The first Country buses started to appear alongside the last Central buses,
in March 1953. The only substantial differences from the Central version
- apart from the green livery - were the provision of a pair of opening doors in the front entrance,
and the absence of the route stencil holder over the doorway.
Livery was Lincoln green with cream trim.
The radiator filler emblem was picked out in cream also,
with LONDON TRANSPORT written across the central bar in gold letters.
A bullseye transfer completed the rear.
Whereas GreenLine and the Central Area had replaced their single-deck
vehicles route by route, the Country Area Area opted for
replacement of a complete garage at a time.
It was the head-quarters of the Southern and Northern Divisions that went first,
but that was because they had the oldest buses (4Q4s at RG and TFs at SA).
The other garages had had a clear-out of old types during the GreenLine RF
introduction, leaving them with demoted 10T10s
and Leyland Cubs in charge of single-deck bus work.
RF 626 in preservation, at the autumn 1997 Cobham RF Running Day.
Summary
| Dates | Garage | Routes | No of RFs | Displaced types |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar, Apr 53 | RG: Reigate | 406C, 440, 440A, 447 | 17 | 4Q4, 10T10 |
| Apr, May 53 | SA: St Albans | 304, 355, 365, 391, 391A | 28 | 10T10, TF |
| May 53 | HG: Hertford | 308, 308A, 329, 342, 372, 384, 384A, 386, 389, 390, 399. | 12 | 10T10 |
| June 53 | HN: Hitchin | 308, 364, 384, 399 | 7 | 10T10 |
| June 53 | LS: Luton | 356, 364, 376, 376A. | 7 | 10T10 |
| Jun, Jly 53 | WR: Windsor | 407, 407A, 458, 459. | 13 | 10T10 |
| July 53 | SA, HN, HG, CY, GF, EP(2), DS(2) | Greenline duplicates | 9 | 10T10 |
| July 53 | GR: Garston | 318, 318A | 10 | 15T13 (to GY, CY, TG) |
| July 53 | HE: High Wycombe | 373 | 5 | 10T10 |
| August 53 | LH: Leatherhead | 419, 422 | 8 | 10T10 |
| August 53 | WY: Addlestone | 427, 437, 456 | 6 | 10T10 |
| Aug, Sept 53 | HH: Hemel Hempstead | 322 | 8 | 10T10 |
| Sept 53 | DG: Dunton Green | 404,413, 413A, 421 | 4 | 10T10 |
| Sept 53 | GF: Guildford | 425, 432 | 8 | 10T10 |
| Sept 53 | DS: Dorking | 412, 425 | 6 | 10T10 |
| Sept,Oct 53 | EG: East Grinstead | 424, 434, 473 | 15 | 10T10 |
| Sept,Oct 53 | CY: Crawley | 424, 434, 473 | 5 | 10T10 |
| October 53 | EP: Epping | 308, 308A, 384, 384A, 399 | 4 | 10T10 |
| November 53 | NF: Northfleet | 489, 489A | 4 | 10T10 |
| Nov, Dec 53 | WY | 435, 462 | 4 | 10T10 |
| Nov, Dec 53 | LH | 462 | 4 | 10T10 |
The 10T10s had not disappeared entirely either, as not enough RFs had been bought for entire displacement. It was the GS and RT classes that saw them off eventually, with some routes being deemed suitable for the midi-buses, (called small saloons in those days) and some suitable for double-decking. The Green Line RTs caused a reshuffle of the Greenline RFs, so Country bus RFs were no longer needed for GreenLine duplicates.
These changes provided enough RFs to replace the remaining 10T10s on "RF routes",
eg the 412 (DS), 413 (DG)and 489/A (NF), and also on the 441 (ST)
and the Hitchin works services.
The last scheduled 10T10 services were substituted by RFs by July 1954,
although a handful hung on as staff buses and for contracts until 1955.
Displaced by RFs: a 10T10 (Actually preserved T504, at the April 1998 Cobham Open Day.)
RF 517, 647 and 700 were held back for OMO modifications.
One Man operation was not legal on 41 seater buses at this time,
but a change in the regulations was expected.
