AEC Bridgemaster

The AEC Bridgemaster was introduced by AEC in 1956 to meet the demand of low-height double-deckers from municipal and independent bus operators across the United Kingdom, which were barred from purchasing the Bristol Lodekka. It was designed as a fully-integral vehicle, utilising two sub frames like the contemporary Routemaster. Four pre-production examples were bodied by Crossley with an aluminium body; production examples bodied by Park Royal were introduced from 1958 with steel body frames at the request of British Electric Traction.^[1]

In 1960 a forward-entrance version with slightly different driveline layout was introduced.^[2] A total of 180 were produced before it was superseded by the AEC Renown in 1963.^[3] East Yorkshire Motor Services were the largest customer, purchasing 50.^[1][4][5]

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  AEC Bridgemaster initial styling concept.^[6]
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  Rear-entrance AEC Bridgemaster chassis layout.^[7]
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  AEC Bridgemaster body frame.^[6]
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  First pre-serial AEC Bridgemaster, registration YDH225, chassis number MB3RA001, bodywork by Crossley with H41/31R layout, entered into service with Walsall in Nov. 1956.^[6][5]
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  Second pre-serial AEC Bridgemaster, registration 9JML, chassis number MB3RA002, bodywork by Crossley with H41/31R layout,^[5] in the service of the Birmingham Corporation.^[6]

Bulgy the Double-Decker bus, as well as several other related characters from The Railway Series children’s books, and its television adaptation Thomas & Friends, are based on the AEC Bridgemaster.

• Brown, Stuart J (2013). The Lodekka Alternatives. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing.

Media related to AEC Bridgemaster at Wikimedia Commons