Date of Registration

Hi I was hoping that if anyone is able to date the bus in the attached photo I think the registration number is CAV 203 any info will be gratefully accepted.

Dod

08/01/12 - 16:39

The CAV plate of the AEC Regal was issued by Aberdeenshire, but the Austin Princess, which was produced from 1947, shows the London registration KLN 391, though it might possibly be KLH which was also a London plate. The lorry on the right seems to be a Dodge of mid 1950s vintage. The car travelling in the opposite direction to the bus is an Austin A35, which was made from 1956. The car behind the Princess is an example of the Farina styled Wolseley that appeared from 1958, so the picture is of that date or later. It might be useful to try to identify the location. I cannot decipher any of the registrations except that for the Princess, but I wonder if the Regal is possibly CHV or CXV , which were also London area plates. The bunting indicates that some public event was either imminent or just over.

Roger Cox

09/01/12 - 07:20

Sutherland's of Peterhead had a Guy Arab with a CAV registration new in 1943, so I don't believe that is what this registration is. The bus is clearly an AEC Regal III and the registration issues there didn't move that slowly. I think it may be GAV. The body looks to be a standard Duple one, it's just that the reflections off the destination glasses make it look a bit more like a Harrington.
It doesn't seem to have been a vehicle that was absorbed into the Alexander empire.

David Beilby

09/01/12 - 07:22

Further to Roger's post, I can add a few dates that might define things.
CAV was issued by Aberdeen CC in January 1944
CHV was issued by East Ham CC in the first week of 1948
CXV was issued by London CC in May 1936
The Wolseley 15/60 is a 1958 - 61 model where the side grills are set slightly higher than the 1962 model year onwards.
In front of the A35 is a 1957 onwards Humber Hawk. So I think we can be certain the picture is after August 1958 but most likely around 1960/62. The caption mentioning Macduff would seem to confirm that this picture is from that town so, the bus is most likely CAV and as this was a wartime issue, should be quite a rare allocation for Aberdeen. So, over to you fleet experts to identify the operator and vehicle history!

Richard Leaman

09/01/12 - 09:00

With a bit of searching about on the MacDuff website, I found this picture http://www.trawlerphotos.co.uk/. This is Gala Week 1959 and shows a gathering of trawlermen but to the left is the front cab of what looks very like the coach we are identifying. What do you think? So my guess, July 1959 for the date of the picture.

Richard Leaman

09/01/12 - 13:47

Although the coach might appear to be a postwar AEC Regal 0662, probably with Duple body, I have checked through the PSV Circle Chassis List CXB27, and the only examples with '203' in the registration were FOT 203 - bus-bodied example for Venture of Basingstoke, and FFS 203 - an Alexander-bodied coach for SMT. So it would appear to be a refurbished prewar chassis with a new body - something that happened a lot just after the war.

John Stringer

10/01/12 - 07:30

FAV was issued in 1949, so I concur with David that GAV looks about right for the body at least.

Peter Williamson

10/01/12 - 16:41

1949 looks right for the radiator shape also, which is surely that of a Regal III rather than an earlier type. At first I thought that the livery might be that of Alexander, but that operator seems always to have registered its vehicles in Stirlingshire. However, in 1950, Alexander took over the business of James Sutherland of Peterhead, and that fleet included two Regent IIIs registered FAV 826/7. Is it possible that this Regal originated with this operator?

Roger Cox

10/01/12 - 18:01

Sutherland of Peterhead was my first thought, but there is no sign of this vehicle with Alexander (Northern) in the 1965 edition of BBF22, whereas four ex-Sutherland 1947 Regals (DSA registrations, Brush coach bodies) were still in stock at that time.

Peter Williamson

10/01/12 - 20:29

I think I have the answer - The Circle fleet history for Alexander (Northern), shows they took over Simpson of Rosehearty in December 1966. A listing of all vehicles ever owned by Simpson shows GAV 203 as a Harrington bodied Regal III, C35F, new in 1/50 to Gibb of Fraserburgh, acquired by Simpsons at an unknown date, but derelict by 1963.

Bob Gell

10/01/12 - 20:31

You're right of course Roger, it was a Regal III. The PSV Circle chassis list CXB 32 shows GAV 203 as chassis no. 9612A with Harrington C33F body, supplied new to A. Gibb, Fraserburgh.

John Stringer

22/08/16 - 06:20

GAV 203 an AEC Regal with Harrington C35F bodywork was new to Gibbs of Fraserburgh in 1950 and was transferred to Simpsons around 1955 along with Gibb's other coach GAV 989 a 1951 Leyland PSU1/15 with Plaxton Crusader C41C bodywork.
Below are some photos I have of this vehicle.

Peter Simpson

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