Southdown was able to order Bristol chassis from 1968 when that marque came back to the open market – previously they had only been available to fully nationalised companies. This were changing as the national Bus Company was about to come to fruition. Within the industry at that time it was widely agreed that the RE series was the best amongst single-deckers with rear engines.
The initial batch in 1968 was using the shorter RESL model combined with Marshall bodywork (B43F). The second, the following year, was a little longer with the RELL once more with similar bodywork (B49F), and in 1970 there were a further ten RESL Marshall units back to the lower seating capacity (B43F). In the same year a batch of RESL dual door units were delivered with Eastern Coach Works bodies (B37+28D) which were added to the Brighton Hove & District fleet for one man operated (OMO) routes. Finally, in 1971 there were 3 RELL/ECW B50F vehicles, at the time the largest capacity single-deckers to join the Southdown fleet.
The changeover years….