Description
Reduced to sell for Summer fun!
I am selling my one thirteenth share in a 1951 Bruce bodied AEC Regent III, registration AHC442, formerly of Eastbourne Corporation.
The vehicle was delivered new to Eastbourne Corporation in June 1951 and sold into preservation after withdrawal from service in January 1971. It now belongs to the Eastbourne Regent Preservation Group and is currently kept in covered secure accommodation near Portsmouth. In 1981, the engine suffered a cracked block and a replacement was not found until 1996. The preservation group was then reformed and the vehicle was moved to Portsmouth. Between 1996 and its closure in 2003, AHC442 was kept in the Portsmouth Museum of Transport at Broad Street and fully restored to superb condition.
Overall condition is excellent and a working party meets regularly to continue restoration and maintenance. Shareholders are very welcome to get involved with ongoing work. She is fully roadworthy and visits three or four events and running days a year, usually carrying passengers. If you want to drive the vehicle, you will need to have a full PSV licence (to keep the insurance costs down) but there is always a need for conductors on running days and shareholders are welcome to join in and have a go.
I bought my share in May 2005 with the intention of getting involved in bus preservation and restoration, but due to family and work commitments, this has unfortunately not happened. I feel that I have now done my bit for bus preservation and it it time for somebody else to have a go.
There are obviously ongoing costs to owning a preserved bus, so shareholders are required to make a quarterly payment towards restoration, upkeep, storage, fuel and maintenance. This is usually £50 per shareholder per quarter and is collected by our treasurer. Occasionally it may be more, if an expensive new component is required, but this has only happened once in the time I have been involved. The buyer of my share must fully understand that he/ she will be required to make these payments when requested or they will forfeit the share.
For more information, Google search "AHC442" and you will find lots of information and photographs of this lovely vehicle.
Information from the Portsmouth Museum website:
- details above
Please contact me by e-mail or phone if you are interested in this as an easy way to get into bus preservation. You could use this as a tester to see if you enjoy it, then perhaps move on and buy your own vehicle!
Having been on the site for several months and still not sold, I have again reduced my share to only £395 ono, which now values the vehicle at just over £5k. Drop me a line and make me a sensible offer!
