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AEC Swift

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34: 226: 298:. There were three variants of this model upon delivery. In the London central area SM (single door saloon) and SMS (dual door with automatic fare collection) classes were painted red. London Country operated green SM-class dual door, fully seated saloons that had been ordered by London Transport. Subsequently, London Transport converted a number of SMS vehicles to conventional one-man operated saloons by adding more seats and locking the centre exit so it could not be used. These were renamed the SMD class, but retained their original fleet number. 392: 241: 912: 364:
Following withdrawal from service with their initial operators, many Swifts were sold on for further use. Staffordshire-based independent Knotty Bus ran a fleet of four Swifts between 1988 and 1995. A small number of former London Transport Swifts ran for a time with Hants & Sussex (now Emsworth
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Great Yarmouth Transport bought eight Swifts new in 1973; the last of 22 purchased new and three second hand; they continued in service until the late 1990s, and were the last Swifts to run in service with their original operator. Other customers included
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where, after refurbishment and repowering, they remained in service until 2011. In early 1981, ten Swifts recently withdrawn by London Transport were exported to Italy to act as emergency control centres and shelters in the aftermath of the
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Neither London Transport nor London Country considered either design to be a success and the first examples were withdrawn and sold, many for scrap, in 1972, after just four years service. Most had been replaced by 1981, mainly with
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AEC Swifts were also sold for the export market, and many were sold abroad after withdrawal. Sixty-five Swifts with bodywork by local builder Bus Bodies were sold to South African operator Durban Transport in 1974.
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The design was suitable for driver-only operation which helped bus operators to relieve the problems of labour shortages and high costs, and became one of the alternatives to the
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Approximately 50 former London Transport Merlins were exported for further use in Australia. Several former London Transport vehicles were sold to
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and Sunderland Corporation took smaller numbers of Swifts. South Wales Transport ordered 36 in 1971 but they were diverted by the
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once owned an AEC Swift, with a special body that had an open platform at the front, which was designed for airside duties.
266:, with over 1,500 in total delivered between 1966 and 1972. Bodywork was supplied by Strachans Coachwork (prototypes only), 1540: 964: 493: 790: 753: 702: 646: 621: 551: 482: 932: 566: 937: 285:, and divided into MB (single or dual door), MBS (dual door), and MBA (dual door with turnstile payment for use on 357:
with 55 examples and St Helens Corporation. Three Swifts delivered to Morecambe Corporation in 1970 carried rare
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The fleet was made up of a number of variations. The longer 36' versions were referred to as
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Department of Education and remained in their London form apart from a new coat of paint.
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purchased 177 Swifts and Merlins between 1977 and 1980 to replace buses destroyed during
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AEC Swifts were also sold to several other operators. Over 100 were sold to
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even though twelve of them had already entered service with South Wales.
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British Bus Tram & Trolleybus Systems No. 11 South Wales Transport
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between 1964 and 1980. The chassis design was closely related to the
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which could only be operated by a driver and conductor, such as the
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Millar, G. Irvine (December 2009). "The man who made Ulsterbus".
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Millar, Alan (1988). "Blunderbus". In Brown, Stewart J. (ed.).
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purchased 101 AH505 powered Swifts between 1967 and 1975. The
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Morris, Stephen (February 1981). "Swift aid for Italy".
