Created 10-Jun-19
Modified 8-Mar-24
These were the first Northern Counties-bodied AEC Regents for Rhondda and as such marked a complete break with tradition for coachbuilders as the only Northern Counties bodies previously operated by Rhondda had been some AEC Regals loaned by Western Welsh during the war. The bodies were undoubtedly more attractive than the more recent MCW Orion purchases and featured extensive use of laminates in the saloons and cream glazing rubbers which added a little relief to the all-red livery.
The chassis was the new 2MD3RA type which had a split-circuit air brake system which was already used on the 1961 Regents but featured the AV470 engine and synchromesh gearbox found on all the shorter Regent Vs for Rhondda. 469-478 (469-478 UNY) were new in 1963 but 470-472 and 474-476 were not licensed until January 1964.
Absorbed into Western Welsh stock in 1971, 469-478 were renumbered H1-1064 in August 1974 with survivors being renumbered again in October 1975 to H38-4464. 471, 475 and 476 having been withdrawn in 1975 prior to the second renumbering, whilst 472 and 473 were also withdrawn in 1975 as H4064 and H4164. The remainder survived until 1977 except for 477, by now H4364, which lasted until 1978. All were sold for scrap except 475 UNY which ran for a succession of owners being last advertised for sale in 1982. It seems to have been the only one of all the batches of Northern Counties-bodied AECs to go for further service, although of course 495 is very much a survivor.
© David Beilby
