Transit "Breadvan"

[Granadadriver]

In 1994, while spending holiday on the Isle of Wight, I saw some MK2 Transits, which were used by the local bus company Southern Vectis. These Transits had unique coachwork I never saw before! One time I asked a bus driver who built these ones, but he couldn't tell me! The only thing he said was these buses were nicknamed as "breadvans"! I never saw one herein the forum or for sale, e.g. at ebay UK, so does somebody know who built these ones and what happened after withdrawn with them?

[FredTransit]

Would they be actually based on the parcel van?

[Granadadriver]

I don't think so, perhaps could be, but they had special bus doors and no slide door on the driver's side, as parcel vans usually have. Sorry, but I didn't have any photos of it! Otherwise I could show!

[FredTransit]

Are you thinking about panel vans? Parcel vans are huge, they have a windscreen twice as deep as a van's, and are coachbuilt round a chassis cowl. The ones I have seen don't have a side door, just one at the back. There was a Mk1 version over in for sale post here the body style and shape is the same in the Mk1 and Mk2.

[Granadadriver]

Yes Fred, that's right, it's the boxy style with only the nose cone makes it identifiable as a MK2 Transit! There's a MK2 for sale at the Transit Van Club for sale section, which looks similar to the one I mean, except missing bus doors! Do you know who made this bodywork? I don't think it's factory made by Ford!

[FredTransit]

Yes it was, the parcel van is and was a ford option. They were then converted to buses by bodybuilders, or some buses were built from the ground up on chassis cowls.

[Granadadriver]

Thanks Fred, I didn't know Ford made them, so it could be special to Britain!

[Granadadriver]

Now I know who built the southern vectis ones, a coachbuilder named Carlyle, which is out of business today!