Cliff and Friends

Ron Sverdloff drives the vintage 66 year old Bristol K5G bus ONO 59 around the Lincolnshire lanes, for the first time in 46 years.
Ron was one of a group of ‘twenty-something’ friends who took this bus – ex-Eastern National 1949 Bristol K5G/ECW 2255 (ONO 59) literally around the world, to New Zealand and back, overland, between 1967 and 1969.
Thanks to the Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society and bus dealer Sid Twell from Ingham, the bus survives to this day.
After 18 years’ uneventful service with EN, still with its original Gardner 5LW engine, it then toured the world – and was the very first bus ever to circuit the world overland – between 1967 and 1969.
Afterwards, it became semi-derelict, but thanks to Sid Twell (via whom it was bought by the lads), it was put aside for restoration and use.
The lads converted this standard bus into a mobile caravan – as per Cliff Richard’s ‘Summer Holiday’ and years ahead of Top Deck Travel which had a fleet of Bristol double-deckers similarly converted, with bunks/viewing area in the upper saloon, kitchen/cooking/washing-up, gas/water/fuel/stores storage and eating area in the lower saloon.
After use by the LVVS as a vehicle rally ‘tender’ vehicle (still in ‘camper’ form, also used to tow early pre-war exhibits to rallies), it has been out of use for some time as a static book, records and models store.
Full restoration back to an Eastern National bus again is due in 2015 with completion for the 50th anniversary of its pioneering departure from the Elms Hotel pub, in Leigh-on-Sea in 2017.

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