Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
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Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
11/61 | 104: Moorgate - Barnet | FY | trolleybus (609) | RML |
As not all of the batch of twenty-four were required for the 104
they were an obvious choice for ambassadorial visits.
RML 898 went to America in 1962 (twice!). RML 903, delivered in March 62,
went twice to Europe in 1963.
Both did not enter LT passenger service until May 1964!
The others, RML900-902, were stored at Aldenham and eventually released for service at Finchley.
The entire batch were kept together and stayed on the 104 at Finchley for many years,
even after the main batch appeared. Likewise they retained bodies within the batch at overhaul.
(Did the original agreement between LT and the Unions specifically relate to rthis batch of buses?
Is this why they were kept together? Does anyone know?)
As time progressed they began to look more like the standard batch
as they acquired later radiators, valences, heater grilles..
Anyway, production commenced, following on from the RCLs.
The new buses were very similar to the first batch,
but had the new radiator style with V-shaped badges,
half-blanked ventilator grilles and no offside route number window.
A major appearance change was that fifty of the first build (RML2306-2355),
plus another fifty later (RML2411-2460),
were in Country Area green with cream bands.
They had semi- rather than fully-automatic gearboxes,
reflecting the longer distance between stops in the Country Area.
They looked magnificent.
I saw them on the 410 route in October 1965,
where they ousted the RTs that had just previously put an end to the RLHs at Godstone.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
10/65 | 409: West Croydon - Forest Row | GD, EG | RT | RML |
10/65 | 410: Reigate - Bromley North | GD, RG | RT | RML |
10/65 | 411: Reigate - West Croydon | GD, RG | RT | RML |
In November another nineteen green RMLs went to Northfleet (NF)
for the busy Thames-side trunk route between Erith and Gravesend,
via Dartford, the 480. This worked through an amazingly industrial area,
dominated by chalk pits and cement works.
(All sorts of fascinating industrial steam locomotives could be spotted from the top deck of the RMLs!)
In the way of Country routes it also yielded interworkings of the RMLs
onto a variety of other routes in the area.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
11/65 | 480/A: Erith - Dartford - Gravesend - Denton | NF | RT | RML |
11/65 | 487A: Rosherville- Swanscombe | NF | RT | RML |
11/65 | 488/A: Swanscombe/Rosherville - Kings Farm Est. | NF | RT | RML |
11/65 | 495A: Rosherville - Christianfields Estate | NF | RT | RML |
11/65 | 496A: Rosherville - Waterdales | NF | RT | RML |
Tottenham (AR) started its comparative trials earlier in November,
with 31 RMLs replacing RTWs on routes 76 and 34B,
while the Atlanteans started on the 24 from Chalk Farm.
Stamford Hill (SF) received its red RMLs for the trials on route 67
during December, which displaced RMs.
They in turn went to replace RTWs on the 45 at Walworth.
More Atlanteans for the trials went to Highgate in January 1966,
working on the 271. Again the displaced RMs went to replace RTWs,
this time at Chalk Farm for the 45. The XAs were joined in April by all the XFs,
still in green, from East Grinstead.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
11/65 | 76: Victoria Stn - Tottenham Garage | AR | RTW | RML |
11/65 | 34B: Brimsdown - Walthamstow (MF rushes) | AR | RTW | RML |
11/65 | 24: Pimlico - Hampstead Heath | CF | RTW | XA |
12/65 | 67: Northumberland Park Stn - London Docks | SF | RM | RML |
12/65 | 45: Hampstead Heath - South Kensington | WL | RTW | RM |
1/66 | 271: Moorgate - Highgate Village | HT | RM | XA |
4/66 | 271: Moorgate - Highgate Village | HT | RM | XF |
1/66 | 45: Hampstead Heath - South Kensington | CF | RTW | RM |
Finchley, no stranger to RMLs, then received some new ones for the new 104A route, towards the end of January.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1/66 | 104A: Golders Green Stn - Barnet | FY | new route | RML |
In the Central Area, conversions to RML continued, mainly displacing RMs which in turn displaced RTWs or RTLs elsewhere. The reasoning for the placing of the RMLs was very much that which had prompted the original choice of RM locations in the first place: heavy loadings. There was also the fact that it placed smaller strain on already disturbed labour relationships if the new 72 seaters replaced 64 seaters rather than 56 seaters!
