The AEC Bridgemaster was developed, under AEC
auspices, by Crossley Motors as AEC's low height alternative to the low floor Bristol
Lodekka, which, at the time, was only available to Tilling Group operators. The
Bridgemaster was conceived, from the outset, as an integrally constructed bus, with
separate front and rear running units, in a similar way to the London Routemaster.
Five prototypes, with a
stylish typically Park Royal body, were produced in 1956/1957 but a transfer to a steel
framed body, much inspired by MCW's Orion, resulted in the box shaped body of the
production Bridgemaster. Only 180 Bridgemasters were built, in long, short, rear entrance
and front entrance versions, before AEC production changed to the Renown, which used a
conventional separate chassis.
This model represents the 30
foot rear platform version, of which the prototype, 116 TMD, was built in 1958 as a
demonstrator and was bought by Liverpool Corporation, becoming fleet number E3.
The model is based on the four
Chisnell, Winchester (King Alfred) vehicles. Models of other operators' vehicles may need
modification to destination screens, beading, ventilators, trafficators, number plates
etc. There were also some minor variations in seating arrangements and, in particular,
single forward facing seats will need to be added over the transmission housings on the
lower deck. The King Alfred buses did not have these seats.
An excellent reference for
detail photographs is the booklet produced by the Oxford Bus Museum, from which the fleet
details below have been extracted.
| OPERATOR |
DATE |
FLEET NO |
REG NO |
COMMENTS |
| Liverpool Corporation |
1958 |
E3 |
116 TMD |
Prototype |
| Sheffield Corporation |
1958 |
A 519-A 524 |
2519-2524 WE |
|
| Southend Corporation |
1959 |
317/318 |
SJN 636/637 |
|
| Southend Corporation |
1960 |
319-322 |
WHJ 430-433 |
|
| Leicester City Transport |
1959 |
213/214 |
VJF 213/214 |
|
| |
1961 |
215-219 |
215-219 AJF |
|
| |
1962 |
220-222 |
220-222 DRY |
|
| Lincoln Corporation |
1962 |
92-95 |
TFE 535-538 |
|
| South Wales Transport |
1959 |
1199-1202 |
RCY 369-372 |
|
| |
1959 |
1203-1207 |
UCY 837-841 |
|
| Osborne's of Tollesbury |
1959 |
|
80 WMH |
Demonstrator |
| R Chisnell & Sons, King Alfred, Winchester |
1959 |
|
WCG 106/107 |
To Hants & Dorset 1973 |
| |
1961 |
|
323/324 CAA |
To Hants & Dorset 1973 |
The following require the kit
to be modified to include platform doors;
| OPERATOR |
DATE |
FLEET NO |
REG NO |
COMMENTS |
| Red Rover, Aylesbury |
1962 |
7 |
27 WKX |
|
| East Yorkshire |
1960 |
696-699 |
6696-6699 KH |
|
The following require a more
substantial modification of the kit to incorporate inward sloping upper deck windows to
Beverley Bar profile, also platform doors;
| OPERATOR |
DATE |
FLEET NO |
REG NO |
COMMENTS |
| East Yorkshire |
1961 |
700-715 |
4700-4715 AT |
|
Apart from the King Alfred
vehicles, which went to Hants & Dorset upon purchase of the Chisnell business in 1973,
most of these Bridgemasters went for scrap on retirement in the early 1970s and did not
pass to other major fleets.
Liverpool E3 is preserved and
a Leicester vehicle was acquired by FOKAB and is now with a Leicester Group for
restoration.
Tony Swift, Kirribilli NSW
Australia, June 2004. |
