Initially, the RE was only supplied to subsidiaries of the nationalised Transport Holding Company (THC), by which Bristol Commercial Vehicles was wholly owned.

From 1976, the RE remained in production only for the Northern Irish state-owned bus companies Ulsterbus and Citybus, and for export to Christchurch Transport Board, New Zealand.

Some coaches were fitted with Duple Commander, Plaxton Panorama Elite or Alexander M Type bodywork.

Three of the ex-Citybus REs from Belfast were acquired by Pinewood Studios in October 2005, where they appeared in movies such as Children of Men[2] and St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold.

Later the Gardner engine was refitted, the body completed and sold to West Yorkshire as their fleet number CRG1 OWT241E.