23, ENY65, was an AEC Regal with a Strachans FC35F which was a significant vehicle in the Neath & Cardiff fleet as the first of many AECs to be purchased.
It was registered in the middle of a batch of Duple-bodied Maudslay SF40s (ENY 64/66-68) and all these vehicles were first registered on 1st April 1939. The livery of this vehicle is described as French Grey and Red - Neath & Cardiff had a policy of painting odd vehicles in distinctive liveries when first delivered, to highlight their 'newness'.
This vehicle probably never received brown livery in this form, as it was involved in an accident with one of the fleet's SF40s during the blackout, the latter having stopped because of an air raid. It received a D. J. Davies utility body in 1944 and then in 1950 received a new Longford C35F body. However it was withdrawn in 1955 meaning that of its three bodies it ran longest with the D. J. Davies one, which must have been unique!

Photo taken by Strachans, from the David Beilby collection, 1939
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