Only 218 of the short front-entrance Bristol FSF Lodekkas were built between 1960 and 1963.  Crosville Motor Services based in Chester operated 30 of them across their operating area of which four of them are known to survive.  One such vehicle is DFG65 (875 VFM), new in January 1962 and ran in service until withdrawn by Crosville in 1979.  This bus is now owned by preservationist Clive Myers and was kindly provided for the day to operate a North Wales Tour for the Crosville Enthusiasts’ Club (1967) on the 9^th September 2023. 
   
The tour took the form of operating three former Crosville services that were usually operated by this type of Bristol Lodekka.  Starting in Chester the first service was the A2 to the seaside town of Rhyl, via Mollington, Queensferry and Holywell.  The second was the seasonal B29 service from Rhyl to Mold via Afonwen and lastly the B10 from Mold to Chester via Northop Hall. 
 
The independent transport videos cameras were on board DFG65 for the tour and recorded the journey.  We began our filming outside Chester railway station and film some of the contemporary Arriva and Stagecoach vehicles operating former Crosville routes before joining DFG65 for the day.  We make our way to Rhyl, stopping at Holywell for a break and a brief stop at the yard of Go Goodwins Clwyd to see preserved Leyland Tiger TS7 / Cowieson B34R, WS4522, which was new to Scottish Motor Transport in 1935 as fleet number H110.  We reach Rhyl bus station for a lunchtime break and before our next departure we see DFG65 departing and arriving on a couple of local routes that would have seen FSFs operating in days gone by!  We now depart on the B29 service to Mold.  This time you will see the driver’s eye view of the road.  We have put a camera in the cab for the entire journey to Mold.  There is also a camera in the upper saloon for the passenger’s experience.  A short break in Mold bus station sees the contemporary scene before DFG65 becomes the B10 departure to Chester.  We make a brief stop in Northop village and at the Arriva bus depot at Manor Lane in Hawarden that replaced the historic Crosville bus depot in Mold that dated from 1923.  This depot is now referred to as the ‘Chester depot’ for Arriva operations.  Our journey ends back at Chester railway station where the blinds are changed to ‘Birkenhead C1’ – another service familiar with the FSF Lodekka – and DFG65 leaves for its home and a well-earned rest.  Our thanks to all concerned for this excellent day out. 
 
We hope that you have enjoyed our journey.