AEC's Blue Triangle symbol [© AEC Ltd] is reproduced by kind permission of The British Commercial Vehicle Museum Trust.
  AEC WORKS VEHICLES BY R.W.C.SMITH  
· Unique colour images of AEC Works Transport ·
Aberdonian Robert Smith was employed as a fitter at AEC's Glasgow Service Depot in the mid 1960s.  In 1968 he transferred to the Experimental Department workshop at Southall, working there for 11½ years until the final, fateful day on May 25th 1979 when the Works was closed down.  Robert emigrated to New Zealand six months later and has been there ever since.  The photos presented here were taken during the summer of 1969 and are believed to be unique.
Robert's 'Memories of AEC' were published in the AEC Society's Gazette [four instalments, nos 51, 52, 55, 66].
C L I C K   A   T H U M B N A I L   F O R   A   L A R G E R   I M A G E
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AEC REGAL IV
Regal IV UMP227 Regal IV UMP227 Regal IV UMP227
Photographed at the AEC Works in June 1969, this engineer's vehicle is the first AEC Regal IV prototype, chassis no U135974.  Completed in 1949 and registered UMP227 by AEC, the forty-seat Park Royal-bodied bus was demonstrated to many operators nationwide, not least London Transport in whose green and cream country bus livery it was originally painted.
When its demonstrating days were over UMP227 was returned to Southall and transferred to the Experimental Dept.  Initially repainted grey, the bus was later repainted in the Works Transport livery of overall yellow with blue relief.  All but six of the seats were removed to make room for tools and test equipment etc.
This historic vehicle is undergoing long-term restoration by London Bus Preservation Trust members at the Cobham Bus Museum in Surrey, England.

AEC WORKS TRANSPORT LORRIES
Mercury 246H
AEC Mercury GM4R
246H, flatbed No 6.
May 1969.
Mercury 244H
AEC Mercury TGM4R
244H, dropside lorry.
May 1969. New, never been on the road by
the look of it.
Albion 533MX
Albion Chieftain
533MX, No 18.
offside view May 1969.
Albion 533MX
Albion Chieftain
533MX, No 18.
nearside view May 1969.

AEC WORKS TRANSPORT SEMI-TRAILERS
Mandator 309H Mandator 309H Tilt Cab Transporter
In October 1969 Robert delivered a left hand drive Mandator V8 chassis for testing at the MIRA Proving Ground near Nuneaton in Warwickshire [above left & centre].  The V8 was loaded on a Works Transport stepframe semi-trailer coupled to Mandator CGN 89H which, although registered, was running on AEC trade plate 309H.  The Mandator was borrowed from an unknown source.
Eleven new tilt cabs could be delivered to the Works from the the cab manufacturer GKN Sankey on this purpose-built gooseneck semi-trailer [above right] coupled to a Works Mercury tractor unit.  The grilles for the new cabs were carried in a metal stillage stowed above the fifth wheel.  May 1969.

Recommended links
AEC Works Transport
Cobham Bus Museum photo of UMP227
Wealdsman photo of UMP227 [95k]

Acknowledgement
Very many thanks to Robert W C Smith for supplying the pictures.


vangastow@aecsouthall.co.uk