Vehicle Background:
The Associated Equipment Company Limited (AEC) was set up in 1912 to manufacture passenger vehicles for the London General Omnibus Company Limited (LGOC). It also filled orders for other bus operators. Soon after, the company commenced producing heavy duty lorries as part of their business. AEC continued manufacturing vehicles until 1979. In that year British Leyland Motor Corporation took over the firm.

Pioneer Coaches Pty Ltd of Bexley, Sydney, was established in 1931 by Mr C. Iffland. The Company operated route 112 from Rockdale to Beverley Hills via Hurstville. Family predecessors in the area had interests in horse buses, a much earlier form of public transport,

The body style of 634 is typical of those constructed in the early 1950's for many private bus operators to suit chassis which have underfloor mounted horizontal engines. This one was built by Motor Body Assemblers (MBA) of Camperdown, Sydney in October 1957. The chassis of the bus is one of the first Reliances imported from the U.K. The body is of timber framed construction with aluminium panelling and seats 46 passengers. The bus spent its entire working life of almost 30 years with Pioneer Coaches (not associated with the Tourist Coach Company - Greyhound Pioneer). It was retired in 1986 and acquired by members of the Bus and Truck Museum.

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE: Six cylinder Overhead Valve. AEC AH 470 Diesel, horizontally mounted underfloor, 470 CID, 104 BHP @ 1800 RPM.

TRANSMISSION: Five speed synchromesh gearbox and a crown wheel and pinion differential.

BRAKES: Air mechanical foot brake on all wheels and mechanical hand brake on rear wheels.