Routemaster 60Saturday 12th July 2014Prepared by Ian Smith, 17th July 2014.It was, of course, very boring: just a long, long line of Routemasters parked in the sunshine. There was just an occasional new arrival. Highlights were meetings with people. So here are the bus pictures:
It was, of course, the 60th anniversary of RM1. Not that the present RM1 looks much like the RM1 that I saw back in 1954 at the Commercial Motor Show. That had a different front end, with a flat tin front. The blind apertures were different too: just a single small aperture at the front, with an even tinier one above the door. The current condition looks much better.
Highlight of the display for me was the next in line: RM2. Back in green Country Area livery, with the front restored to its early service condition. It was interesting to compare this front with its neighbour, Weymann-bodied RML3, which had a front nearside far closer to the production design.
The original Leyland Routemaster, RML3, was next in line, followed by a gap to accommodate RMC4 if it arrived. After that the logistics of getting the Routemasters in numerical sequence became too great, and the line became random. First was RM349.
Then came RM811, green for its work with the David Shepherd Conservation Foundation and RML2284, the latter cut down in height and length.
RM1842, used for campaigning for the World's poor. RML2267, still in London General route 12 livery.
LT-liveried RM2179, RM2173 - undergoing repaint, Metroline RML2620.
A pair of very smart Metroline RMLs: RML2620, RML2731, with their blue radiator grilles.
RM2186 - with LT fleetnames and cream band; RML2391 - with white band and London Buses logo; RM2060 -with white band and white LT bullseye.
RM7 - with early bonnet roundel; BEA's KGJ601D (BEA1, RMA 28); Arriva-liveried RM2217.
RM2037 -with white bullseye and silver grille; unidentified RML (actually RML2393 -thanks to John Perthen for the datum); RM238, with black grille.
RM1063, RM1000, RM2097, showing variations in front heating and brake grilles.
RM1348, RM254, RM188.
London United RML2751; RML2606 - Aurora(?); RML2464 with raised roof for Natwest.
RML2760 - the highest numbered RML; London Necrobus RML2528, liveried for The Ghost Tour.
RM16, RM308, support vehicle RM66, all with white bullseyes, but the last rather modified!
Black-grilled RML2262 and RM9; Green Line RCL2229.
White bullseyes on RM2180 and RM1033; LT fleetname on RM938.
RML2368, RM1620, RM857.
That was by no means all: the line continued to stretch northwards..... Part Two: more RoutemastersPhotos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.
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Ian's Bus-stop
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