SCT '61 Photo Index
BEA
British European Airways, either used for taking passengers to and from airports or for transporting passengers airside.

Click on any thumbnail for a full size photo
1. SME526
A rather bizarre traveller vehicle, a former BEA Commer Commando one & a half decker. This is believed to be SME526 but not confirmed. It has been fitted with the running gear of a 1950s 4X4 Commer Army truck.
Photo taken Wednesday 18 June 2003, Waterhall near Brighton
2. MLL721
Seen on the H.C.V.C. Rally, British European Airways 1079, MLL721, an A.E.C. 9822E Regal IV with a Park Royal RDP37C body was new in December 1952.
Photo taken Sunday 2 May 1971
3. MLL738
The theme of this year's London Bus Museum Spring Gathering was aviation (tying in with the many aircraft exhibits at Brooklands) and it was hardly surprising to see this pair of BEA 4RF4 coaches on display. MLL740 was many years ago acquired by the Museum direct from service with BEA. MLL738 made its first appearance this year at Detling and awaits repainting.
Photo taken Sunday 19 April 2015, London Bus Museum Spring Gathering, Brooklands
4. MLL738
Seen at the South East Bus Festival at Detling, a welcome new arrival is 4RF4 BEA airport coach MLL738, one of two of the type just acquired by London Bus Company. Work has obviously started on restoration of this one.
Photo taken Saturday 28 March 2015, South East Bus Festival at Detling
5. MLL748
Former BEA London MLL748, an AEC Regal IV 9822E from 1952 with Park Royal bodywork.
Photo taken April 1977, Lichfield
6. MLL774
British European Airways 6539, MLL774, seen at Heathrow Airport operating as an airside bus was an A.E.C.9821LT Regal IV with a Metro-Cammell B39F body new in April 1952 as London Transport RF237 and had been acquired in January 1964.
Photo taken February/March 1966, Heathrow Airport
7. MLL803
British European Airways 6542, MLL803, seen at Heathrow Airport operating as an airside bus, was an A.E.C.9821LT Regal IV with a Metro-Cammell B39F body new in June 1952 as London Transport RF266 and had been acquired in January 1964.
Photo taken February/March 1966, Heathrow Airport
8. MLL739
New in February 1953, BEA Park Royal bodied AEC Regal Mark IV MLL739, operated by London Transport and used to carry passengers between West London Air Terminal in the Cromwell Road and London Airport.
Photo taken Sunday 19 April 1959, London (Heathrow) Airport
9. MLL740
A 1953 BEA AEC Regal IV with it's Park Royal RDP37C body at Heathrow Airport in about 1970 believed to be the now preserved MLL740
Photo taken 1970, Heathrow Airport
10. MLL740
Preserved former BEA coach MLL740, an AEC Regal IV with a special body designed by LT and built by Park Royal, new in February 1953.
Photo taken Sunday 3 April 2005, Wisley Aerodrome
11. MLL747
MLL747, seen at the Premier Travel garage in Haverhill, was an A.E.C. 9822E Regal IV with a Park Royal RDP37C body in the fleet of Continental Pioneer, Richmond. New in March 1953 to British European Airways as number 1059, it was one of a large fleet which had been used on services to London Airport and it passed to Continental Pioneer in January 1967.
Photo taken Sunday 5 September 1971, Haverhill
12. MLL759
British European Airways 1020, MLL759, seen at Heathrow Airport, was an A.E.C. 9822E Regal IV with a Park Royal RDP37C body (defined in the Fleet History as coach body with bus seats) new in April 1953.
Photo taken February/March 1966, Heathrow Airport
13. NLP639
British European Airways livery is carried by Park Royal bodied AEC Regal IV NLP639 parked at London Airport.
Photo taken Sunday 6 August 1961, Heathrow Airport
14. NLP645
NLP645 was one of 65 AEC Regal IV's with Park Royal C37C body, new in 1953 and operated by London Transport on behalf of British European Airways. By the time this photo was taken, it was being used by Yardleys (perfume manufacturers) in Basildon for staff transport.
Photo taken 1977, Basildon
15. NLP650
1st Woodmansterne Scout Troop NLP650 is seen approaching the Cub and Scout Rally at Gilwell Park. This was an A.E.C. 9822E Regal IV with a Park Royal RDP37C body, which had been new in October 1953 as British European Airways 1039.
Photo taken Saturday 1 July 1972, Gilwell Park
16. OVB73
House, Watlington OVB73, a Trojan P3 with a Trojan B11R body, was acquired in August 1958 from B.E.A., Ruislip, where it had been used as a crew bus.
Photo taken Sunday 27 March 1966, Watlington
17. UYL712
Acquired from the Ministry of Aviation, London W.C.2, in April 1962, British European Airways 6512, UYL712, was a Bedford J4A2 which had been new in 1958 to the Ministry of Transport & Civil Aviation, London W,C,1, passing to the Ministry of Aviation, London W.C,2, in October 1959.
Photo taken February/March 1966, Heathrow Airport
18.
