KHW309E - A Magnificent Bristol RELL, Loud and Proud with a Magnificent Sound!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ต.ค. 2021
- Another day, another time I get lucky and drive a Bristol RE, with a Leyland 680 under the floor. Days don't get much better, especially when they're unexpected like this was.
Much thanks go to Mike Ede of the Stroud RE Group for allowing me to take this fine machine out. I hope I drove her suitably well, I no passengers to complain so who knows?!!
Now all this Covid nonsense is almost at an end, I'm hoping to get a few more videos done. So, if you own a classic bus, and you don't mind me having a go, I'll happily film it. Semi-auto, pre-select, crash or synchro, I can drive it appropriately.
More next time! - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 71 วันนี้!! คู่เอก "ทรงชัยน้อย vs รักษ์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_AGPnq2p6Js/mqdefault.jpg)
A pedantic point perhaps, but one I'll gladly be judged by: not only is it a very fine bus making very lovely noises, but the dude at the controls is a REALLY good driver, who is in total sympathy with the gearbox. He changes gear at the optimum moment, AND he knows how to smooth over the changes: this is a lost art! He does brake a tad late for my liking, but then again, on the rare occasions when I still turn out, I mostly do Private Hire, so of course I always have half an eye on my tip!
This good gentleman is in a different position. He's trying to follow another bus, which is always a white-knuckle ride. There's never been a more lethal phrase in the English language than: "Don't you worry, lad, I'll not leave you behind."
The accurate translation of that phrase is: "Ha ha ha, my bus is faster than yours, and I'll prove it by losing you on the M6 half-way to Blackpool!"
I wouldn't lend my own car to my father or my sister, because they're such violent drivers who subject their gearboxes to horrendous ritual abuse; but if this dude needed a car, I'd lend him mine willingly (not that he'd want it, because it's crummy old Ford Focus and clearly beneath his dignity!).
So anyway: we all like the Bristol RE, obviously, but let's also take a moment here to salute a gentleman who actually knows how to drive one.
Wow, this has to be the best comment on one of my videos, ever!
Yes, it was me driving, and having the time of my life. As always, and within the vehicles capabilities, I drive how I like to be driven. So, fairly hard at times, but not abusing it. I've had so many rides on preserved buses where the driver hasn't done the bus justice, I feel its my calling in life to do my best to entertain whoever is interested enough to watch.
And, on a related note, I've had many a journey where I've had to 'keep up' with the vehicle in front, sometimes a very difficult task to achieve, and stay within the law...
Plus, there's nothing wrong with a Ford Focus, the Mk1 in particular is a very underrated machine.
Thanks again for your comment, much appreciated!
@@scatmancraig1974 Thank you ,the comment is much appreciated, as I know my stuff, when driving Carmel is she a 4- speed RE Service Bus?.
Lets not forget his braking which is outstanding! smooooooooth operator
You can smell the characteristic smell of those, the upholstery and the green rexine (and probably the residue from years of cigarette smoke), and the other characteristics of any Bristol/ECW product - crashing over bumps and the rattling windows - well in evidence too 😀
That's an epic comment.
That combination of smells and sensations wouldn't be out of place in a premium fragrance house.
Eau De Bristol Tabac Fume.😁🤗
Having grown up among Lodekkas I always saw these as modern buses with their semi auto boxes. Didn't realise until i was an adult that they had mechanical handbrake and no power steering. Classic SCG gear whine sounding like 100mph at 30, (always needed an extra gear), though ours were Gardner powered and i agree totally different engine sound. I love old buses and trains, they have so much more character!
That is one of the best sounds on a bus I love to hear. The whine and the roar combined together and being driven like a king. I love this video and thanks for posting. I rode many Alexander Y-Type buses on the Bristol RELL chassis in my childhood and East Lancs LAeyland Atlanteans from 1974/1975 which are just as fun hearing those babies growl like a beast on the Motorway.
I rode on these buses when I was a kid, going to stay with my Grandmother. I have so many memories flooding back now! Thank you
2:38 doors flew open then closed, part from that do like the sound of these classics. Still remember growing up with this sound.!!
I have happy memories of these Bristols doing the Bradford Chester Street to Ilkley and to Otley.
