Stagecoach West has marked the 50th birthday of its ‘pet’ Bristol VR double-decker bus that has remained on fleet strength of the Stagecoach group and its predecessors for those five decades.
The vehicle, which carries ECW bodywork that originally had two doors, was one of the first driver-only operated double-deckers to enter service in Cheltenham on 1 October 1975. It reached Stagecoach ownership during 1993. As well as Cheltenham, it has seen use with the group in Basingstoke, Stroud, Swindon and Winchester.
Noting how the bus plays “a cherished role in community events,” Stagecoach adds that across the weekend before its 50th birthday, the Bristol VR carried a wedding party and then provided a free shuttle service around Stroud to support the annual Five Valleys Walk to raise money for meningitis charities.
Stagecoach West Managing Director Chris Hanson says that the double-decker “represents not just a piece of transport history, but a living connection to the community. We are incredibly proud to still have it in our fleet, continuing to bring joy to people 50 years on.”
New with Leyland’s infamous fixed-head engine of the period, during the bus’s life that was replaced with a Gardner unit. Its centre exit was also removed, while multiple retrims and livery changes have been undertaken.
In 2020, the bus regained a commemorative Cheltenham District livery and returned to its original home, where it first entered service in National Bus Company green.
Accessibility requirements and emissions considerations mean that it is no longer suited for regular work – something that operator adds might also be hindered by its top speed of 40mph.
However, the bus has been used on Cheltenham Festival shuttles when resplendent in both Brian Souter-era Stagecoach livery and its current Cheltenham District scheme, proving that despite its advancing years, it is still capable of carrying full loads when called upon.
