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Buses in Malta - page 2. Imported Bristol LH6L buses and coaches (by Shane Conway)

Last updated 4 August 2024

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Thanks to David Gilbert who found the file and sent it to me, I have received a lot of more of his father's photos and text files relating to this site. Among them are over 200 delightful photos of Maltese buses and coaches taken by Peter Skerry in 2006. As these would have been mostly swept away by the 2011 reform of the island's bus services, these pages will help to recall how things used to be in Malta. Having already covered the ex London Transport AEC Swift single deckers dating from 1969 to 1971, this page turns to the topic of some ex U.K. Bristol LH buses and one coach. Again, Peter managed to work out the identities of each vehicle that he saw, and managed to photograph fourteen of the 21 examples known to have gone to Malta. I am indebted to both David and Peter for making these photos available. The photos are arranged in order of their chassis serial numbers.

Maltese route buses (from 1995 to 2011) were registered in the format DBY (or EBY or FBY) followed by three digits. Prior to 1995 they were plated as Y followed by four digits, and were all re-registered at that time, but maintained a direct link between both versions, e.g. Y-0475 became EBY 475 and so on.

First up is DBY 360 (chassis LH-870), formerly NFJ 596M new to Western National as number 1596 in December 1973. In this view, while still largely original, it has received metallic mouldings unde the windows and adorned with a Leyland Tiger Cub badge and extra signwriting on the front. It was scrapped in May 2011.

Next is DBY-422 (chassis LH-882) which dates from February 1974, being new to Hants and Dorset as NLJ 523M, fleet number 3523. A non standard grille has replaced the original and it too has extra brightwork under the windows. It passed to Heritage Malta in July 2011.

DBY 304 is listed as being a rebody of chassis LH-932 which started out as PTT 606M in May 1974 with Western National (number 1606). The rebody was done in 2002 and featured Plaxton front and rear panelling. However it has also been fitted with Ford front wheels as well. It was scrapped in July 2011.

Another ex Western National bus, this one was GDV 458N on chassis LH-969, new in December 1974. Unlike others on the island, DBY 470 has managed to stay totally original, but was scrapped in July 2011. In the background can be seen an ex London AEC Swift, a Plaxton coach, a new Marshall (I think) and, if you look closely, a hint of what looks like a Duple Dominant is there too.

Also dating from December 1974, EBY 544 was previously GDV 460N (LH-971) of Western National. It is thought to still exist on Malta.

And a third example of the GDV batch, this time GDV 464N (LH-975). New to Western National in December 1974, it later passed to Southern National and arrived on Malta in 1985. The new front was fitted a few weeks before the photo was taken, and the bus was scrapped in July 2011.

EBY 524 was new in December 1974 as Hants and Dorset 3547 (GLJ 479N) on chassis LH-981. Here it is carrying a full load of passengers and being followed by an AEC Swift.

Ex Hants and Dorset GLJ 485N (chassis LH-987) dates from January 1975 and looks very smart in this photo taken 31 years later. In July 2011 it passed to Heritage Malta.

EBY 476 was new in January 1975 as Hants and Dorset GLJ 487N on chassis LH-1000. In this view it has been fitted with rubber strips along the side and on the wheel-arches. It was scrapped in 2011.

Chassis LH-1002 is the basis for the next photo, again new to Hants and Dorset as GLJ 489N in January 1975. It has been given a Leyland Tiger Cub badge and several smaller badges across the lower front which I can't decipher. This bus passed to Heritage Malta in July 2011.

Three former Crosville LHs also operated on Malta and Peter managed to capture all of them on his camera. First is the former OCA 626P on chassis LH-1209 which was new in February 1976. It had passed from Crosville to Jones, Login before sailing to the Mediterranean and survives with Heritage Malta.

Next is chassis LH-1213 (OCA 630P), dating from February 1976. In this view it has been fitted with a Leyland Buffalo truck grille and a Tiger Cub badge. It didn't survive the cull in 2011, being scrapped in May that year.

The third Crosville bus was formerly OCA 635P on LH-1229, new in March 1976. It has had some Plaxton bits added to the sides, as well as Leyland signwriting in the destination glass. It too was scrapped in May 2011.

Finally, three LHs on Malta did not have ECW bodies fitted when new. The first and last had Duple and Plaxton respectively, as did RDE 298S (LH-1260) seen here as EBY 611. New to Silcox, Pembroke Dock in January 1978, it was fitted with bus seats, an AEC engine and deep sliding windows in its new home. It passed to Heritage Malta in July 2011.

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