ROOF
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A shot of RM7 on its way home this afternoon.
The weather was foul, but getting RM7 made up for it!!
Regards
A very Happy Rob!!
My bus number (if any): RM7
Well done Rob, will she be ready for RM60??
My bus number (if any): RM548 and RM765
The weather was foul, but getting RM7 made up for it!!
Regards
A very Happy Rob!!
Delighted to hear you are RM7's new owner Rob, if anyone can restore her to her former glory it's you.
My bus number (if any): RM967 (Driver & Restoration Consultant, busowned by Tom Ireland)
Disappointing to read some of the above posts.
I was recently contacted by Mike Hurley’s family regarding RM7 and its future, I understand in the past, approaches had been made to them by other parties, but the family now feel that the time is right to safeguard its future. I am very pleased that they offered to sell RM7 to me as I will look after it for the long term and have it ready for RM60 at Finsbury Park next year. It does need a lot of attention
Rob
My bus number (if any): RM7
RM 7 was indeed at Norbiton and along with RM995 did have chromed headlamp rims, which set the two apart from the rest of the allocation. This was before the showbus and RM254 era, but these two stayed in the same guise as long as they were at NB.
I think I recall one other NB bus similarly adorned. Possibly 1420 or 1425
RM 7 at one time sported one of the last RM bodies built, between 1972 and 1977 it had B 2196> it then gained B50 and was allocated to Norbiton. RM 7 currently has B542 that it gained on overhaul in 1981 after which it only operated from Camberwell.
RM 542 first saw services at Hanwell in December 1960 s part of a batch of 49 RMs equipped with manual gearboxes (semi-automatic) which replaced 49 of the initial allocation that had replaced trolleybuses at Hanwell on the 607 and 655. The withdrawn buses were stored and them sent to Highgate in February 1961 to replace trolleybuses for a second time!
My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RMC 1458 RM 1585, (M 961, M 271 - both sold) and several RTs
I feel I must comment here.
Congratulations and a debt of gratitude are owed to Rob for saving an early bus in rarely unmolested condition grom an uncertain future. Well done.
Sadly some of the posts above have made me very angry. Good things come to those who work hard and earn then. You dont get nothing for nothing. There are no free rides. I bought RM531 at age 33 8 years ago. I got a loan from Tescos based on 20 years of hard graft in a car factory. Things dont fall into your lap, you pay the going rate and if you cant afford it you cant own it.
Ensigns and in particular Steve Newman have been extremely helpfull to the preservationist movement, myself included. Genuine enthusiasts like me were able to realise lifelong dreams of RM ownership thanks to them and sarcastic remarks about them, and those who sink thousands of pounds of their hard earned cash into purchase and restoration really, really make me annoyed.
Comments like these do enthusiasts no favours and will not encourage goodwill from owners, sellers, or potential employers.
My bus number (if any): RM531
Very best wishes to you Rob, well done on your new project, it is good to know that Mike's bus is in such good hands. More than that it is about knowing that this bus will be resurrected by someone with the intention of doing the job properly.
I am more than a little annoyed to see that you have been attacked for having the desire and ability to take on this conservation. Equally galling is to see the good name of the Newmans effectively blasphemed out of nothing more than childish envy.
If anyone really wants to own a bus then get together a group of similarly interested friends, do your research and buy one. Cheaper buses do come up for sale, you just have to be patient and be prepared to spend a lot of time and effort. Age doesn't come into it; determination does, nothing in life is handed to you on a plate.
One of you does at least need to know a bit more about them than how to stand on the platform day dreaming however. Bus ownership is more than going ding-ding and broom-broom.
There are drawbacks to shared ownership, but it has worked many times in the past to get started on the ladder.
As far as taking photographs and visiting storage is concerned, many owners just do not want to be repeatedly bothered when sometimes all they get out of it is criticism over the position of - perhaps some signwriting. Others are quite willing if approached politely in advance, but those who have a reputation for slagging off all and sundry are likely to find themselves having been blacklisted.
