I must admit that for the first 20 or so years of their lives I was not particularly interested in them.
To me the fact that London was still building half cab buses into the late1960’s when my home town fleet ‘Sheffield Transport’ and most of the rest of the country had been running ‘modern’ Leyland Atlanteans and Daimler Fieetlines since the late 1950’s only went to ‘prove’ how backward them ‘darn sarth’ were.
It was at least 20 years later before I actually travelled on an ‘RM’.
It was only when ‘London Transport’ started taking them out of service that I took any interest in them at all.
So, how did they look originally ?
The vast majority appeared in virtually unrelieved red.
JSJ 797 ‘London Transport’ RM 1174. AEC Routemaster / Park Royal
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New in 1962 as 174 CLT.
CUV 233C ‘GREEN LiNE’ RCL 2233. AEC Routemaster / Park Royal
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Much was made of ‘Green Line’ buses which came with coach quality seating and the twin headlights.
The dark green relieved with the light green contrast colour made for an attractive livery.
136 CLT ‘GM Buses’ No. RM 1136. AEC Routemaster / Park Royal
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
A number of operators retained the original red livery with just a change of motif or other branding to note the change of ownership.
One such operator was ‘GM Buses’ in Manchester. who purchased a small quantity (10?) in 1988.
New in 1962.
SMK 731F ‘Metroline’ No. RML 2731. AEC Routemaster / Park Royal
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
‘Metroline’ added a blue skirt and its own fleetname plus other bits in white.
798 UXA ‘Midland Classic’ No. RM 1168. AEC Routemaster / Park Royal
on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
A clever colour scheme which uses a yellow contrast which is ‘Midland Classic’s (MC) normal base colour. See blog dated 06/12/2017 for comparison.
The ‘MC’ fleetname is reproduced in the same style and colour as the ‘London Transport’ original.
New as 168 CLT in 1962.
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