Heritage Test Drive | Bristol VRT/SL3

[@joebutlersnr7017]

My favourite all-time bus , great to drive with a rock solid feel to it , fast as well , great for keeping on time , some drivers hated the semi automatic gear shift but that's because they didn't know how to use it properly , the best way was to short shift up with a short pause between , you could hang on to the gear longer with a longer pause if pushing for time , changing down was best done after letting the speed drop below 20 then if needed just a small blip on the accelerator to change , it could be difficult to blip because the pickup on the air driven pedal was very quick and easy to rev too high , snicking it at very low speed was also a good downshift .

[@robertp.wainman4094]

You sound a master of the SCG control - a well driven semi-automatic is a joy to behold!

[@joebutlersnr7017]

@@robertp.wainman4094 I loved semi auto buses , much better than automatic, I don't think many semi auto buses are in service these days.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

@@joebutlersnr7017 Agreed and a nice description. As a kid we'd often travel to London on United Bristol RELH's, driven by some - as you - true professionals - I loved imitating the sound of a semi-automatic changing gear and decided when I grew up and passed my test those drivers would be my role model. Relaxed, quick and safe, with a gearchange so smooth you couldn't feel it. To this day I try to drive to that style.

[@joebutlersnr7017]

@@robertp.wainman4094 I'm retired now and have been a caravaner for 13 years and the secret to good towing is the same as driving a bus , drive smooth, I always try to improve my driving, always try to brake and not get that little jolt when coming to a stop as I did when driving buses, no matter how hard you brake you can always back off the brakes at the last second just to stop that little jolt, keep testing yourself with little things like keeping your vehicle in between the white lines on the road instead of cutting over them , watch other drivers and it's amazing how many just ignore them , but on the other hand I'm ok with drivers on country roads who straight line roads as long as it's safe to do so , I do this myself and know it's sounds contradictory to what I've just said but it's all to do with smoothness,why keep a vehicle swinging from side to side on a bendy road if you can straighten it out ? But it must be done safely, if other road users are around then don't do it it's that simple, I love driving and I know I can always improve even after over 50 years of it , my first love is motorcycles and I always think that they make the best drivers even though I don't ride anymore after another motorcycle rider hit me head on riding on wrong side of the road , minus one leg and ending my bus driving career ( maybe not all bikers make good drivers after all ) man I got carried away a bit didn't I ? Hahaha.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

@@joebutlersnr7017 Couldn't agree with you more! I'ts always a pleasure (and a relief!) when you're in a vehicle driven by someone who cares about the quality of the ride for their passengers. I'm sure like me, you can tell a 'good driver' within seconds of them setting off. Your comment about braking is so true - I do just the same. I think when someone loves driving as us, they are really 'in tune' with their vehicle and bring out the best in it. I remember the chief mechanic for racing driver Jim Clark, who was known for being particularly 'light' on his cars, yet very quick - saying how he could tell a JC engine when stripped down as it had so little wear compared to the others in the team. Don't you think there was something about the 'music' from the Bristol transmission that added to the smooth relaxed ride, especially when it clicked into it's 'contented' top gear. Very sorry to hear of your accident - especially given the circumstances, but hope you'll be enjoying life travelling with the caravan in this Spring weather! I know just what you mean about being quick when it's safe and controlled. Anyway, sorry for my ramblings - but it's always good to meet someone on the same wavelength. Cheers!

[@BritishRail60062]

Saw this in the CBW mag just recently. Looks great overall.

[@None-zc5vg]

I'm not into buses but I'd like to know if it would ever have been possible to modify the basic, 'standard' VR(T)/E.C.W. combo. to meet the modern wheelchair-accessible/ low-floor specifications ?

[@metamorphosis9793]

Jesus who’s been caining the hell out of those tyres on the kerbs?!

[@stevesales4263]

Looking at these comments is rather interesting. I drove VR's on service back in the mid 70's. Great buses to drive, (although some of the early ones had heavy steering), easy to drive but required continual effort and practise to drive well. Not sure I agree about letting the speed drop below 20mph changing down. On the flat yes, but on an incline I found it better to change at a speed that matched the top rev range. That way they would hold their speed and then, if necessary, rather than revving the nuts off them just back off the revs slightly to maintain the best sustained sensible speed. I think this is one of the best examples of very decent driving: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKDPh3p3j6mVfJY

[@cannadineboxill-harris2983]

Thank You Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very much for the suggestion, I Prefer to ride on any of the Leyland Titan B15 Buses if they are Being Repaired into the exact Colour Patterns as I would Love it and Needed it to be Please Oh by the way Like I said before are you Definitely Sure that you Will find a nice fresh shiny Leyland Titan B15s and Repaint them to the Exact Same Pattern Colours just like the original Scania Grey Green which was in the North London and East London bus route's such as 125, 20, 141, 275, 24, 66, 167, 168, 313 and also the bus route 103, if you will like to find about 17 Leyland Titan B15's so they can be Re-used for the North London Bus Route which is the London Bus route 41 for all of us Blue Triangle and Grey Green Leyland Titan B15 Bus Lovers out there Please? oh, could you also Please Repaint them in the Exact Grey Green, Blue Triangle Bus colours for all of us Grey Green Leyland Titan B15 Bus lovers out there Pretty Please? because it will be Very Very Very Very Interesting Buses to see them Repainted to a Grey Green, Blue Triangle Colours Is Because I am such a Big Fan of all of us Grey Green, Blue Triangle Leyland Titan B15 Bus lovers Please Thank You Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very much for your time, help and support? 😉😉😄👍😅👏👏😅👍😉👏😉😅

[@simonfrmgb]

Weird layout of this bus.normally,the single door buses had the staircase behind the drivers cab.double door ones had the staircase in the centre.never seen one like this before

[@drumlinbeatpaul]

Good spot, Simon. This bus started life as dual-door - must have had the centre door removed at some point to shove in some extra seats. This video gives a better idea of what the bus would have looked like earlier in its life: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pX24e6icosqshqM.

[@cornishadz]

I remember one of these with a similar reg to this being in Penzance when in service

[@jamesfrench7299]

Can we track down the criminals who did that.

[@paulwilson3083]

Is this bus Leyland powered?.

[@43155]

Gardner

[@drumlinbeatpaul]

A lot of these 1976 VRs had Leyland engines fitted from new, but I think many were converted to the standard Gardner units later on.

[@cidertom5140]

@@drumlinbeatpaul this is Gardner power. My dad used too drive RE with Gardner 6lxb and a much lower idle

[@Jimbo-gi7xn]

I don't like the wheel trims..I don't think they're befitting of a vehicle that age Also that indicator buzzer is annoying and unnecessary

[@michaelkeen5010]

Last in Stagecoach stripes livery.

[@HaiderHaider-kk1dz]

باصات برستول ولايلند الانكليزي ليش ماتصنعوه بريطاني من جديد

[@jamesfrench7299]

Don't like the livery, don't like the red velour seating, don't like the yellow grab rails, it should be declared a crime the centre doors were filled in (how idiotic -as if the UK don't have too many single door mobile caves already) and a British bus should never have Euro wheel nut guard rings.