Yes - as a kid going to school I'd dream of travelling on an RELH.....instead of the reality - a noisy little Bedford with garish Plaxton or Duple bodywork. Had to wait for holidays from Yorkshire to London to experience the 'real thing'!
@@robertp.wainman4094 if you think a bedford is noisy try a greyhound for noise - they have the GM Detroit screamer in them.j haven’t been on one but omg. Growl wrap scream !!!!
The mellifluous relaxed sound of the ultimate long distance coach! RE whine perfectly matches it's beautiful design - in a word - 'smooth!' Every aspect of this coach is so well considered, proportioned and balanced, it oozes power, trust and reliability - yet exudes an air of warmth, comfort and friendliness, a coach you know will care for you! I can't think of any vehicle I would prefer to spend the hours and the miles travelling in, nestled in the supreme comfort of it's elegant seats with their perfect back, neck and head support, gliding on it's (if fitted) air suspension whilst listening to the glorious transmission and masterful Gardner engine talking their way up through the gears until it finally clicks into the contented whine of 5th, where it will stay for hours on end, occasionally enhanced by the little 'sigh' exhalation of compressed air. No vehicle has ever been produced that synchronises so many of the essential elements of relaxed travel as the RELH. I've long thought that a Bristol RELH ECW mk1 deserves to be displayed in either the Design or Science Museum not only as a piece of British passenger transport design many years ahead of it's time, but also for it's perfect aesthetic and aural delights. There again, the RE's design essence and of course spiritual home, is to cruise the motorway - so it is there where it truly belongs! I would love to know if any one person at ECW can take credit for the RE mk1 design? If so he/she deserves to be celebrated. I've always had a suspicion that BR incorporated much of it's design elements into their later mk2 air conditioned carriages.
Robert P. Wainman, what a marvellous comment to accompany the wonderful sound of the Gardner engine and Bristol gearbox. Well written and captured the very essence of the vehicle, like that large under stressed motor effortlessly pulling the coach along in such style. I travelled a lot from London to the Midlands in the early 80s on National Express Leopards, a lovely sounding vehicle, but rather more frenetic, particularly while pushing 80mph in the fast lane of the M6! What a treat it would have been to travel on an RE. Anyway, great post.
sean sands, yes from the video it looks very long legged, I don’t what the mph per 1,000m in top is, but the Gardner is certainly not working very hard and moving quite swiftly.
Chris Davies bristol didn’t make the gearbox , self change did if it’s semi-auto similar to the ones fitted in the fleetline leopard tiger Titan national and a few other coaches buses and double deckers.however manual gearboxes were available for re but have never come across one.
Exceptional, thank-you: perhaps the best Express Service Coach ever made. Shame on the thugs that caused the end of both Bristol Commercial Vehicle works at Brislington and ECW at Loeestoft. Vandals they.
Hell, I love the sound of an RE. It brings back so many memories and 1403 is sounding so good and healthy now. I've got to say it, probably the best Bristol RE sound effects anywhere!
WOW , WOW , WOW, a manual box RE Coach ,one of a handful roadworthy , i remember as an eight year old riding one of Southdown Motor Services Bristol RELL6G,s with a Marshall Body and that GORGEOUS Five speed manual box. She sings like Julie Andrews on weed, in essence a PROPER COACH, not like the volvo caetano crap .in the 1950,s60,s Bristol, like AEC, Crossley ,and Leyland fitted synchromesh boxes on some of their bus and coach chassis. CVL,s box if i am right ,is a four speed Spaceship (Bristol LS-MW) Gear Cluster with a lever operated overdrive fifth gear, re geared to suit the bigger 10,5 litre Gardner 6LX , with an inbuilt one to one transfer box taking the drive to the Lodekka type drop centre back axle. Siynchromesh fitted to second third ,and direct fourth, even with synchro ,a Bristol Box is a handful, Spaceship Drivers have muscles like Geof Capes in order to change gear on an overloaded five pot Spaceship 5HLW on Stroud,s fearsome hills. CVL,s driver would have an easier time bombing up and down the motorway on Lincoln London service. Put her in overdrive fifth and let one hundred fifty Patricroft ponies take the strain.
