IAN'S BUS STOP: RM

Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,

This page created on 2nd September 1998, updated 23rd January 2011.

The Coach RMs, RMC1453-RMC1520: Survivors

A significant number of the class survives. Some are still in London service (see previous page), with various bus companies, while others are preserved or put to other uses.

N.B. This list will go out of date faster than the data in the individual histories.


 RMC 4     SLT 59   preserved, PSV,   The London Bus Company, Green Line
 RMC 1453  453 CLT  private hire PSV, Arriva London North, red
 RMC 1456  LFF 875  preserved,        private preservation 
 RMC 1458  7223YQ63                   Quimper, France
 RMC 1459  459 CLT  hospitality bus   Halewood International 
 RMC 1461  461 CLT  preserved,        London Bus Preservation Trust, Cobham, Green Line
 RMC 1462  462 CLT  private hire PSV, The London Bus Company, Northfleet: red+cream
 RMC 1464  464 CLT  service PSV,      Arriva London South, open top, red
 RMC 1469  469 CLT  preserved,        Greene Lane: Green Line livery
 RMC 1474  474 CLT  promo bus,        Paris 
 RMC 1476  476 CLT  preserved,        private preservation, NBC green, LT white bullseyes
 RMC 1477  477 CLT  private hire PSV, Timebus Travel, St.Albans, red+white
 RMC 1480  PBA541?                    Poland?
 RMC 1481                             open-top, Bremerhaven, Germany
 RMC 1485  485 CLT  private hire PSV, Ensignbus, red+gold
 RMC 1486  KVS276                     Germany
 RMC 1487  487 CLT                    Sullivan Buses, South Mimms
 RMC 1488                             promo vehicle, Paris
 RMC 1490  490 CLT  preserved,        Crewe Heritage Centre
 RMC 1495  495 CLT  mobile fish & chip shop,Spain
 RMC 1496  496 CLT                    promo bus, Tru-Pro Events
 RMC 1497  497 CLT  preserved,        preserved, Green Line
 RMC 1499                             promo vehicle, Perpignan, France.
 RMC 1500  486 CLT                    preserved, London Country green/yellow
 RMC 1503  7806TL56                   Vannes, France.
 RMC 1507  507 CLT  preserved,        preserved, Dagenham, Green Line
 RMC 1510  510 CLT  service PSV,      First CentreWest, open top, red
 RMC 1513  513 CLT  hire PSV,         Metroline
 RMC 1515           unknown status    Galicia
 RMC 1516  516 CLT  preserved,        preserved, undergoing restoration
 RMC 1519  6005RR13                   piazza restaurant, Marseille

RMC1458

is in France.

RMC1459

RMC1459 was for many years (1991-2008) a bus preserved in London Country NBC livery. However, it has been bought for use as a hospitality bus with Halewood International.

At Showbus in 1999, RMC1459 was preserved in NBC London Country livery.

RMC1469

RMC1489 worked on the 712 during the Worcester Park Running Day in August 2008. I was pleased to get this unusual view of it emerging from the side door of Merton Garage (taken with permission).

RMC1469 was restored to Green Line condition when first preserved, straight from London Transport's training fleet. Later it received a face-lift to represent the condition when it was modified to bear a prototype RCL style front, with full-width blind box. This does mean that it seldom receives full-width blinds to match at running days, RMC standard blinds not being wide enough. For the keen-eyed, the transfers on the side now read "Greene Lane", not "Green Line", and "Vintage Transport" not "London Transport" reflecting its ownership.

RMC1469 can sometimes be seen on duty at a Cobham Museum event, on this occasion on the 456 at the Pre-Hibernation day in October 2008. It also turns up on Running Days, such as Leatherhead 2009, when it was sporting a front dome either just replaced or under repaint.

RMC1476

was initially preserved in its LT training livery: NBC green with white bullseyes and LT Indian Red standard wheels. That was followed by London Country livery: NBC green with coloured NBC logos and grey wheels. It has been a regular and frequent attender at Running Days and shows.

In January 2006 (and other years), RMC1476 was a feature of the St.Albans Running Day. That year it worked both days, on the 341 on the Saturday, where it is seen caught in typical St.Albans traffic, and on the 330 on Sunday, when it turned at Hatfield (Comet).

RMC1480

was a Coca-Cola promo vehicle in Sweden before being bought for use in Norway. It was not used there, and was bought by a Polish buyer in summer 2009. The last I heard it was awaiting police clearance for a drive to the Docks.

RMC1481

was open-top in Bremerhave, Germany in the mid 90s. Is it still around?

RMC1486

similarly was in Germany in the mid 90s. Not to be confused with RMC1500, which bears the registration plates and fleetnumber of RMC1486.

RMC1487

is undergoing long-term restoration by Sullivan Buses of South Mimms.

RMC1488

is a promo bus in France.

RMC1490

was one of East London's Beckton Express buses on the X15, then became Selkent's special duties bus at Bromley. It was privatised to Stagecoach Selkent, and was then preserved by Stagecoach, initially at Strathalmond. It was also used by Stagecoach in North Wales at the Ffestiniog Railway in May 1997, and again May 1998 and August 1998. It also appeared at Leyton Garage's Open Day in May 1997 before returning to Scotland. It then was bought for private preservation by a group that had cared for it on its travels, and moved to Bromley garage for restoration, followed by Giodstone garage. In March 2000 it was painted blue and yellow for the Metrobus operation to the Bluebell Railway, but that didn't happen, due to ongoing mechanical problems. It moved on to Southlands' garage at Swanley, then moved north to Wolverhampton and then the Crewe Heritage Centre.

RMC1495

After years as a mobile chippie, this one went to Spain in 2006. Does it survive?

RMC1496

is a promo bus. Having sported a number of bixzarre or normal liveries over the years, the latest (August 2010) is as the Love Bus, in purple.

RMC1497

is actively preserved in the West Country, in Green Line livery.

RMC1499

may still be a promo bus in France

RMC1500

RMC1500, after a long overhaul, reappeared in 2008, and much to the surprise of many wore London & Country dark green with canary yellow cant-rail band, flying polo and yellow fleetnames. Very smart it looked, too. Since then it has been a frequent active participant in Running Days. It wears the number plates and fleetnumber of RMC1486, its own plates being retained elsewhere.