Routemasters

[Coppercap]

Modern buses are speed limited to 50mph

 

Not round here, they're not. On the M5 and M4, I regularly see (and pass, but not too quickly, so it seems) modern buses obviously returning to depot 'out of service' at about 60mph. If they are actually doing no more that 50mph, then all the other vehicle's speedos are seriously over-reading! I know most speedos have to over read by about 10%, but these buses must be doing somewhere in the region of 60mph - they're certainly not hanging about!  

[Nearholmer]

Dwhite4dcc

 

Yet more nostalgia in your post. Virginia Water is one of a few stations that I can very clearly remember having a proper goods yard, full of coal wagons. We used to go there from my Grandparents' house in Chobham, courtesy of Aldershot & Disrict, then walk down to the park/lakes to eat our picnic, while huge red ants ate us. A&D buses always had a notice saying "passengers must shew their ticket", which I

thought was a selling mistake, but apparently isn't.

 

Years later, I was in charge of an engineer's train, which caused a massive tailback at the level crossing at VW - the road was mega-busy in summer, even in the dead of night. All down to an "out of time" train crew disappearing into the darkness with zero warning, and the taxi bringing their replacements getting lost on the way from Woking (the very well-signposted, on a big road, way from Woking). We were in a "can't go back; can't go forward" position, because of what we were in the middle of unloading, and only just managed to get ourselves sorted as the Constabulary arrived, intent on arresting us (which wouldn't really have helped much!).

 

Kevin

[cravensdmufan]

Interesting site for those interested in Routemasters  

 

http://routemaster.org.uk/pages/home

[RANGERS]

Deep joy reading this thread. The furthest west that LT Country ran to that I ever saw was Virginia Water. I actually went there one winter's day and very bleak it was too but Staines was a regular hub for bus routes back then.

 

Greenlines used RM's and I can still recall the late sixties travelling from Hatfield to Kingston on the 716 (?) and that was frequently an RM with doors and it was FAST going down the A1 with a diversion for Brookman's Park. Happy days.

 

During my later bus driving career I had the pleasure of driving a Routmaster. Slow but sure. Very few of them had original engines, indeed the one I drove actually had a FIAT engine in it. I have no idea whether that was a good or a bad thing.

 

Modern buses are speed limited to 50mph and I really woudn't want to go much faster in most of them. In service and around town you woudl be lucky to see 30mph although I did once set off a speed camera when I was running late on a late night service with a howling mob of kids aboard and after an altercation about one of them not having a ticket or paying the fare.

The original AV590 (RM, RMC and RML) and 690 (RCL) engines were gradually replaced in the 80s and 90s with a variety of Cummins, Scania and Iveco units. The Iveco (Fiat) unit you mention sounded remarkably similar to the original, unlike the Cummins and Scanias which had their own distinctive sound. The object of the exercise was to have lower emissions and in any case AEC spares were becoming scarce by that stage.

[cravensdmufan]

The original AV590 (RM, RMC and RML) and 690 (RCL) engines were gradually replaced in the 80s and 90s with a variety of Cummins, Scania and Iveco units. The Iveco (Fiat) unit you mention sounded remarkably similar to the original, unlike the Cummins and Scanias which had their own distinctive sound. The object of the exercise was to have lower emissions and in any case AEC spares were becoming scarce by that stage.

Interesting - I often wondered why they didn't sound the same on the few occasions I travelled on them in recent years.

 

They always sounded rougher than when I travelled on them in the old days.  I assumed it was because the years had taken their toll (on me as well as the buses!). 

[Nearholmer]

George

 

Not buses, but prompted by what JP says above, I don't remember Class 37 in the Croydon area either, or many 47 for that matter, and I was very "into" these things until I moved job and home in 1989.

 

There was an Acton-Norwood freight, but that was Westerns in the 1970s, then Peaks, both sometimes with brake tenders. Not sure when it gave up the ghost, but may have had 47 late-on.

 

73s on Parcels, engineers trains etc, then on Gatwick Express (initially causing many conflagrations to themselves and other things), 33 on all sorts, not forgetting 'Grinstead and Uckfield passenger trains.

 

"Show Train" was HMQ to Tattenham Corner on Derby Day, a 73 on the front,with a spare one hiding behind East Croydon signal cabin.

 

Brighton & Hove Albion were quite "well up" at that stage, and they used to hire a train for the players sometimes - a very short formation, which I recall going to Norwich and back for "Seagulls vs Canaries". Double headed 33 on troop trains from Crowborough. Various Adex, Mytex and Footex. And, of course, zillions of EMUs. Single MLV running as a mail train. OD will doubtless know far more!

