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In 1964 after successfully fitting Deutz air cooled engines in a number of Guy Arab chassis, attention was turned to trying an all  British air cooled engine. This was to be a Ruston and Hornsby unit, a company more usually associated with non automotive engines. The chassis for this experiment was formed of parts left over from dismantled AEC Regents rather than Guy's, this included no's 16, 36, 37, and 39. I can personally vouch that when in service this engine was much more noisy than its Deutz counterparts, having ridden on this bus numerous times in its five years in this form. It was also somewhat unreliable and was replaced by a conventional AEC 7.7 litre engine in 1969. No14 (270 MHO) had the same outward appearance as the Deutz conversions as the Reading body was the same in design. Another quirk with this bus was that its interior was pink. Provincial always had a high standard of internal decor, but it was usually green. No 14 had red seats, and everything else from seat backs to side panels was bright pink Formica. David Whitaker who was there at the time says "I was told that Readings had material left over from one of the other companies for which they produced buses and it was economically convenient to use the material in 14 (it saved cash !!)" 

No 14 was eventually withdrawn in 1972, but not before being renumbered 59 in the 1970 renumbering scheme.


No 14 (270 MHO) with Ruston and Hornsby engine at Hoeford. (Photo: Mike Fenton)


No 14 in Gosport Road Fareham, near the Beaconsfield Road stop en route to Fareham (West End) on route 1


Close up of the front of No 14 showing the Ruston badge

 

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