365:& District) on services in south east Hampshire. 866:Johnson, Tom (February 2004). "Malta goes modern". 1527: 16:British rear-engined single-decker bus chassis 958: 748:. Transport Publishing Company. p. 221. 320: 972: 383:, although most were withdrawn after 1981. 965: 951: 32: 660: 658: 432:Pressed Metal Corporation South Australia 390: 239: 224: 865: 780: 743: 688: 611: 526:The London Transport Merlins and Swifts 294:The shorter 33' versions were known as 1528: 886: 726: 655: 537: 946: 639:Buses in Britain 2: The Mid Nineties 582:AEC standee bus fleet for Birmingham 733:(657). Ian Allan Publishing: 16–18. 494:AEC Swift 691 / PRV single-deck bus 13: 438:and West Bankstown Bus Service in 258:The largest fleet was operated by 14: 1567: 904: 830:Bankstown Strathfield Bus Service 636: 910: 278:, to basically the same design. 880: 859: 847: 835: 823: 811: 799: 774: 762: 737: 720: 711: 682: 667: 630: 605: 590: 575: 560: 531: 519: 504: 487: 463: 335:Aberdeen Corporation Transport 1: 783:The Australian Government Bus 457: 933:Bus Australia Merlin gallery 408:Australian Capital Territory 7: 1541:Vehicles introduced in 1964 1149:Routemaster/Routemaster FRM 938:Bus Australia Swift gallery 471:Bus & Coach Recognition 264:London Country Bus Services 39:London Country Bus Services 10: 1572: 1465:Associated Daimler Company 856:Australian Bus Fleet Lists 844:Australian Bus Fleet Lists 842:West Bankstown Bus Service 832:Australian Bus Fleet Lists 820:Australian Bus Fleet Lists 808:Australian Bus Fleet Lists 386: 333:on its formation in 1974. 1452: 1435: 1409: 1258: 1187: 981: 597:AEC Swifts for Sunderland 511:Gone for a song LTMerlins 428:Pressed Metal Corporation 416:State Transport Authority 339:Birmingham City Transport 321:Other operators in the UK 220: 164: 156: 148: 143: 131: 114: 109: 99: 89: 81: 76: 68: 58: 53: 31: 26: 1422:Armoured Command Vehicle 854:AEC Merlins in Australia 188:chassis manufactured by 1480:British United Traction 1134:Renown (1920s two-axle) 452:1980 Irpinia earthquake 399:AEC Swift in March 1996 313:Some were taken by the 1500:Maudslay Motor Company 781:Travers, Greg (1989). 744:Townsin, Alan (1980). 689:Townsin, Alan (1998). 612:Townsin, Alan (1989). 400: 255: 237: 1044:Ranger (between wars) 394: 272:Metro Cammell Weymann 243: 228: 919:at Wikimedia Commons 895:Ian Allan Publishing 874:Ian Allan Publishing 806:Admet Disposal Lists 695:Ian Allan Publishing 544:Ian Allan Publishing 475:Ian Allan Publishing 469:Millar, Alan (1992) 343:National Bus Company 327:Leeds City Transport 232:bodied AEC Swift in 44:bodied AEC Swift in 1551:Step-entrance buses 1505:Park Royal Vehicles 976:vehicle model range 567:Swifts for Aberdeen 540:Buses Yearbook 1989 355:Blackpool Transport 291:services) classes. 268:Park Royal Vehicles 230:Park Royal Vehicles 204:double-decker buses 1104:Regent III RT-type 717:Brown (1995) p.175 664:Brown (1995) p.120 637:Brown, Stewart J. 401: 331:West Yorkshire PTE 329:, transferring to 256: 238: 1546:Single-deck buses 1523: 1522: 1495:Hardy Rail Motors 1453:Related companies 1410:Armoured vehicles 1049:Ranger (post war) 915:Media related to 359:Northern Counties 304:Leyland Nationals 186:single-decker bus 172: 171: 1563: 967: 960: 953: 944: 943: 914: 899: 898: 884: 878: 877: 863: 857: 