 

Kevin

[corneliuslundie]

Yes, the 716. In 1969 I used to travel from work in Stevenage to my fiance's home in East Molesey on a Friday evening and back on Sunday evening. Front seat upstairs if possible. Three hours for about ten bob. And yes, they certainly moved on the way from Stevenage to London 

 

They were definitely RMCs, longer I think than the standard RM and with doors. But there were two lengths of RM, the standard RM and the RML. A different number of side windows.

 

A point to note; in South London green bus routes began with 4, red single deckers wth 2 and red double deckers a mixture with a lot beginning with 1 (plus some lower numbers from central London). Trolley buses began with 6 but when converted to buses got numbers beginning with 2.

 

And north of London one long lasting Red bus route (may still be running) was the 84 all the way to St Albans.

 

Jonathan

[John M Upton]

RMC's were standard length coach specification versions of the RM

The longer RML version of the RMC was the RCL

 

Then there was the unique RMF plus RMA's, SRM's (for a short while) and the FRM or 'Froom'.

 

For a supposedly standard design bus, they came in many different flavours...

[alastairq]

From circa Aug.'72 until circa April '74.I worked from New Cross depot.

 

Primarily on the No.1 route..which in those days went from Bromley [south] , via Catford, Lewisham, New Cross, Deptford High St, Surrey Docks, Elephant, Waterloo [bus stand too]...Trafalgar Sq, Tottenham Court Rd, Oxford St, up to Marylebone Station.  Never the whole route in one day, but segments [halves]...Usually travelled light to Waterloo, working from Waterloo bus stand...aside from early mornings, or late nights.[Excellent staff canteen at Waterloo bus stand...].....

 

vehicles were, Mon to Sat, RTs....Sundays saw RMs, with the route 'turned short'.

 

 

I do recall taking RMs as far as Bromley depot.....of course, RMs could be seen further afield, as training vehicles from Chiswick. [in my day,all learners used RTs....with familiarisation on RMs after the test was passed. Plus, other types depending on intended depot [DMS, etc]]

 

These were all genuine AEC vehicles.

 

Years later, EYMS obtained some RMs, and I drove one or two, on a nostalgia kick.

 

The RM was like driving a car compared to the RT.....with its auto box [with manual gears 1 to 3 if wanted]...power steering, giant 'Vauxhall Viva' front suspension, etc.  Very smooth, very comfortable.......as I said, compared to the RT.

[roythebus]

The route 84 does indeed still go to St.Albans from Arnos Grove. Other extremities of the red central area routes were Dartford, Swanley, Biggin Hill, coulsdon, Caterham, Epsom, Leatherhead, Ripley, Chertsey, Staines, Slough, Watford, Borehamwood, Flamstead End (where is that he asks), Epping, Ongar, Brentwood, and bits beyond Upminster and Rainham.

 

I operated red RMs from Epsom to Horsham (SCC route 93, Sundays only), 433 Epsom- Guildford (SCC route Sundays only), 410 Morden-Westerham and Morden-East Grinstead and Bluebell Railway, so in more modern times further out than LT did! I also used my RM fleet on rail replacements as far out as Newhaven, Seaford, Brighton, Portsmouth, Saarfend, Colchester, Peterborough, Reading and so many more I forget where they actually DID go.

 

The Fiat engine was actually an Iveco unit, made by Ferrari according to the makers name on the engine block! A couple were fitted with DAF engines too.

[crompton 33]

Nearholmer. Class 47's ran from may 1979 on a cross country service from Brighton to Manchester. There where 2 workings each way so these went through east East Croydon station.

[Nearholmer]

Oh my goodness! Senility really is setting in!

 

I caught the southbound early-morning of that blasted train every day for about two years, after I had moved home northwards, but was still based at Croydon for work .............. Not at all reliable though, because it frequently got stuck at Willesden, where the LM region would forget to have a loco available to take over from the 86 for the rest of the journey. It was supposed to get to Croydon c0815, but often scraped in c0900.

 

What day of the week is it? Who am I, again?

 

Kevin

[keefer]

I agree that the buses that were specially designed for London were more robust. Then we got the Merlins and it was downhill from thereon. The DMS was supposedly a design for London (even called it the "Londoner") but they were not up to the job.

 

That said, anyone who visited Aldenham Works will know that an RM was just a kit of parts that could be taken apart and rebuilt many times. So not really as old as it might seem.

a bit of the 'trigger's broom' - https://youtu.be/A3DmhJHx4O8 (aldenham and Chiswick works)

[cravensdmufan]

a bit of the 'trigger's broom' - https://youtu.be/A3DmhJHx4O8 (aldenham and Chiswick works)

Excellent film - thanks for posting the link.