East Kent was a BET-Group company, which in common with other BET operators, lost its distinctive maroon and cream livery for standard National Bus Co poppy red when it passed to NBC. This set of 10 different 6x4 ins colour prints, taken at the time of the transfer to NBC in the 1970s, shows old EK liveries, buses in the dedicated Seaspeed Hovercraft colours of blue, and NBC poppy red. TFN425, No 425, is a 1960 AEC Reliance 2MU3RV in traditional East Kent livery in Folkestone, the Blue Triangle showing to advantage. TFN407 (No 407) is a sister vehicle to 425, but is in the Rail Blue Seaspeed Hovercraft livery used on vehicles running between Dover Priory station and the Hovercraft terminal. Our next scene is of three AEC Reliances, all in different liveries. 439 is in traditional East Kent maroon and cream. 407 is in Seaspeed Rail Blue, whilst 513 is in NBC poppy red. 503, a 1961 AEC Reliance 2MU3RV pulls out of Canterbury bus station in NBC poppy red and white in 1973. 810, an AEC Regent V double-decker of 1962, which is bathed in warm evening sunshine at Canterbury, is in traditional colours, but with NBC style fleet name. East Kent 524, a 1962 Reliance 2U3RA, seen in Dover, spent some time on the Kent Coast to London ‘Europabus’ service. No 135, a 1968 AEC Reliance 6U3ZR, with Willowbrook C49F bodywork, is on a Dover to London express working. No 202, about to leave Canterbury Bus station for Ashford is one of ten 1969-built AEC Swift 5P2Rs with Marshall 51 seat bodywork. In 1971, a number of Southdown1963/65Leyland Leopard PSU3/1R single-deckers were transferred to East Kent, including 103CUF, which became No 103. The Leyland National era arrived for East Kent in 1972, when six 1151/1Rs joined the fleet. EFN161L is seen a few months later. These views are copyright. A leaflet giving details of the subjects covered accompanies this set. Reproduction by any means is prohibited without our prior written permission
East Kent was a BET-Group company, which lost its dignified maroon and cream livery for standard NBC poppy red at the start of the 1970s. This set of 10 different 6x4 colour prints, which complements our East Kent Set A, was taken at the time of the transition from the traditional East Kent image to the new NBC corporate identity, and includes some of the transition liveries. The following views are included: -
Close up of traditional shaded serif East Kent title with its underlining, a useful shot for the modeller.
219 KFN219 1955 AEC Reliance MU3RV, Weymann DP41F in poppy red, cream band, Dover, Aug 1973
514 WFN514 1960/1 AEC Reliance 2MU3RV, PRV DP41F, poppy red and white, Deal Level Crossing
781 AFN781B 1966 AEC Regent V2D3RA PRV H40/32F, later 7781, poppy red & cream band Canterbury
274 274AUF 1962 Leopard PSU3/1R, Marshall body, ex Southdown 674, EK Maroon/cream Folkestone
283 283AUF 1962 Leopard PSU3/1R, Marshall body, ex Southdown 683, EK Maroon/cream Folkestone
729 OFN729F 1968 AEC Reliance, Marshall B53F, in NBC poppy red with cream band, Dover, Aug 1973
8150 WJG150J 1971 AEC Reliance 6U3ZR Plaxton C49F, EK cream and maroon coaching, Dover 1973
1589 YJG589K 1971 AEC Swift 5P2R, Alexander B51F body, EK maroon/cream, Dover, nice blue triangle
1169 EFN169L 1972/73 Leyland National; 1151/1R, B49F body, all over Poppy red, Dover, 1973
A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright. Reproduction by any means is prohibited without our prior written permission.