LONDON TRANSPORT (COUNTRY BUSES AND COACHES) RML

ROUTEMASTER BUSES

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DRIVERS AND CONDUCTORS

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"ENJOY!"

My bus number (if any): RMs 238, 471. 2213 & GS17

Thanks Chris, very interesting. This has answered a question I was just about to post about whether you need to take your foot off the accelerator before gear changes. I have always said not but several drivers have disagreed.

From page one:

"The vehicle may then be driven by the use of the accelerator and brake pedals, together with the changing of gears by manual selection which is usually effected without altering the position of the accelerator pedal."

That appears to be definitive proof (and also backs up what I heard from Colin Curtis himself).

My bus number (if any): RM1353/RM875/RM737

In my experience, which only involved AEC or Leyland engines, the particular characteristics of each individual bus dictated how best to drive it nicely - for those who could be bothered. It was entirely possible to have two buses within a days work that drove very differently and a style that suited one might easily be inappropriate to the other. Especially if A DPA pump was involved.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RMC 1458 RM 1585, (M 961, M 271 - both sold) and several RTs

Referring to the Fleetline, in 40 years with LT, Colin Curtis mentions "full throttle gearchanges" practiced by LT drivers and how Daimler's man baulked at the prospect of his bus surviving such treatment.

So the RM system must have been designed to tolerate the practice even if it was discouraged in practice. Hence the later throttle dip system.

As has been said each bus and even each gear can be different. Some will hang onto 2nd, if allowed, for seemingly ever; others will go happily from 3 to 4 almost instantly. Plenty to check, clean and adjust in an attempt to acquire a 'nice changing box', but we are not talking about how a brand new box ought to work, we are stuck with making the best out of what we are given; once we have sorted other more important matters, which is why 'trimming' gets put to the end of the list.