The Leyland Cubs and their replacement Guy Specials were straightforwardly
designed for one man operation, with their normal control layout,
and were usually employed in this mode. Their OMO equipment was simple indeed:
a money dish and ticket machine on the driver's door sufficed.
But for the new OMO RFs much wider modifications were introduced:
a full height driver's door had a cinema-style screen with separate trays for
payment and change. Two ticket machines were fitted on the drivers side,
and a change machine delivered coins to the "change" dish when the
appropriate till keys were pushed by the driver.
To accommodate all this the driver's compartment was reshaped,
becoming larger at waist height, but being tucked in below this.
The Country vehicles selected were RFs 514 to RF 532
(with the exception of RF 517 - one of the OMO conversions),
plus RF 697 to make up for RF517.
They were renumbered into the GreenLine sequence,
taking numbers from Central RFs which in turn took the RF 514 to 532 numbers.
These vehicles were modified slightly to make them quickly suitable
for GreenLine operation: lino floors, repaint, roofboard clips
(mounted on a metal band rather than individually into the roof,
which provided a quick identifier for the conversions).
The luggage racks were fitted later,
and seat re-arrangements had to wait for the next overhaul.
Meanwhile, fifteen more Country RFs were modified to RF5/1 OMO specification.
These were RFs 682 to 696. RF 700 was already converted,
so renumbering RF 647 to RF 698, and RF 649 to RF 699 put all the OMO buses
together in a block at the end of the numbering system.
(These two pairs of numbers required swaps the other way as well, of course).
This second batch of OMO buses also had a reversing light,
a modification that was added to the original four conversions.
Rear end changes: RF626 shows the OMO reversing light, plus the added nearside direction arrow and amended offside arrow.
RF 633 shows the original double-headed arrow. (The extra banks of lights at the bottom are a modern addition in preservation).
Photos taken at Cobham station, autumn 1997, by Ian Smith.
Central Area's grumbles about losing some of its RFs were reinforced by the Trades unions,
and were placated only by the transfer of six Country buses to make up for them.
These six, from the start of the Country block of numbers,
went to Sidcup garage still in green and with doors, until their overhauls.
A further twelve Country buses were loaned to Sidcup at the same time,
to provide cover during Central's first overhaul round,
but were returned to Country Area in time for its own round of overhauls.
RF 534, one of those lost by Country to Central Area.
| Old numbers | Old type | Work done | New numbers | New type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RF 16-25 | Private Hire | Repaint, roofboards, racks | RF 16-25 | Green Line |
| RF 289-294 | Central Bus | Repaint, doors, roofboards, lights, lino, seats, racks | RF 289-294 | Green Line |
| RF 295-313 | Central Bus | renumber only | RF 514-532 | Central Bus |
| RF 514-516 | Country Bus | Repaint, roofboards, lights, lino, seats, racks | RF 295-297 | Green Line |
| RF 517 | Country Bus | OMO conversion | RF 697 | Country OMO |
| RF 518-532 | Country Bus | Repaint, roofboards, lights, lino, seats, racks | RF 299-313 | Green Line |
| RF 647, 649 | Country Bus | OMO conversion, renumbered | RF 698, 699 | Country OMO |
| RF 682-696 | Country Bus | OMO conversion | RF 682-696 | Country OMO |
| RF 697 | Country Bus | Repaint, roofboards, lights, lino, seats, racks | RF 298 | Green Line |
| RF 698, 699 | Country Bus | renumber only | RF 647, 649 | Country Bus |
| RF 533-538 | Country Bus | transferred (still green) | RF 533-538 | Central Bus |
The 1956 OMO route changes were like this:
| Dates | Garages | Routes | buses lost | buses gained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 56 | Amersham (MA) | 394/A/B/C | 15T13 | RF OMO |
| July 56 | Hemel Hempstead (HH) | 317, 317A | 15T13 | RF OMO |
| July 56 | Hemel Hempstead (HH) | 316 | RF OMO | GS |
| July 56 | Hertford (HG), Hitchin (HN), Epping (EP) | 308/A, 384/A, 399 | RF | RF OMO |
The 1957 OMO route changes were like this:
| Dates | Garages | Routes | buses lost | buses gained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 57 | Hemel Hempstead(HH) | 307, 307A, 337 | 15T13 | RF OMO |
| Oct 57 | Hertford (HG) | 342, 390 | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 57 | Northfleet (NF) | 489, 489A | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 57 | Leatherhead (LH) | 416, 422 | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 57 | Crawley (CY) | 426, 434, 473 | 15T13, RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 57 | Guildford (GF) | 432 | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 57 | St Albans (SA) | 304, 365, 382 | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 57 | Hertford (HG) | 333 | GS | RF OMO |
| Oct 57 | Epping (EP) | 393 | GS | RF OMO |
In 1958 the pace of OMO conversion quickened, with another 70 RF conversions to RF5/2. Some routes were reorganised to take account of the change in operating practice, and some double-deck routes were converted too.
