AEC Reliance Harrington Grenadier 41-seat coach

According to the book, Avanti Travel acquired a batch of five 1964 AEC Reliances with Harrington Grenadier 41-seat coach bodies. They would have been virtually identical to this 1965 example from the fleet of Timpson’s of London. With the advent of Duple’s Commodore and Plaxtons’ Panorama designs this was a slightly more dated body style for 1964. But Harrington bodies were built to the highest standards. The Grenadier had aluminium framing so was an exceptionally durable design. Harrington also produced the Cavalier body at this time but the Grenadier had a slightly different frontal design, longer “panoramic” side windows and forced air ventilation rather than sliding window vents. With a longer body than a contemporary 41-seat Bedford or Ford, these coaches had excellent legroom and comfortable luxury coach seating. For operators who could live with the slightly more traditional appearance, these would have been a very practical addition to the fleet.