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[Vamps]

Two of the National Express West Midlands garages had an open day today - unfortunately I was working but a guy has put some photo's on Flickr.
Worth a look if you are from the midlands, some nice old buses on display. but some of the photo's I ask why did he take that one
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/sets/72157636214694364/

 

[Seth]

Had to smile on Saturday night. .. I heard the sound of 60's music throbbing then a bus like Blakey would be inspecting pulled up. All these people got off and went into Weatherspoons. There was a steam rally on a couple of miles up the road...so made me think about this ode thread xx

A Bristol Lodekka as used in the later episodes of 'On the Buses'

This one's a late-model FLF version, and Eastern National's Wood Green depot featured in many scenes.

[Darth Loo-knee]

Have to say they have character  Converted one years ago cutting the back out upstairs putting a straight staircase in. Some charity bus or something. .

[Seth]

Visited the Swansea Bus Museum this afternoon, for a gander at the proceedings on one of their 'Running Days':

http://www.swanseabusmuseum.com/

The South Wales Transport Co was the principal operator in the area, so here's a few photies of nicely-restored examples that originated in that fleet:



A 1963 AEC Regent V double-deck chassis with Roe 37-seat single-deck body.

Mechanically identical to the Companies' massive fleet of Regent V double-deckers, only eight such buses were ever produced, and all went to SWT's Llanelli depot.
They were the perfect solution for operating the plethora of town services in the Llanelli docks area, where many low railway bridges prevented the use of the contemporary underfloor-engined Reliances.



After a shifty around the museum premises, I joined some former colleagues for a trip on the old '77' route along the sweep of Swansea Bay to Limeslade, aboard a magnificently-restored former SWT AEC Regent V double-decker.
'590' entered service in 1964, and spent most of it's working life based at Llanelli depot, before withdrawal from service in 1980. Despite appalling weather conditions, it performed faultlessly throughout.

In this scribe's opinion, these were the finest half-cab double-deckers ever to grace our roads:


A 1964 AEC Regent V with Weymann 'Orion' 71-seat forward-entrance body at the Limeslade terminus.



A rear-end view which clearly shows the chassis frame protrusion under the rear body-skirt.
That dark red colour's absolutely authentic!



The friendly face of the AEC Regent V



And talking of authenticity:


Company fleetname transfer positioned spot on!



Dead right again - and Mr Weedy's 'formula' benefitted staff who suffered ill health.



And some contemporary internal notices:







After enjoying an ice cream at neighbouring Forte's Ice Cream Parlour, I managed to capture this stormy scene from the top deck of 590:


Looking south west from Limeslade into the Bristol channel
 

[Vamps]

This thread is in danger of being as big as the 'Views on front garden from the driveway thread'......

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Thanks again for another great post Seth

Very interesting, but could I ask please the following questions:

* What engines were fitted to the Regent Vs and were they reliable in service?
* Were all of SWT's Regent double-deckers fitted with Weymann bodies?
* The 77 route - was it heavily patronised, especially during the Summer period?


Many thanks.

[Seth]

Very interesting, but could I ask please the following questions:

* What engines were fitted to the Regent Vs and were they reliable in service?

Many thanks.

Initially, AEC offered two engine options for the Regent V at this time.

These were the 7.7-litre AV470; and the 9.6-litre AV590 - both being 'wet-linered' units of 'monobloc' construction.
The dry-linered 11.3-litre AV691 unit replaced the AV590 during the mid-1960s; and was fitted to some late-model Regent Vs; before production ceased around 1968.

From 1958 to 1965, South Wales Transport standardised on the AV590 engine for it's Regent V fleet, and put over 130 of these buses into service during that period. Many of it's earlier 36ft AEC Reliance single-deckers were similarly powered by the horizontal version of the same unit - designated as AH590 in this form.

To answer Lizzie's (first!) question:
Yes - the '590' lump was a very reliable and robust unit indeed, and it achieved colossal mileages between overhauls.
Quite straightforward to work on for the engineers, it also performed exceedingly well in service and was popular with the drivers.

Here's a view of the engine bay of the bus in question:


A simplistic layout with logically-arranged componentry for ease of maintenance

There's a slight twist to this view, as before withdrawal from service, SWT fitted this AV691 engine into bus 590 ... in lieu of it's original AV590!

And the cast emblem that's affixed above the nearside mudguard on all Regent Vs:


 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Thanks Seth!

Those engines are not exactly pretty, but no doubt they were strong and built to last as you state.

[Rods2]

I can remember travelling on these Dennis Loline busses as a child.

[Seth]

Very interesting, but could I ask please the following questions:

* Were all of SWT's Regent double-deckers fitted with Weymann bodies?

No!

There were the eight single-deckers with Roe bodies, and a handful of Park Royal-bodied double-deck examples.
Between 1958 and 1964, SWT favoured the 30ft 2D3RA model with AV590 engine and AEC's own D166 4-speed all-synchromesh gearbox. All were forward-entranced 71-seaters, with dark blue leatherette seating/interior trim, regardless of the body-builder.

Willowbrook bodied 59 of them:


Just above Mumbles Pier, here's 571 - one of 24 that entered service in 1962.

I actually drove this beauty for it's owner that day in Autumn 1996 for an enthusiasts' photo-shoot, covering much of 571's old stamping ground after completion of it's second restoration. The destination blinds are correctly-set, and we're about 1/2 a mile from the 77 route's southern terminus at nearby Limeslade, whereupon the top blind was turned to display 'Pontlasse' (nowadays Morriston Hospital), for it's return journey!


Purely for comparison, one of the 42 Weymann 'Orion'-bodied examples:


Incorrect destination display evident on 1964-built 590 - but the best we could muster on the day!      


20 Regent Vs arrived in 1964, and the body contract was unusually split three ways between Park Royal (5)  Weymann (9)  and Willowbrook (6)

[tunnie]

How can you remember all this Seth, I can barley remember what I did at work last week 

[Seth]

How can you remember all this Seth, I can barley remember what I did at work last week 

Ain't sayin' lad!

[dad1uk]

How can you remember all this Seth, I can barley remember what I did at work last week 

Ain't sayin' lad!

He's very intelligent - I think that's the reason......

[Lizzie_Zoom]

How can you remember all this Seth, I can barley remember what I did at work last week 

Ain't sayin' lad!

He's very intelligent - I think that's the reason......

Yes, it is that plus a pure love of all things buses, and transport generally!

[Rods2]

He ought to write a book, so all of this detailed knowledge isn't lost.