Park Royal Vehicles

The Park Royal Vehicles, also Parkroyal or PRV, was a manufacturer of bodies for buses and rail vehicles from Park Royal, England. The company existed from 1930 to 1980, its roots can be traced back, however, to the year 1889.

History

Together with the company Charles H. Roe Park Royal Vehicles belonged to the oldest and most important body construction companies in the UK. The company was founded as Lewis Hall Company in 1889 and engaged in the manufacture of bodies for carriages, road and rail vehicles. From the bankruptcy of the company emerged in 1930 Park Royal Coachworks. The company was located until 1946, owned by Harry Yager, a major creditor of the Hall Lewis Company. In 1946 it was renamed the Park Royal Vehicles, in the following year was with the Charles H. Roe Ltd.. taken over one of the oldest competitors in Leeds.

In 1949, Park Royal Vehicles, a part of Associated Commercial Vehicles Ltd. (ACV ), which also includes the company Associated Equipment Company (AEC ) was one. AEC made ​​chassis for buses and trucks. 1962, the ACV joined with its subsidiaries and the Leyland Motors Ltd together, six years later, Leyland Motors was renamed Leyland Motor Corporation and is now comprised the majority of the British car industry and a significant part of the suppliers. Through the Labour government in 1975 Leyland was nationalized. As a result of the crisis of the British automotive industry Leyland was forced from the late 1970s to the closure of subsidiaries. AEC was closed in 1979 PRV in July of the following year.

Rolling stock

The association of body building firms and chassis manufacturers under the umbrella of ACV was found to be advantageous, since the requirements of large bus companies such as London Transport could be easily met by concerted constructions. Produced by AEC and AEC PRV Routemaster was a step towards self-supporting bus. Until the 1980s it was common that chassis and bodies for buses were manufactured by different manufacturers. Since the products manufactured by AEC chassis ( front and rear subframe ) of the Routemaster were only provided with structures of PRV, the constructions of the framework and structure could be optimized, resulting in a lighter vehicle in addition to the use of aluminum. A total of 2873 Routemaster 1954-1968 were produced in different versions, the vast amount of London.

Besides bodies for buses manufactured Park Royal Vehicles and bodies for other vehicles. For example, the first London cab with a diesel engine of PRV was karosseriert. PRV was also involved in the production of the Bristol models 407-411; The company delivered until 1976, the body shells for high-end vehicles from Filton.

In 1958, the PRV set-ups for five railcars of class 79970-74 British Rail ago. In the previous year the production of Class 103 British Rail had begun. A total of 40 of these two -car diesel multiple units were produced.

During the Second World War, the engine cowlings and wing tips of the Handley Page Halifax bomber was produced at PRV. In addition, it was engaged in the manufacture of bodies for various military vehicles. From November 1954 to January 1955 PRV built the bodies for 150 military fighting vehicles Green Goddess.

AEC Renown with construction of PRV

AEC Regent with construction of PRV

Leyland Titan with construction of PRV

Daimler Fleetline with construction of PRV