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A Routemaster in 2007 - a new beginning (by Shane Conway)

Last updated November 24th 2013

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Routemaster menu: Home History Profile 2004/05 rundown Route 159 finale RML preservation

David Thrower from Warrington in Cheshire e-mailed me in August 2007 with photos and information about his preserved RML class bus, which he bought in March 2005. The bus, RML2452, was originally delivered new to London Transport's Aldenham works in April 1966 and registered JJD 452D. It was part of the second batch of 50 RMLs (2411 - 2460) painted in London Transport's green livery for outer suburban routes. In May 1966 it was allocated to Northfleet garage in Kent for routes 480, 480A, 487A, 488, 488A, 495A and 496A, but its stay there was brief, as it was quickly transferred to Windsor garage in the same month.

From Windsor it worked mainly on the 446 group of routes, and was to spend almost three years in Berkshire. In March 1969 it returned to Northfleet once more, being sent to Aldenham in July of that year for its first repaint. January 1970 saw it pass (along with the other 99 green RMLs, the 43 RCLs and the 69 RMCs) to the newly formed London Country Bus Services, a subsidiary of the newly established National Bus Company. For most of the 1970s it stayed at Northfleet garage, with a short loan to Godstone garage in June 1976.

Here we see RML2452 on Brighton Road, Redhill, while taking part in a Historic Commercial Vehicle Society road run, sometime in the early 1970s while it was allocated to Northfleet garage. (photographer unknown).

In December 1979, it was re-allocated once more, this time to Chelsham garage for route 403. By this time London Country were withdrawing Routemasters in quantity, and 2452 was redundant from February 1980. It was to follow many of its sisters back into London Transport ownership, and so in June 1980 it returned to service at New Cross garage, this time repainted in red livery. Unusually, it was one of a number of Routemasters which retained the same body throughout its entire life.

The next major change came in 1991 when its AEC engine was replaced by an Iveco unit. By the late 1980s tendering of London Transport bus routes was well under way, but up to the early 1990s it was mainly outer suburban routes which were being offered. As part of the privatisation of the National Bus Company, London Country had been split into four separate companies, one of which became Kentish Bus and introduced a cream and maroon livery. In 1993 route 19 (Finsbury Park to Battersea Bridge) was up for tendering, and this time Routemasters were to be used on it. Kentish Bus was awarded the contract, along with 24 RMLs repainted in their livery and sign-written for the route. Three of the buses had co-incidentally started out as green buses, and were now being operated by a successor company to part of the old L. T. country area network. RML2452 was the only example drawn from the 1966 batch of 50 vehicles. In this guise it moved from its previous home of Putney garage to Battersea.

From 1993 to 1997 the Kentish Bus maroon and cream livery was applied to 24 Routemasters on route 19. In this view the bus was photographed on Sloane Street, on the way to Battersea Bridge. (photographer unknown).

After 1997 operation of the 19 passed to Arriva South London, and RML2452 was repainted back to red livery for the second time. RML2452 was pictured at Finsbury Park, complete with advert frame on the side and a front mounted camera for recording traffic in bus lanes; both of these items have now been removed by its current owner. (Photo copyright John King).

The bus appeared at Showbus in September 1997, still in Kentish Bus livery, but its days in this image were numbered. Within a month the route 19 RML fleet had been absorbed by South London and the following year saw the company being taken over by Arriva, with the buses being repainted back into red livery. 2452 was to see a further seven years use, until March 2005 when it was withdrawn from service at Brixton garage. Placed in store at Norwood, it was quickly sold to David Thrower of Warrington for preservation. Route 19 itself lost its Routemasters for the last time on April 1st, leaving just five other routes to be converted later the same year.

The story of RML2452 in preservation, and its ongoing restoration, will be updated here on an occasional basis. Meantime, here are a few photographs taken by David Thrower since he purchased 2452, showing the bus in its present state.

Part of the very tatty interior trim, as seen in November 2005. (Photo copyright David Thrower).

The lower saloon looking towards the platform, on 18th April 2007. (Photo copyright David Thrower).

The lower saloon looking towards the cab and engine area, on 18th April 2007. (Photo copyright David Thrower).

The rear of the upper saloon and the staircase. (Photo copyright David Thrower).

The upper saloon looking towards the front of the bus. (Photo copyright David Thrower).

For more London buses see the AEC Regal T class, the Leyland Tiger PS1 TD class, the Trolleybus/Routemaster conversion programme, the AEC Renown single-deck LT class, the DMS Fleetlines,, and the exported AEC Swifts in Malta.

For many other buses, have a look at all the other profiles on the Classic Buses menu page

SOME LINKS WITHIN THIS WEBSITE: Home Email Links THE COMPLETE WEBSITE MENU Events Diary Halfcab list Small-Ads Classic Irish Buses Classic Manx Buses