The Lodekka page

Classic Bristol Buses - The Bristol Lodekka

Blow the notes - take me to the pictures

Notes

The Bristol Lodekka was first manufactured in 1949 as an attempt to produce a low-height double-deck bus without the 4-abreast seating/side gangway arrangement of the "Lowbridge" body invented by Leyland. ECW had previously built "Lowbridge" bodies on Bristol K chassis. The Lodekka used a mechanically-complex drop-centre rear axle to enable a low gangway on the lower deck, allowing the ceiling and the upper deck floor to be lower. Thus the overall height of the Lodekka was the same as the "Lowbridge" type. Unusually for a Bristol, but similar to the LS which was developed at the same time, the Lodekka had a lightweight "chassis" which was more properly a perimeter frame. It did not reach its full strength until combined with the floor construction of the body. It was therefore classified as an integrally-constructed vehicle, although it was still possible for the chassis to be driven to Lowestoft for bodying. There were a number of model changes over the years, incorporating refinements such as air suspension and air-over-hydraulic brakes. Later models (the F-series) were longer and had a modified frame permitting flat floors. Bodywork for the F-series could incorporate a front entrance if required, rather than the traditional rear entrance of the original design. The body received many detail changes over the years, one of the more noticeable being the change to cream rubber for mounting the windows in the early 1960s which also affected all other ECW bodies being built at the time.

Pictures:

Bath Services LD

Red & White LD

Lincolnshire Road car FS

Eastern Counties FL

Bristol Omnibus FLF (1)

Bristol Omnibus FLF (2)

969 EHW	969 EHW The classic Bristol Lodekka - This is Bath Services L8515, a 1956 LD-series Lodekka with rear entrance body, painstakingly restored and shown at the Bristol Harbourside heritage event in 2006. The two grills alongside the destination display are part of the combined heating and engine cooling system designed by Professor Cave-Brown-Cave of Southampton University.
TAX 235	TAX 235 Another version of the LD Lodekka is shown here in Red & White Motor Services colours.
DFE 963D	DFE 963D This picture shows a 1966 FS Lodekka, formerly owned by Lincolnshire Road Car and carrying fleet number 2537. This bus also has the Cave-Brown-Cave system (although the air intakes appear to have been modified - presumably to prevent the ingress of water, small birds etc. or, - more likely - sand).
557 BNG	557 BNG This picture shows former Eastern Counties fleet No. LFL57. This is a 1964 70-seat FL Lodekka, 30' long with a rear entrance. Compare this with DFE 963D, above; the extra 2' 6" length is visible in the additional short window bay towards the rear of the bus.
HHY 186D	HHY 186D A Bristol Omnibus 70-seat FLF Lodekka - this example represents the final style of Lodekka built with front entrance.
FHU 59D	FHU 59D Another 70-seat FLF Lodekka - similar to HHY 186D, but displaying the original 4-track route number blind that was unique to Bristol Omnibus.

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Some other pages of interest:

The MW page

The RE Page

The K page

All photographs were taken by me - Nigel Furness