My family emigrated to Cape Town from London in 1958 when I was a toddler. But when I went to school I used to catch an RT to and from school every day as Cape Town's "Golden Arrow" Bus Service used to run them. I remember the smells, the sounds, the feel of the window winders, the wood blocks on the platform, the white tape on the poles, the sound of the conductor's ticket punch as he hit it against the poles calling "fares please", the huge leather money pouch and ticket machine on his waist, so many things. I remember hiding in the suitcase compartment under the stairs when I had lost my huge one penny bus fare. RT's, red phone boxes, Big Ben and black London taxis are global symbols of London. You only realise how important they are in one's life when you have spent a big chunk of it away. I came home to London in 2000 and one of the first things I did was ride the number 10 which, at least then, was still an RT.
Didn’t we have something “unique” in the world. Buses like the RT and the RM fully overhauled every four years at ALDENHAM bus overhaul works. Built by AEC and PARK ROYAL VEHICLES. Something to be Proud of❤️
Back in 1980 I used to visit the Woolwich Bus Preservation Group. Loved the ambience of the place, a bit like yours. It was in a quite location, the smell of grease, oil, paint and diesel fumes. There were RTs and RF's old LT vehicles, some in good shape others needing a lot of attention. In the quiet summer sun, there were birds whistling and a peace about the place with all this London Transport history around me. It was a very exciting, captivating sort of place. They acquired RM 58, I remember and I took some photos of it, which I still have. Thanks for showing us your buses.
I'm pleased to see M1441 exists, I drove her several times whilst she was at Bath Bus Co; working the Glastonbury festival shuttles. Have loads of memories of it being a good bus to drive.
RT's, a head above RM's, I loved them and RF's, hated the RM gearbox, you never knew when it would change, power steering was good but the gearbox let it down, passed PSV in Chiswick March 1971. Whatever happened to LUC 1 registration RT, I always used to look out for it on the route between Shepherd's Bush and Staines 117. That number must be worth a fortune.
Hi Guy's my name is Mr Cannadine T. Boxill-Harris I was wondering, why couldn't you Rebuild a nice fresh shiny Gardner 6LXCT Gardner 6LXC and Volvo TD102KF 3 speed Voith DIWA Northern Counties Palatine 1’s and Repaint them to a Grey Green Colour's just like the original Scania Grey Green's which were in the East London bus route's such as 168, 125, 173, 179, 167, 313 and also the bus route 103, if you guys would like to Rebuild about 93 Gardner 6LXCT Gardner 6LXC and Volvo TD102KF 3 speed Voith DIWA Northern Counties Palatine 1’s please could you Repaint them in the Exact Grey Green Bus Colour’s and put them on those London Bus Routes witch are the 341, N41, 34, 123, N29, 149, 221, N73, 121, 86, 30, 262, 147, 396, 41, and N26 for us because it would be a Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Interesting Buses to see them Repainted to a Grey Green Colour's and I'am a Big Fan of all of those Gardner 6LXCT Gardner 6LXC and Volvo TD102KF 3 speed Voith DIWA Northern Counties Palatine 1’s Please.
Hi Guy's my name is Mr Cannadine T. Boxill-Harris I was wondering, why couldn't you Rebuild a nice fresh shiny Volvo D10A Cummins L10 Scania N230UD and Gardner 6LX 4 Speed Leyland Hydra cyclic Automatic Enviro 400 MMC’s and Repaint them to a Grey Green Colour's just like the original Scania Grey Green's which were in the East London bus route's such as 24, 168, 125, 173, 179, 167, 313 and also the bus route 103, if you guys would like to Rebuild about 77 Volvo D10A Cummins L10 Scania N230UD and Gardner 6LX 4 Speed Leyland Hydra cyclic Automatic Enviro 400 MMC’s please could you Repaint them in the Exact Grey Green Bus Colour's and put them on the London Bus Routes witch are the 341, N41, 34, 123, N29, 149, 221, N73, 121, 86, 30, 262, 147, 396, 41 and N26 for us because it would be a Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Interesting Buses to see them Repainted to a Grey Green Colour's and I'am a Big Fan of all of those Volvo D10A Cummins L10 Scania N230UD and Gardner 6LX 4 Speed Leyland Hydra cyclic Automatic Enviro 400 MMC’s Please?
Hi Guy's my name is Mr C. T. Boxill-Harris I was wondering, why couldn't you find a nice fresh shiny Leyland Titan B15's and Repaint them to a Grey Green Colour's just like the original Scania Grey Green's which were in the East London bus route's such as 24, 125, 167, 168, 298, 173, 179, 313 and also the bus route 103, if you guys would like to find about 13 Leyland Titan B15's, please could you Repaint them in the Exact Grey Green Bus Colour's for us because it would be a Very Very Very Very Very Very Interesting Buses to see them Repainted to a Grey Green Colour's and I'am a Big Fan of all of the Leyland Titan B15's Please?
Remember when we build beautiful solid well made stuff like these with skill and craftmanship? Your plastic crap these days certainly wouldn't last 40 years like this.
I've just come across your channel Michael and the restoration of the RT is absolutely superb. SO many memories of travelling on an RT when they were sadly on the way out in the 70s, I adored the gearbox whine and the sound of the RT AEC engine ticking over, even the sound when they approached a bus stop! I have nothing but admiration for your expertise! Thank you for preserving your collection of RTs and RTLs, not to mention the Routemasters!
Great video. Fantastic bus. What kind of light is the one low-moubted headlight on the front passenger side near the bottom of the radiator grille? Is it a fog light, a curve light, or something else?
love that leyland olympian you've got, when i was at school back in the 1980's arriva or northumbria as they were back then got some F reg of these & they were lovely buses & the cummings engine was lovely, such a sweet sounding machine compared to all other buses they'd been previously using & it had some power as well, they were a fantastic bus to ride in
And there is a LT there they have got RF classic buses they got a couple of RM and a load of RML route master buses and they have got a RMC two of them okay So if you’d like to check them out feel free to go down
Hi Michael my name isLewis i’m just to let you know on your video you’re talking about this no more RTW or RTL well done in Northfleet garage called the London bus company on the industrial site down there with got free forgotten RTW in red and they have got two RTL In the garage so there is still some about so I’m just letting you know if you wanna go and check them out
A great bus. I love the RT, worked out of Catford Garage as a conductor in 68 to 71 and worked the 94's which was always my favourite route so chuffed to see the last of the 94's on the clipping in your fare chart window. I've done a lot of different things since my time on the buses but nothing as enjoyable or socially educational. Thanks a lot.