Took me back to those great times of driving these with "Not in Service" on the destination screen! 😀
I took my Psv test in a Bristol no power steering with a crash box enjoyed every minute of it
This is the bus, then in Cheltenham District Traction OMO livery, that brought my wife to the church in Cheltenham in July 1982 for our wedding and took us away afterwards. We were both members of Cheltenham Bus Preservation Group and contributed towards the purchase of the vehicle from Bristol Omnibus on condition that we could use it on our big day.
Fantastic sound. Unlike the junk on the roads today.
You're dead right. Love the sounds of these traditional big engined buses from the 60s and 70s. No substitute for cubic inches!!
@@mickb6285 I like the Leyland National 1 engine, as my moniker suggests. My favourite bus engine manufacturer from this era though is Gardner.
Wonderful acoustics from this beautiful RE 😍
Just wonderful. What a magnificent whine from the transmission. Brings back so many memories. Superb.👍
Superb piece of driving sir, making it sing with our bursting it's backside, a lot of folk are scared to, great stuff!
Ah, the great engine sound of the RE.
Loud and Proud and Stroud a ring to it don't you think
♡
Leyland 0680 😊
Use to to on them to school and the MW,s also the Nationals when I was a Kid
I remember when Ribble got their first batch of the double doored variant then the single doored. Everyone wanted to ride the double doored because you could ring the bell and a little sign would illuminate 'Bus stopping.' Ribble did disable the exterior 'Bus stopping' sign on the read for some reason. I think they also bought a short wheelbase version as well?
Oh man loving these vids! been watching a few lately that loudest bristol one earlier, some great buses :D love the leyland tigers, the bristols - this one was a real pleasure to watch :D
That Bristol with that Beautifully sounding Leyland engine. ,WOW!!! You can really appreciate the power of it. & It sounds so smooth aswell.
Awesome! Ain't seen a bus thrown around like that in years. Damn, them mofos could MOVE.
Quite a journey! Good thing that you had a path-finder!
I remember Ribble using these on a circular where I lived, C1 + C2, I can still remember the lovely noise, some had a centre door that opened outwards.
We had Alexander bodied RELL's in Lincoln, similar to the 30 that North Western had, but with Leyland engines. They were utterly fantastic machines. If you search through my videos, there's a few of me driving UVL873M, which is the only survivor.
Fantastic Craig... driven like a legend as always. Mike is a legend as well.. he let me drive JMW about a few hours after meeting me. I am keeping my licence purely to drive 2062 when it is ready to go on the road ! It is the one RE I want to drive before I hand in my PCV !
I'd only met Mike (Ede) a few hours before driving KHW, and this was after I'd already driven on of Mike Ellis's VR's to the Stroud event. I actually drove KHW and JMW back to back during the day, we swapped buses when i got out of the cab of KHW. Sadly, there wasn't much time to set the camera up in JMW, and the camera mount came loose after only a couple of minutes. It was another fine bys, but i preferred KHW out of the two of them.
Am I the only one who thinks these magnificent Bristol RELL single deckers should always be painted in red? Obviously it’s because I grew up with red Ribble liveried ones but that green one in front just looks weird. Great video though and the best bus ever, the only one I’d put on par with it is the Leyland National but hey! Everyone’s mileage varies 🙂
Like listening to a fine orchestra. Thanks for sharing, Craig
You'll struggle to find a better sounding bus than a properly sorted 680 powered RE!
Great sound! Although this bus service time was before my time, I do remember travelling on buses with a similar sound when I was younger, growing up in a Welsh village the local company ran a pair of R reg Duple bodied Leyland Leopards and we regularily travelled on them.
The sound was very similar to the ones we travelled on.
You looked like you were wrestling with that steering wheel often trying to keep up with the bus in front!😁
Thanks for sharing the video.
I have ridden on C & G's 1000 which is based at the Wythall Bus Museum that is a beast too like this one also has the Leyland 0.680 engine. Great video of a great bus
Some RE,s had a Gardner engine
I don't travel on buses very often but remember a Gloucester to Bristol journey on a RELL in the 1980s, don't know which one.