851: 845: 839: 833: 827: 821: 815: 809: 803: 797: 796: 778: 772: 766: 760: 759: 741: 735: 734: 724: 718: 715: 709: 708: 686: 680: 677:Commercial Motor 671: 665: 662: 653: 652: 634: 628: 627: 609: 603: 602:23 December 1966 600:Commercial Motor 594: 588: 585:Commercial Motor 579: 573: 570:Commercial Motor 564: 558: 557: 535: 529: 523: 517: 514:Commercial Motor 508: 502: 498:Commercial Motor 491: 485: 467: 260:London Transport 77:Body and chassis 36: 24: 23: 1571: 1570: 1566: 1565: 1564: 1562: 1561: 1560: 1526: 1525: 1524: 1519: 1490:Crossley Motors 1475:British Leyland 1448: 1431: 1405: 1371:Mammoth Minor 8 1366:Mammoth Minor 6 1254: 1183: 1139:Renown (3-axle) 977: 971: 923:Showbus gallery 907: 902: 885: 881: 864: 860: 852: 848: 840: 836: 828: 824: 816: 812: 804: 800: 793: 779: 775: 767: 763: 756: 742: 738: 725: 721: 716: 712: 705: 697:. p. 126. 687: 683: 672: 668: 663: 656: 649: 641:. p. 142. 635: 631: 624: 610: 606: 595: 591: 580: 576: 565: 561: 554: 536: 532: 524: 520: 516:4 February 1977 509: 505: 492: 488: 468: 464: 460: 389: 369:British Airways 323: 223: 215:Bristol Lodekka 211:AEC Routemaster 194:Leyland Panther 138: 136: 126: 124: 104:Leyland Panther 90:Floor type 49: 22: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1569: 1559: 1558: 1553: 1548: 1543: 1538: 1521: 1520: 1518: 1517: 1512: 1507: 1502: 1497: 1492: 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559: 552: 546:. p. 11. 530: 528:Ian's Bus Stop 518: 503: 486: 461: 459: 456: 436:Deanes Coaches 388: 385: 347:London Country 322: 319: 308:MCW Metrobuses 244:AEC Merlin on 222: 219: 170: 169: 166: 162: 161: 158: 154: 153: 150: 146: 145: 141: 140: 133: 129: 128: 118: 112: 111: 107: 106: 101: 97: 96: 91: 87: 86: 83: 79: 78: 74: 73: 70: 66: 65: 60: 56: 55: 51: 50: 37: 29: 28: 20: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1568: 1557: 1554: 1552: 1549: 1547: 1544: 1542: 1539: 1537: 1534: 1533: 1531: 1516: 1513: 1511: 1508: 1506: 1503: 1501: 1498: 1496: 1493: 1491: 1488: 1486: 1485:Charles H Roe 1483: 1481: 1478: 1476: 1473: 1471: 1470:Barreiros AEC 1468: 1466: 1463: 1461: 1458: 1457: 1455: 1451: 1444: 1441: 1440: 1438: 1434: 1428: 1425: 1423: 1420: 1418: 1415: 1414: 1412: 1408: 1402: 1399: 1397: 1394: 1392: 1389: 1387: 1384: 1382: 1379: 1377: 1374: 1372: 1369: 1367: 1364: 1362: 1359: 1357: 1354: 1352: 1349: 1347: 1344: 1342: 1339: 1337: 1336:Mammoth Major 1334: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1319: 1317: 1314: 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784: 777: 770: 769:Disposal List 765: 757: 755:0-903839-34-2 751: 747: 746:Blue Triangle 740: 732: 731: 723: 714: 706: 704:0-7110-2620-3 700: 696: 692: 685: 679:15 March 1968 678: 675: 670: 661: 659: 650: 648:1-85414-181-3 644: 640: 633: 625: 623:0-86317-149-4 619: 615: 608: 601: 598: 593: 586: 583: 578: 572:9 August 1968 571: 568: 563: 555: 553:0-7110-1785-9 549: 545: 541: 534: 527: 522: 515: 512: 507: 501:2 August 1968 500: 499: 495: 490: 484: 483:0-7110-2060-4 480: 476: 472: 466: 462: 455: 453: 448: 443: 441: 437: 433: 429: 425: 421: 417: 413: 409: 405: 398: 393: 384: 382: 378: 374: 370: 366: 362: 360: 356: 350: 348: 344: 340: 336: 332: 328: 318: 316: 311: 309: 305: 299: 297: 292: 290: 289: 284: 279: 277: 273: 269: 265: 261: 253: 252:Oxford Street 250:route 500 