Southern National 1468 (RDV 419H) in West Street, Bridport – 8 Aug 1984 (X845-1)

Wednesday 8 August 1984 – Southern National Omnibus Company 1468 (RDV 419H) seen in West Street, Bridport bound for Taunton on service 495. The charming name of T. Snook on the outfitters shop (right) is a business established in 1896 which is still trading in 2023 and whose website claims it is ‘the Largest Little Hat Shop in the Land’.

The Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH had been new in March 1970 to sister company Western National Omnibus Company as a Royal Blue coach - Southern National and Western National were joint owners of the famous Royal Blue name. By now 1468 had been demoted to more local service work and here carries the National Bus Company style 'local coach livery'.

In due course this particular vehicle was preserved and is still around in 2023.

(This was my first experience of using a 35mm camera after years of using ‘point and click’ snapshot cameras so the quality is very poor. The camera, on loan with the option to purchase, turned out to have a shutter problem which wasn’t helpful. Since this was a not repeated family holiday the opportunity to do any better was missed).