Yeah.. i was brought up on West Yorkshire Bristols as a kid in the 60s and 70s. Earliest Bristol RE memory was in fact one of the first RELH6Gs delivered to United Automobile Services running on the London Leeds and Newcastle service. This was September 1965 .. sitting close to back of the coach with mum and brother. Students on rear seat suddenly noticed smoke coming up from engine floor trap. We diverted to United Counties Stamford garage for a check up. Subsequently became a big RELL6G fan, even building a 1/12 scale model when I was 14 years old in 1969.. ironically in a fantasy livery "Harrogate and District" which is the Transdev company that ultimately took over the West Yorkshire Harrogate based routes many decades later.
Apart from a handful, all Southdown Bristol RE's were constant mesh 5 speed manuals. Driven properly they were superb to drive, so I always, where possible, chose what I knew to be a good one rather than one of the Leopards. However, a bus that was less well maintained, as from Haywards Heath depot, could be a nightmare.
No, all 1-5-3-6-2-4. Cylinder capacity on a Gardner 6HLX and 6HLXB are both 10.45 litres but the LXB was more powerful due to fuel pump, crankshaft and cylinder head changes. Some Bristol REs had Leyland engines fitted, which was their O.680 model with 11.1 litre capacity.
I remember going to Wales on one of these from Liverpool as a child. Loved the sound then and the look.
Yes - as a kid going to school I'd dream of travelling on an RELH.....instead of the reality - a noisy little Bedford with garish Plaxton or Duple bodywork.
Had to wait for holidays from Yorkshire to London to experience the 'real thing'!
@@robertp.wainman4094 if you think a bedford is noisy try a greyhound for noise - they have the GM Detroit screamer in them.j haven’t been on one but omg. Growl wrap scream !!!!
They were quit modern
@@robertp.wainman4094 They use them for normal services on the long roots out of Stroud
@@cidertom5140Yes - but in my opinion at least.....the 2 stroke screamers have a 'better' sound.
The mellifluous relaxed sound of the ultimate long distance coach! RE whine perfectly matches it's beautiful design - in a word - 'smooth!'
Every aspect of this coach is so well considered, proportioned and balanced, it oozes power, trust and reliability - yet exudes an air of warmth, comfort and friendliness, a coach you know will care for you! I can't think of any vehicle I would prefer to spend the hours and the miles travelling in, nestled in the supreme comfort of it's elegant seats with their perfect back, neck and head support, gliding on it's (if fitted) air suspension whilst listening to the glorious transmission and masterful Gardner engine talking their way up through the gears until it finally clicks into the contented whine of 5th, where it will stay for hours on end, occasionally enhanced by the little 'sigh' exhalation of compressed air. No vehicle has ever been produced that synchronises so many of the essential elements of relaxed travel as the RELH. I've long thought that a Bristol RELH ECW mk1 deserves to be displayed in either the Design or Science Museum not only as a piece of British passenger transport design many years ahead of it's time, but also for it's perfect aesthetic and aural delights. There again, the RE's design essence and of course spiritual home, is to cruise the motorway - so it is there where it truly belongs!
I would love to know if any one person at ECW can take credit for the RE mk1 design? If so he/she deserves to be celebrated. I've always had a suspicion that BR incorporated much of it's design elements into their later mk2 air conditioned carriages.
Robert P. Wainman, what a marvellous comment to accompany the wonderful sound of the Gardner engine and Bristol gearbox. Well written and captured the very essence of the vehicle, like that large under stressed motor effortlessly pulling the coach along in such style.
I travelled a lot from London to the Midlands in the early 80s on National Express Leopards, a lovely sounding vehicle, but rather more frenetic, particularly while pushing 80mph in the fast lane of the M6! What a treat it would have been to travel on an RE.
Anyway, great post.
@@drchrisdavies2941 Re,s They where quick ass well even the bus type off Re,s where quick
sean sands, yes from the video it looks very long legged, I don’t what the mph per 1,000m in top is, but the Gardner is certainly not working very hard and moving quite swiftly.
@@drchrisdavies2941
Thanks Chris!
