
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1013 (LAE 348E) in Cheltenham on the 542 to Tewkesbury 640x425 052.132_108.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
1014 (LAE 349E) prepares to leave for Swindon on the 562 service from Cheltenham's bus station 640x415 052.133_108.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
1015 640x425 Blank202.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
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1016 (LAE 351E) with the framework of the Bristol Omnibus headquarters taking shape at Lawrence Hill 640x423 052.154_158.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1017 640x425 Blank203.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
1018 (MAE 21F) 640x425 052.165_114.jpg 1969-08-05 00:00:00 |
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1018 (MAE 21F) on the Bath services 11 route to Larkhall 640x425 052.120_94.jpg 1969-01-01 00:00:00 |
1019 (MAE 22F) 319x480 052.256_121.jpg 1970-05-18 00:00:00 |
1020 (MAE 23F) 640x425 052.170_112.jpg 1969-08-05 00:00:00 |
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1021 (MAE 24F) 640x425 052.166_112.jpg 1969-08-05 00:00:00 |
1022 (MAE 25F) 640x425 052.160_114.jpg 1969-08-05 00:00:00 |
1023 640x425 Blank204.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
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1024 (MAE 27F) 640x425 052.152_106.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1024 (MAE 27F) 640x425 052.153_106.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1025 640x425 Blank205.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
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1026 (MAE 29F) 640x425 052.150_106.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1026 (MAE 29F) 640x425 052.151_106.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1027 (MAE 30F) 640x415 052.229_146.jpg 1970-01-31 00:00:00 |
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1028 (MAE 31F) in Marlborough Street, Bristol bus station 640x399 052.121_172.jpg 1969-01-01 00:00:00 |
1029 640x425 Blank206.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
1030 (MAE 33F) waits in Cheltenham for the long run back to Bristol on the 529 service through Gloucester, Berkeley and Thornbury 640x423 052.134_107.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
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1031 (MAE 34F) arrives in Marlborough Street bus station 640x425 052.242_120.jpg 1970-05-18 00:00:00 |
1031 (MAE 34F), also working the 529 from Cheltenham 640x425 052.171_111.jpg 1969-07-04 00:00:00 |
1032 (MAE 151F) has a bleakly empty load - apart from its driver and conductor - on this 318 working to Chipping Sodbury 640x439 052.228_146.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
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1032 (MAE 151F) heads out of Bristol busstation, bound for Frome on the 367 service 640x425 052.148_106.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1033 640x425 Blank207.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
1034 (MAE 153F) in Berkeley where, it is reputed, the screams of the dying King Richard II could be clearly heard from the castle. It is working the semi-fast 530 service to Bristol 640x425 052.230_167.jpg 0000-00-00 00:00:00 |
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1035 (MAE 154F) sideloads in Bristol bus station for the 376 service to Wrington 640x425 052.056_57.jpg 0000-00-00 00:00:00 |
1036 (MAE 155F) readies for another run to Tewkesbury 640x415 052.480_204.jpg 1973-01-01 00:00:00 |
1037 (MHW 846F) on a wet May day in Cheltenham bus station 640x425 052.136_108.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
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1037 (MHW 846F) works the 539 service to Beckford from Gloucester bus station 640x421 052.556_255.jpg 1981-10-01 00:00:00 |
1038-39 640x425 Blank208.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
1040 (MHW 849F) passes the debris of the old shops that omnce surrounded St James' church in Bristol. 640x392 052.243_120.jpg 1970-05-18 00:00:00 |
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1041 (MHW 850F) picks its way through the bus station in Bristol where work to make an extra line of bays is under way 640x425 052.057_57.jpg 1967-01-01 00:00:00 |
1042 (MHW 841F) - luggage pen 319x480 052.147_101.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1042 (MHW 841F) - luggage pen, newly provided at Lawrence Hill central works as part of the conversion of the vehicle to two-door ocnfiguration 317x480 052.146_101.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
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1042 (MHW 841F) being converted to dual doorway configuration at Lawrence Hill 317x480 052.138_158.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1042 (MHW 841F) being converted to two-door 323x480 052.144_101.jpg 1969-05-21 00:00:00 |
1043 (MHW 842F) in single-door configuration weeks before conversion to a two-door vehicle, wearing Cheltenham District colours 640x423 052.135_108.jpg 1969-05-19 00:00:00 |
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1044 - Gloucester City G1044 (MHW 843F) 640x428 052.063_79.jpg 1968-02-09 00:00:00 |
1044 - Gloucester City G1044 (MHW 843F) 640x425 052.095_68.jpg 1968-03-16 00:00:00 |
1045 - Gloucester City G1045 (MHW 844F) 640x420 052.285_157.jpg 1970-09-08 00:00:00 |
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1046 - Gloucester City G1046 640x421 052.470_200.jpg 1972-01-01 00:00:00 |
1046 - Gloucester City G1046 (MHW 845F) 640x428 052.058_79.jpg 1967-01-01 00:00:00 |
1046 - Gloucester City G1046 (MHW 845F) 640x425 052.085_130.jpg 1968-06-07 00:00:00 |
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1046 - Gloucester City G1046 (NHW 845F) 640x425 052.286_139.jpg 1970-09-08 00:00:00 |
1047 (MHW 851F) 640x421 052.055_57.jpg 1967-01-01 00:00:00 |
1047 (MHW 851F) 640x431 052.168_112.jpg 1969-08-05 00:00:00 |
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1048 (MHW 852F) - the final Bristol OC passenger from Ross-on-Wye. awaits the final departure from Ross-on-Wye. The former joint route would be transferred to National Welsh, and its successor, Stagecoach 640x445 052.454_198.jpg 1972-01-01 00:00:00 |
1049 (MHW 853F) was working Bristol City service 11 to Shirehampton as it passed the Marlborough Street bus station in Bristol centre 640x425 052.169_114.jpg 1969-08-05 00:00:00 |
1050 (MHW 854F) 640x413 052.240_120.jpg 1970-05-08 00:00:00 |
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1051 (MHW 855F) 640x425 052.116_99.jpg 1969-01-22 00:00:00 |
1052-53 640x425 Blank209.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
1054 (MHW 858F) 640x425 052.039_58.jpg 1968-04-03 00:00:00 |
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1055 - Gloucester City G1055 (MHW 859F) 640x425 052.188_141.jpg 1969-12-12 00:00:00 |
1055 - Gloucester City G1055 (MHW 859F) in King's Square, Gloucester. two dys before all traffic was barred 640x349 052.343_177.jpg 1971-02-26 00:00:00 |
1285 (EHU 382K), a Bristol RELL6L/ECW saloon on the ICI Fibres contract from Brockworth's former Gloster Aircraft Factory site 640x421 052.471_203.jpg 1977-01-01 00:00:00 |
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Unidentified Bristol RELL6L/ECW 640x425 scan0016_112.jpg 1999-11-30 00:00:00 |
