AEC's Blue Triangle symbol [© AEC Ltd] is reproduced by kind permission of The British Commercial Vehicle Museum Trust.
  MAUDSLAY REGENT III FIRE APPLIANCES  
With its low centre of gravity, the AEC Regent III double deck bus chassis was a particularly suitable carriage for a 100' turntable ladder, and in its shortened form, a pump escape.
From March 1950 until April 1957, the Regent III was supplied to fire brigades in the UK and around the world, with some 138 appliance chassis being assembled at the Maudslay Motors factory in Alcester.  Each had a standard Maudslay 5-digit chassis number, the "P" or "D" prefix denoting petrol or diesel engine, and the "L" or "R" suffix standing for left or right hand drive.
Ladders and pump equipment were manufactured by Merryweather & Sons Ltd of Greenwich, in South East London.  Bodywork was by Merryweather, or by Park Royal Vehicles Ltd.

TypeHomeExportTotal
TURNTABLE LADDER, normal control, standard 16'4" wheelbase21113
TURNTABLE LADDER, forward control, standard 16'4" wheelbase21··  829
PUMP ESCAPE or DUAL PURPOSE, shortened 13'5" wheelbase91495
EMERGENCY TENDER101
Total11523138
··  At least two forward control Turntable Ladders had half-cabs   [Source: PSV Circle CXB99 June 1990]
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
Singapore TL by Frank van der Weerden (67k)
SG1112B  P61010R
Singapore		 Park Royal assembly line (130k)
Park Royal assembly line		 WMX66, 1951 Regent III Dual Purpose by Ron Henderson (125k)
WMX66  D62022R
London F.B. ex Middlesex		 LYL877, 1951 Regent III Dual Purpose by Dr David Hasil (82k)
LYL877  D62026R
London F.B. 78DP
MXB128, former Regent III Dual Purpose (141k)
MBX128  D62043R
London F.B. 90DP		 LTX855, 1953 Regent III Pump Escape by Ron Henderson (97k)
LTX855  D62057R
Cardiff City F.S.		 HB7321, 1953 Regent III Pump Escape (85k)
HB7321  D62058R
Merthyr Tydfil		 SVK420, 1953 Regent III Pump escape by Ron Henderson (137k)
SVK420  D62088R
Newcastle & Gateshead
SVK420, 1953 Regent III Pump escape by Ron Henderson (151k)
SVK420  D62088R
Newcastle & Gateshead		 OLB730, 1954 Regent III Dual Purpose (154k)
OLB730  D62092R
London F.B. 136DP		 OLB732, 1954 Regent III Dual Purpose by Peter Newman (75k)
OLB732  D62094R
London F.B. 138DP		 OLB732, 1954 Regent III Dual Purpose by Dr David Hasil (128k)
OLB732  D62094R
London F.B. 138DP
OLB735, 1954 Regent III Dual Purpose by Dr David Hasil (169k)
OLB735  D62097R
London F.B. 141DP		 PUC158, 1955 Regent III Dual Purpose by Peter Newman (58k)
PUC158  D62105R
London F.B. 158DP		 OXT779, 1954 Regent III Emergency Tender by Dr David Hasil (137k)
OXT779  D62106R
London F.B. 5ET		 OXT779, 1954 Regent III Emergency Tender (135k)
OXT779  D62106R
London F.B. 5ET
OXT779, 1954 Regent III Emergency Tender (156k)
OXT779  D62106R
London F.B. 5ET		 PUC162, 1955 Regent III Dual Purpose by Dr David Hasil (104k)
PUC162  D62110R
London F.B. 162DP		 HJD203, 1956 Regent III Pump Escape by Dr David Hasil (125k)
HJD203  D62115R
London F.B. ex West Ham		 2TL, 1952 Regent III Turntable Ladder by Brian Blunt (33k)
FBY802  D63002R
Newcastle (NSW)
KSG977, 1954 Regent III Turntable Ladder (71k)
KSG977  D63006R
South Eastern Area		 KSG977, 1954 Regent III Turntable Ladder (92k)
KSG977  D63006R
South Eastern Area		 YKP177, 1957 Regent III Turntable Ladder by Peter Newman (89k)
YKP177  D63010R
London F.B. ex Kent		 YKP177, 1957 Regent III Turntable Ladder (65k)
YKP177  D63010R
London F.B. ex Kent

Recommended links
AEC Fotopic Fire collection
Fire Service Preservation Group
Museum of Fire, Penrith, New South Wales
Glasgow Fire Service post 1948
North East Fire & Ambulance Services
www.firelinks.nl

Acknowledgements
Mike Cotton
Peter Relf
Ron Henderson
Frank van der Weerden
The PSV Circle


vangastow@aecsouthall.co.uk