I've had a few calls and emails of late asking me if I could confirm the original colour of the mesh on RMs and RMLs when new.
One person I am told is rather upset at being informed that the original set up is red not black. Another is quite adamant that it was semi-matt black.

To be honest, I can only recall all types being red and country area vehicles green when new and at overhaul.
Certainly the brand new RMLs at Hanwell were red. They were the only brand spanking new ones I came into contact with.

Dirt soon gave the appearance of being black. They were buggers to clean and all the road dirt and wash dirt seemed to like the diamond mesh.

RTs were gloss black and I do recall the prototypes being black for a while, but personally cannot recall ever seeing a production standard service model having a black mesh. Apart from the odd showbus/special liveries

So, has anyone else got accurate evidence to clarify matters?

My bus number (if any): none at present

I have a large (about 2 feet by 18 inches) colour photo on my wall of RM1174 on its first day in service, on route 283, beneath the trolleybus wires which I often use as a point of reference for details. The grill is red.

My bus number (if any): RM531

green ones were green and red ones were red.

If you paint one black if becomes the focal point of the front of the bus and makes the bus look very strange (agressive!)

Claire

My bus number (if any): RML2330 etc.

Jack
110% certain that RM radiator grille mesh was red. The grilles actually went through the paint line at Aldenham on a specially built trolley that held both bonnets and radiator grilles and they got the same paint treatment as the buses. These bonnets and grilles were for fitment to overhauled buses, not for the garages and they were complete with finishers and badge etc which were masked up before being painted.

Brian

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

The last answer refers to vehicles undergoing overhaul at Aldenham, not new vehicles. With respect to the people who think grilles should be black, and I assume this is a follow on from the other forum where someone took exception to a comment to their black grille on their freshly renovated bus, there is enough photographic evidence out there of brand new vehicles, whether it be in Ken Blackers books, or any of Geoff Rixons photographs. If people want to get the details right, they need to do their homework, and not base their bus on EFE models which have always incorrectly had black grilles!

My bus number (if any): RM531

Indeed it was me who upset a few folk for daring to suggest Black was not authentic.
I have since researched the matter along with a few others and had asked around.

It is absolute that Red was on Red buses and Green on Green. Gunmetal Black was used on the early 1990s refurb RMLs and on the Marshall refurbs. Black/Gunmetal was also used on several special liveries ie RM1933 and so forth.
Black was also used on the early prototype grilles of the style now demonstrated on RML3.
The problem I think is that dirt obliterates the red in both B&W and colour images. But it is all there in the books, Pictures exist of RMs coming out of the factory in all points of the manufacturing timeline and it is Red or Green, nothing else.
(Except Blue for the BEA and Cerise for the NG vehicles)

My bus number (if any): 0

The answer concerning red grilles was actually to the original question. However on the second point, Steve, if people want to know in detail what RMs were like new, or after overhaul, the best thing is to ask the people like those who have posted above on here who actually know or were there at the time in a professional basis.
There was a very interesting and informative thread not long back on here about RM grilles, colours, sizes etc and another with all sorts of other useful information about changes made through the years.

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

My bus number (if any): RM1033, MB90

Brian
With respect, and I know you were at Aldenham, I disagree with your comment that the best way of finding out details is to ask people who were there at the time. That is of course ONE very good way of finding out detail, but everyones mind (not suggesting yours) does cloud over time and small details can become forgotten, a prime case is the debate on the other side about RM5s accuracy. I always feel that a photographic record such as those of Mr Rixon is the best way to confirm annecdotal evidence about certain details. Only when "all" avenues of information have been checked should the detail be regarded as "correct".

My bus number (if any): RM531

Well I can quite understand the growing confusion here.
I was supplied several images from one enquirer of which was RM1033.
But I might add it was one of several.

It's the right of any owner to do what they like. No-one can have a problem with that unless it is to destroy it.

But is it or is it not intended as an accurate restoration or depiction.
Apart from Mr. Comfort's choice do do what he wishes, his bus (which I have only seen a picture of) Looks very much like a Mortlake bus of the era. Chrome was used on several non-showbus vehicles so that's OK. But this bus looks as if it has just come out of the works. So I am a little baffled as to why pick an era and stop short. It may as well be painted pink with blue spots!

However, for those who really do want to get it right and that is their intention,
finding good points of reference is important and Brian and several others are quite right to offer their knowledge and for others to flag up details, otherwise things will get muddled.
RM 5 seems to have raised this issue.

Just while I remember, and to cloud the issue, i recall there was at least one garage, (was it Streatham???) who always had a thing about painting their RM grilles silver.... Plenty of photos exist.....So what about the people "accurately" representing a bus from that garage and era? Red ex works or silver from the garage????!!!!!

My bus number (if any): RM531

That's right. Around 1982 I think it was buses on the 137 and they were part of the garages 'customising' scheme.
A few showbuses in some really weird schemes were turned out. As well as some with polished brass light rims and gold painted wheeltrims, a selection of fleetnames -on the same bus and so on. I think management reeled this in at one point.

My bus number (if any): 0