AEC Renown

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The AEC Renown was the name given to three different forward control bus chassis manufactured by AEC at different periods between 1925 and 1967. All were of the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. The first and third types had two axles, the second had three. Each was intended to be fitted with bodywork by an outside coachbuilder – single deck for the first type, double deck for the third, whilst the second could be bodied in either form.

Models 411 and 413 (1925–26)[edit]

The first AEC bus chassis to be given the name Renown – in fact, the first AEC chassis of any kind to be named – was the Model 411, introduced in March 1925. This was a two-axle chassis intended to be fitted with a single-deck body with a capacity of around thirty seats. It had a 5.1-litre (310 in3) four-cylinder side-valve petrol engine, the basic design of which dated back to 1919.[1]

The chassis was designed to meet new regulations which permitted a motor vehicle to run at 20 mph (32 km/h) instead of 12 mph (19 km/h), provided that pneumatic tyres were fitted and the weight did not exceed 3 long tons 15 hundredweight (3,800 kg).[2]

The model 413 Renown was a variant of the model 411 introduced later in 1925, having a modified braking system. Models 411 and 413, taken together, numbered 405 vehicles; they were produced until 1926. The AEC Blenheim (models 412 and 414) produced at the same time as the Renown was similar to the Renown but of normal-control layout (having the driving position begind the engine).[2]

Models 663 and 664 (1929–40)[edit]

London Transport no. LT165 is a Model 663 Renown
London Transport no. LT1076 is a Model 664 Renown

A new six-cylinder 6.1-litre (370 in3) overhead-camshaft petrol engine was introduced by AEC in 1929, and fitted to several new models introduced that year. Two of these – models 663 and 664 – were given the name Renown.[3] They had six wheels on three axles, the four rear wheels being powered. Broadly similar to each other, the primary difference was in the wheelbase and length – model 663 had a wheelbase of 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 m) for an overall length of 26 feet (7.9 m), model 664 had a wheelbase of 18 feet 7 inches (5.66 m) and was 30 feet (9.1 m) long – this was the maximum permitted length for a three-axle bus at the time, two-axle buses being restricted to 25 feet (7.6 m).[4]

A 7.4-litre (450 in3) petrol engine was optional from 1932. AEC began to develop diesel engines (also known as oil engines) in 1928, and the type A155 diesel engine with an Acro cylinder head and a displacement of 8.1 litres (490 in3) was experimentally fitted to some Renowns during early 1931. Problems with this engine led to a redesign with a Ricardo Comet cylinder head, and the type A165 8.8-litre (540 in3) diesel engine became an optional fitment in most bus models from September 1931.[5] It was replaced by the type A171 7.58-litre (463 in3) diesel engine in spring 1935.[6] From about 1934, the model code was prefixed with the letter "O" (for oil) if a diesel engine was fitted, giving models O663 and O664. Customers wanting a direct injection diesel engine could buy models 663G or 664G, which were fitted with a Gardner 5LW or 6LW engine in place of the AEC unit, but this option was not publicised.[7]

The biggest customer for both 663 and 664 models was London General Omnibus Company (LGOC), which bought over 1200 of Model 663 between 1929 and 1932 fitted with double-deck bodywork, and about 200 of Model 664 in 1931 fitted with single-deck bodywork. They formed the LT class of the LGOC, numbered between LT1 and LT1429, although some buses in this range were not built by AEC but in the LGOC's own workshops. The LGOC amalgamated with other transport operators in 1933 to create the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB), and in 1937–38, the LPTB bought a further 24 of Model 663, fitted with single-deck coach bodywork – these formed the LTC class, numbered between LTC1 and LTC24.[8]

Models 3B2RA and 3B3RA (1962–67)[edit]

AEC Renown
1965 AEC Renown (reg. DBC 190C), in Leicestre Corporation Transport livery.
Overview
ManufacturerAEC
Production1962-1967
Body and chassis
DoorsFront, behind front axle
Floor typeLowbridge
Powertrain
EngineAEC AV590
TransmissionAEC synchromesh
AEC Monocontrol
Chronology
PredecessorAEC Bridgemaster

