I have an old school classmate in each english vet school and talking to them all the vet schools are subtly different as you say, and i think you've got it in a nutshell really, i'd only add London- you get to be on telly he he, prestigious but not great atmosphere, bristol is the fashionable one, cambs is prestigious but book based and Liverpool's a great craic and manure hot on equine but until new buildings in 2007, looks a bit shabby and is, well, in Liverpool!