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Leigh Corporation
1948
AEC Regent III
Roberts L27/26R

Another shot of a Leigh Corporation AEC Regent III there was one on stand last April the shot was in colour too you can see it here. This Regent is four years older and was built by a different body builder Roberts of Wakefield in Yorkshire. In 1948 the overall length was 26ft it wasn’t until 1950 the length changed to 27ft although I can’t see one foot making all that much difference, touch more legroom perhaps.

Leigh Corporation
1965
AEC Renown
East Lancs H41/31F

I think but I’m not over sure, but was the Renown to take over from the Bridgemaster does anybody know. This wasn’t the first time the Renown name had been used by AEC in the late 20s early 30s there was a six-wheeled chassis called the Renown. It would appear that the chassis was used for both double or single deck vehicles.

Picture here of a double decker (scroll down to first b/w picture).
Picture here of a single decker.

Just found out this bus has actually been preserved to see a much better photo than mine click here.

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The Renown was a replacement for the Bridgemaster. The big problem with the former was that it was of integral construction, which at that time was unacceptable to just about every operator of any significance. In fact by the time the Renown emerged everybody was moving to Atlanteans and Fleetlines, so that was a flop as well!

Yet two more AEC dead-ends, to rank with the ‘Q’ the Regent IV and the Monocoach!

David A Jones

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I remember that when AEC announced its intention to build the Renown, the shrinking market for front-engined buses was recognised, and it was intended that the new model should replace the full-height Regent V as well as the low-height Bridgemaster.  Quite why that didn’t happen I don’t know for certain, but in view of the Renown’s reputation for being over-engineered, I would imagine that production costs made it impossible to sell it at a price competitive with other full-height models. 

However, full-height Renowns were built in small numbers for Leicester, Nottingham and Wolverhampton corporations, the low floor being used to give greater headroom for passengers.

Peter Williamson

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I’ve ridden a time or two on this preserved Leigh Renown vehicle and it is in very fine order indeed. I may be wrong, but I think I heard that it was involved in an unfortunate "shunt" recently on one of the Manchester Museum open days.
Quite apart from any mechanical or other difficulties I think that the lack of sales for the model can largely be summed up in three words – "One Person Operation" – it probably arrived on the market several years too late.

Chris Youhill

Leigh Corporation
1953
AEC Regent III
East Lancs L27/26R

As this bus has a lowbridge body the upper deck would have a side isle and 6 rows of 4 seats and a 3 seat row at the rear with lots of ‘mind your head’ signs. It looks older than 1952 I think that may have something to do with the painted radiator. In 1969 this bus was transferred to SELNEC with a fleet no of 6941.

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Update My thanks to  for the following information.

I used to go to school on these Leigh Corporation buses – no picture I have seen does justice to the immaculate paint job, nice site for memories.

Robert Hatton

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My thanks for the following information to anonymous, I’m not surprised when you read what he used to get up to.

I also remember going to school on these lovely old buses. I have tried describing this type of bus with the long bench seats upstairs to my friends in the south of England where I now live, but nobody recognised the design. I never realised it was because the bus had a "low bridge body" you learn something every day.

Finally I must recall a somewhat disgusting trick we youngsters had of wetting (licking!) our paper bus ticket and sticking it on the roof of the bus when you peeled it off at the end of your journey you left a lovely transfer print of your ticket, which remained till the bus was re-painted!

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That is an interesting shot in Leigh bus station,the bus is passing the number 1 bus route stand (Plank Lane) but the destination blind reads Astley which was the number two route immediately behind so the bus would be pulling away in the picture, both stands being at the rear of the Woolpack pub (Run by my Aunty Annie) and across from Kingstreet Methodist church visible in the background.

I was one of those kids who used to undo every screw I sat next to by half a turn with my penknife and wind the destination blind to a new destination, as I remember the front one was changed via a drop down flap from the upstairs saloon.

Seemed great fun back then.

Berni Baxter