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Omnibus 148 - October 2002
DOUBLE VISION
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On 26 September 1960, London Transport placed into service three vehicles of a new type, the RW class. They had AEC Reliance 2M2RA chassis with Willowbrook B42D bodies, based apparently on a layout recently sold to Grimsby. Fleet numbers were RW1-3, registrations 495-497ALH, body numbers 9320-9322. All three were in country area green, but with a cream waistband instead of cream window surrounds. They were first used on route 322/322A between Watford and Hemel Hempstead, and subsequently were based at Addlestone, then Reigate and finally St.Albans garages. Midlands interest in the RW class is not confirmed to having bodies built in Loughborough, however, for in 1963 all three vehicles were sold to Chesterfield Corporation, becoming 18-20 in that fleet. This view shows RW1 and is believed to be a Willowbrook official photo. |
| In 1965, London Transport took a further fourteen AEC Reliance chassis with Willowbrook bodies. However, the RC class were 36ft long and the bodies were to BET dual-purpose style, for Green Line services. Arguably the real successors to the RW class, as two-door buses were first the AEC Merlin MB class, and then the shorter AEC Swift SM class. Bodies on the fifteen prototypes were by Strachans, but the production vehicles had bodies by Park Royal, Metro-Cammell Weymann and Marshall. SMS597 (EGN597J) was one of several hundred examples built first at Elmdon and later at Washwood Heath by Metro-Cammell Weymann. This is an MCW official photo. | |
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