As well as being fascinated by the mellifluous whine, leaf vinyl interiors and the back seat cigarette "STUBBER"s of the standard NBC ECW RE, as a kid, I always wondered why white porcelain dinner plates adorned the ceilings of these wonderful buses. I realised that they were air vents by the time I was 8, but by then it was too late; the boring beige and orange interiors of National 2s had taken over.
Well said!
As a small child, before I got into buses, Nationals sounded to me as if they were stridently asking "Wh-e-r-e!?"
She sounds magnificent
I live in Stroud, great to see this.
Remember when they had re,s as well as MW,s in Stroud
Loud and Proud and Stroud LOL
I used to go to and from Secondary School on one of these…
I can remember these old buses and glad that the side seats are no longer allowed
Craig, that's superb!.
It is a rather fine machine. I must catch up with yours again one day. Not been on it for a few years.
@@scatmancraig1974 She's not as good as 1003 by a long mile!.
Epic!
Remembered them at Brentwood with Eastern National in the 70’s with their green plastic seats, they weren’t a great ride, the ticket machine and door by the driver rattled, never thought the bus was attractive to look at.
Well, I'm sorry, but somebody has to say it..."What a lovely pair of Bristol's".
Sound nice too.
I'll get my coat...lol.
Oh Matron 😂
@@idealjohn Lol.
Seemed like the one you was driving took the hills better, love the videos from closer to the front. Very nice
KHW309E has lower gearing than JMW169P in front, so goes up hills pretty well.
Has that got a Leyland 0.680 engine in her?
@@carwynowen8709 yes if it says g then it’s Gardner l for leyland
Brilliant Craig I wonder where you learnt to drive an RE how it should be driven.
Remember travelling on these buses in Hartlepool, when I was a postman in the late 70s. I think Hartlepool had a big fleet of them.
Hartlepool were one of the last original operators of RE's, they did have quite a few of them, almost all dual door ones like in the video too.
@@scatmancraig1974 Thanks Craig, I think one of them has been preserved in working order
Sounds different from the Leopard despite being the same engine type. Transmission sound like on the Bristol VRT; I remember these and Hulley's REs as a child.
Sounds so different to the Gardner engine ones I used to ride on as a kid! You looked like you were having to work hard to drive it!
Not especially. Although the steering doesn't have power assistance, it's comparitively light. I was having a lot of fun driving this!
The lead vehicle, JMW 169P, was bought new by Swindon Corporation Transport, trading under Thamesdown Transport.
It was a dp... dual purpose... With coach style seats and was a regular on services 28, 29, 30, 31 and, I think 32.
It used to pull like a train and, with the 5 speed box 'made good progress', +.
TT had five RE's, JMW 166P to 170P.
Fleet numbers followed the reg number, so 169P was fleet 169.
Wasn't 170 the last RE built? Also didn't either Tim or Simon Jennings own KHW at one point?
The last RE built was BXI2600 for Ulsterbus in 1983. That particular bus was destroyed in the "troubles", the penultimate RE, BXI2599, survives and is restored.
JMW170P was definitely one of the last UK supplied RE's if not the last. There were are few other P registered RE's delivered elsewhere too.
The 1st buses I drove on service were RESL and RELL. They were 5 speed constant mesh with Gardner engines. Much smoother than the Leyland engines and good for 75mph (SL) or about 65mph (LL) As an aside, your mirror work needs a bit more action. You were ignoring the N/S opposite mirror checks which leaves you wide open to unseen vehicles cutting you up from the near side.
No Bristol never fitted a 5-speed constant mesh box with a direct 5th, manual box REs were 4 speed with overdrive 5th on a dog leg, with synchromesh on 2nd,3rd,4th, Ask Alan Townsin .
@@basiltaylor8910 Wrong! Southdown Motor Services had short RE's fleet numbers in the 200 series and long RE's in the 400 fleet numbers. I drove 221,224, 226, 228, 230-234, 238, 239 plus others that I can't recall. I also frequently drove 438, 439, 441 448 and 449 plus others less frequently. I can assure you that they were fitted with 5 speed constant mesh boxes. Some later dual door RE's I drove were semi-automatic, noisy and uncomfortable.
