From the commencement of the Canberra Bus Service in 1926 until the 1970s, the vast majority of buses in the fleet were supplied by AEC (Associated Equipment Company) of England. A total of 323 vehicles were ordered from this supplier and its subsidiaries.
AEC Renowns at Eastlake (Kingston) 
AEC Regal III
(R) AEC Regal IIIs, were a common sight in the late 1940s & 50s
In order of delivery, the AEC Buses which operated in the Canberra fleet were:
- 1926, AEC Renown 411 – 5 buses
- 1928-29, ADC Renown ¹ 413 – 3 buses
- 1933-48, AEC Regal – 46 buses
- 1936, AEC Mercury (school bus) – 1 bus
- 1948-51, AEC Regal III – 46 buses
- 1956-68, AEC Reliance – 120 buses
- 1968-75, AEC Swift – 101 buses
- 1974, Thornycroft Trident ² – 1 bus
1 – ADC (Associated Daimler Company) was a short-lived joint venture between AEC and Daimler
2 – Thornycroft was acquired by AEC in 1961, the Trident being one of the last vehicles made under the Thornycroft badge.
AEC Reliance 
AEC Swift 3MP2R
(R) AEC Swifts operated for ACTION until 1982
Further details:
- Associated Equipment Company on Wikipedia
- AEC Reliances – Fleet History in ACT Bus
- AEC Swifts – Fleet History in ACT Bus
- C59351 aka ‘Matilda’ – Fleet History in ACT Bus
- Establishment of a historic fleet in ACT Bus
- Early History articles in ACT Bus: Part One | Part Two | Part Three
Related Featured Bus articles:
- June 2012 – Bus 240 : Thornycroft Trident
- July 2012 – Bus 156 : AEC Swift 3MP2R (CVI body)
- March 2013 – Matilda : AEC Regal III
- July 2013 – AEC Reliance (Commonwealth Engineering body)
- Nov 2013 – AEC Swift 3MP2R (Smithfield body)
- Dec 2013 – AEC Renown 411
- Jan/Feb 2018 – AEC Swift MP3R (Athol Hedges body)
- Jan/Feb 2019 – Bus 100 : AEC Reliance (Freighter coach body)
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This page was last updated on 24 April 2021