| Dates | Garages | Routes | buses lost | buses gained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 58 | Hertford and Epping | 372, 372A, 393 | RF | RF OMO |
| July 58 | Hertford (HG) | 399 | RF OMO | withdrawn |
| July 58 | Dunton Green (DG) | 404, 413, 413A | RF | RF OMO |
| July 58 | Addlestone (WY) | 427, 437, 456/B, 462/A | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 58 | St Albans (SA) | 355 | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 58 | Garston (GR) | 318/A/B/C | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 58 | Hemel Hempstead (HH) | 319 | 15T13 | RF OMO |
| Oct 58 | Hertford (HG) | 331 | RT | RF OMO |
| Oct 58 | Dorking (DS) | 412 | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 58 | Dorking and Guildford | 425 | RF | RF OMO |
| Oct 58 | East Grinstead (EG) | 428 | RT | RF OMO |
| Oct 58 | 386 | GS | RF OMO | |
| Oct 58 | 481 | GS | RF OMO |
In 1966 and 1967 another 34 GreenLine RFs (all those not modernised)
were officially demoted to bus status and converted.
All these extra RFs were used for further conversions to OMO. All the remaining single-deck Country routes, including the 'town' services were changed over to OMO operation, as were a considerable number of double-deck routes. RLHs as well as RTs were affected, as the 336 was changed to OMO RF operation. More GS routes were changed to RF operation too.
By 1968 even the modernised Green Line RFs were being displaced,
by service cuts and new coaches, and 24 of the modernised RFs were downgraded.
The usual conversion work was carried out, but repainting involved
replacing the pale green band with canary yellow,
with 'London Transport' on it in green capitals.
RT replacement continued (with RFs as well as MBs), especially on Sundays,
and some very long-established busy routes saw OMO RFs in place of RTs, such
as the 402 (Bromley-Sevenoaks-Tonbridge) and the Essex 371 group.
The immediate effect of the advent of London Country was that the legal lettering was changed, followed by
the fleetnames. LONDON COUNTRY replaced LONDON TRANSPORT, in canary yellow or black,
and the LT bullseye symbol was erased. This was easy enough with the transfers,
but not so easy with the radiator filler cover! Mostly this was just overpainted green
(in some cases not even matching green).
Despite their age, the RFs continued to survive.
This had much to do with the unreliability of their supposed replacements, the Merlin MBs, Swift SMs and the coach RCs and RPs.
The need for OMO single deckers was still growing too, as the RTs were retired and replaced by OMO vehicles, either double or single deckers.
The thirty Bristol BNs ordered in 1974 were direct RF replacements,
their 7ft 6in width allowing them to go anywhere an RF could.
They displaced the last bus RFs from Northfleet,
and made serious inroads into RF work at Dorking and Guildford.
Chelsham, Hertford and Leatherhead received the other BNs,
with concommitant loss of RF work during 1974 and 1975.
The replacement of the early Nationals by later coach versions released the
former to displace more RFs from bus work: the RFs disappeared quickly at this time.
Worse was to come. Short National Buses (SNB) were direct RF replacements.
The last active Country bus RF still in Country service was RF684,
which somehow had retained Lincoln green. It provided cover at Chelsham, pottering about the North Downs and Kent/Surrey border
until withdrawn on 20th May 1978.
RF 684 in the last days. Photo by Mike Dawes.
