The ink was barely a couple of days old on the legislation in June 1984 when Nicholas Ridley (the Transport Secretary) surprised everyone by an overnight takeover of London Transport. London Regional Transport was the new body controlling it for the government, with a remit to halve the subsidy. This was to be achieved partly through competitive tendering for the provision of services, with LRT phasing out its operations side.
The first impact on the Routemasters was a speeding up of the one-person-operated (opo) conversion process, with Titans and Metrobuses taking over RM routes. RMs were unaffected by the first round of tenders in 1984, which ignored crewed routes.
From all Fools Day in 1985 London Buses Ltd took over the operating business as a wholly-owned subsidiary of LRT, with the buses and garages. 370 more RMs were disposed of by the end of 1985 as the Titan and Metrobus tide rolled forwards, and this pattern continued through the next few years. The pattern of services changed somewhat as tendering gathered momentum and garages closed, as the operating units closed or failed commercially. The RMLs were leading a charmed life - on inner London high density routes with no prospect of opo working - and were very much in demand. The fleet losses were primarily among the non-standard RM classes and in the standard "short" RMs, that were more common now in the suburbs where opo and the advent of "low-cost units" (ie bus operating units with substandard pay and conditions) were becoming the norm under the even stricter regime, and where other companies were winning contracts to operate old Central Area routes.
Even Central London was not immune from the changes: route 24, where RMLs and Atlanteans had competed to demonstrate the superiority of the former, was awarded in 1988 to Grey-Green to operate using double-decker Volvo Citybuses. London's buses were no longer all red!
The appearance of the RMs became steadily more run-down as the decade progressed:
painting cost money and was now the responsibility of local managers rather than a central administration.
Advertising frames made an appearance, enabling quick changes of advertising without wrecking the sides of the buses.
These included shaped offside frames that covered the staircase area.
London Buses also introduced its new roundel, with a yellow cross-bar:
the grey skirts of the rest of the fleet did not suit the RMs and were abandoned, apart from the lifeguards.
One change that affected the appearance in a major way was route-branding,
with the front advertising panels featuring the route-number large in black on a yellow ground.
This was applied to fifteen "tourist routes" initially.
With some routes and operating units it faded out, but with others it has persisted.
As the decade wore on it became apparent that no RML replacement was on the horizon but that the RMs were gradually disappearing - in London. But the London logic of faster operation with crews and open platforms was seized upon by non-London operators once the desperate scramble of de-regulation fastened upon the bus scene outside London. RMs were suddenly in demand on the domestic secondhand market! Routemaster operation was trumpeted loudly around the land. It did not always last: LT had had difficulties finding spares to keep these still relatively sophisticated vehicles going, and other operators discovered the same problems without the long experience of the type.
Back in London the Central business was divided into 11 smaller businesses,
which hired their assets from London Buses Ltd, from 1st April 1989.
The local bus - units were re-incorporated into these businesses,
apart from Westlink, which was outside the London boundary
and thus subject to de-regulation anyway.
It had been made clear that these companies would be available
for sale to acceptable owners, but this took until late 1994 to happen.
RMs continued to disappear in the early nineties.
New types of bus displaced some of them,
SP class Spectra doubledeckers and LA class Lance singledeckers for instance.
CentreWest was sold in September 1994, and included four RMs which were sold in the second half of 1995. (RM944, 1948, 2103, 2181).
Leaside / Arriva London North RMs: RM5, RM295* RM311+ RM736* RM1125+ RM1330* RM1725+ RM2185+ (* = from LT Reserve fleet, + = transferred from South London)
London Central was sold to Go-Ahead group plc in September 1994.
As well as RMLs there were 46 RMs for route 36 (Lewisham to Queens Park),
allocated to New Cross.
These included RM9, which was used as a partial refurbishment prototype early in 1995:
the other RMs received new flooring, fluorescent lighting and interior redecoration,
and an external repaint and route 36 branding.