A BEA articulated bus at Heathrow Airport circa 1970. The tractor unit appeared to be a Bedford & it appeared to be on airside work.
Photo taken c.1970, viewing area, Heathrow Airport
19.
Seeing the photo of a BEA articulated bus at London Airport reminded me of something similar on an old family holiday photo taken at Heathrow in 1965, where the tractor unit is clearly a Thames Trader. And a good selection of old cars.
Photo taken August 1965, Heathrow Airport
20. 953ALR
British European Airways C519, 953ALR, was a Bedford J4A2 tractor unit coupled to a B.T.C. Semi-trailer chassis with a Samlesbury B24C (originally B44C) body new in 1961. These had centre entrances on both sides.
Photo taken Heathrow Airport
21.
An unidentified B.E.A. Marshall bodied Bedford VAL on airside duties at Heathrow Airport on a very wet day in 1970
Photo taken 1970, Heathrow Airport
22. LMG156C
B.E.A. 6548 & 6549 (LMG155C & LMG156C), Bedford VAL14s with Marshall B40C bodies (centre doors both sides and perimeter seating), new in 1965.
Photo taken Heathrow Airport
23. LMG157C
British European Airways 6550, LMG157C, was a Bedford VAL14 with a Marshall B40C body new in October 1965.
Photo taken February/March 1966, Heathrow Airport
24. LMG162C
BEA LMG162C, a Bedford VAL with Marshall body.
Photo taken Thursday 23 June 1966, Heathrow Airport
25. LMG163C
British European Airways C556, LMG163C, was one of the ten Bedford VAL14s with Marshall B40C bodies delivered in 1965. They were non-P.S.V. Terminal transfer buses at London Airport and had centre entrances on both sides and perimeter seating. It had been renumbered from 6556 in April 1971.
Photo taken Heathrow Airport
26. LMG164C
British European Airways 6557 LMG164C, seen at Heathrow Airport, was a Bedford VAL14 with a Marshall B40C body, the last of ten new in 1965, being licensed in November.
Photo taken Saturday 12 April 1969, London Heathrow Airport
27. KGJ601D
In 1966 British European Airways bought a batch of AEC Routemasters with front entrance bodywork to use on passenger transfer from central London to Heathrow. The buses later became Londons RMA class when they were sold to London Transport by BEA. KGJ601D became RMA28 and is seen here restored to BEA blue livery.
Photo taken 1993, Harrogate
28. KGJ603D
KGJ603D was originally a short RMA operated by LTE on behalf of BEA. After being purchased by Shaftesbury and District it was lengthened by the insertion of two standard bays making it half a bay longer than an RML. The centre staircase is from an Ailsa. It was licensed for one person operation but it was somewhat difficult to turn round in the cab to access the hatch.
Photo taken Friday 22 July 2011, Seldown Coach Station, Poole
29. KGJ603D
Delivered new to BEA in 1966 was KGJ603D, a Park Royal bodied AEC Routemaster. It was bought by London Transport as their RMA29 in 1979 and converted to a trainer minus stairs one year later.
Photo taken Monday 15 August 2011, Cann Common, Shaftsbury
30. KGJ603D
Seen here at the Ringwood Rally in a nearside shot is Shaftesbury & District RME1, KGJ603D, the R2RH/2 Routemaster which had been new in November 1966 as British European Airways 8210 with a Park Royal H32/24F body.
Photo taken Ringwood
31. KGJ612D
Shaftesbury & District RMA37, KGJ612D, seemingly running from Hounslow Garage on route 111 to Kingston, on a running day, was an A.E.C. R2RH Routemaster with a Park Royal H32/24F body which had been new in December 1966 to British European Airways as one of sixty-five, when it carried fleet number 8219.
32. KGJ622D
Former BEA AEC Routemaster 8229, KGJ622D, of 1966. This bus was sold to London Transport in 1975 and became RMA19 in which guise it is now preserved.
Photo taken 1995, Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum
33. KHM8D
British European Airways 8207, KHM8D, was the last of eight A.E.C. 2U3RA Reliances with Willowrook DP49F bodies new in July 1966 for the Executive Express service. They were operated by London Transport on B.E.A.'s behalf and were allocated fleet numbers EC1- EC8 by London Transport.
Photo taken Heathrow Airport
34. NMY649E
British European Airways 8256, NMY649E, was an A.E.C. R2RH/2 Routemaster, one of forty new in 1967 with Park Royal H32/24F bodies, 8256 being new in February.
Photo taken Saturday 12 April 1969, London Heathrow Airport
35. NMY660E
BEA 8267, NMY660E, an AEC/Park Royal Routemaster R2RH/2 with H32/24F body, new in 1967.
Photo taken Heathrow Airport
36. NMY660E
British Airways NMY660E, new to BEA in 1967 and used on the service carrying passengers between central London and Heathrow, with luggage trailers.
Photo taken Tuesday 27 August 1974, London Heathrow Airport
37. OYF266F
British European Airways 6566, OYF266F, was one of ten Bedford VAL14s with Marshall B40D bodies new in 1967.
Photo taken Sunday 5 October 1969, Heathrow Airport