AEC Bridgemaster | |
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Park Royal bodied AEC Bridgemaster (forward-entrance) | |
Overview | |
Manufacturer | AEC |
Production | 1956-1963 |
Powertrain | |
Engine | AEC AV470 (first two prototypes) AEC AV590 |
Transmission | AEC synchromesh |
Chronology | |
Successor | AEC Renown |
The AEC Bridgemaster was a front-engined low-height double-decker bus chassis manufactured by AEC.
The AEC Bridgemaster was introduced by AEC in 1956 to meet the demand of low-height double-deckers from municipal and independent bus operators across the United Kingdom, which were barred from purchasing the Bristol Lodekka. It was designed as a fully-integral vehicle, utilising two sub frames like the contemporary Routemaster. Four pre-production examples were bodied by Crossley with an aluminium body; production examples bodied by Park Royal were introduced from 1958 with steel body frames at the request of British Electric Traction. [1]
In 1960 a forward-entrance version with slightly different driveline layout was introduced. [2] A total of 180 were produced before it was superseded by the AEC Renown in 1963. [3] East Yorkshire Motor Services were the largest customer, purchasing 50. [1] [4] [5]
Bulgy the Double-Decker bus, as well as several other related characters from The Railway Series children’s books, and its television adaptation Thomas & Friends, are based on the AEC Bridgemaster.
Media related to
AEC Bridgemaster at Wikimedia Commons
AEC Bridgemaster | |
---|---|
![]()
Park Royal bodied AEC Bridgemaster (forward-entrance) | |
Overview | |
Manufacturer | AEC |
Production | 1956-1963 |
Powertrain | |
Engine | AEC AV470 (first two prototypes) AEC AV590 |
Transmission | AEC synchromesh |
Chronology | |
Successor | AEC Renown |
The AEC Bridgemaster was a front-engined low-height double-decker bus chassis manufactured by AEC.
The AEC Bridgemaster was introduced by AEC in 1956 to meet the demand of low-height double-deckers from municipal and independent bus operators across the United Kingdom, which were barred from purchasing the Bristol Lodekka. It was designed as a fully-integral vehicle, utilising two sub frames like the contemporary Routemaster. Four pre-production examples were bodied by Crossley with an aluminium body; production examples bodied by Park Royal were introduced from 1958 with steel body frames at the request of British Electric Traction. [1]
In 1960 a forward-entrance version with slightly different driveline layout was introduced. [2] A total of 180 were produced before it was superseded by the AEC Renown in 1963. [3] East Yorkshire Motor Services were the largest customer, purchasing 50. [1] [4] [5]
Bulgy the Double-Decker bus, as well as several other related characters from The Railway Series children’s books, and its television adaptation Thomas & Friends, are based on the AEC Bridgemaster.
Media related to
AEC Bridgemaster at Wikimedia Commons