After the war, the single-deck fleet was in poor shape, with many early buses overdue for replacement.  However, with attention understandably focussed on the need for new double-deckers, the stop-gap decision was made to purchase for the Central Area a number of AEC Regal IIIs (50 buses classified 14T12) and Leyland Tigers (131 in total, classified TD). 

 

These buses were standard products and did not reflect the advances made by London Transport before the war.   The Regals were delivered in 1946, followed by the first 31 Leylands, all with bodies by Weymann.  The second batch of 100 TDs followed in 1948 with bodies by Mann Egerton, to a design very similar to those provided by the same company for the Country Area AEC 15T13s.  However, unlike these last of the T class which had RT-type engines and transmission, the later TDs still had crash gearboxes.

 

The first batch of TDs went to Muswell Hill for the 212, and TDs were used on a number of routes around London, including the 236 and 210.  Kingston received a batch in 1949, in theory for the 215 and 206 but as was usual at Kingston they appeared on all the single-deck routes, including the 213.  More joined them in 1952 and 1953 as a result of the cascade arising from the arrival of new RFs across the fleet.  They also arrived at Norbiton in 1954, where they replaced post-war Ts.  Nominally they were allocated to the 201, 206 and 264, but also appeared on the 213.

 

With the 1958 bus strike and the resulting reduction in bus traffic, they became surplus to requirements and last ran in service in 1962 on the 215^A at Kingston and (last of all) the 240^A at Edgware.