West Ham was the focus for the next displacement, in February and March. The 5 group and the 249/A received RMLs, the RMs going to Riverside and Dalston to push the RTWs off the 11, giving rise to the highest concentration of published photos of RMs of any London route! RMLs also went to Poplar and Walthamstow for their share of the affected routes.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2/66 | 5/5A: Bloomsbury - East Ham | WH, PR | RM | RML |
2-3/66 | 249/A: | WH, WW | RM | RML |
2-3/66 | 11: Liverpool Street - Shepherds Bush Green | R, H | RTW | RM |
The Country Area also started to receive their next batch in February,
these heading for the north and west of the Country Area "polo".
High Wycombe (HE) received some for the 363 and associated routes, and
Garston (GR) had a lot for Watford Area services.
This also required two for Hemel Hempstead (HH), which shared the 347/A with Garston.
In May the Country Area received its last new double-deckers,
when RMLs went to Windsor (WR) and Harlow (HA) for heavily used routes.
London Transport transferred some of the many RTs released by this programme
into the Central Area (after a repaint),
where they displaced yet more Leylands.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2/66 | 363: Totteridge - High Wycombe - Beaconsfield | HE | RT | RML |
2/66 | 305: Uxbridge - West Wycombe | HE | RT | RML |
2/66 | 326: Mill End Rd - High Wycombe - Micklefield Estate | HE | RT | RML |
2/66 | 362: Ley Hill - High Wycombe | HE | RT | RML |
2/66 | 455: Uxbridge - High Wycombe | HE | RT | RML |
3/66 | 306/A: New Barnet / Borehamwood - Watford / Harpenden) | GR | RT | RML |
3/66 | 311: Shenley - Watford - Leavesden | GR | RT | RML |
3/66 | 311: Shenley - Watford - Leavesden | GR | RT | RML |
3/66 | 347/A: Hemel Hempstead - Watford - Uxbridge | GR/HH | RT | RML |
5/66 | 353: Windsor - Berkhamsted | WR | RT | RML |
5/66 | 400: Britwell - Slough circular | WR | RT | RML |
5/66 | 417: Langley Hosp. - Windsor - Old Windsor Hosp. | WR | RT | RML |
5/66 | 445: Datchet - Windsor | WR | RT | RML |
5/66 | 460: Slough - Staines | WR | RT | RML |
5/66 | 484: Langley Village - Slough - Farnham Rd | WR | RT | RML |
5/66 | 396: Epping Station - Harlow - Bishops Stortford | HA | RT | RML |
5/66 | 397/A/B: Passmores - Bishops Stortford / Pinnacles | HA | RT | RML |
5/66 | 804/A: Harlow / Harlow Mill - Latton Bush | HA | RT | RML |
5/66 | 805/A/B: Potter Street - Little Parndon | HA | RT | RML |
5/66 | 806 : Harlow Mill STn - Canons Gate | HA | RT | RML |
The long south-London 37 route, from Peckham to Hounslow, was next for conversion,
the swap for RMs resulting in the removal the last
of the RTWs from passenger service (from Brixton's route 95).
The other half of the 37 allocation was converted the next month, in June,
when it was Stockwell's turn (SW). The displaced RMs this time ousted RTLs,
from Stockwell's own 88 and Victoria's 52.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
5-6/66 | 37: Peckham - Hounslow | AF, SW | RM | RML |
5/66 | 95: Tooting Broadway - Cannon Street | BN | RTW | RM |
6/66 | 88: Acton Green - Mitcham | SW | RTL | RM |
6/66 | 52: Victoria Station - Mill Hill Broadway | GM | RTL | RM |
In June and July 1966 the next phase in the comparative trials began, with the XAs swapping with the RMLs, and the XFs going back to East Grinstead.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
6/66 | 76: Victoria Stn - Tottenham Garage | AR | RML | XA |
6/66 | 34B: Brimsdown - Walthamstow (MF rushes) | AR | RML | XA |
6/66 | 24: Pimlico - Hampstead Heath | CF | XA | RML |
7/66 | 67: Northumberland Park Stn - London Docks | SF | RML | XA |
7/66 | 271: Moorgate - Highgate Village | HT | XA, XF | RML |
7/66 | 424: Reigate - East Grinstead | EG | RT | XF |
Also in July, the 15 was converted to RML at Upton Park (U), with its RMs going to Shepherds Bush and two Romford garages: Hornchurch (RD) and North Street (NS).