The third AEC Renown was a low-height two-axle double-decker bus chassis. It superseded the AEC Bridgemaster around 1962.[9]

AEC Renown chassis, model 3B2RA.[10] Major components, left to right: rear suspension; rear axle; exhaust silencer and air brake reservoir (top) fuel tank (bottom); epicyclic gearbox; engine cowl and driving position

The low-height double-decker AEC Bridgemaster was nearing the end of its production when AEC launched the Renown as its successor around 1962, not long before the acquisition of AEC by Leyland. The main difference between the Renown and its predecessor was the chassis design, the Renown was designed as a complete chassis, rather than integral construction adopted by the Bridgemaster, thus the Renown could be suited to different body designs.[11] The engine was the AEC AV590, as used in the Bridgemaster, which had a displacement of 590 in3 (9.7 L) and developed 128 bhp (95 kW) at 1,800 rpm. The transmission could either be the AEC "Monocontrol" semi-automatic three-speed epicyclic gearbox, or a clutch and four-speed synchromesh gearbox. Two prototypes were built in 1962, one for each transmission option; the monocontrol example (model 3B2RA) was tried out by London Transport, and the synchromesh example (model 3B3RA) was initially exhibited at the Commercial Motor Show, and then used by AEC as a demonstrator. In the model codes, the initial 3B indicated a Renown (the Bridgemaster having been B or 2B); the next figure showed the number of pedals and thus the type of transmission – the Monocontrol option had no clutch pedal; the R denoted right-hand drive; and the A denoted air brakes.[12]

The design, like the Bristol Lodekka and the Dennis Loline meant this double-decker could travel under low height bridges, whilst maintaining near-full-height standing room.

Bodywork was constructed by a variety of coachbuilders, primarily Park Royal Vehicles which built 130, but also included: East Lancs (33); Northern Counties (39); and Weymann (40). Most had the entrances situated just behind the front axle, but fourteen of those built by East Lancs had rear entrances. Major customers included City of Oxford Motor Services (43); East Yorkshire Motor Services (34); North Western Road Car Company (33); Nottingham City Transport (42); and Western Welsh (28). Virtually all customers specified the synchromesh transmission – only five (including one of the prototypes) were built with the Monocontrol transmission.[12]

After Leyland acquired a 25% stake of Bristol Commercial Vehicles and Eastern Coach Works in late 1965, Leyland had three different front-engined low-height double-deck designs: AEC Renown, Bristol Lodekka and Albion Lowlander. Leyland quickly decided to cease taking orders for the Renown and Lowlander. The last AEC Renown was delivered in 1967, [11] with a total of 251 buses built.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Townsin 1998, pp. 18–19, 26.
  2. ^ a b Townsin 1998, p. 26.
  3. ^ Townsin 1998, pp. 39, 47.
  4. ^ Wise 1989, p. 19.
  5. ^ Townsin 1998, pp. 49–50.
  6. ^ Townsin 1998, p. 57.
  7. ^ Townsin 1998, pp. 63–64.
  8. ^ Poole 2000, pp. 22–24, 35.
  9. ^ Era ends Commercial Motor 19 November 1976
  10. ^ A.E.C. Limited AEC Renown brochure No. 719.7.62
  11. ^ a b Ward, Rod (2018). AEC album : part two : after 1945 plus the Maudslay story. Zeteo Publishing. p. 20. OCLC 1082957062.
  12. ^ a b Jolly, Stephen; Wareham, Grahame (1980). AEC Renown. Yarnton: Oxford Bus Preservation Syndicate. ISBN 0-9506739-1-9.
  • Brown, Stuart J (2013). The Lodekka Alternatives. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing.
  • Poole, S.L. (May 2000) [1948]. The ABC of London's Transport: No. 2 - Trams and Trolleybuses (2nd ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-2760-9. 0005/A.
  • Townsin, Alan (October 1998). AEC. Ian Allan Transport Library. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-2620-3. 9810/B.
  • Wise, G.B. (1989). Bus & Coach Recognition: Veteran & Vintage. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1858-8.

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