The BEA Reliances: ECThis page created 14th May 2001 by Ian Smith.
In August 1965 BEA (British European Airways) began a new venture: the Executive Express.
Eight Greenline RFs (RF290-7) were hired from London Transport,
and operated direct from the BEA terminal in Kensington to the tarmac at Heathrow.
(This was in the days before telescopic terminals).
The service was aimed at business travellers in a hurry with minimal baggage.
Just under a year later, in July 1966 the RFs were replaced by eight new AEC Reliances, (EC1-8) which were operated by London Transport from the Chiswick Tram shed (CB) on behalf of BEA.
The new coaches were similar to the RC Reliances bought for GreenLine,
except for the hinged coach door (and full 8ft front nearside window);
luggage boots at the rear and nearside; rear dome rather than BET peak;
no raised wheelarches; orange flasher on the roof and the BEA livery.
The orange flasher enabled them to operate unescorted onto the Heathrow apron to meet the planes.
Their lives with BEA were short,
although some at least lasted long enough to receive the dreadful orange and white BEA livery.
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Like the RCs they were plagued by unreliability,
and some of the RFs were rehired to act as cover.
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