AEC autobussen en touringcars: boeken - historie en techniek

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.

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 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 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.