Bus nostalgia

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Am I correct here regarding the BEA Routemasters ....... ?

I'm sure that they were identically-spec'd to the Green Line variants.
The 'central area' AEC-engined RMs had the 9.6-litre AV590 engine, whilst the 'country area' Green Line RMs were fitted with the 11.3-litre AV691 unit and higher-ratio diffs.

Anyone?

No. perhaps not Sm, as this is a RMF 1254 which apparently were specially designed for airport transfer type of work, and this following picture shows the side on view of the 1962 demonstrator with large front sliding doors.



From 1962 to 1964 it was trialed by BEA, and 65 vehicles were ordered, but of the "standard 27' 6" type"   Various operators around the country did use these RMFs though.

[Seth]

Hmmm .......
I'm probably getting the actual 'class' types confused here Lizzie, and also the different lengths too, ie; RM, RML, RMC etc.

[The Red Baron]

he he, byron your slipping.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Hmmm .......
I'm probably getting the actual 'class' types confused here Lizzie, and also the different lengths too, ie; RM, RML, RMC etc.

Well I have just uncovered this picture of a preserved "London and Country Services" (Green Line?) RMC:



The folding rear doors are different than the RMF of the BEA use, and I remember those, along with the single  decker of Green Line, running in the 1960s through Kent

[Lizzie_Zoom]

...............and the Green Line single decker RFs I remember so well of the 1950s & 60s, even into the 70s!!:



First introduced in 1951

8-) 8-)

[Seth]

he he, byron your slipping.

Aye Jon - saying that, the ol' Bowrn sutff form Nwecatsel's having smoe srot of avdrese effcet here!

[The Red Baron]

he he, byron your slipping.

Aye Jon - saying that, the ol' Bowrn sutff form Nwecatsel's having smoe srot of avdrese effcet here!

you should stick to the bass.

[Seth]

he he, byron your slipping.

Aye Jon - saying that, the ol' Bowrn sutff form Nwecatsel's having smoe srot of avdrese effcet here!

you should stick to the bass.

The surgeon who removed my gall bladder told me that brown ale would 'be good for me' .....
He omitted to say just 'how good'  

Gotta get meself sorted, else I might well endure our Lizzie's wrath!

[Seth]

The National Bus Company took-over the green 'Country' area from LT at the turn of the 1970s, and formed London Country Bus Services Ltd; with a head office at Reigate.

Soon after, all repaints were in NBC leaf green, like this splendid example seen above.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I am soooooooooo pleased with myself!

After what seems likes weeks of internet searching I have found a treasured shot of this:



In 1959 I remember the old Maidstone & District buses that I loved being replaced by these buses, which I now know was a Metro-Camell bodied Atlantean.  These were state of the art buses and I remember the fascination of finding out the engine was in the rear!!  Anyway the marvellous thing is that the bus featured in the picture was one I rode on, the No 81 route, between Tunbridge Wells and where I lived, High Brooms, Kent!  It used to park up just down the road from my infants school, with the driver often going into the little cafe in the same road. 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

I have just got to find a picture and all information on the lovely (1940s) buses they replaced!

[Seth]

Although I've never been an RF fan, the twin-headlight versions looked especially good.
IIRC a gentleman called Misha Black revamped some, and they duly re-appeared in this very pleasing two-tone green livery.


BTW; their sturdy bodies were built by Metro-Cammell.

[Seth]

Top marks to you Lizzie dear!

And it clearly shows the 'M&D trademark' 'whisker-shaped' moulding beneath the windscreens.
Although very similar to the early Western Welsh Atlanteans, the bodies on these were of the 'highbridge' type.
Like WW; M&D's buses were always smartly turned-out for service.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

.................and Byron I have just found this picture of a Maidstone & District Bristol K6A DH159 reg. HKE 867which fits my memory(??) of the old High Brooms to Tunbridge buses, with the distinctive "box" under the lower window which fascinated me then as a child, and still does now!! (what was it?? :-/ :-/)



Does anyone know please if this type of bus was actually running on the no. 81 route in the late 1950s from High Brooms to Tunbridge Wells, Kent?? :-/ :-/

[Seth]

That 'box' you're referring to Lizzie is an 'autovac'.

The 'old hands' told me that it was within the fuel-supply system, and acted as a 'reserve tank'. Basically, if you ran out of fuel whilst in service, you repostioned the tap, (as per the sign-written markings), re-started the engine, and carried on for a gallon or two's worth of mileage. Self-bleeding too, apparently, as all fuel had to pass through it to reach the engine. Therefore, the fuel system was always intact (pressurised), forwards of the autovac.

IIC; the bus shown is a Bristol K6A with highbridge bodywork by J C Beadle of Dartford, though stand to be corrected! :-/
7' 6" width, and AEC engine rather than Gardner!

Slow and heavy beasts, though utterly reliable machines.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

That 'box' you're referring to Lizzie is an 'autovac'.

The 'old hands' told me that it was within the fuel-supply system, and acted as a 'reserve tank'. Basically, if you ran out of fuel whilst in service, you repostioned the tap, (as per the sign-written markings), re-started the engine, and carried on for a gallon or two's worth of mileage. Self-bleeding too, apparently, as all fuel had to pass through it to reach the engine. Therefore, the fuel system was always intact (pressurised), forwards of the autovac.

IIC; the bus shown is a Bristol K6A with highbridge bodywork by J C Beadle of Dartford, though stand to be corrected! :-/
7' 6" width, and AEC engine rather than Gardner!

Slow and heavy beasts, though utterly reliable machines.

Thanks Byron!  That has solved one of those long outstanding questions for me, but when you are about 3 or 4 years of age you tend just to accept what you see whilst still intrigued!

When these buses were replaced by the previously mentioned very modern buses for 1959, I just remember being amazed at the fact the engine was in the rear!  You know......at 5 years of age.........everyone knew that all cars, lorries and buses had the the "thing" that made them go in the front............even steam railway engines seemed to be "always on the front"!!! All buses in London I travelled on; all the buses elsewhere, all had that noisy thing at the front end............!!;D