The Routemaster

In all its guises London Transport 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 "tin front" Regent V derivative very close to the RT specification - RV ? The Routemaster was developed between 1947 and 1956, while RT production was at its height, by a team led by Douglas Scott (1913-90) to replace the trolleybuses. The last of the RTs were stored and did not enter service until 1959 just as the initial Routemasters came off the slow at first production lines.

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 Stage 8 of the Trolleybus Replacement Programme calling for conversion of Trolleybus route 607 into motor bus route 207 by 9^th 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 21^st 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.

	RM535 at Shepherd's Bush Green on 5th May 1962 The Trolleybus on 657 has only a couple of days left before it will be withdrawn under Stage 14 of the Trolleybus Replacement Programme on 8th May 1962
©Geoff Bannister

RM535 is outside what is now a community centre and petrol station with flats behind. The second Routemaster is just passing the junction of Rockley Road and the shops behind it have been replaced by the shopping precinct. Although the angle suggests that it is making a right turn the Trolleybus is in fact only overtaking the RM and will continue straight down Goldhawk Road while the motor buses will turn right and pass the Shepherd’s Bush Empire before turning left along Uxbridge Road. Just out of shot on the left of the picture would have been the Wellington pub (now demolished) where according to local legend in WWII a bomb landed nearby, when rescuers entered the pub they found customers still sat at the bar unmarked but dead from the shock of the blast.

From 11^th 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	RM116 was at Hanwell from August 1964 to October 1965	Probably a staged scene with preserved RT3314 at Bakers Court Uxbridge
Both B&W photos ©David Bosher		From the photo library of Lars F. Richter

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			Buses with Hanwell connections like RM410, RM504 & RM528 found their way into service outside London
RM446 images ©Martin G. Layton			United Counties RM ©Peter Wright