The replacement for the integral Bridgemaster was the Renown:
This bus and it's twin are the only Park Royal-bodied AEC Renowns to have been built with semi-automatic transmissions.The Renown was a conventional 'chassis with body' and allowed operators freedom of choice as regards body builders. It also achieved a low overall height with a 'highbridge' seating layout on the top deck.
The engine/gearbox were the well-proven and familiar 9.6-litre AV590 unit driving through a 4-speed all-synchromesh 'box (3B3RA). Remote-mounted 4-speed 'Mono-control' semi-automatic transmission was optional (3B2RA).
Similarities with the Regent V model ended there though, and here's a line drawing of the Renown chassis:
The AEC Renown 3B2RA chassis.
Note the circuitous route taken by the exhaust and the remotely-mounted epicyclic gearboxNot only was the engine inclined (the rear cylinder head protruded into the drivers cab behind a modified bulkhead), it was mounted at an angle within the frame so that the driveline was along the offside of the chassis to a drop-centre rear axle with offset differential.
Access to the gearbox (and/or clutch/fluid flywheel) generally meant removal of the lower portion of the staircase. Standard leaf springs (as per the Regent V) were at the front, whilst 'air-over-leaf' suspension was provided at the rear (with air bellows at the rear ends of those springs).
Whilst the Renown was a
reasonably happy and reliable vehicle in service, access to a lot of the componentry could be ... well ... downright friggin' difficult, and it was never as popular as the standard height Regent V.
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Topic: Bus nostalgia (Read 219452 times)