Photograph by ‘unknown’ if you took this photo please go to the copyright page.

The City of Oxford Motor Services
1956
AEC Regent V MD3RV
Weymann H30/26RD

City of Oxford I think were one of AECs most loyal customers. According to my 1963 British Bus Fleets South Central book it states that as from 1927 apart from a batch of 5 Dennis Loline Mark IIs delivered in 1961 with AEC engines by the way, all their vehicles were AECs. Interestingly enough the next batch of vehicles ordered after the Lolines were AEC Bridgemasters. What I find strange, and I hope someone can explain why it was that the Bridgemaster had been available from 1956, why wait until December 1961 to take delivery of their first batch. Not to mention the fact that they took delivery of 15 lowbridge Regent Vs as well as the 5 Lolines in the 56 – 61 period. As a matter of interest they also took delivery of 30 highbridge Regent V MDs and 16 LDs in the same period of which the vehicle in the above shot is one of the first. It was chassis number 29 of the MD variant and had as can be seen an exposed radiator rather than the more recognisable concealed version more associated with the Regent V. All City of Oxford 27ft Regent Vs were MDs (Medium Weight) having the smaller AEC AV470 7.68 litre six cylinder diesel engine. But they were not quite so loyal when it came to body builders Park Royal and Weymann were the norm for the double deckers, apart from a batch of 5 Regent Vs and the Lolines that had East Lancs bodies and the first batch of front entrance Regents that had bodies by Willowbrook. I am afraid that is where my information ends but if you know something that maybe of interest to others your comments are more than welcome.

A full list of Regent V codes can be seen here.

———

I think you’re a little unfair about loyalty with bodywork. When you buy one car or bus at a time you can be loyal to one maker. When you bulk order you have to be aware of the capacity of the supplier – which is why most large operators (even London Transport) dual sourced. At least COMS managed fidelity to AEC – with which I would fully concur – and the two bodybuilders were among the acknowledged best at their craft at the time. [Lolines were only available late in Weymann's life but maybe they were arguing with Dennis for an AEC option when the body style and finish of the Bridgemaster was truly dreadful.]
Whatever the reasons; maroon, cream and duck-egg blue AECs – that is the heyday of a superb operator.

David Oldfield

P.S.

Re-reading Alan Townsin’s chapter on the Bridgemaster in his "Blue Triangle"…..
The original version was attractive with curved profile and aluminium body but BET were likely to be the model’s biggest customer. They wanted steel frames and single skin domes, like the MCW Orion, and a wholesale re-think had to be made.
Very few of the original Crossley built Bridgemaster’s were made before it was totally retooled and production moved to Park Royal from whence came the uglier production model. This probably helps answer why COMS didn’t buy Bridgemasters before 1961 – that and being on the end of a queue which would involve PRV vehicles for other customers. The Bridgemaster was now firmly based in London and would, or could, not be sub-let to Crossley or Roe.

Photo by ‘unknown’ if you took this photo please go to the copyright page.

The City of Oxford Motor Services
1958
AEC Regent V
Park Royal H65R

The Regent V was in production from 1954 until 1968 there was a prototype Regent IV which had an underfloor engine but there was not much interest so it never went into production. According to research the only difference between the Regent III chassis and the Regent V was that the latter’s rear springs were ½ inch wider.
There was two differences though the first being the obvious cosmetic one of the introduction of the AEC wide-bonnet front end with the more square traditional AEC radiator. The former exposed radiator style was still available until 1960 and quite a lot were built that way.
The second but not so obvious was the direct selection epicyclic gearbox to replace the preselective gearbox of the earlier Regents, although about 100 were built with preselect gearboxes for a few operators, the normal clutch and synchromesh was also available.
Engine wise the Regent V had the usual AEC 7·7 and 9·6 engines and in 1966 a 11·3 litre version became available, for some reason in 1955-56 the Gardner 5LW or 6LW was available no 5LW were built but a few operators took some 6LWs.

A full list of Regent V codes can be seen here.

———

This vehicle was subsequently acquired by Provincial in 1970, becoming their no.80. It was one of seven purchased, the others being 970/2/5-7 CWL.

Stephen Didymus