on 249: 248: 242: 236:in April 1978 235: 234:Golders Green 231: 227: 218: 216: 212: 209: 205: 202: 197: 195: 191: 187: 184: 183:step entrance 181: 177: 167: 163: 159: 155: 151: 147: 142: 134: 130: 122: 119: 117: 113: 108: 105: 102: 98: 95: 94:Step entrance 92: 88: 84: 80: 75: 71: 67: 64: 61: 57: 52: 47: 43: 40: 35: 30: 25: 21:Motor vehicle 19: 1417:Armoured Car 1188:Trolleybuses 1168: 1024:Merlin/Swift 1023: 1004:Bridgemaster 888: 882: 867: 861: 849: 837: 825: 813: 801: 782: 776: 771:ACT Bus Wiki 764: 745: 739: 728: 722: 713: 690: 684: 676: 669: 638: 632: 613: 607: 599: 592: 584: 577: 569: 562: 539: 533: 521: 513: 506: 496: 489: 470: 465: 444: 406: 402: 381:the Troubles 367: 363: 351: 324: 312: 300: 295: 293: 286: 282: 280: 257: 245: 198: 180:rear-engined 175: 173: 59:Manufacturer 18: 1556:Bus chassis 1510:Thornycroft 139:12.4 litres 137:11.3 litres 48:in May 1976 1530:Categories 1099:Regent III 994:500-series 989:400-series 458:References 361:bodywork. 144:Dimensions 135:9.6 litres 110:Powertrain 69:Production 1536:AEC buses 1445:AEC 11.3L 1391:Roadtrain 1109:Regent IV 1094:Regent II 1069:Regal III 1029:Monocoach 917:AEC Swift 818:Shorelink 674:St Helens 447:Malta bus 410:operator 397:Malta bus 288:Red Arrow 247:Red Arrow 176:AEC Swift 127:AEC AH760 125:AEC AH691 72:1964–1980 46:St Albans 27:AEC Swift 1515:UTIC-AEC 1442:AEC 9.6L 1361:Militant 1346:Marshall 1341:Mandator 1326:Majestic 1205:603/603T 1124:Reliance 1114:Regent V 1084:Regal VI 1074:Regal IV 1064:Regal II 876:: 34–37. 473: : 420:Adelaide 395:Rebuilt 276:Marshall 132:Capacity 54:Overview 42:Marshall 1436:Engines 1386:Mustang 1381:Monarch 1356:Mercury 1351:Matador 1331:Mammoth 1159:ST-type 1129:Reliant 1079:Regal V 1059:Regal I 1034:NS-type 1019:LT-type 1014:LS-type 893:(311). 872:(587). 387:Exports 377:Belfast 373:Citybus 283:Merlins 254:in 1976 201:British 152:various 100:Related 1427:Deacon 1401:Y Type 1259:Trucks 1179:X-type 1174:T-type 1154:S-type 1089:Regent 1039:Q-type 1009:K-type 999:B-type 789:  752:  701:  645:  620:  550:  481:  440:Sydney 424:Domino 412:ACTION 296:Swifts 221:London 208:London 178:was a 165:Height 149:Length 116:Engine 85:1 or 2 1376:Mogul 1169:Swift 1164:Sabre 1054:Regal 982:Buses 897:: 69. 890:Buses 869:Buses 730:Buses 315:Malta 157:Width 123:AH505 82:Doors 1460:ACLO 1321:1100 1250:761T 1245:691T 1240:664T 1235:663T 1230:662T 1225:661T 787:ISBN 750:ISBN 699:ISBN 643:ISBN 618:ISBN 548:ISBN 479:ISBN 434:for 430:and 306:and 274:and 262:and 174:The 168:3.0m 160:2.5m 1396:TG6 1316:850 1311:701 1306:692 1301:691 1296:506 1291:501 1286:428 1281:201 1266:4G6 1220:607 1215:605 1210:604 1200:602 1195:601 974:AEC 691:AEC 418:of 345:to 213:or 190:AEC 121:AEC 63:AEC 1532:: 1276:18 1271:10 693:. 657:^ 542:. 477:, 454:. 442:. 426:, 375:, 337:, 310:. 270:, 966:e 959:t 952:v 795:. 758:. 707:. 651:. 626:. 556:.

Index


London Country Bus Services
Marshall
St Albans
AEC
Step entrance
Leyland Panther
Engine
AEC
rear-engined
step entrance
single-decker bus
AEC
Leyland Panther
British
double-decker buses
London
AEC Routemaster
Bristol Lodekka

Park Royal Vehicles
Golders Green

Red Arrow
Oxford Street
London Transport
London Country Bus Services
Park Royal Vehicles
Metro Cammell Weymann
Marshall

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