OAX 9F

 A 1968 Bristol RELH with Leyland 600 engine & Eastern Coach Works body

Ruby's chassis was built by Bristol Commercial Vehicles. She's an RELH: Rear Engine Long High frame. Finished 16 Sept. 1967, the chassis cost £3,358.

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Ruby's engine was built by Leyland Motors in August 1967. It's a O.600 type, 9.8-litre, 6-cylinder, direct injection diesel. Producing 130bhp at 2,200rpm.

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Ruby's coachwork was hand-built at Eastern Coach Works, Lowestoft in January 1968. Finished on 10 February that year, the body cost £3,600 (old £/S/D).

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"The greatest pleasure of a Leyland-engine BRISTOL RE is the noise!"

How did Ruby's chassis travel the 250-miles from the Bristol Commercial Vehicles factory to Eastern Coach Works in Lowestoft?

Tens of thousands of new Bristol bus & coach chassis made this long road trip as their first run.

Yes, the chassis were actually driven (often overnight) by chaps who had little protection. Just a thin canvas in front of them & many layers of warm clothing!

The drivers were issued with leather caps, goggles & leather jackets. It must have been a bumpy, cold & noisy journey.

Photo by Oldbusman (flickr)

Luxury Travel, Sixties Style

Ruby's luxury interior had:

• 47 leather-trimmed seats*,
• arm rests, ashtrays & footrests*;
• individual fluorescent reading lights;
• forced-air ventilation;
• opening sky-lights;
• floor-mounted heaters;
• electric power doors;
• a red aisle carpet.

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           * Current spec has changed slightly during restoration.

From 1963 to 1970, Eastern Coach Works built 413 bodies on BRISTOL RELH chassis like Ruby.

View details of these coaches delivered new to each operator.

25 survive. 14 are restored & roadworthy. 

Initially, Ruby was based at Aberdare garage, but soon transferred to Tredegar, from where she worked for 11 years. She also worked periods from Chepstow & Monmouth.

From new Ruby wore the RED & WHITE coach livery of ivory & currant red. In 1974 she was painted into NATIONAL Bus Company all-over white. She was down-graded to a dual-purpose bus in 1979 & painted half poppy-red & half white.

Ruby mainly operated express coach services, day-tours, excursions & private hire duties. In later years she operated local limited-stop bus routes. During 15-years Ruby covered over 1-million miles. Between 1968 & 1983 a great deal of economic, industrial & social history took place.

Ruby was withdrawn by National Welsh in July 1983.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Mann (flickr)

RED & WHITE was a bus & coach operator (based in Chepstow). They ran a dense network of bus services across the Forest of Dean, Monmouthshire, the Glamorgan & Gwent valleys from 1929 to 1978.

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RED & WHITE were also main participants in the Associated Motorways express coach service consortium. Their coaches could be seen as far afield as Blackpool, Brighton, London, Nottingham & Paignton.

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RED & WHITE became a subsidiary of the NATIONAL  Bus Company on 1st January 1969. In April 1978 the fleet name disappeared (when National Welsh was created). The fleet name Red & White returned for a while in the 1990's.

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The chassis of our coach was completed in Sept. 1967, which was known as the "summer of love" (due to the hippy festivals that year). Our coach was bought by a company whose name & livery include red. So, we named her Ruby (after the red gemstone associated with love). Oh & yes, we do love her too.

Thanks for visiting.  Jonathan

Ride & Enjoy

Enjoy more of Ruby on YouTube