Chris Davies bristol didn’t make the gearbox , self change did if it’s semi-auto similar to the ones fitted in the fleetline leopard tiger Titan national and a few other coaches buses and double deckers.however manual gearboxes were available for re but have never come across one.
Exceptional, thank-you: perhaps the best Express Service Coach ever made.
Shame on the thugs that caused the end of both Bristol Commercial Vehicle works at Brislington and ECW at Loeestoft.
Vandals they.
I totally agree!
They were even better than the Germans, treason has been committed we make nothing now
That's one of the most tuneful Bristol RE's I've ever heard - sounds well healthy 🙂👍👏👏👏👏👏
Hell, I love the sound of an RE. It brings back so many memories and 1403 is sounding so good and healthy now. I've got to say it, probably the best Bristol RE sound effects anywhere!
What a gorgeous machine! Certainly don't them like these anymore
WOW , WOW , WOW, a manual box RE Coach ,one of a handful roadworthy , i remember as an eight year old riding one of Southdown Motor Services Bristol RELL6G,s with a Marshall Body and that GORGEOUS Five speed manual box. She sings like Julie Andrews on weed, in essence a PROPER COACH, not like the volvo caetano crap .in the 1950,s60,s Bristol, like AEC, Crossley ,and Leyland fitted synchromesh boxes on some of their bus and coach chassis. CVL,s box if i am right ,is a four speed Spaceship (Bristol LS-MW) Gear Cluster with a lever operated overdrive fifth gear, re geared to suit the bigger 10,5 litre Gardner 6LX , with an inbuilt one to one transfer box taking the drive to the Lodekka type drop centre back axle. Siynchromesh fitted to second third ,and direct fourth, even with synchro ,a Bristol Box is a handful, Spaceship Drivers have muscles like Geof Capes in order to change gear on an overloaded five pot Spaceship 5HLW on Stroud,s fearsome hills. CVL,s driver would have an easier time bombing up and down the motorway on Lincoln London service. Put her in overdrive fifth and let one hundred fifty Patricroft ponies take the strain.
Great comment!
Yeah.. i was brought up on West Yorkshire Bristols as a kid in the 60s and 70s. Earliest Bristol RE memory was in fact one of the first RELH6Gs delivered to United Automobile Services running on the London Leeds and Newcastle service. This was September 1965 .. sitting close to back of the coach with mum and brother. Students on rear seat suddenly noticed smoke coming up from engine floor trap. We diverted to United Counties Stamford garage for a check up. Subsequently became a big RELL6G fan, even building a 1/12 scale model when I was 14 years old in 1969.. ironically in a fantasy livery "Harrogate and District" which is the Transdev company that ultimately took over the West Yorkshire Harrogate based routes many decades later.
They can cope with the Stroud big hills remember going to school on them up the hills
She can't sing like a semi-auto!!
Apart from a handful, all Southdown Bristol RE's were constant mesh 5 speed manuals. Driven properly they were superb to drive, so I always, where possible, chose what I knew to be a good one rather than one of the Leopards. However, a bus that was less well maintained, as from Haywards Heath depot, could be a nightmare.
Wish my car's gearbox sounded like this 😔
Looks like a great cruiser and fairly quiet too. It doesn't bark.
more refined version
Hasn’t got the leyland engine in.
She is a Gardner, they tend to be less vocal than a 680 Leyland, unless you are HDV676E for a Gardner she is an animal.
Just wandered if there's a different firing order for the different engines and fuel metering and engine size
No, all 1-5-3-6-2-4. Cylinder capacity on a Gardner 6HLX and 6HLXB are both 10.45 litres but the LXB was more powerful due to fuel pump, crankshaft and cylinder head changes. Some Bristol REs had Leyland engines fitted, which was their O.680 model with 11.1 litre capacity.
@@jp4712 thanks very much.
Have to say the leyland 680 is a different beast altogether.
@@cidertom5140 In a good way.....or mixed?
@@robertp.wainman4094 that leyland bark is awesome in a good way
shame this bus is more gearbox sound than anything, cant appreciate the throaty bark of the gardner engine as much
it's the drop centre rear axle, with straight cut gears, not the box
Does that apply to the semi auto's too?