AEC Reliance
Encyclopedia
The AEC Reliance was a single-deck bus
or coach
chassis with a mid-underfloor-mounted engine, built by AEC in Southall
, west London, England between 1953 and 1979. The name had previously been used between 1928 and 1931 for another single-deck bus chassis.
Two prototypes were completed in 1953, one with Duple coach bodywork and one with Park Royal
bus bodywork. Production vehicles entered service from 1954. The last Reliance entered service in 1981.
Following successive changes to Construction & Use regulations, the maximum length of the Reliance was increased twice from the original 30': firstly, to permit an overall length of 36' from 1962; and later, to permit a length of 12 metres.
Various AEC engines were fitted during the chassis's production, including the 7.7-litre AH470, 8.1-litre AH505, 9.6-litre AH590, 11.3-litre AH690 and 12.4-litre AH760. Transmissions fitted to the Reliance include an AEC synchromesh gearbox, AEC Monocontrol semi-automatic epicyclic transmission, and ZF synchromesh gearbox.
The Reliance had the Leyland Tiger Cub
and, from 1959, the Leyland Leopard
as its major competitors throughout its life, even though they were built under the same ownership from 1962 onwards; later, the Volvo B58
won a number of customers' orders away from both the Reliance and the Leopard.
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
or coach
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
chassis with a mid-underfloor-mounted engine, built by AEC in Southall
Southall
Southall is a large suburban district of west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include Yeading, Hayes, Hanwell, Heston, Hounslow, Greenford and Northolt...
, west London, England between 1953 and 1979. The name had previously been used between 1928 and 1931 for another single-deck bus chassis.
Two prototypes were completed in 1953, one with Duple coach bodywork and one with Park Royal
Park Royal Vehicles
Dating its origins back to 1889, Park Royal Vehicles along with its Leeds-based subsidiary Charles H. Roe was one of Britain's leading coachbuilders and bus manufacturers based at Park Royal, west London, UK.-Associated Commercial Vehicles:...
bus bodywork. Production vehicles entered service from 1954. The last Reliance entered service in 1981.
Following successive changes to Construction & Use regulations, the maximum length of the Reliance was increased twice from the original 30': firstly, to permit an overall length of 36' from 1962; and later, to permit a length of 12 metres.
Various AEC engines were fitted during the chassis's production, including the 7.7-litre AH470, 8.1-litre AH505, 9.6-litre AH590, 11.3-litre AH690 and 12.4-litre AH760. Transmissions fitted to the Reliance include an AEC synchromesh gearbox, AEC Monocontrol semi-automatic epicyclic transmission, and ZF synchromesh gearbox.
The Reliance had the Leyland Tiger Cub
Leyland Tiger Cub
The Leyland Tiger Cub was a lightweight underfloor-engined chassis built by Leyland Motors between 1951 and 1970, most as 44-45 seat buses, with a smaller number as coaches...
and, from 1959, the Leyland Leopard
Leyland Leopard
The Leyland Leopard was a mid-engined single-deck bus and coach chassis built by Leyland between 1959 and 1982. It was popular with bus and coach operators throughout the British Isles...
as its major competitors throughout its life, even though they were built under the same ownership from 1962 onwards; later, the Volvo B58
Volvo B58
The Volvo B58 is a mid-engined bus chassis built by Volvo of Sweden from 1966 until early 1982. It was the forerunner to the highly successful B10M....
won a number of customers' orders away from both the Reliance and the Leopard.
External links
- AEC Reliance at busweb.co.uk