The RT Type, or to give it its full title: the AEC (Associated Equipment Company) Regent III RT was the predecessor of the iconic Routemaster model and shared very similar looks.
RT Type Buses
The RT was built using a separate ladder chassis and coach built body, and was first designed in 1938. The first batch were in production when the second world war broke out in 1939, which halted production with only 150 examples making it into use. The first models used AEC’s 8.8 litre engine.
RT Buses
Production recommenced in 1946 after the war had ceased, with minor changes to the design, and a larger 9.6 litre engine. In total London transport received 4674 of the post war design bus, and a similar number again were supplied to bus route operators in other areas of the UK and abroad.
RTW Bus
Other variants of the RT were introduced which used the different Leyland Titan chassis, and were called the RTL which was longer than the standard RT, and the RTW which was 6 inches wider at 8 feet wide rather than the usual 7 foot 6 inches.
The RT became the main London bus used in the late 1940’s and `1950’s until it was replaced by the lighter and more capacious Routemaster RM type bus.