More Awesome Classic Commercial Vehicles

The Michael Banfield Collection

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014


 1922 AEC S-Type Open Top Double Deck Bus

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

AEC is known as the double-decker bus company. Their Routemaster double-decker is one of the most famous of the type. But their double-deckers go back to before WWI. The S-Type was built between 1920 and 1927, with 849 (double-deckers) built for the London General Omnibus Company – for which this example was built.

The engine is a 35 horsepower 5.1-liter straight-four and it is said that this was as good as public transport got in London back in the day. It can transport up to 54 people – 26 inside and 28 up top in the weather.

This is thought to be one of only two S-Type double-deckers in existence. And it had a really cool story, which you can read more of here. The price? $130,000-$150,000.

Update: Sold $477,481.


1914 Hallford WD

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

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AEC Double-Decker

 1922 AEC S-Type Open Top Double Deck Bus

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

AEC is known as the double-decker bus company. Their Routemaster double-decker is one of the most famous of the type. But their double-deckers go back to before WWI. The S-Type was built between 1920 and 1927, with 849 (double-deckers) built for the London General Omnibus Company – for which this example was built.

The engine is a 35 horsepower 5.1-liter straight-four and it is said that this was as good as public transport got in London back in the day. It can transport up to 54 people – 26 inside and 28 up top in the weather.

This is thought to be one of only two S-Type double-deckers in existence. And it had a really cool story, which you can read more of here. The price? $130,000-$150,000.

Update: Sold $477,481.

Leyland Titan

1932 Leyland Titan TD2 Double Deck Bus

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Here’s a newer, more traditional-looking double deck bus, this one from Leyland. The Titan model was new for 1927 and would be produced until 1969 in various styles (although they took a break for the War). This was one of the last two gasoline-powered buses to operate in the U.K., exiting service in 1960. It actually operated on the Channel Island of Jersey.

The TD2 version was new for ’32 and would last through mid-1933. The engine was a 7.6-liter straight-six – although this one has an 8.8-liter engine from a Leyland truck. About 1,000 were built. it was restored over 50 years ago but still looks great. It should sell for between $47,000-$67,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $58,518.

Awesome Classic Commercial Vehicles

The Michael Banfield Collection

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014


 1915 Peerless TC4 4-Ton Open Back

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

This sale from Bonhams includes quite a number of really awesome commercial vehicles. I don’t have enough time to feature them individually, but because they’re so cool (and you so rarely see them at auction), I thought I’d do two posts that cover the coolest among them (which is pretty much all of them).

This truck is from one of America’s premier luxury car manufacturers. They started building trucks in 1911 and the U.S. Army loved them. The British government bought 12,000 of them between 1915 and 1918, during the First World War. This thing uses a 6.8-liter four-cylinder and was in service with the British government until 1956. It’s beautiful. And it should sell for between $34,000-$42,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $72,173.


1922 Tilling-Stevens TS3A Open Top Double Deck Bus

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

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Tilling-Stevens Double Decker

1922 Tilling-Stevens TS3A Open Top Double Deck Bus

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Thomas Tilling operated a very large horse-drawn omnibus service in London beginning in 1847. They built their first motor buses in 1911. W.A. Stevens invented a hybrid gas-electric bus and joined Tilling during the 1910s. That’s right, this thing is a hybrid.

This 1922 TS3A was a new model, replacing the original Tilling buses. The gas engine is a 5.7-liter straight-four making 40 horsepower (click here for some crazy technical details). The bus will seat 48 (22 inside and 26 outside).

Banfield rescued this thing from a scrapyard and began the restoration in 1972. It wasn’t finished until 2007. It is the last surviving example of a TS3A. If you’ve always wanted a red, London double-decker, here’s one of the first. It should sell for between $150,000-$190,000.

Update: Sold $367,295.