AEC Swift

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AEC
AEC Swift

AEC Swift

Swift
Manufacturer AEC
design type Public bus
Production period 1964-1974
axes 2
engine 6-cylinder diesel engine AEC AH505 (8.2 l)
AEC AH691 (11.3 l)
length 10.18 m and 10.97 m
width 2.5 m
height approx. 3.1 m
successor Leyland National
Similar models Leyland Panther , Volvo B58

The AEC Swift is the name of a series of buses from the British manufacturer AEC in Southall , West London, England. The model was produced between 1964 and 1974. The chassis had a rear engine and was very similar to the Leyland Panther manufactured by the same company . It was available in lengths of 10 and 11 m. It was equipped with diesel engines of type AEC AH505 or AH691 underfloor in the rear. The bodies (bodies) for the buses were manufactured by various body manufacturers such as Marshall, Metro Cammell Weymann (MCV), Park Royal Vehicles (PRV), Willowbrook or Strachan.

The Swift was designed for use as a one-man car (only with a driver, without a conductor). This saved personnel costs. The bus thus proved to be an alternative to the classic double-decker buses such as the Routemaster or the Bristol Lodekka , as the use of conductors in double-decker buses was a legal requirement in Great Britain until the end of the 1960s.

Use in London

The numerically largest fleet of AEC Swifts was used by the London Transport Board (LTB) and from 1970 by the successor companies London Transport Executive (LTE) and London Country Bus Services (LCBS). Between 1966 and 1972, more than 1,500 buses were delivered to both operators. The bodies for the first 15 11-m buses , which were delivered from February 1966, came from Strachan , the later with slightly different bodies from Metro Cammell Weymann (MB, MBA, MBS; 1967-1969), Marshall (SM; 1969/1970) and Park Royal Vehicles (SMD, SMS; 1970-1972).
The 11-meter variant was in London as Merlin designated and with the codes MB (only a double door front), MBS (double doors at the front and in the middle) and MBA (two-door with a large standing area between the axles for the Red Arrow - Express Lines in London). Some initially appointed by LTB in London's outer areas SM in green livery came on 1 January 1970 the divested, the state National Bus Company (NBC) belonging, London Country Bus Services Ltd. (LCBS).
The shorter 10 m version was also known as the Swift in London . The versions SM (Vorortbus, single door) and SMS (two-door) were originally in red or dark green livery from London Transport Board used (LTB), some first by the London Transport Board ordered SM , however, came in green livery in London Country Bus Services ( LCBS) in the suburbs. The London Transport Board added more seats to a few text messages and shut down the middle door. This version was called SMD , but the buses kept the original fleet number.

Neither London Transport (LTE) nor London Country Bus Services (LCBS) were satisfied with these “off the shelf buses”. The supply of spare parts was extremely poor, so that numerous buses had to be parked inoperable. The first copies were sorted out and sold as early as 1973, after only six years. The last of the Swifts were parked and sold until 1982, most of them for scrap. In the 2000s, some buses of this type were still in use in public transport on the island of Malta .

British Airways use a special variant with an open boarding platform at the front next to the driver's cab. This vehicle was originally designed for the airport in Bangladesh to enable a dry transition for passengers between the shuttle bus and the covered gangway during the monsoons , but was not delivered to Bangladesh and was instead used at Heathrow Airport.

  • AEC Swift (left)

  • AEC Swift (right), setup Marshal

  • AEC Swift (left), Malta 2007

  • AEC Swift , originally built at Park Royal , Malta 2006

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Alan Millar: Bus & Coach Recognition . Ian Allan, Shepperton 1992, ISBN 0-7110-2060-4
  2. ^ The LONDON TRANSPORT Merlins and Swifts
  3. ↑ Latest News. Arrival of the AEC / Swift Sparshatts B36D airport bus from the RAF Museum at Cosford. In: Brooklands Aviation Centenary 1908-2008. Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd. January 23, 2007, archived from the original on October 1, 2011 ; accessed on January 13, 2014 .

literature

  • Ken Russell: The London Merlin . Capital Transport, Harrow Weald 1980, ISBN 0-904711-23-4 (English)
  • Ken Russell: The London Swifts . Capital Transport, Harrow Weald 1985, ISBN 0-904711-70-6 (English)

Web links

Commons : AEC Swift  - collection of images, videos and audio files