RM7 sounds a bit like Tigger's broom (and almost every other LT bus)!! Good luck to Rob for preserving it. However, this reminds me of a conversation with Tim Nicholson a few years ago after he bought theb RM with the hydraulic suspension.
Someone excitedly came up to him at a rally and showed him a picture of RMxxx, Tim's bus..."no it isn't" said Tim. "That bus has the same registration as mine, but that picture was taken 10 years ago and THAT bus is now RMyyyy"! It might be worth finding out what happened to the original RM7 body!!
I suspect the only LT buses that kept the same body and chassis were the GS and BEA 4RF4's!
As for people coming round to take pictures, they can do so at my place by arrangement; however, some people who try to take pictures also "take" other things so I'm quite careful about who I let in. No doubt Rob is the same. Similarly, we are busy people and do not always have the time to spare to answer every email that comes in, especially when it comes to some of the trivia of the bus preservation world.
My bus number (if any): RML2532
Don't forget the RLH's too Roy!
My bus number (if any): RLH62
Since the subject has been raised, perhaps we can rescue this thread and return to a sensible discussion about which Routemasters have retained their original body and, in some cases, perhaps even subframes.
To start off I know that Ted Price's RML 898 and RM 357 both have their original bodies. I think I am correct in saying that 898 even retains its original A frame. Buses such as these that are more akin to what emerged from Southall must surely be valued at the top of the tree. I am reasonably sure that Dave Kreisler has some information on which subframes are currently in what bus.
I do not see high sale prices for Routemasters as a bad thing, the cost of ownership is considerable, the vehicle needs to be worth a reasonable amount to justify its upkeep and procurement of spares. What I view as shame is the comparatively low value of non Routemasters. Looking through the classified ads of a recent edition of Classic and Vintage Commercials sees a 1936 Leyland Beaver with an asking price of £12,500.
To start off I know that Ted Price's RML 898 and RM 357 both have their original bodies. I think I am correct in saying that 898 even retains its original A frame. Buses such as these that are more akin to what emerged from Southall must surely be valued at the top of the tree. I am reasonably sure that Dave Kreisler has some information on which subframes are currently in what bus.
I do not see high sale prices for Routemasters as a bad thing, the cost of ownership is considerable, the vehicle needs to be worth a reasonable amount to justify its upkeep and procurement of spares. What I view as shame is the comparatively low value of non Routemasters. Looking through the classified ads of a recent edition of Classic and Vintage Commercials sees a 1936 Leyland Beaver with an asking price of £12,500.
My first post :)
RM308 at Swansea Bus Museum carries body B308, of course there is also RM8 with B8. RM8 has a lot to answer for : this bus was directly responsible for my lifelong bus interest!.....
My bus number (if any): If only!!!!!
That looks great Rob, wishing you all the best with the new project - you are certainly the right man for the job. Speak soon, Neil Scullion
My bus number (if any): RML2484 RM1807
To start off I know that Ted Price's RML 898 and RM 357 both have their original bodies. I think I am correct in saying that 898 even retains its original A frame. Buses such as these that are more akin to what emerged from Southall must surely be valued at the top of the tree. I am reasonably sure that Dave Kreisler has some information on which subframes are currently in what bus.
I do not see high sale prices for Routemasters as a bad thing, the cost of ownership is considerable, the vehicle needs to be worth a reasonable amount to justify its upkeep and procurement of spares. What I view as shame is the comparatively low value of non Routemasters. Looking through the classified ads of a recent edition of Classic and Vintage Commercials sees a 1936 Leyland Beaver with an asking price of £12,500.
I think the question of A frames is akin as Roy Gould puts it to Trigger's Broom. Many have had both side frames and front boats replaced and of course the engines. In addition, a number may have been incorrectly numbered following major refurbishment in the very early days when according to Alan Bond it is believed A frame numbers were haphazardly put back on refurbished frames at Aldenham.
RMs 308 and 357 were reunited with their original bodies at last overhaul, ( I think there are others) but apart from RM 6 which was deliberately reunited with its original body, the others are pure luck and the product of the buses being in the works at the same time.