London Central RMs: RM9, RM71, RM202, RM436, RM478, RM527* RM541, RM687, RM688, RM758, RM782, RM787, RM789* RM815, RM868, RM 872* RM928, RM967, RM1002, RM1033, RM1058, RM1062, RM1082, RM1097, RM1104, RM1119, RM1168, RM1174, RM1176* RM1260, RM1305, RM1380, RM1400, RM1621, RM1666, RM1797, RM1955, RM1962, RM1977, RM1980, RM2022, RM2051, RM2106, RM2109, RM2128, RM2151. (* = subsequent disposal)
Reaward of the contract for the 36 in early 2000, still using Routemasters, has prompted a process of refurbishment of the short RMs. They are receiving new floors, seats and lighting inside, with attendant repaint. This includes route branding, with blue "route boards" painted above the lower deck windows. The work is being carried out at a number of locations around the country during spring 2000.
London United had no standard RMs when sold to a management team in November 1994.
It has subsequently acquired some from the LT Reserve: RM 2033 and RM2078.
These are in London red with white bands,
with the London United crest on the 'tween-decks
and yellow fleet numbers in the usual places and also on the front nearside.
Metroline RMs: RM70, RM664.
MTL London RMs: RM29* RM268, RM446, RM646, RM765! RM912, RM1158* RM1171* RM1185+ RM1218* RM1283* RM1287- RM1348, RM1568* RM1700, RM1758* RM1799! RM1804, RM1840! RM1971, RM1979, RM2023! RM2041, RM2136* RM2153* RM2186* (*=sold to dealer, !=sold for preservation, -=scrapped?, +=non PSV use)
MTL sold their London operation to Metroline in 1998, and the new owners are gradually repainting the drab fleet in their brighter red with blue skirt livery.
South London was sold to the Cowie Group in December 1994,
and included 31 standard RMs (Iveco engined in 1993) for route 137 (Streatham Hill to Oxford Circus)
and route 159 (Streatham Garage to Baker Street).
Most of the RMs were repainted into a dedicated route 159 livery,
of red and cream with a route line along the side advert panels and front number branding.
They were also fitted with fluorescent lighting, bright non-slip handrail coatings,
new stair-tread edges and new rear light clusters.
The government requirement, imposed through tender conditions,
for Central London buses to be at least 80% red, has seen the demise of the bold red and cream,
and the return to red with a white stripe,
together with Arriva fleetnames during 1998.
South London RMs: RM6, RM18* RM 25, RM275, RM311* RM348, RM385! RM432, RM467, RM531, RM664, RM676, RM719, RM970, RM997, RM1003, RM1124, RM1125* RM1324, RM1361, RM1398, RM1593, RM1725* RM1734, RM1801, RM1811, RM1822, RM1872, RM1978, RM2179, RM2185* RM2217. (* = transferred to Leaside/Arriva London North, ! = from LT Reserve)
Stagecoach East London RMs: RM613, RM980* RM1289* RM1527, RM1599*. (* = transferred from Stagecoach Perth)
London and Country acquired RM1183 from Southend Transport in late 1993,
and used it initially on Surrey schools route 418, still in Southend livery.
It graduated to Christmas shopper work on December Saturdays, on routes 406/408.
Full London & Country livery was applied as a Christmas present, and the glorious machine,
in probably the finest livery carried by an RM, operated a spectrum of Leatherhead-based routes during 1994:
406, 408, 410, 414 and 473, these including the Surrey Hills leisure buses.
After an engine breakdown at the end of 1994 it was re-engined and repainted
- this time into Lincoln green, making it only the second RM to wear Country green in service.
It was sold on to Nostalgiabus for use, still in Country green, on their 306 service (Kingston - Epsom),
but was destroyed by arson in December 1997.
Timebus Travel
Timebus Travel started a commercial service in the deregulated
Hertfordshire town of St.Albans (old Country Area) in March 1993,
with RM2180. This had previously been in service with Burnley & Pendle,
as had RM2156, the next RM. RM1571 was borrowed on long-term loan,
and RM2198 came out of preservation to act as backup vehicle.
The group of vehicles operated a couple of routes in the Watford area.
Nostalgiabus
Nostalgiabus was operating with private hires and tour work,
but by the end of 1997 was operating a commercial 306 service
along part of the old 406 route,
using some ex-Timebus vehicles in Nostalgiabus livery,
plus ex-London & Country RM1183. This service ceased during 1998.
RM357* RM378, RM1183! RM1394, RM1571$ RM2156$ RM2180$ RM2198$ ( *= ex-Bournemouth, != ex L&C, destroyed 12/97, $= from Timebus )
Blue Triangle of Rainham operate services in their area,
plus "Official London Sightseeing Tour"s using mainly AEC vehicles.
