AEC buses at rallies

AEC buses at the Rallies

This page is in two sections. First is a list of bus rallies and running days in the UK where AECs feature in numbers or are a theme of the rally. Not every rally taking place during the year is included (even though most will have a few AECs at them). "Buses" magazine publishes a full rally guide each year, and there is also information on the web at http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/events.html

Further down are a number of pictures of AEC buses taken at rallies or running days in the past.

If you would like to add information to this page please email .
For further information on ownership and rallying of all sorts of AECs (not just buses) see the AEC Society website.

Forthcoming events


19th May Sevenoaks	Country Bus Rallies annual Sevenoaks running day. Free bus services over former London Country and Maidstone & District routes. London Regals, Regents and Routemasters feature in abundance, and M&D Reliances usually operate over the M&D routes. Rides are free, programme can be bought on the day for £8 or in advance for £7.50 plus a self-addressed A5 envelope with a large letter stamp from: Country Bus Rallies, 19 Hampton Way, East Grinstead, RH19 4SG. More info: http://freespace.virgin.net/ian.smith/buses/CBR/CBR01.htm

25th-26th May Newark	AEC Society rally, Newark Showground. Entry forms from Howard Berry, 7 Donaldson Drive, Cheswardine, Shropshire, TF9 2NY, tel 07504974776, or email yellowayreliance@hotmail.com. For more information see www.aecsociety.com

9th June Hertford/Stevenage	Country Bus Rallies annual running day with free bus services running over former London Country routes in the Hertford and Stevenage area. London Regals, Regents and Routemasters feature in abundance, along with some other types. Rides are free, programme can be bought on the day for £8 or in advance for £7.50 plus a self-addressed A5 envelope with a large letter stamp from: Country Bus Rallies, 19 Hampton Way, East Grinstead, RH19 4SG. More info: http://freespace.virgin.net/ian.smith/buses/CBR/CBR01.htm

Pictures

Preserved AEC Regal IV RF319 in action at a rainy 2012 LBM Wisley rally.		RML2456 rounds the war memorial at Chesham Broadway during the 2011 Amersham running day, an event blessed by an exceptionally warm October day.		Safeguard's preserved AEC Reliance 200 APB waits beside the traditional bus shelter in Ripley Village on a tour from the London Bus Museum spring event at Wisley in May 2012.
RMC1477, a Routemaster coach in the private hire fleet of Timebus, was giving free rides over part of the Green Line 715 route on the 2012 Hertford running day, and was also suitably decorated for the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations taking place the same weekend.	A former King Alfred AEC Renown preserved by FoKAB splashes into Sutton Scotney during the 2012 annual New Year Day event.		1951 Eastbourne Corporation AEC Regent III 42 ascends from the seafront towards Beachy Head during a running day in July 2011.	A pair of former Greenline coaches, both privately owned, seen together at the Great Yeldham Museum open day in 2011. Picture from Richard Walker (joint owner of P3).
The prototype Routemaster coach RMC4, one of the London Bus Company's special events fleet, passes through picturesque Great Warley village on an Ensignbus vintage running day in August 2011.	London Bus Company open-top RT3435 passes the Beachy Head pub during the August 2011 Eastbourne running day.	. Open-top 1946 AEC Regal Mk I, new to and converted by Maidstone & District, HKL 836 is owned by London Bus Company and was seen operating during the Ensignbus classic running day in August 2011.	Two preserved Maidstone & District AEC Reliances were seen in action giving rides at the M&D 100th anniverary rally in April 2011.
Running preserved buses on services isn't always straighforward. Here the conductor of Southampton Regent 367 assists passing traffic after it ground to a halt at Witts Hill with a fuel supply problem.	367 advertises its predicament in the time honoured style before the advent of hazard lights. The organisers did a great recovery job with a replacement Atlantean arriving within 15 minutes and 367 itself running again within the hour.	London Transport AEC Swift (Merlin) MB641 stands at South Mimms during the 2010 St. Albans running day, rescheduled from January to October due to snow.	A Reliance, Swift and Regals awaiting their next turn of duty at the May 2010 Country Bus Rallies Sevenoaks running day.
An evocative picture of Eastbourne Regent 42 in the dark at Otterbourne during the Winchester new year day 2010 event.	East Grinstead, April 2010, with two RFs, a pair of RTs and MB90 lining up for their next departures.	AEC Swift (Merlin) MB90 stands at Chipstead Witches Lane in May 2010.	RF395 passes a runner in Burnham Beeches during the May 2010 Slough/Windsor running day.	London Bus Museum's pre-war AEC Regent STL2377 trundles through Lingfield on its return journey to East Grinstead in April 2009 .
Aldershot & District 543 (MOR 581) poses in traditional territory at Selbourne during the 2009 Alton rally and running day.	Preserved East Kent AEC Regent V PFN 867, with unusual full front Park Royal body, pulls into Sandwich Guildhall during the September 2009 FotEK running day.	RM1990, preserved in Reading Mainline livery, stands tall in the sun at Alton in July 2010.	RMC1485, newly acquired from Mac Tours, awaits its last departure from Grays station during the Ensignbus December 2009 X80 running day.	An uncommon ECW bodied AEC Regal, new to Crosville and still in the operational fleet of Quantock Motor Service, at Porlock Weir on a QMS running day in 2007
Rain fails to deter passengers boarding RML2412 for a trip to High Wycombe during the 2008 Amersham running day.	Willowbrook bodied AEC Swift JRT 82K is a member of the Ipswich Transport Museum operational fleet and works in service on running days.		Ensignbus RT1499 corners in Epping during the joint Ensignbus and LBC RT event over Easter 2009.	Leicester AEC Renown 190 discorges passengers at Toddington station during the July 2008 Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway rally.

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