W Bridgford AEC Regent V's with Reading Bodies

In 1958, West Bridgford UDC took delivery of three AEC Regent V's, unusually with bodies by Reading & Co, Portsmouth. Most double-deck bodies by Reading were bespoke designs per order and these were no exception, I understand. They were numbered 31-33 (XVO329-331), then, on transfer to NCT in 1968, re-numbered 200-202 respectively.
Has anyone got a frontal'ish photo of one of them they could post?

Chris Hebbron

25/02/13 - 17:22

Chris,
This is a view of WBUDC 31 - XVO329. It's from my collection and I don't know who holds the copyright.
The view shows it going under Wilford Lane railway bridge on its way to Nottingham (ignore the destination display, it wasn't changed at Clifton for its next journey). In the background is one of the other two Reading bodied Regent Fives on its way to Clifton on service 67 (if the rear blind display is to be believed). I lived at Clifton during the WBUDC era and must have rode on 31 and its two 'stablemates' on many occasions. I don't know why Reading was chosen to body these buses as Park Royal were West Bridgford's traditional bodybuilders but the two Regents bought new for Cliftons in 1954 (11 and 21) had Willowbrook bodies (who had converted the three highbridge Regents 8, 9 and 4 to lowbridge layout in 1952/3) with Park Royal bodying the three Regents (28/29 and 30) in 1955. From 1960 onwards East Lancs bodied all West Brigford's new deliveries (six Regent Fives, two Renowns and three Swifts) until the undertaking's sale to NCT in September 1968. Hope this helps.

Michael Elliott

26/02/13 - 05:31

Thx, Michael E, for such a quick response. They WERE bespoke and attractive, too. I wonder if the back of the one in the distance was another of the three. There certainly wasn't much clearance under the bridge!
It certainly is a wonder why W. Bridgford chose Reading, especially as, by then, we were well out of the distressed purchase era. Does anyone know when these vehicles were finally withdrawn - it might give an indication of the bodies' robustness.

Chris Hebbron

26/02/13 - 05:50

A view from my collection. No 33 (XVO 331) on its way into Nottingham. Like other Reading double-deckers, the body does have a touch of Park Royal about it.

Philip Lamb

27/02/13 - 05:43

Chris - All three of West Bridgford's Reading bodied Regent Fives were repainted into NCT livery and numbered, as you say, 200/201/202. All three were withdrawn at the end of 1970. One - 200 was in preservation but went for scrap in August 1972. When I saw it in 'preservation' it had no seat cushions and was said to be a non-runner with a defective engine. The other two - 201/202 went initially to Telefilms Transport at Preston in 12/70. 202 went for scrap in August 1971. I don't have a final disposal for 201.
The reason for their demise was the arrival of six lowheight Leyland Atlanteans (PDR1/3) that entered service in January 1971. These Atlanteans also 'saw off' the six remaining SAU lowbridge Regent IIIs that had been new to NCT in 1954 for the Clifton services (before NCT's share of the service was diverted via the new Clifton Bridge in March 1958). The SAUs saw themselves back on their old stamping grounds from September 1968 when NCT acquired the West Bridgford undertaking. My recollection of the Reading bodied Regents is that they remained robust to the end. The chassis were of the MD2RA type - AV470 engine and monocontrol.

Phillip - unfortunately your view of 33 is displaying an incorrect destination. The location is Southchurch Drive/Rivergreen on the way to the 67 terminus at Green Lane/Langstrath Road. The Rivergreen stop was around four stops from the 67 terminus so maybe the driver has changed the destination in readiness for the return journey to Nottingham.

Michael Elliott

27/02/13 - 10:53

Thx, Philip, for your contribution, which shows that Reading made quite a well-proportioned body for a lowbridge vehicle.
The photo also shews a sliding cab door, not that common, IMHO, outside London Transport.
And thx, Michael, for answering my query about the life and ending of these buses. Glad that they appeared to be robust bodies and a shame that at least one of these rarities (and unique combination) didn't survive into preservation.
I smile at the 100% of wrong blinds! And the first photo shows an advert for Kensitas cigarettes. I recall, when I was young, that they always included 2 free fags in a 10 pack and four in a 20 pack. This part of the pack was a different colour to emphasise the free bonus. The packs had a rotund servant in formal attire with a pack of the fags on a silver salver. Funny what you recall, yet I hadn't thought of them for years!

Chris Hebbron

05/03/13 - 07:08

I've now had the opportunity to ask an acquaintance who worked for West Bridgford at the time the Reading bodied Regent Fives were new. He recalled that West Bridgford had had 'a falling out' with Park Royal (over the bodies on 28/29/30) and that Reading successfully tendered for the three lowbridge bodies required in 1958. This reminded me that a former work colleague, who had worked previously for West Bridgford, told me that 28/29/30 had to be returned to Park Royal when fairly new for remedial work. So it seems that Reading were the suppliers of choice rather than 'distressed suppliers'.

Michael Elliott

05/03/13 - 14:36

Thx for adding that useful little titbit, Michael. Not only is that good to know, but Reading seemed to have done W Bridgford proud with their sound and attractive product!

Chris Hebbron

09/04/13 - 17:36

Nice to see a section dedicated to this small batch of buses, which I remember well from living at Clifton early-50s/mid-60s. I thought I had pictures of my own from the NCT era, but cannot now find them, I know it was a disappointment to me that the grill surrounds got painted over. I agree that there is a Park-Royal-ish look about them, but I never thought the balance was quite right, thinking that the low-height looked like it was mainly obtained by squashing the upper deck. I seem to recall some old suggestion that the Reading contract came as result of some past management link with the Portsmouth area.
A lasting memory of them is that the interiors, window surrounds in particular were dominated by PINK, not a salmon-y paint like upstairs on Midland Red, but what I think was self-coloured plastic material. Accordingly, friends used an easy identifyer as "the pink buses".

Rob Hancock

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