Please check your facts a bit more thoroughly, I know what vehicles I drove on service and furthermore, I know what vehicles I used to train drivers, from Lodekkas, Queen Marys, Bristol K, Bristol VRLeyland Leopard (manual and semi, buses and coaches), Tiger, Royal Tiger, Dennis Javelin and various Dart, Scania Omnideckker, Omnitown and Omnicity, Mercedes Citaro including the Bendibus.
I drove many others on service including AEC Reliance, Ford 6 speed manual coaches, 5 speed crash, synchro and Chinese Seddon, 6 speed Seddon and various Volvo/Daf, Daimler Fleetline and Leyland Atlantean, National (semi and fully auto) and Lynx and Tridents, various Bedford including Val.
I know what, when and how I've driven or taught on all these buses.
@@basiltaylor8910 I've just dug out some info about Southdown Bristol RE , from the Southdown enthusiasts club, 1968 issue, part 33. Written by Alan Lambert. I quote:
"Having hitherto avoided the purchase of rear-engined vehicles, Southdown's large order for forty medium-size saloons on the Bristol chassis (cars 210 to 249 : KIJF 210-249F) came as something of a surprise, having never bought any chassis from that manufacturer previously.
Nonetheless, coupled with the trusted Gardner engine these buses proved to be quite capable vehicles that could been seen throughout the network, particularly on short in-town services and on more lightly trafficked rural routes.
In an article in the Southdown Chronicle it was said of the forty new single-deck vehicles that "the chassis was a complete departure from the companies previous standard and the first (post-war) rear-engined vehicles to be used in the fleet.
The RESL chassis are 30ft l inch long, fitted with Gardner 6HLW engine at the rear which drives a 5-speed constant-mesh gear box. There are no 'angle drives" on the chassis, power being transmitted from the engine via a (power assisted) friction clutch and a Hardy Spicer shaft to the 5-speed box, which is Bristol designed.
From the gear box, power passes to the double-reduction rear axle, which has a drop centre unit. As the clutch is some distance behind the driver's cab, air/power assistance has been fitted to the linkage to ease the operation by the driver."
I believe that this configuration was quite rare. They also had 4th to neutral and back to the right for 5th gear. Reverse was across to the left and forwards, where the unwary would catch fingers between the gear knob and Almex bracket knob.
The REll were 36' long, fleet numbers 430-449 on NUF(430-449)G plates and similare constant mesh gearboxes.
Carmel,s got her voice back, a new dress in NBC Poppy Red 1974 ,and a spirited performer, roarty ,680 Leyland twirling a screaming 4-speed SCG box perfect for bouncing decibels off the walls, love 680 RE,s too bits.
That would be 5 speed
@@cidertom5140 Er reality check, all service RE,s owned by BOC were 4-speed, if you get a chance to ride Carmel, look at her gear selector, yes cats& she is a 4 speed,. . SCG boxes supplied to Bristol Commercial Vehicles started out as a 5 speed ,but in service RE,s operated by BOC had one gear locked out so the box worked as a 4-speed. Only the DP,s and Coaches had the full 5 speed SCG box, figure it out Richard Osman. Yes RE,s owned by other operators such as Cumberland specified a 5 speed SCG box for their service bus RE,s, with the BET windscreen.
@@basiltaylor8910 so I was right Thankyou you let yourself in for that one by giving me information - nice one!!!! Hahaha. What do you mean by cats?
@@cidertom5140 I meant cats&kittens she is a 4-speed, as you might have guessed BOC never operated service RE,s with 5 speed SCG boxes. And yes point taken other operators of RE service buses specified 5 speed boxes, but not BOC!!!!.
@@basiltaylor8910 it wasn’t a point
Kudos for the HTV West ident sig tune
I'm trying to pick the appropriate ident for the area the bus was from. I wasn't sure if Cheltenham was HTV West or not?
@@scatmancraig1974 Not sure, to be honest.
Either HTV West or Central.Wikipedia says this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITV_Wales_%26_West
Probably lucky enough to have both, it seems
It depended which transmitter you were tuned in to. Both were available
@@robsly8904 A bit like where I live in Lincoln, where you can get either Yorkshire or Central.