They also deal in buses.
They acquired RM933 with Haven Coaches, and also RMs 799 and RM245,
but all these buses had ceased operation by 1996.
RM 298, RM428* RM704* RM1776. (*= open-top, ex-London Coaches)
Capital Citybus used RM429 as a reserve bus from their Dagenham garage,
and repainted it from Ensign blue/silver to their overall yellow with LARGE red logos.
It has subsequently moved on, through a variety of other liveries,
to preservation at the Routemaster Heritage Centre.
Its place in the Capital Citybus hire fleet was taken by open-top RM121,
and standard RM120 and RM1913. These are nominally in red livery,
but available for contract hire repainted as required.
Metrobus For the year 2000 Bluebell Railway season Metrobus intended operating preserved RMC1490 on its regular 473 service between East Grinstead and Kingscote Station. The privately preserved RM was repainted into Metrobus colours for the operation, but suffered a severe breakdown before operation commenced.
UK Preservation: the following list is not fixed, will change fairly often, is incomplete and depends on one's definition of "preserved". It is currently well out of date, since the repurchase by TfL of preserved buses for renewed service, and the sale of many redundant service buses for preservation and other uses. Eventually I shall get round to updating it. The "active" tag usually means that I have seen it in action recently, or that I have seen pictures of it in action. If you e-mail me about sightings and news I shall be very pleased.
RM7 VLT 7 active RM8 VLT 8 active, was Sidcup showbus RM16 VLT 16 active, white bullseye livery RM17 WLT675 was Willesden showbus RM24 VLT 24 was Chalk Farm showbus RM40 VLT 40 active RM54 LDS279A RM66 VLT 66 RM108 VLT108 RM111 VLT111 RM116 VLT116 RM140 VLT140 RM158 VLT158 RM196 VLT196 active RM200 VLT200 RM254 VLT254 active was Norbiton showbus RM291 VLT291 active RM308 WLT308 RM349 WLT349 active, DMS-type open bullseye RM371 WLT371 RM406 WLT406 RM408 KVS599 RM460 WLT460 RM529 WLT529 RM597 WLT597 active, undergoing repaint RM606 EDS320A RM642 WLT642 active RM654 WLT654 RM655 WLT655 active PSV, Confidence, Oadby RM666 WLT875 RM737 WLT737 active RM759 WLT759 RM765 WLT765 active RM795 WLT795 RM822 WLT822 RM835 WLT835 RM857 WLT857 RM910 EDS288A RM960 WLT960 RM978 LDS164A RM991 WLT991 RM1000 100BXL active, ex-Croydon showbus RM1001 1 CLT active RM1009 9 CLT RM1063 63 CLT RM1069 69 CLT RM1152 152CLT RM1224 LDS210A active, undergoing repaint from Stagecoach livery RM1280 280CLT RM1321 321CLT RM1353 353CLT RM1363 363CLT RM1368 368CLT active, single-decker (LT conversion) RM1397 397CLT RM1403 403CLT active, open-top. RM1414 414CLT Manchester Museum of Transport. RM1449 449CLT RM1528 KGJ117A RM1543 543CLT active, Southend livery RM1563 563CLT was Mortlake showbus. RM1607 LDS201A Stagecoach Bluebird RM1641 641DYE RM1654 654DYE RM1691 691DYE RM1699 699DYE active RM1737 737DYE London Transport museum RM1747 747DYE RM1799 799DYE RM1836 EGF285B RM1840 840DYE active, MTL London livery RM1842 BFW544B RM1936 ALD936B RM1975 ALD975B RM1993 ALD933B active, Southampton Citybus livery RM2021 ALM 21B RM2023 ALM 23B RM2059 ALM 59B active, Delaine livery RM2097 ALM 97B RM2107 CUV107C active, Robbie the Routemaster RM2116 CUV116C active, 1933 livery, was Seven Kings showbus. RM2121 CUV121C RM2154 CUV154C RM2173 CUV173C RM2178 CUV178C RM2198 CUV198C RM2203 CUV203C RM2208 CUV208C
Part 6: re-engineered RMs: open-toppers, ERMs....
Photographic references are on a separate page. So is the Fleet History.
Ian's Bus Stop
RM Contents
part4
part5
part6
