The first Regal converted was T396 in March 1938. This was one of the short 1930 East Surrey buses. It was fitted with a A173 diesel engine, a lower ratio differential, and triple-servo brakes as well as the body from R16. (Its old body was fitted to R16's chassis and sold)
The next conversion had to wait until August 1938, and this time was to one of the 1931 Regals, T232. This carried the "art-deco" body fitted by LGCS after its earlier accident, and was body swapped with Reliance R4. Again the chassis was upgraded, but this 1931 chassis already had the triple-servo brakes.
These two conversions must have satisfied the Board, for the other 29 bodies were fitted to converted Regal chassis in October and November 1938, twenty-five to ex-GreenLine 1931 coaches and four to ex-Amersham & District coaches (all of which already had triple-servo brakes).
The coaches converted were:
They were delivered initially in GreenLine style two-tone green
with black lining and mudguards, and with sidelights in the front roof.
They were soon relegated to Country bus work once the
10T10s and TFs arrived.
Wartime lighting regulations required the replacement of the rooflights by
waist-level sidelights, and these were duly fitted to the cab front and to
the front bulkhead.
During the war most of them were transferred to the Central Area,
initially for the 211 at Hanwell (HW),
and were repainted into red and white when paint supplies allowed.
After the war they lasted well,
most surviving until displaced by RFs in 1953.
T207-306 bus histories
T319-402 bus histories
photo references
Ian's Bus Stop
T contents
11T11s