London Country
From January 1st 1970 London Country Buses Limited took over the entire
green RF stock, both Country Area and Green Line.
This comprised 413 RFs, 150 modernised Green Line coaches and 263 buses
(24 of them modernised ex-coaches).
At this stage none of the Country RFs had been withdrawn, remarkable for a fleet of buses sixteen years old!
London Country also continued the loan (now hire) of 5 Central Area red non-OMO RFs
(RF 393, 325, 341, 374 and 388). These returned to LT in November 1970 (393)
and March 1971, but were not used again by LT, being immediately withdrawn.
Then the flying polo symbol began to appear,
although it was more common on the modernised RFs than on the original version
(perhaps because it didn't fit between the mouldings of the old symbol
and the original numberplate location!).
But after a while the National Bus Company colours were asserted.
The traditional Lincoln green had been being replaced by lighter,
brighter greens at repaints,
but from October 72 the national leaf green began to be applied to the survivors.
Trim was in white, either the original trim lines around the windows or the
cummerbund of the modernised buses (of which there were more by now).
Fleetnames were in NBC type, and the NBC double-N appeared in either white or red/blue form)
But this was not applied to the whole fleet, just to those that had to be repainted.
In other words, there was not a uniform livery, but a smorgasbord to choose from!
Transition at Crawley: SM119 alongside RF549,
It was not until the end of 1971 that LC began to retire the RFs,
mainly released by the demotion of more coaches to bus work.
But the attrition continued slowly. When the Leyland Nationals began to
arrive in 1973 the trickle of withdrawals accelerated.
This was exacerbated when the Bristol BLs began to arrive for the less
heavily used routes, or those where even short Nationals could not go.
28 RFs were withdrawn that next winter.
But then 14 of them had to be re-instated because of problems with newer buses!
Photo, used with permission, by BusSpotter.
By the end of 1976 only Windsor and Garston had official duties for bus RFs,
on the 458, 446A (SuO), 452(Su) and 309. These were replaced in January 1977.
Odd fragments of work kept the RF bus fleet "live" until October 77,
but after that the remaining examples were kept just to provide spares cover.
Service fleet buses
London Country converted three of its buses to tow-buses -
necessary as the newer buses arrived, with their increased rate of in-service breakdown.
Two of the three were Country bus RFs, RF556 and RF 647, converted in January 1973.
They were joined in October 1978 by ex_GreenLine RF79.
The trio retained their RF numbers, but gained grey and yellow liveries with added warning lights.
RF79 at least was cut-away at the rear to simplify towing.
RF647 was finally withdrawn in July 1979, RF556 in January 1981 and RF79 in May 1982.
RF594 was converted to a recruiting vehicle in August 1973,
with internal tables, seats and cupboards for the task.
At first it was unimaginatively painted in overall NBC green,
with rallying cries applied in white lettering.
But early in 1976 it was repainted, with mainly white sides,
but NBC green uppers and wheel-arches.
It was retitled, in modern euphemism-speak, as a "staff employment unit".
It lasted until 1981.
RF534 NLE 534, red bullseye livery. RF537 NLE 537, red bus livery, Acton Museum ----------------------------------------------- RF539 NLE 539 RF551 NLE 551, red bus livery, in store RF556 NLE 556, in store, tow-bus conversion RF573 NLE 573 RF579 NLE 579, Tow-launcher, Lincs RF580 NLE 580, in store RF591 NLE 591, in store RF600 NLE 600, original livery RF603 NLE 603, original livery, in store by Ensign RF626 NLE 626, original livery, 11.3 litre engine, Sussex RF627 NLE 627, original livery RF633 NLE 633, original livery RF636 NLE 636 RF643 NLE 643 RF644 NLE 644, Class VI, private hire, London, Surrey, Sussex RF652 NLE 652, spares RF667 NLE 667, original livery RF672 NLE 672, original livery RF673 NLE 673, RF676 NLE 676, RF679 NLE 679, original livery RF683 NLE 683, tea-room, Essex
Country RFs
Country RF histories
Photo Refs
Ian's Bus Stop
RF Contents
Red RFs
BEA RFs
