AEC Routemaster

The AEC Routemaster is a double-decker bus that was introduced by AEC in 1954 and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with front entrances and/or doors. Entering service in 1956, the Routemaster saw continuous service in London until 2005.

Having been developed in partnership with London Transport, the customer of nearly all new Routemasters was to be that organisation, in both traditional red and green “country” colours, although small numbers were also delivered new to British European Airways and The Northern General Transport Company. In all, 2876 Routemasters were built, with approximately 1000 still in existence.A pioneering design, the Routemaster outlasted several of its replacement types in London, survived the privatisation of the former London Transport bus operators, and saw proliferation to other operators around the UK. Latterly in modern UK public transport bus operation, the unique features of the standard Routemaster attracted both praise and criticism alike. Notably the open platform, while open to the elements, allowed boarding/alighting away from stops; and the presence of a conductor allowed minimal boarding time and security, although conductors perpetuated higher labour costs and increased the effect of labour shortages.The image of the traditional red Routemaster has become one of the famous icons of London, with much tourist paraphernalia continuing to bear Routemaster imagery, and examples still in existence around the world. Despite its iconic status, the previous London bus classes the Routemaster replaced (the RT-type AEC Regent and Leyland Titan RTL and RTW counterparts) are usually mistaken for Routemasters by the public and by the media, along with any other red half-cab in some cases!

This vehicle first entered service with London Transport in January 1965, operating from their Bow Garage in East London. It spent 14 years there, but after one of its major overhauls at the central Aldenham works, it was transferred to Hounslow Garage near London Airport. After a further 7 years service from there, it was declared surplus to requirements and sold to Stagecoach for use with their Hampshire Bus subsidiary. It was refurbished in their Eastleigh works, but never used by them, being transferred north late in 1987 for use in the Glasgow-based Magicbus fleet.

Magicbus operations were sold to Kelvin Central Buses Ltd. early in 1992, but the fleet retained its separate identity within Kelvin Central, operating from Springburn depot until operations ceased on July 31st 1993. During this period, it was to be seen regularly operating on the No.19 Easterhouse route which has now, many years later, re-emerged as a Stagecoach-operated route.

The bus was bought by a Routemaster enthusiast who appreciated the superior design engineering qualities of this advancement in bus design, a design which has become an iconic representative of British engineering at its best; Routemasters remained in quantity service in London until 2002, outliving two later generations of buses. 700 are still extant all over the world, and over 100 were still available to attend the “Routemaster 60th Anniversary Celebration Rally” in London’s Finsbury Park in August 2014.

On acquisition for preservation, RM2121 was temporarily loaned to the Clydeside company for what proved to be a short-lived “Routemaster revival” exercise, and for this purpose it was repainted into the traditional “Clydeside” livery, in which condition it remained for several years. The bus, which still retains an original AEC AV590 engine, though most certainly not the original one, was gradually restored and refurbished back into its original London Transport livery, in which it now remains. Buses have traditionally always carried advertisements, and the adverts applied here reflect the personal tastes of its first owner in preservation.