AEC buses and coaches: books - history and construction

The AEC Story - from the Regent to the Monarch

From 1929 until 1979, a succession of buses and trucks trundled out of the AEC works in Southall, Middlesex. The company was responsible for the successful Routemaster double-decker buses, used by London Transport, as well as numerous other bus and lorry designs. In this volume Brian Thackray examines in some detail the AEC's passenger and commercial vehicle designs of the early and middle 1930s.

The spotlight also falls on the development of the high-speed oil engine and the less familiar military and off-road designs as well as the railcars built for the Great Western Railway. This is a book of interest to people who once worked in the factory, which closed down in 1979, and to those with an interest in British buses and commercial vehicles.

AEC Buses - Since 1955

This wonderful large format all-colour album explores the great variety of buses and coaches manufactured by AEC - the Builder of London's Buses from the mid-1950s until production ceased in the late 1970s. As with many of the leading bus and coach manufacturers in Britain, AEC built a wide range of vehicles from the much-loved and familiar, Routemaster and Regent V, to several lesser known types.
All these types are illuminated and brought to life with a wide selection of rare photographs portraying AEC's bus and coach production from the mid-1950s until the disappearance of the marque in 1977.

AEC Single-Deckers

Even though it is nearly 40 years since the last vehicles left the Southall factory, the products of the Associated Equipment Company, more commonly known as AEC, are still synonymous with quality and reliability.

In this, the first of a series of two books, Howard Berry sets out to give a pictorial overview of the singledeck bus and coach chassis produced by AEC in the post-war years.

AEC vehicles were operated worldwide, and in this book the author presents photographs showing vehicles not only in service in the UK, but also abroad, mostly bodied locally, and these provide a contrast to the home-grown bodywork such as Plaxton and Duple that those in the UK will be more familiar with.
Vehicles such as the Regal, Reliance, Swift and Sabre are all detailed, with over 180 black and white and colour pictures, all with informative text.

AEC Double-Deckers

Even though it is nearly 40 years since the last vehicles left the Southall factory, the products of the Associated Equipment Company, more commonly known as AEC, are still synonymous with quality and reliability.

AEC were known as 'the builders of London's buses' and produced such iconic models as the RT and the Routemaster - the familiar red buses that symbolise London to people across the world, but there was much more to AEC than this.
Regents, Renowns and Bridgemasters all contributed to making AEC the byword for reliability in the PSV world.

In this, the second of a series of two books, Howard Berry sets out to give a pictorial overview of the bus chassis manufactured in the last years of double-deck bus production by AEC. With 180 informatively captioned photographs, almost all in colour, and all taken when these fine vehicles were in their operating heyday, this book is sure to appeal to enthusiasts of the AEC marque and the layman alike.

The Last Years of London's RFs and RTs - South of the Thames

The AEC Regal IVs and Regent IIIs, or to give them their class prefix letters RFs and RTs, are among the most revered buses to have served London over the years.
The RFs were maids of all work and were tailored for private hire work, Green Line coach work and ordinary stage bus work in both the central and country areas. The first of the type were introduced in October 1951 and a total of 700 vehicles were built for the London Transport Executive. They replaced virtually all the other types of single-deckers then operating in the metropolis.

The RT was first introduced to service in 1939 and production ran to 151 vehicles before construction ceased in early 1942. Following the war the Park Royal factory recommenced building the type in 1947 with the last new chassis being rolled out in 1954, taking the bonnet number RT4825.
Both types soldiered on throughout the 1970s as LTE encountered severe problems with their 'OPO' replacements before both finally bowed out within a week of each other in March/April 1979.

This account charts the last years of operation of both types from the mid-1970s onward, focusing on South London.

The Last Years of London's RFs and RTs - North of the Thames

The AEC Regal IVs and Regent IIIs, or to give them their class prefix letters RFs and RTs, are among the most revered buses to have served London over the years.
The RFs were maids of all work and were tailored for private hire, Green Line coach work and ordinary stage bus work in both the central and country areas. The first of the type were introduced in October 1951 and a total of 700 vehicles were built for the London Transport Executive. They replaced virtually all the other types of single-deckers then operating in the metropolis.

The RT was first introduced to service in 1939 and production ran to 151 vehicles before construction ceased in early 1942. Following the war, the Park Royal factory recommenced building the type in 1947, with the last new chassis being rolled out in 1954, taking the bonnet number RT4825.

Both types soldiered on throughout the 1970s as LTE encountered severe problems with their 'OPO' replacements before both finally bowed out within a week of each other in March/April 1979. This account charts the last years of operation of both types from the mid-1970s onward, focusing on North London.