The Routemaster

In all its guises has striven for ultimate uniformity reaching its zenith in the RT class of about 7000 closely related vehicles sharing interchangeable parts. Perhaps the final act of defiance by a separate electric traction division was that the the Trolleybus was replaced by the Routemaster and not directly by the RT nor a Regent V derivative very close to the RT specification - RV ? The search for ultimate uniformity has, ironically, lead to many experimental batches of buses within the strictly standard classes.

In order to fulfil the time-table for Stage8 of the Trolleybus Replacement Programme calling for conversion of Trolleybus route 607 into motor bus route 207 by 9th November 1960 Routemasters with low 400 series numbers were delivered to Hanwell Trolleybus Depot. Hanwell's proximity to the AEC factory made it the ideal base for an experiment in which the Routemaster's automatic gearchange was disabled leaving a preselect facilty similar to the RT. New buses were modified on the production line and delivered to Hanwell from 21st November 1960 with fleet numbers completing the 400 series and extending into the 500s. As a result the nearly new low 400s were delicenced and stored for later stages of the Trolleybus Replacement Programme. Hanwell appears to have taken delivery of about 150 brand new Routemasters and for the first few months provided the entire vehicle requirement for 207. From 11th October 1961 Uxbridge provided a few Sunday workings on 207 with RTs. In May 1963 some RMs were transfered so Uxbridge could work part of Hanwell's weekday alocation.

RT3925 at Hayes Grapes
Possibly an unrecorded experiment RM116 is an out of sequence Hanwell resident.
Both photos ©David Bosher
London Transport's overhaul policy of completely dismantling a bus and regarding its identity as just another component to go into stock for re-use results in the buses surviving today carrying body and "chassis" numbers far removed from the originals which would have matched the stock number. When it was delivered to Hanwell in November 1960 RM446 comprised body B446 and A&B Frames 446. The current RM446 at work for MTL London is body B1791 delivered new in January 1964. The bus last called RM1791 fared less well, being sold for spares to a Belgian buyer in September 1983. None the less RM446 is a living link to the early days of route 207 and the sadly lost Hanwell Trolleybus Depot.
Photographed in May 1998 at Hammersmith Bus Station.
The identity of RM446 lives on as one of several un-modernised Routemasters worked by MTL London
Another scene from Acton Tram Depot's Centenary. RML885 visits Uxbridge as a special 607 for the day
These 3 images ©Martin G. Layton
Mention of the longer Routemasters links neatly on to the next chapter