The Gardner diesel and petrol engines have powered many UK public transport buses throughout the years.

L Gardner & Sons (Gardner Engines)

Aerial view of L. Gardner & Sons’ Barton Hall Engine Works, Patricroft, Eccles, Manchester: Stevedt7, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

History

• 1868: L Gardner & Sons was founded by Lawrence Gardner in Hulme (Manchester) as a small engineering / sewing-machine business.
• 1895–1903: Moved into gas and then diesel engines; diesel production is recorded from about 1903.
• 1930s: The LW series (4LW, 5LW, 6LW) becomes established; LW engines (introduced 1931/1930s) gain a reputation for durability and are fitted widely to buses and lorries.
• 1930s: Spares/overhaul business started alongside LW engines and became a major business line from the 1960s onwards, lasting long after new engine production ceased.
• 1950s–1970s: Gardner’s LX family (6LX and later 6LXB, 6LXC) is developed (low-revving, very fuel-efficient). These engines become the favoured powerplant for many British buses, coaches and haulage vehicles through the 1950s–1970s.
• 1976: Ownership change - Rolls-Royce took a stake.
• 1977: Sold to Hawker Siddeley.
• 1986: Sold to Perkins Engines (Peterborough). Production of Gardner engines continued until the late 1980s.
• 1994: Perkins Engines was acquired by Caterpillar Inc.
• 1995: Gardner engine production in Patricroft, Manchester, was closed down by Caterpillar.

Sources

• Wikipedia: L Gardner & Sons
• Gardner Marine Diesels

Gardner Petrol Engines

In the early 20th century, Gardner produced a limited range of petrol engines, primarily for industrial machinery, marine vessels, and specialised vehicles. Petrol engines were never widely adopted for UK buses. From the 1930s, Gardner focused on diesel engines, which became the standard for buses and trucks thanks to their reliability and fuel efficiency.

The sound of a Gardner engine

Ask any bus enthusiast and they’ll tell you: Gardner engines had a sound all of their own. Unlike the harsher roar of many Leyland or AEC units, a Gardner was slow-revving and deliberate, with a steady, almost musical beat. At idle there was a soft mechanical “tick,” while under load the engine produced a throaty, smooth thrum that carried through city streets. The 6LX and 6LXB in particular became legendary — you could often identify a Gardner-powered bus by ear long before you saw it. This distinctive note is one reason Gardner engines remain so fondly remembered today.

A Small Selection of buses with Gardner diesel engines

BUS MODELS	MODEL CODES	GARDNER ENGINES	DATES	SOURCES (links in red)
AEC Renown	663	Gardner 6LW	1958-1962	motorcar.net/aec/renown and Wikipedia: AEC Renown
Bristol Lodekka	FS/FL/FLF	Gardner 5LW, 6LW, 6LX	1953-1968	Wikipedia: Bristol Lodekka
Bristol RE	RELH/RESL/RELL/REMH	Gardner 6HLX/6HLXB	1962-1982	6lda28.com and Wikipedia: Bristol RE
Bristol VR	VRT/SL VRT/SL3	Gardner 6LX, 6LXB, 6LXC	1966-1981	Wikipedia: Bristol VR and Wikipedia Commons image description
Daimler Fleetline	Fleetline series	Gardner 6LW/6LX/6LXB	1960-1983	Wikipedia: Daimler Fleetline and aronline.co.uk
Guy Arab	Arab mk III	Gardner 5LW/6LW	1942-1969	commercialmotor.com and Wikipedia: Guy Arab
Leyland National	National/National 2	Gardner 6HLXB/6HLXCT	1972-1985	Wikipedia: Leyland National
Dennis Dominator	Dominator (various codes)	Gardner 6LXB	1977-1996	Wikipedia: Dennis Dominator and cptb.ca/wiki
Seddon Pennine	Pennine RU/Pennine 7 (variants)	Gardner 6LX/6LXB	1963-1982	Wikipedia: Seddon Pennine

Gardner 1908 Type 4CR Marine Petrol Engine: Photograph by Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent. (www.clemrutter.net)., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

paulburr73, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

ABOVE: The all important engine end of West Midlands Travel Mk2 MCW Metrobus DR102/64 3053 (F53 XOF) with its MCW H43/30F bodywork. Looking at my 1991 WMT fleetlist it was new to Coventry Wheatley St garage in February 1989. Seemingly this was a Coventry bus all its working life. I’m assuming this is a Gardner 6LXB engine. paulburr73

BulldozerD11, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

ABOVE: A Sectioned Gardner 6LW engine built in 1961 for use in a Bristol Commercials Bus. This engine was used for training purposes by Trent Bus co. The Engine is on display in the Anson Engine Museum at Poynton Nr Manchester England. BulldozerD11

Gardner 6LXB engine: km30192002, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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