Southampton Corporation
1963
AEC Regent V 2D3RA
East Lancs H37/29R

373 FCR is a Regent V, 2D3RA, from the Southampton City Transport fleet. Unlike some, which had Neepsend bodywork, she is listed as having East Lancs bodywork, of the H66R configuration. She was new in 1963. She’s seen in Winchester, during a King Alfred Running Day on 1 January 2009, on the roundabout at the eastern end of The Broadway…

…and, yes, she is heeling over somewhat!

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

26/05/14 – 09:40

Even allowing for some over enthusiastic cornering, it looks as if some of the leaves in the rear spring have failed, a matter that should receive urgent attention.

Roger Cox

26/05/14 – 11:28

This really is an action photo! The upstairs passengers might well have wondered if she’d ever recover!

Chris Hebbron

06/01/17 – 11:11

I purchased 373 FCR in 2012 and indeed a new set of springs was needed! Progressive restoration work got her back to Class 6 test standard in 2015 and she ran in revenue earning service for Stagecoach at Goodwood Races that year

Andrew Dyer

06/01/17 – 14:21

On seeing the dramatic picture I had a feeling that springs or tyres must be to blame – the Regent V, especially in 8’0" form, was a very stable vehicle indeed normally. Strangely, we had a batch of fifteen "eight footer" lightweights at Leeds City Transport. The last one in service, well after the others had gone, looked almost as alarming when stationary at stops – I openly admit to have been petrified of 909 1909 NW and was very glad to see the back of it.

Chris Youhill

06/01/17 – 14:22

Andrew, I saw the entry attributed to "Andrew Dyer" and wondered if you were the one about whom I had heard via Simon Bell, then I read your comment. Welcome aboard, young sir. Hold very tight, please!

Pete Davies

Southampton Corporation
1963
AEC Regent V 2D3RA
East Lancs H37/29R

369 FCR is a Regent V of the 2D3RA variety, with East Lancs H66R bodywork from 1963, in the fleet of Southampton City Transport, fleet number 349. She’s seen in Vincent’s Walk on a sunny lunchtime in January 1976, between duties on the 15 to Swaythling via Bassett Green. The blinds have been set on the way into City Centre, but the bus needs to turn round.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

26/06/15 – 05:19

To my mind one of best looking of the MkV. but my own favourite is Nottingham City Transport MK V. followed by NCT Renowns. They were nice to drive and nowhere in Nottm. could they not go.

J. A. Bagshaw

29/03/20 – 08:42

This vehicle arrived in advance (October) of the rest of the batch for familiarization and publicity purposes.
I remember that many of the drivers considered them somewhat sluggish on the road compared to the Park Royal bodied lighter predecessors (313-322).

Peter Elliott

East Kent Road Car Company
1967
AEC Regent V 3D3RA
Park Royal H40/32F

This photograph, copyright of the ‘M & D and East Kent Bus Club’, shows East Kent Road Car Company MFN 946F in the guise of one of the holiday exhibition buses which toured northern towns in the 1960s to publicise the holiday resorts in Kent and Sussex.
In the early 1960s, as a school boy in Rochdale, I recall seeing a similar type of touring exhibition double decker of Maidstone & District. This was a rear entrance model probably one of the then latest intake of buses to M&D. (Some time ago John Stringer made mention on the OBP site of his sightings of same in Halifax).
From memory the lower deck rear longitudinal seats remained in place although the area forward of these (normally occupying the transverse seating) was fitted out with poster panels/tables with publicity material on display. The upper deck might have been set up to show films but I am not sure on this.
I wonder if anyone has any recollections or maybe photographs of these buses ‘on tour’?
The destination blind service number aperture shows ‘IN 1968’. I have no idea where this shot, in thawing snow, was taken but the ornamental sign seems to say ‘Barley Mow’.

My interest in buses was in its formative stage at this time and anything outside Lancashire and Yorkshire was truly alien so these visitors were quite ‘mysterious’. They also inspired me to cut thin strips of paper and insert them between the ‘windows’ of Matchbox Routemasters to crudely replicate the real thing!

Photograph and Copy contributed by David Slater

23/03/14 – 17:52

Further to my old friend David Slater’s picture of the East Kent ‘Publicity Bus’.

Here is a picture of the same bus parked outside Oldham Town Hall fulfilling the same duty, but this time praising the holiday virtues of Folkestone.
I wonder if it was enough to entice Oldhamers from the charms of Blackpool and the Lancashire coast for their ‘Wakes Holiday’. After all it was a long way to travel, when you could hop on a Yelloway Coach at Mumps and be there in a couple of hours.

Stephen Howarth

13/09/18 – 06:55

This vehicle is still going, and in excellent condition. Last seen in Chichester, on loan to Stagecoach, on the shuttle service from the Station to the Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit for the Goodwood Revival.

J Lynch