page_title: Christchurch Transport Board
section_title: RELL6L
hierarchical_section_title: Christchurch Transport Board / Vehicles / Buses / Bristol / RELL6L
caption_attribution_description: English: CTB of Christchurch NZ bus 510 seen here at Ferrymead Heritage Park where it is preserved. Bristol RELL 6L
context_page_description: The Christchurch Transport Board was an autonomous special-purpose municipal authority responsible for the construction, acquisition, and ownership of local transport assets and the operation of public transport services in the Christchurch region of New Zealand's South Island. Constituted as the Christchurch Tramway Board in 1902, it operated trams and buses to Christchurch's outer suburbs and satellite towns for 84 years until being disestablished in the 1989 local government reforms.
  The Board assumed control of the existing network of privately run tramways and converted these to electric operation whilst also extending the network. Economy measures resulted in several tram routes being converted to trolley bus and later diesel bus operation from the 1930s. The remaining tram routes were progressively closed in the decade following the end of World War II as the infrastructure required renewal or replacement. The last of the Board's trams were withdrawn in 1954, followed by its trolley buses in 1956. Its operations were fully converted to diesel buses in 1964 when the last of its older vehicles were replaced, including its petrol buses.
context_section_description: Bristols were the first new buses to be added to the Board's fleet as part of its fleet upgrade programme commenced in the mid-1970s. They had hoped to purchase the RELL6G with the Gardner engine, but when informed that they were not available, opted to go with the RELL6L (Rear Engine, Long, Low, 6 cylinder, Leyland 510 engine) instead.
  The first batch of 25 vehicles came with kitset bodies designed by Eastern Coachworks, England, and were assembled by Hawke Brothers, Auckland. Originally numbered 457–481, nos. 457–458 later became 475–476 when the former numbers were allocated to two of the Swifts, leaving the Bristols numbered 459–483. They commenced their duties between 1974 and 1975.
  After experiencing problems with the English motor bodies, the Board decided to purchase only the chassis when ordering the next batch of 29 vehicles. Once landed in New Zealand, the bodies were constructed and fitted to the chassis by Hawke Brothers, giving them the same outward appearance as the earlier ECW-designed buses. Numbered 484–512, these vehicles commenced their duties between 1977 and 1978.
  The new CTB logo first made an appearance on the Bristol buses, which were also the last of the fleet to feature the all-red livery first seen on the Mark IVs. A select few buses from the second batch had fold-down seats to provide additional space for luggage on the Airport service.
  These buses remained in service to the Board until deregulation, after which they were "retired" by the Christchurch City Council in an attempt to hinder the operations of companies competing with its Christchurch Transport Limited, the successor to the Board. When this failed, the Council was eventually able to dispose of the buses to other operators around the country. Two of these vehicles were given to the Tramway Historical Society in working order: no. 480 (Mark I), and no. 510 (Mark II) in 1990. A second RELL Mk II, No. 505, was donated to the Society by Good Times Tours in 2013 as a source of spare parts.
caption: Bristol RE no. 510
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