HTV Ident sting :)
Loud and Proud and Stroud LOL
Wasn't the centre door controlled from what would normally be the crawler position on the gear selector?
That I can't remember, as I never used the centre door when I drove it. I've driven another RE (UVL873M), where the front door is controlled by the top left position on the gear selector, but I can't remember if that's also the case on this RE.
Very quick and back then buses didn't weigh much. Imagine how quick it would accelerate if the crawler wasn't locked off.
Crawler? Not sure what you mean.
@@scatmancraig1974 I thought the 4 speed semi auto's were 5 speed but with gears moved along.
No, they are either 4 or 5 speed, different gearboxes. It's the diff ratio that will make the biggest difference to acceleration. For example, KHW309E is quite low geared so around 45 flat out in 4th. The Lincoln RELL's were also 680 powered and 4-speed, but would do nearly 70 flat out, thanks to having a much higher ratio diff.
Driving her like a thing possessed. Take her steady, lower revs she’s an old girl.
@@cidertom5140 Most were driven like that back in the day.
HTV music at the beginning. A Bristol thing?
Excuse me , I rode these RE Marshalls as a small child with my mother ,s when new in 1968, with the manual box, .I still stick to my opinion they were synchromesh ,ask Alan Townshin author of the 'Bristol Story part One', the reason is Bristol used straight toothed gear sets ,like AEC at Southall, in their D 162 4-Speed Manual Synchro Box fitted to late model Regent 5,s and Regal 4,s with straight toothed gearsets, that sounded like a crash box . Like AEC, Bristol were among the first manufacturers offering a sychromesh box in the early 50,s, in a bus or coach, at first with the LS Light Saloon. Said gearsets used in Manual Box REs is exactly the same as the Light Saloons and MW,s ,with altered ratios. Back axle is in fact derived from a Bristol Lodekka unit, with two stage spur gear reduction, with offset spiral bevel diff. Like a mark one BMC Mini drive from the main box is taken via a one to one transfer box, similar to the drop box fitted on Lodekka,s with the 4-5 speed manual box, via a short prop shaft to the back axle, no angle box required. As you stated Southdown, like Ribble was all Leyland but in 1968 Leyland bought a half interest in Bristol Commercial Vehicles, allowing companies owned by British Electric Traction to buy Bristol products on the open market, same goes for Ribble who bought similar RE,s with Leyland 680s and SCG semi auto boxes clothed by Eastern Coachworks. Southdown bought RE,s instead of Leyland Panther Cubs because of their superior reliability and handling. Ribble also bought REs clothed by Marshalls as their body and trim shops were familiar with that maker, used extensively on their Leyland Leopards. Can you confirm Southdown specified their RE,s with constant mesh boxes, as a special order,?. Some what odd ,as their graceful , Queen Mary, Leyland PD3 Titans clothed by Northern Counties were synchromesh ,their earlier PD2,s were constant mesh, i know having rode both as said small child in the late 1960,s.
LFS125???
Suspension or the seeming lack of it was always a minus for me concerning Bristol products.....
But not so the wonderfully riding air suspended RELH!
Oooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh Music
Bristol re the bus equivalent of a 37 train....
Newcastle was re city busways bravo...all gone
That blue car that cut you off & had the ORDASITY!!! to drive like a old man or woman braking at 15mph ,😮 or what seems like it.
Must had been a real downgrade going from quiet electric trolly buses to this racket 🤷🏽♂️. I love the sound of an old diesel and transmission whine but was this progress in cities.
Unpopular comment but very good point to non bus people who likely won't ever watch this.
New ev buses are quiet but sound boring compared to older diesel buses
shame it only got 4 foreword gears
They really don't need any more than that. If you drive one with the 5-speed box, you hardly ever need 1st.
It could do with a slightly higher diff ratio though.
@@scatmancraig1974 should have been over drive 5th instead of crawler 1st unless you want to go up the side of a building!
Helmet,nasty aggressive driving
What's the fun if you going to idle or around?
As long as it's fully warmed up. I'm sure they were treated far worse in service. This guy knows what he's doing.
I used to piss off the drivers by flicking the gear switch when they weren't looking.