UPDATED JANUARY 20TH 2009.
24 new photos added.

60 photos in this collection.

Ben Sullivan (via Chris Stanley) has supplied some fascinating photos of London Transport's RM546 which undertook a series of goodwill visits to the continent in the first half of 1961, travelling to Switzerland (Feb'61), Holland & France (Apr/May'61), and to Sweden the following year (May/Jun'62). RM546 was LT's first Routemaster to go abroad. Ben's grandfather Frank Musgrave was one of the three-man crew on the Paris trip in April/May 1961 in conjunction with the BOAC, and of interest are the copies of the contract between LT and BOAC.

RM546 is the subject of the 2009 Cobham Spring Gathering limited edition model, available at the event on April 5th 2009.

10 photos.

The 'A'ssociated 'E'quipment 'C'ompany Ltd evolved from the merger in 1908 of the London Motor Omnibus Co Ltd, which ran its 'Vanguard' buses on services in the capital from premises in Walthamstow, and the mighty London General Omnibus Co Ltd. The LGOC built bus chassis to its own design at Walthamstow and when the LGOC was taken over by the Underground Electric Railways Co of London Ltd in 1912 the chassis-building activities were separated off to form the A.E.C.

34 photos in this collection illustrate the various AEC models produced before the company moved to Southall in 1926.

Double-deck passenger chassis originally with 6-cylinder petrol engines. Oil engines were introduced from 1932.

Chassis nos 661001-06617289. Of the 7,200 chassis built just over half were for London (including Prewar RTs, see below). Eighty-nine orders were cancelled and the allotted chassis numbers were not used.

134 photos arranged in chassis number order.

The first 151 of London Transport's famous RT buses were chassis nos 06616749-06616899 and featured the new 9.6 litre oil engine. RT1's chassis, built in 1938, initially carried an old Dodson body until the new metal-framed body became available in early 1939. The LPTB type code was 1RT1.

2RT2s (RT2-151) were built between 1940 & 1942. Their 56-seat wooden-framed bodywork was built by the LPTB at Chiswick.

67 photos.

Postwar double-deck passenger chassis with 7.7 litre oil engines.

Type 0661/20. Chassis nos 06617401-06618095.

9 photos listed in chassis number order.

187 photos.

157 photos.

MD3RV/MD2RA, D3RV/D2RV/D2RA/D2LA, LD3RA/LD2RA/LD2LA, 2LD3RA, 2D3RA/2D2RA, 3D3RA/3D2RA.

268 photos.

26 photos.

Double-deck or single-deck six-wheel passenger chassis, nos 663001-6631250 (swb) & 664001-0664346 (lwb).

All but four 663s and a significant number of 664s went to the LGOC & LPTB. Other Renown 664 operators included Western Welsh, South Wales, Doncaster, Leicester & Shanghai.

13 photos.

238 photos.

The unique front-entrance rear-engine Routemaster shown in a selection of pictures dating from 1967.

14 photos.

18 photos.

Low floor double decker introduced in 1962 to succeed the integral Bridgemaster.

87 photos.

The 6-type engine designed for the new Regals & Regents of 1929 was first fitted to three modified ADC 426 single-deck passenger chassis which were re-coded type 660 and named Reliance. Chassis price in 1929 was £1,100.

AEC's Blue Triangle badge first appeared on the 660 Reliance in 1929. In all 481 Reliances were built, chassis nos 660001-660484.

15 photos.

Single-deck passenger chassis powered at first by the 6-type petrol engine, with subsequent options available during the 18 years Regal was in production comprising 7.4 litre 6-cyl petrol, 8.1 & 8.8 litre 6-cyl oil and the 7.7 litre 6-cyl oil.

Chassis codes were 662, 0662, 662/19 & 0662/19.

68 photos.

Single-deck passenger chassis with 4-cylinder petrol (model 642), or 4-cylinder oil engine (model 0642). Chassis nos 642001-0642178. Not to be confused with the postwar underfloor-engined AEC Regal IV.

The collection shows Gosport & Fareham AEC Regal 4s, rebodied to FB35F in 1961/2.

9 photos.

Model 0662/20, chassis nos 06624001-06625665 fitted with the AEC 7.7 litre 6-cyl oil engine. This version was originally called the Mk II, but as Mk II had already been used for the prewar type 862/0862 it was quickly reclassified Mk I instead. This version differed from the prewar 0662/19 in having triple servo brakes.

27 photos.

(including 0682/6821)

109 photos.

Revolutionary double-deck (Type 761/0761 & 0763) & single-deck (Type 762/0762) passenger chassis with the AEC 7.4 litre petrol engine or 7.7 litre oil engine mounted vertically behind the offside front wheel. Said to have been inspired by the American Fageol Twin Coach.

23 two-axle double-deckers were built, chassis nos 761001-0761023 plus the unique three-axle Green Line d/d coach 0763001. The single-deck version was built in larger numbers, chassis nos 762001-0762269 & 0762287-0762336, with the LPTB being the largest customer for the type.

12 photos.

61 photos.

London Transport RF.

76 photos.

