Legend of London - the famous London Bus AEC Regent III

• The Legend of London - the famous London Bus AEC Regent III

Today, the capital of Britain - London is famous for its developed network of public transport, which is a symbol of many years ago became famous dabldekkery - double-decker red buses.

Two hundred years ago in London there was no public transport. To walk from the center of the nearest village, it needed only half an hour. But with the growth of the city began to appear the need for public transport.

The first omnibus from Paddington to the City. Horse tram. The first motorized carriage B Type. NS Type - the first bus with an indoor riding, presented by AEC in 1923. And finally, the famous leader of the Redskins, as it is sometimes called, red AEC Regent, who became one of the symbols of London.

When the two AEC Regent III Release 1948 driven under its own power (!) In Sebastopol, I could not help but talk about them. And let these buses are not red, and let his entire career, they were not in London and its suburbs. It is a legend.

A bit of history of public transport in London.

The first form of public transport capital of the UK has been the omnibus. In 1829, George Shilibir opened the first route for the line between Paddington and omnibus City. The crew was a wagon with a capacity of 22 passengers, driven by three horses. After 10 years, the right passenger traffic has completely passed Shilibira lines, which employed 620 omnibuses. For several decades, the network of routes and types of wagons has grown significantly, and now travel between suburbs and the capital has become much easier. The service has been available for almost all sectors of the population. Crews built up by seating arrangement of seats on the roof of the wagon. This was the birth of the famous second-floor modern buses. 1900 was truly revolutionary in the development of transport in London. At the turn of the century a few carts were motorized. Company London General Omnibus (L.G.O.C.) modernized its wheeled in 1920 and opened a special unit Chiswick Works, which was engaged in service of bus lines. The main producer of buses and trucks at the time was the Associated Equipment Company (AEC), which became later a part of London Transport giant. The cooperation of these two companies has led to a dramatic development of bus services in the city and suburbs. In 1933, when the management of the company came to London Transport, she got into the possession of 6000 the most modern buses at the time.

The main models of buses that use transport companies, have been Milnes-Daimler and De Dions. They were wheeled double-decker vehicles with an open top. From horse-drawn carts they differ only in the presence engine.

Bus with indoor second floor was first presented by the AEC, it was NS Type, built in 1923 Soft seat, closed driver's cabin and pneumatic tire - now the trip was much more comfortable and had obvious advantages over walking, even though the "caterpillar "speed.

The development of this mode of transport has been gradual, changed engine characteristics, modifications, cabins, passenger carriage regulations. And in 1939, it was decided to set a standard for buses.

This standard became AEC Regent RT III, but its production is postponed because of the outbreak of the war, as a result, this model has gained mass only in the 1950s. The current generation dabldekkery traces its history it was from this point on.

The prototype bus AEC Regent was built in 1938, with the engine in volume 8, 8 liters manufacturer AEC (temporary option, until they started to produce the engine for 9, 6 liters) and the pneumatic semi-automatic transmission.

Found a satisfactory replacement of British-made German air compressor, acquired from Bosch, it was to cause problems for the AEC, as soon as the war began. Chassis prototype went into operation under the guise of an old car. On the bus body set second-hand staircase, which, since 1931, operated on Leyland Titan

While testing the chassis, on the London transport buses factory Chiswick new housing were built. They consisted of four compartments and created a general impression of modern design and functionality. This body replaced the old RT 1 and the buses were put into operation in 1939.

London Transport ordered 338 (later the order was reduced to 150) chassis which was in production at the time of the outbreak of war in September 1939. The last of the parties have not arrived in London Transport in January 1942. The only bus chassis built before the war, were intended for exhibition at a commercial showroom in 1939 in Glasgow, the opening of which was canceled due to the outbreak of war. These chassis differ from the pre-war London samples in that the body was built by Weymann, although the cabin was very similar to the cockpit of the London buses.

AEC Regent III continued to produce after the war from 1946 until 1954. Unlike the pre-war version was different labels routing tables and their location: the body in the post-war model is not going to London; prewar bends near the windshield and the rear of the body have been replaced by straight; the number of air vents in the lower tier was changed to post-war version from 6 to 4.

The driving position is to the right of the engine in a small cramped cubicle. However, the absence of the hood provides improved visibility, which is important in an urban environment

Workplace London bus driver. Steering wheel selector chair. Nothing extra

Do not compare with torpedo modern buses. But it is enough to control the two-story machine

The gear selector box to the left of the driver.

bus dashboard AEC Regent III

The switch door opening

Window Handle

But still something is done in Germany. Surprisingly, it was to see it on the English technique 1947 release.

plate from the body and the chassis number data. They say that this number can find all bus story. I found the service on the network

The familiar to us the fuse box in the cab

There is nothing superfluous

Instruction how to turn off the engine bus

A sign of passing inspection. Fastened around the driver's side window vents

Engine. Regent was 9, 6-liter diesel engine and pneumatic transmission.

The engine is fully operational. These two buses arrived from England in Sevastopol under its own power!

Wiper blades.

And ... characters on wheels. However, in my opinion, not Chinese

narrowed eyes headlamps

Rear lights and number plate

fuel filler

The coat of arms of the village, in the street which worked for many years this bus

bus salon. Top floor. The ceiling is so low that I had to shoot bending

The seat and floor covering. Despite the fact that the bus is very old, it does not broken down, no scratches nail "Here was John", the seats are not indented and are not even scratched.

The routing label inside the bus ...

... and a sign for second place in any competition of city buses in 1975.

The bus accommodates 59 passengers - 33 in the top 26 and the bottom salons

signal driver button, located at the doors.

room lamp

The drive opening rear glass unit.

Rear vents

speaker grille

The mirror on the way down from the upper to the lower cabin. narrow descent, so the mirror is intended to ensure that passengers do not face the aisle

duct interior heater

The descent from the second floor to the first

This sleek pen for holding ... the only one in the cabin. remained a mystery to me why so

These buses worked on city lines for about 50 years, and then came to the very south of Ukraine, which will be turned into two small restaurants on wheels in the style of London Bus.

Maybe we'll meet again with them when they work in his new role ...