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
7/66 | 15: East Ham - Ladbroke Grove | U | RM | RML |
7/66 | 100: Barking - Beckton | U | RM | RML |
7/66 | 88: Acton Green - Mitcham | S | RTL | RM |
7/66 | 165: Havering Park - Romford - Rainham | RD | RT | RM |
7/66 | 174: Noak Hill - Romford - Dagenham | NS | RT | RM |
After the summer break, Hackney (H) and Willesden (AC) received RMLs for the 6 group,
which had been one of the last to receive new RMs, just eighteen months before.
Some of the Hackney RMLs had illuminated offside advertising panels.
Putney (AF) had the last of this series of RMLs in November, its second allocation, this time for the 14. The 2B was the lucky recipient of the RMs, at Norwood (N) and Stockwell (SW).
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
9/66 | 6/6A: Kensal Rise - Oxford Circus - Hackney Wick | H | RM | RML |
9/66 | 113: Edgware Stn - swiss Cottage / Oxford Circus | AE | RT | RM |
10/66 | 6/6A: Kensal Rise - Oxford Circus - Hackney Wick | AC | RM | RML |
10/66 | 83: Golders Green - Alperton / Hanwell | ON | RT | RM |
11/66 | 14: Hornsey Rise - Putney / Kingston | AF | RM | RML |
11/66 | 2B: Crystal Palace - Golders Green Stn | N, SW | RT, RTL | RM |
There were no more RML deliveries until March 1967, while the BEA Routemasters were being built.
However, the "rationalisation" cuts at the end of 1966 saw some changes of RML allocation. Poplar lost those that it had for the 5 group. They went to Leyton (T) for the new 262 route.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
12/66 | 5: Bloomsbury - East Ham | PR | RML | service reduced |
12/66 | 262: V&A Docks - Chingford Stn | T | new route | RML |
Route 14 had to wait until May and June 1967 to receive Holloway's share of the RMLs for the route.
The redundant RMs from Holloway (J) went to Stockwell (SW) and Cricklewood (W) for route 2,
as did those from Putney (AF) when it received its third RML allocation, for the 74.
The 74B followed in July, with Riverside (R) exchanging RMs for new RMLs.
As a consequence Plumstead (AM) received RMs for route 53.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
5-6/67 | 14: Hornsey Rise - Putney / Kingston | J | RM | RML |
6/67 | 74: Camden Town - Putney Heath | AF | RM | RML |
6/67 | 2: North Finchley - Crystal Palace | W, SW | RTL | RM |
7/67 | 74B: Camden Town - Hammersmith Broadway | R | RM | RML |
7/67 | 53: Camden Town - Plumstead Common | AM | RT | RM |
After the summer hiatus New Cross also received RMs for the 53 when the 207/207A were converted to RML operation. Some of the RMs from Hanwell went to Hackney for route 22 as well.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
9-11/67 | 207/A: Uxbridge/Hayes - Shepherds Bush/Chelsea | UX, HL | RM | RML |
9-11/67 | 53: Camden Town - Plumstead Common | NX | RT | RM |
10/67 | 22: Putney Common - Homerton | H | RTL | RM |
The last new RMLs went, most unusually, to Croydon.
Until now the southern fringes of the LT area had seen little Routemaster activity,
apart from the magnificent green machines from Godstone.
Croydon garage had had a few secondhand RMs, for a share in route 64,
but never any new RMs.
Now it received lovely new RMLs to directly displace RTs on the heavy-duty 130 group of routes,
connecting Croydon with the dormitory suburb of New Addington.
Croydon simultaneously lost the 11 RMs on the 64, these moving to Thornton Heath.
Date | Route | Garage | Type displaced | Displaced by.. |
---|---|---|---|---|
11/67-3/68 | 130/A/B/C: New Addington - Croydon/Thornton Heath | TC | RT | RML |
The highest numbered, RML2760, went to Upton Park (U), where it has remained. It still sports original London Transport red livery, now with cream band and traditional London Transport fleetnames, although in the ownership of Stagecoach East London.
Ian's Bus Stop RM Contents RCLs RMLs RMFs