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RAME BEER AND BUSES 2024 PROGRAM HISTORICAL CHAPTER
THE BRISTOL VR ON THE RAME PENINSULA
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The Western National group were the largest operator of the Bristol VR in the U.K with a total of 244 brought new between 1969 and 1981. Several secondhand examples were added to the fleet in the 1980s and 1990s.
The first VRs didn't arrive at Torpoint depot until 1983. These were early flat windscreen versions for Torpoint school contracts
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1. Three of these early examples are senn at rest at Torpoint depot in 1984
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Throughout the 1980s services from the Rame Peninsula to Plymouth via the Torpoint ferry were in the hands of a fleet of secondhand Leyland Nationals painted in two tone blue advertising the "FerryBus"
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2. National 2889 JOX 523P is seen pausing at Freathy, Whitsand Bay
Before the end of the 1980s, a number of Bristol VRs were drafted in to replace the Leyland National on the FerryBus service. These were all from the 1981 batch 1197 - 1203 LFJ 841W - LFJ 847W.
The familiar Green livery of WN carried since its creation in 1929 was slowly been ousted for a garish livery of white with blue red yellow stripes, known as the "Bird's Custard" livery
3. 1201 LFJ 845W is seen at the route 81 Cremyll terminus during the late 80s in this livery
By 1993 the Torpoint allocation was augments by 5 new 33 seat Mecedes Benz 811d mini-buses. All of which were given Cornish girls names.
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4. 345 K345 ORL was given the name Kerenza and is seen at Cremyll. Alongside VR 1200 LFJ 844W which is out of service having just failed, awaiting recovery from the Plymouth depot via the Torpoint ferry. 1200 is restored in this livery and based in south Devon
By 2000, Western National was a subsidiary of First group and the Bristol VR fleet were painted blue and white with corporate fleet names.
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5. 1198 LFJ 842W is seen in Aug 1998 arriving at Cawsand on its return trip to Plymouth
In 1999 1203 LFJ 847W was painted in traditional green and cream livery to celebrate 70 years since the creation of Western National omnibus company.
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6. By 2003 seen leaving Cawsand, 1203's livery had certainly lost its sheen.
7. Sept 2002 and 1237 BEP 966V is seen travelling around Millbrook creek on the 81B service to Cremyll. Sadly services don't come this way anymore, now travelling direct over the top via Maker to Cremyll.
I can vouch for the fun that was had at Millbrook creek spring high tides, where driving VRs in the sea, with water coming through the front doors and only metal delineators sticking up out the water to tell you where the edge of road was to stop you falling into the lake!!!
8. Sept 2002 and 1237 is seen returning to Plymouth, this time at Freathy. This vehicle was secondhand from south Wales and received the non-low floor first corporate livery in 2001
The Bristol VRs survived in Torpoint until Autumn 2005 when a fleet of low floor Dennis Trident in striking pink and mauve "Tamarlink" livery took over. Though this was a drawn out affair over many weeks. I recall the teething problems with the Tridents resulting in "withdrawn" VRs having to come back over several times on the ferry from Plymouth depot to stand in. This was because they were the only buses with the ability to fit on the prow of the Torpoint chain ferry. I was the last driver to have one in service, returning to Torpoint depot after an afternoon school run (possibly 1200?) A Plymouth depot shunter waiting to take it off me, one last time back over the river