The Monocaoch was an integral vehicle designed in conjunction with Park Royal. The mechanical units were identical to the AEC Reliance, but the Monocoach was not nearly as popular as the Reliance, with only 189 entering service in the UK. Most of these were built for Scottish operators, some with Alexander bodywork.

10 photos.

203 photos.

178 photos.

139 photos.

High-capacity rear-engined single decker chassis. Although withdrawn early in huge numbers by London Transport, the type was operated successfully in other parts of the UK, and in Australia.

83 photos.

London Transport MB, MBA & MBS classes.

Visit The MB90 Website

86 photos.

London Transport SM, SMS & SMD classes.

83 photos.

6 photos.

From 1930 the 65hp, 4-cyl petrol, 4-ton goods chassis was available in normal control (model 640 Mercury) and forward control or 'side type' (model 641 Monarch). The 70hp oil (diesel) engine was offered as an alternative.

AEC Monarch models 244 (bonneted) & 344 (side-type) were introduced in April 1935 as part of the new improved Mk II goods range. Model 641 was renamed Mercury. There was no Mercury Mk II at this time - this would come in 1953 as the GM4.

10 photos.

General Purpose lorry, 6x4, 3- or 5-ton, built to War Office Subsidy specifications. 5.1 litre 4-cyl petrol engine, open cab with fold-back canvas top. Forward & normal control prototypes trialled in 1932. First Ministry contract placed in 1935 for the forward control version.

The rear bogie was also used on the 6x6 Type 854/0854. In common with other military types the Marshal was not listed in contemporary literature.

5 photos.

The first type to bear the famous 'Matador' name, the 645/O645 was a robust overtype goods chassis and a favourite on sand & gravel extraction sites.

4 photos.

Hardy/AEC G.W.R. 'oiler' railcars Model 0852.

Southall Works AEC 0-4-0 diesel shunter.

New Zealand Government Railways diesel shunters.

24 photos.

Matador 4x4 Model 0853.

287 photos.

The stalwart Matador was the ideal bus recovery tender and many bus companies that ran them went to a lot of trouble to rebuild the ex-WD machines with stylish cabs and bodywork. Some were given fleet numbers and were road-registered, others only carried trade plates making identification a bit difficult.

64 photos.

6-wheel drive chassis combining the 644 Marshal double-drive rear bogie with 853 Matador front axle.

14 photos.

152 photos.

39 photos.

25 photos.

Model 0859 6x4

Model 0860 6x6

94 photos.

90 photos.

Chassis number prefix G4RA, G4LA.

G = Goods, 4 = 4-wheel chassis, R = Right-hand drive, (L = left-hand drive), A = Air brakes.

28 photos.

9 photos.

Jonathan Pye's superb photo collection of Mammoth Major 6x4 tippers seen in arduous day-to-day conditions of the M25 and A12 road construction sites.

20 photos.

G = Goods, 6 = 6-wheel chassis, 8 = 8-wheel chassis.

88 photos.

Chassis number prefix TGM4R.

T = Tilt cab, G = Goods, M = Medium-weight, 4 = 4-wheel chassis, R = Right-hand drive.

102 photos.

Chassis number prefix TG4R (VTG4R = V8)

T = Tilt cab, G = Goods, 4 = 4-wheel chassis, R = Right-hand drive.

97 photos.

Chassis number prefix TG6R, TG8R.

T = Tilt cab, G = Goods, 6 = 6-wheel chassis, 8 = 8-wheel chassis; R = Right-hand drive.

Collection includes twin-steer Mammoth Minor type TG6RF.

121 photos.

42 photos.

13 photos.

26 photos.

6x6 type 0870 (right-hand drive)

6x6 type 0880 (left-hand drive)

43 photos.

11 photos.

A.E.C.s and Maudslays were popular platforms for a rich variety of fire appliances supplied to authorities in the UK and around the world.

117 images.

Crane Carriers; Coles Cranes; Douglas Timber Tractors; Thornycroft etc.

52 photos.

The bi-annual International Commercial Motor Transport Exhibition organised by the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders was held at London's Olympia from 1907 to 1935. The venue changed to London's Earls Court for the 15th Commercial Motor Show in 1937, but WWII and early postwar recovery meant the 16th show wasn't held until 1948.

During the 1950s AEC displayed standard AEC vehicles with Maudslay & Crossley badges, taking advantage of the goodwill these well respected marques brought to the ACV Group.

5 photos.

Classic AECs from New South Wales contributed by Andrew Blacklock on behalf of Joe Fogarty.

16 photos.

On June 12th 2003 Ray Evans paid a visit to Denyer's yard to take a gearbox off a Reliance. While there Ray wandered round and took a few photos. Den Denyer has given full permission to post the photos and says he welcomes visits from genuine enthusiasts for a chat or if you are looking for parts of which there are still a few engines, gearboxes, etc. Updated in November 2008 following Chris Stanley's visit.

28 photos.

Bridgemasters, Regals, Regents, Routemasters & Swifts in service with UK independent bus operators, many of which sadly no longer exist.

59 photos.

AEC Reliances photographed around the UK by John Law. Many rare and unusual vehicles.

159 photos.

Regals, Reliances and trolleys photographed by Jan Emmelkamp.