• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Which Depot?

Phil

Gone, but not forgotten.
Can anybody answer this question which was posed on another forum. Any information that you have on this bus would be well recieved and I will of course credit on the site those that come up with the answer.

Phil

This vehicle is hardly recognisable as a BCT bus, however it carries the Birmingham coat of arms. It is an AEC Q demonstrator with an underfloor engine behind the front wheels, 60 seater body with a front entrance. It entered service in 1933 ! Any ideas which garage it was allocated to ?

AEC Q demonstrator.jpg
 
Last edited:
Phil,
if this is the right one
Extract from Birmingham City Transport by Keely, Russell and Grey
fleet list
93...AHX 63.....1933....AEC Q.......PARK ROYAL....H29/27F
footnote
93 was a AEC demonstrator 1933-4 and then returned to manufactures. Fitted with diesel engine, returned to Birmingham in 1935 and purchased later that year.
The picture also appears in the same book, gives location as Colmore Row opposite Snow Hill Station in February 1933, and appears to be in use on the no. 16 route City - Handsworth Wood, which seems to be serviced with buses from Perry Barr and Hockley Garages ( I think).


Colin
 
The AEC Q AHX 63 (actually the first double deck one, registered by the makers and originally a demonstration vehicle) after initial sorties on the 16, ran mostly from Acocks Green garage on the 1a route until returning to AEC and being fitted with a diesel engine, after which it ran from Harborne garage (which was the first to have diesel fuel facilities) on the 4 route to Harborne and Queens Park.
In 1940 it was withdrawn and along with a few older buses sold "on instruction of the Ministry of Supply" to Messrs Yeomans of Canon Pyon, Hereford, a small operator who had need of double deckers to ferry construction workers to various RAF sites currently under construction. They also collected AEC Qs from other sources, (it was always a rare model, other than London Transport only ones and twos going to operators) and sadly this Birmingham one ended its days as a storeshed in Yeomans' yard, having donated its engine to another Q type.

The AEC Q was designed by G J(John) Rackham, AEC's chief designer who after an early career in London went to help start up the American 'Yellow Coach' company, under the control of John D Hertz's 'Yellow Cab' taxi building business (Yes the same Hertz as the van rentals firm!) then returned to the UK and straight into the top job at Leyland Motors, where his 'Titan' and 'Tiger' bus chassis designs rendered everybody else's designs obsolete overnight. He moved to AEC in 1928 and designed their 'Regent' and 'Regal' bus chassis along similar lines to the Leyland 'Titan' and 'Tiger' but his American influenced Q type did not meet with buyers approval, sadly.
More on Rackham and the Q type here.
More on Rackham and Yellow Coach here.
More on Rackham and Leyland here.
 
Lloyd

Thanks a lot mate, I will pass this on to the chap who made the enquiry

Phil
 
I should add that for its last few months in Birmingham, AEC Q AHX 63 was painted in the 'conventional' livery, as seen below. The other view is of it in Yeomans' colours, running in Hereford. (The bus in front, just visible, is another ex-Birmingham vehicle, AEC Regent OG 371).

AHX 63 in standard livery.jpg View attachment 40457View attachment 40457AHX 63 with Yeomans, Hereford.jpg
 
Last edited:
Lloyd

Thanks again I will also add that extra bit of information.

Phil
 
I want to try and answer your question pmc1947 but i cant open the attachments .... i wonder why .........ragga
 
The AEC Q AHX 63 (actually the first double deck one, registered by the makers and originally a demonstration vehicle) after initial sorties on the 16, ran mostly from Acocks Green garage on the 1a route until returning to AEC and being fitted with a diesel engine, after which it ran from Harborne garage (which was the first to have diesel fuel facilities) on the 4 route to Harborne and Queens Park.
In 1940 it was withdrawn and along with a few older buses sold "on instruction of the Ministry of Supply" to Messrs Yeomans of Canon Pyon, Hereford, a small operator who had need of double deckers to ferry construction workers to various RAF sites currently under construction. They also collected AEC Qs from other sources, (it was always a rare model, other than London Transport only ones and twos going to operators) and sadly this Birmingham one ended its days as a storeshed in Yeomans' yard, having donated its engine to another Q type.

The AEC Q was designed by G J(John) Rackham, AEC's chief designer who after an early career in London went to help start up the American 'Yellow Coach' company, under the control of John D Hertz's 'Yellow Cab' taxi building business (Yes the same Hertz as the van rentals firm!) then returned to the UK and straight into the top job at Leyland Motors, where his 'Titan' and 'Tiger' bus chassis designs rendered everybody else's designs obsolete overnight. He moved to AEC in 1928 and designed their 'Regent' and 'Regal' bus chassis along similar lines to the Leyland 'Titan' and 'Tiger' but his American influenced Q type did not meet with buyers approval, sadly.
More on Rackham and the Q type here.
More on Rackham and Yellow Coach here.
More on Rackham and Leyland here.
very interesting stuff.i like the look it would have made me a nice camper van lol:laughing::laughing::laughing:
 
Can anybody answer this question which was posed on another forum. Any information that you have on this bus would be well recieved and I will of course credit on the site those that come up with the answer.

Phil

This vehicle is hardly recognisable as a BCT bus, however it carries the Birmingham coat of arms. It is an AEC Q demonstrator with an underfloor engine behind the front wheels, 60 seater body with a front entrance. It entered service in 1933 ! Any ideas which garage it was allocated to ?

View attachment 130640
Thats an odd looking bus!
 
Back
Top