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Bristol RE

The Bristol RE was a rear-engined single-decker bus or single-decker coach chassis built by Bristol Commercial Vehicles from 1962 until 1982. It is often considered the most successful of the first generation of rear-engined single-decker buses.

Variants
• RELL - long (36'), low frame (bus) • RESL - short, low frame (bus) • RELH - long (36'), high frame (coach or dual-purpose) • RESH - short, high frame (coach or dual-purpose; rare) • REMH - maximum length (12m), high frame (coach) These designations were suffixed by a code indicating the type of engine fitted: • 6G - 6-cylinder Gardner diesel (6HLX) • 6L - 6-cylinder Leyland diesel (O.600/O.680) What was to be the first production chassis (212.001) was changed to a pre-production model (number REX.003), with a coach body built by ECW but devoid of any seats and fittings. It was used by Bristol Commercial Vehicles at its Brislington Experimental Shop for a few years. It was fitted and ran with a horizontal version of the contemporary Bristol BVW engine, and also fitted with a turbo-charger. Later the Gardner engine was refitted, the body completed and sold to West Yorkshire as their fleet number CRG1 OWT241E. The most popular model was the RELL, with 2,839 constructed; there were 976 of the RELH model and 698 RESL. The two least successful models were the REMH, with 105 sold to just three customers, and the RESH with 11 built for four customers. A sixth model, designated REML, was advertised from 1968 but none was built. This would have had the wheelbase of the REMH but a low frame suitable for a bus body. ==Customers==
Customers
Of the 4,629 Bristol REs built, 3,242 were sold to subsidiaries of the NBC and its predecessor groups, THC and BET; 148 were sold to members of the Scottish Bus Group; 405 to British municipalities and PTEs; and 834 to other operators. The biggest customers were: Bristol Omnibus Company (439); Crosville Motor Services (288); Ulsterbus/Citybus (620); United Automobile Services (470); West Yorkshire Road Car Company (259). ==References==
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