Vehicles such as FDL927D, new in 1966, were the common choice of single-decker bus for companies in the Tilling Group such as Southern Vectis between 1958 and 1966. FDL 927D, a Bristol MW (medium-weight) chassis was built with Eastern Coach Works 45 seat bodywork and was one of seven MW buses that ran on the Isle of Wight between 1965 and 1977. It received fleet number 806 and worked from the Ryde depot.

These vehicles were suitable for all types of work, including both busy town services that today would be operated by minibuses, to longer rural and inter-town routes. On the Isle of Wight, Southern Vectis used MW buses for most work, but they had some regular routes.One such route for theses buses until 1969 would be the fast run from Shanklin railway station to Ventnor (Service 39), a rail replacement service provided after the closure of the line between Shanklin and Ventnor in 1966. The MW type can be very fast and were well suited to this run. Of particular significance to 806 was the route between Wootton Bridge and the holiday camps and Woodside and Little Canada (Service 41). Following the arrival of the service 1 bus from Ryde, some 40, 50 or even 60 passengers would alight at Wootton Bridge with luggage, and transfer to the MW that would take them onto their final destination. Service 41 was almost always worked by MW saloons in the early 70’s. The MW types were replaced in 1977 by new Leyland National single-deckers and quickly found new owners because of their durability and reliability. 806 was sold to a Barnsley dealer in October 1977 before finding a new home at the Chukie Chicken Poultry Farm in Craven Arms, Shropshire (a large user of Bristol MWs). 806 stayed there until 1983 when Peter Relf of Haslemere purchased her for preservation. In 1987 Southern Vectis had reformed a “Vintage Fleet” a FDL927D was subsequently re-purchased by the company. The vehicle was restored and it then worked normal services again from 1988 to 1992, most notably the 99 from Shanklin to Newport. Following this, it was stored at the Ryde depot until the Isle of Wight Bus Museum was formed in October 1996. After several years on loan, it was purchased by the Isle of Wight Bus Museum in October 2001.