RM1771 for sale on ebay. Very original bus.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Routemaster-Bus-Classic-London-Bus-/190528044316?pt=UK_Minibuses_Buses_Coaches&hash=item2c5c5b3d1c

Is this the bus that was sold last year for 12k it lived on the IOW?

Rob

My bus number (if any): RM13

yes rob it is i believe it is also what caused norths to loose the contract to scrap any more rm's as they seemed to forget to scrap it.regards tim.

My bus number (if any): rm 2023 rm2097 & rml2388

North's didn't have a contract to scrap RMs Tim. They had a contract to dismantle some RMs and to retain and box up certain parts for return to London, most of the glass fibre stuff was required to be kept. Norths broke a number of buses and kept all the parts ready for collection by LT, but as opposed to the mechanical side where an inspector regularly went up north to the scrapyards to advise on what was to be retained and returned to London, nobody came from LT to inspect the parts or advise on what was required in the way of transportation, apart from one bloke who came to get a drivers mirrors. The man at Norths justifiably got very annoyed at the lack of communication from Chiswick, as I can tell you first hand when we went there to check the right buses had been despatched to North's. (They hadn't, at least one AEC engined bus was up there!).

After advising Chiswick on the situation, it transpired that the Supplies Office at Chiswick really had no idea what they wanted from Norths as it appeared the buses being dismantled at Aldenham by Berrys seemed to be providing the required spares and Norths stopped breaking them. I was not party to how the contract was subsequently terminated but I suspect Norths did OK out of it and may have kept a bus or two intact.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960 RMC 1458 RM 1585 and several RTs

Yes this did spend at least 6 months on the IoW. However since leaving its had over £7500 spent on cosmetics and mechanical.

just to clarify..

Brian you are quite correct.

Norths were used by LT to initially loose 50 RMs which were the first to be withdrawn prior to 3rd Sept 82 withdrawals. The buses had been at Purfleet were dispatched north very quickly aafter a front page scandal in Londons Evening Standard.

Norths were then contracted to dismantle the buses, not break and the parts returned to Chiswick, as LT felt this would help any futuure spares issues. It didn,t happen.

When Norths closed its doors a few years ago, there were stillages full of RM parts waiting for collection, they ended up in the skip.

As for contracts to break, LT sent I think 6 RMs to different yards as a taster to the contact to be awarded. Many yards were not interest as an RM takes a lot of manpowerer to break.

If I can find the info I wwill post later..

Regards

Andy

My bus number (if any): too many

Andy as far as I remember only North's had any RMs to dismantle away from LT premises,although as you say others were sent individual buses to evaluate, but North's were the only place we visited to check the right buses had come from Purfleet. I remember the trip vividly as we could not finish the check due to failing light and then snow and had to stay overnight in Doncaster. The buses at Aldenham were broken up by Vic Berry, who later became famous in the Leicester area for setting light to train carriages that were full of asbestos!! Quite surprised they were used for the RM work as they had previously broken some RTs at Aldenham and they left a hell of a mess on the grass and in the car park

My bus number (if any): RTL 960 RMC 1458 RM 1585 and several RTs

Vic Berry did indeed have a pilot scrap bus along with Booths of Rotherham. I will post a list of those sent as evaluation scrap.

The Aldenham scap area was a mess, I too remember it well

Andy

Andy
Wombwell Diesels had one bus and Booths were certainly involved directly or indirectly with a few buses. Those who had one bus included TB Precision of West Bromwich, Way and Williams of Cardiff, Sykes of Barnsley and Birds of Stratford.

While you are here, what is the name of the firm you get your plastic wheel valence wings from?

My bus number (if any): RTL 960 RMC 1458 RM 1585 and several RTs