What are the odds? I happened to see this very same old London bus being towed in January of 2017. It looked like it hadn’t run in a long time. Then as I was driving out on W. 11th, I saw it again, at the fuel pump being filled up. And wearing modern wheels and tires. I had to check it out.
And although I’ve confirmed that it’s the same bus with a new diesel drive train and wheels and axles, I’m a bit stumped as to its exact model designation.
Here’s how it looked back in 2017, with its original wheels.
The owner was not around, so I couldn’t get any details about what exactly had been done to it.
The modern wheels are obvious in both front and back.
The inside is still as it was, as is the rest of the bus except its undersides.
The frame has been cleaned up, and there were a number of shiny new bolts visible.
I could see what was a clean modern-looking diesel engine and transmission in there. The oil filter is visible here. I was struggling a bit to determine whether this was the original axle or not. I’m going to assume so. The steering mechanism has also been completely redone, but I assume it’s original too.
Stupidly, I forgot to look into the wheels to see if it had modern disc brakes or not. I assume so.
I did not notice the ’70s or ’80s instrument panel until I looked at this shot closer at home. I suspect it’s an older addition. Realistically, this is most likely the second time this bus has been re-powered, as most of these buses were brought over to the US in the ’70s, when they were a thing. And invariably the ancient old Gardner diesel engine (or whatever it used) and transmission were swapped out for a big block Chevy V8 and THM 400, or something comparable. It was the most expedient solution then, and these buses were mainly used as promotional devices, so it just needed something to get it around some.
But this time, it’s getting a proper diesel drive train, and some serious attention to its underpinnings. But much of it is original, like the steering column.
In my previous post, I identified it as the very common AEC Regent III RT bus, but this one is a bit older than that. The key distinguishing feature is the front panel on the driver’s compartment, with that curved fluting below the windshield.
The RT bus has a flat panel there, with three vents in it. And there’s a number of other differences.
I tried for some time last night to pin it down, but there’s no readily available detailed guide to these online. I assume it’s just a generation or so earlier, from the 1930s or so.
I’m quite curious as to what the plans are for this bus. It’s a fascinating blend of old and new right now, but I hope the old gets the respect it deserves.
That dash is from a 1980-generation Ford F Series. It was used on F100-350 through 1986 and F500-800 into the late ’90s when they went to the modern Super Duty cab they still use.
There are an astounding number of different British double decker buses. I’m not sure what this one is, but I found a sight with some interesting context for double decker buses.
http://www.old-bus-photos.co.uk/?cat=15&paged=5
How about that one:
Nice! – That’s the exact same bus, based on the tag number.
Awesome to see as this is really the only way to safely operate something like this. Last Summer, i sold my 1952 GMC Carpenter school bus to someone building a Food Truck for the race circuit. It will be re-powered with Cummins diesel and a combination of F550/650 chassis parts. Before that, I was looking at options to scrap or part it out.
It is from 1952. Very easy to trace thanks to the number.
See https://timebus.co.uk/rlh/fleet/rlh60/index.htm
The picture shared by desmo is also this exact bus.
There are several pictures of this bus on Google Images in various part of greater London. Great find.
That confirms its history and status. Off to Portland to be another food cart, the fate of so many of these. I remember eating fish and chips on the upper level of one at the Alaska State Fair in 1989.
This is an AEC Regent 3 with bodywork by Weymann of Addlestone.This is a lowbridge {hence rlh] bus about 13’6 unlike highbridge which is 14’6.This NOT an RT .
I was going to say I was kind of surprised this bus actually fits under the shelter at the gas pumps, albeit just barely it looks like. I bet the highbridge variant wouldn’t fit at this gas station.
The RT was a Regent III with London Transport’s own body work. The RLH was a Regent III with a Weymann body, specifically built to for low bridge routes.
So. not an RT, but built on the same chassis as an RT. London bus numbers always have a prefix denoting the type.
It was built post war, but conceptually was definitely recognisable as a pre-war bus.
AEC Regent, you can tell by the radiator shell…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Regent_III
CC-in-scale doesn’t have a Regent III, sorry. Just the later Routemaster. 🙂
I was at an interview in Boston in the early 80’s. Boston had some of these double Decker buses running back then. In the middle of the interview, which was on the 2ND floor, a double Decker bus drove by, witnessed only by me as the interviewer sat with his back to the window. My surprise was written all over my face as he picked up that something was going on behind his back. We both had a good chuckle when I told him what distracted me.
A mate in Aussie has a single deck version AEC original engine pre select box it was running but that was a long time ago he had to move it 3 metres on his property nearer the shack and we failed to tow it with anything we had so he got it started and drove it.
Chassis Type AEC Regent III model 9613E
Bodywork Weymann Low Height 26ft x7ft 6ins Height 13ft 4ins
Delivered to London Transport11/52 For routes with low height bridges.
This is RLH 60 one of 76. Delivered in Red Livery
Classified 2RLH1/1
Sold 12/69 Long Beach Public Transit Corp CA
by 7/75 London Reality El Toro CA
by 9/80 Blue Carpet Mobile Homes, Stanton CA
by 4/85 Kobeys Swapmeet San Diego CA
by 2005 Toy Storage Chula Vista CA
Until being towed away as per this report.