I drove for Guernseybus in the late 1980s to early 1990s, and took a few snaps along the way.
1. Bristol LHS #74 LHS/226 shot in 1989.
Short wheel base manual transmission, and was scrapped in 1996.
2 and 9. Bristol LH #54 LH/1240 parked at the outbound E terminus at Grande Rocques in 1991.
This bus was originally in service with Busways Travel in Tyne and Wear, which is why it had the non-standard small destination window at the front. It was acquired in 1988 and was eventually sold to the mainland in 2000 and scrapped for spares.
3. Bristol LH #59 in 1991 waiting at a school for pickup in its Kodak colours.
Originally with London Transport in 1977 and sold to Guernseybus in 1988, where it served until 2000 and then scrapped in Guernsey.
4 (and 13, 14, 15). AEC Regent III RT #15 at Pleinmont in 1991.
Originally with London Transport as RT1377, its Park Royal body was converted to an open top in 1988. It's seen here in the plain white scheme of Gala Holidays, before it was changed to an Island FM advertising platform.
In between it was painted in Guernsey Tomato Museum colours and is seen in photo #13 in 1992 again at Pleinmont.
These were nice to drive as long as you didn't need to go around a sharp bend. With no power steering and having to negotiate the 90 degree bends around St Sampsons at a low speed, I'd have to fully stand up from the drivers seat to get the power and weight to turn the steering wheel!
It went to the Malta Historic Vehicle Trust in 2008, and shows as currently for sale.
5. Bristol LH #61 LH/1285 parked on the side of the road on a pub crawl in 1991 at the L'Eree Bay Hotel on its Coca Cola colours.
This one started life with London Transport in 1976. Guernseybus bought her in 1983 and it was scrapped in only 1996! This one had awfully lose steering, and was a horrible driver.
6. Bristol LHS #78 LHS/221. Short wheel-base manual transmission, seen here in 1991 covering for a broken park-and-ride shuttle bus at the Footes Lane car park, with small Malibu advertising.
This one started its life in West Yorkshire in 1975 then went to Tayside before coming to Guernsey in 1987. It was exported to Nottingham in 1996 for spares, and then changed hands many times before ending up in Shoreham with the interior gutted for conversion to a mobile home.
7. Bristol LH #51 LHS/1290 at the Imperial Hotel, Pleimont in 1992. At this time it had Grande Farm advertising.
Originally with Tally Ho! of Kingsbridge, this one came to Guernsey in 1990. It was withdrawn in only 1996 and scrapped, this was my personal favourite of the fleet to drive.
8. Bristol LH #60 LH/1287 in 1991, in the days when cigarette advertising was still ok, in this case Embassy Cigarettes.
This was brought from the mainland as a non PCV as it was being used as a "mobile entertainment venue", and was restored back to passenger carrying service in 1988.
This one lasted until the end in 2000 and was bought at a bargain price and went back to the mainland and scrapped.
10. Bristol LH #71 LH/1272 at Lacresse in 1992 in John Player Special colours.
Built in 1976 and in service with London Transport until it was aquired by Guernsybus in 1984. It was withdrawn in 1998 and scrapped. It spent more time in Guernsey than it did in London.
11. Leyland Tiger PS1 #16 built in 1951, and seen here at Pleinmont in 1992.
To Guernseybus in 1989, this bus drove like a racecar as it was vastly overpowered, but came with a crash gearbox which proved tricky for some of the drivers.
12, 14, 15. The other Leyland Tiger in the Guernseybus fleet #17, seen here at Pleinmont in 1992. I can find no history on this vehicle.
