Hello,
my name is Antonia and I am from Germany but I live in London since august (sorry for my english).
I need a person who has a good knowlegde about Routemasters and a bit time to help me finding a Routemaster. I am looking for a routemaster as I want to make a "Donate tour through Europe for Afrika". Therefore I need to redisigned the interior to a snack bar (we want to sell in the ground floor sausages and things like that and in the top people should have the possibility to eat, a part of the money goes to a charity organisation and we`ll try to arrange sponsorships for children in Afrika).
You will get as much free food happy.gif and I also can pay you a little money for your help.
If you maybe know a Routemaster which could fit for my intention please write me as well.

Thanks for your help!
Best regards
Antonia

Antonia
There are Routemasters for sale but not from TfL despite what you might have read!! They are not cheap, but you should also realise that very few Routemaster owners would be happy to sell a Routemaster to you for conversion to a burger bar, a lot of money has been spent on a number of buses doing the exact reverse and restoring them to their original condition. Quite a few have already been made into playbuses, mobile offices and bars.

It might be better to look on Ebay or bus sales websites for a different type of bus that is not so highly regarded or expensive, there are many Olympians, Metrobuses and Titans being sold there at the moment and these are a third of the price of a Routemaster. You should also be aware that its not possible to register a bus in Germany with a height of over metres.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RML 2667, RM 1585, RMC 1458 and 14 RTs

Last sentence should read "You should also be aware that its not possible to register a bus in Germany with a height of over 4 metres."

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RML 2667, RM 1585, RMC 1458 and 14 RTs

Hello Roy,

thanks for your response, but as I want to start the business in England that shouldn´t be the problem and also I know that there are a few Routemaster which are registered in Germany (and they still on the roads).
I understand that not many lovers of the Routemaster want to sell them for a reconstruction as a snack bar but my intention is as well a good aim and I would change as little as possible (repaint and the interior) because I am also a huge fan of the Routemaster buses and it would "hurt" me to change it to a cheap "MC XXX"!!!!
I already have a offer for a bus but the big problem is that I have too less experience with buses that I need a person who helps me with choosing the right bus and give me some hints ect.

Thanks for your help!
Antonia

Antonia, all the RMs registered in Germany have no roofs or if they do they are not registered in Germany. I just bought an ex London bus from Germany and it was not registered there because of the height restriction. AS you say, if you want to start the journey in the UK that will not be a problem, but if you rip out the interior and change the paint apart from taking off the roof there isn't much more that you can do to a bus is there? If you have found a bus and there are some already converted to bars, showrooms etc, get it Mot'd to class 5 or 6 standard for a start, at least will tell you its roadworthy, but be warned that will give no indication of the service life left in the engine and gearbox etc, however the RM engines are pretty reliable and bodywork rust is non existent. However, I suggest you enrol the services of a proper bus engineering company like Ward Jones at High Wycombe or Mike Nash in Surrey to assist with an inspection, that wey you will have some recourse if problems occur.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RML 2667, RM 1585, RMC 1458 and 14 RTs

Hello Antonia,
I might also suggest you contact a place I know in Switzerland, Bassersdorf to be exact, where there is a small company called Londag, it is run by a VERY knowledgeable and enthusiastic Swiss man and his wife, and they are genuine fans of the Routemaster. When I went back to England for Xmas they replaced three brake cylinders on the RM I am driving around Europe for six months for EF Education First London office. He has also done a great job of restoring some buses that he uses for events in CH. My feeling is that it is worth contacting him, londag.ch is the website I think.
Best regards,
Steve.

My bus number (if any): RM 1398