RMLs 898, 900, 902 and 903 retained their original bodies by way of being GB plated overseas tour buses.
The RCLs retained their original bodies some through 2 overhauls.
My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RMC 1458 RM 1585, (M 961, M 271 - both sold) and several RTs
I'm not going to talk about the anger management issues on here at the moment, completely tired of it keeps on happening and will do in the future no doubt? Sometimes it best to keep your views to yourself and just bite you tongue or invest in a punch bag.
Anyway......
On the subject of prices of buses, it is amazing what you can get for your money nowadays. RT's, RM's seem to hold a premium whilst a Metro or Titan is the price of a holiday aboard. Although it always comes down to the buyer's choice, priced too much you walk away another one will be along in ten minutes..
My bus number (if any): rm158
So many topics here where to start!
On topic I guess, Rob well done on taking on RM7. It was good to see her go to someone like yourself which will guarantee her future however that occurs. Please don’t feel put off by certain comments on here. Would love to see progress posts over time but I fully understand now if you don’t want to. Alan had the right idea!I would now strongly ask for some moderation here before people are put off from posting for fear of receiving abuse.
So many people don’t understand the amount of effort and cost that goes into keeping RM’s (and a VR, and an Olympian!) on the road. They are certainly not ‘just big cars’ as someone said to me recently.
I personally think that some of the recent fairytale asking prices have quite daft however it only took one person to purchase a vehicle at that price which has lead to this situation.
As for original bodies, RML2344 has B2344 but it was a country RM so in many ways it’s a bit of a cheat!
Tom.
My bus number (if any): RML2344
Good to see a certain individual's annoying comments have been deleted on this thread Chris and hopefully they'll STAY off. On the subject of buses with original bodies, I drove RML2465 for it's owner quite frequently and when he informed me he was selling it to Ensign, I was seriously tempted to offer him a swap, 2465 for my 2271 as even though it had an inferior Iveco engine, it was actually running reasonably well at the time and in other ways I found it to be a more mechanically solid bus than 2271.
My bus number (if any): RM967 (Driver & Restoration Consultant, bus owned by Tom Ireland)
Hi all, Can anyone fill me in on some history of this vehicle ? By that l mean,previous owners since leaving service, how it came to be up for sale etc? Good luck with its resto. Andy
My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RMC 1458 RM 1585, (M 961, M 271 - both sold) and several RTs
No idea why my posts seem to have disappeared. But ho hum
My bus number (if any): 1083
Hi Brian, That is always my first port of call but it is a list of dates and numbers, after all . I just wondered how the bus came to the market(sellers and buyers business ,I know)and (as others have also enquired) what work needs doing. Andy
This comes via a contact of mine who knew Mike Hurley and is not a personal account.
The bus was a subject of the dissolution of an estate of a deceased owner.
A lot of other complexities existed and it is the private business of the family concerned.
They wanted (like many others in similar circumstances) to ensure that the bus had a secure future with a genuine preservationist with proven capabilities and resources to restore it given that it requires a major amount of work.
They made the decision and sought sound advice from several sources of neutrality with no associations or vested interests.
That all seems quite reasonable and fair to me.
That should be the end of it and now it's safe and sound, I'm sure Mr Duker will, in time produce a happy ending for this bus.
I'm sure he will post regular updates once the project begins. It will no doubt be quite interesting.
I think they were replies to posts that referred to posts that have been deleted Tony, a number have gone. Sometimes happens in thread pruning.
RM 2000 also owned by Mike Hurley has been sold to a team of preservationists, this one unlike RM 17 had been extensively robbed of parts at PVS before being pulled out of the line there.
My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RMC 1458 RM 1585, (M 961, M 271 - both sold) and several RTs
Thanks for that Brian and Jack. Just goes to show that a polite request brings a courteous answer. Cheers.
I remember seeing rm 2000 at pvs very similar to Rm 13 in the state of it. But good luck to them
My bus number (if any): 1083
Rob
Good on you, always pleased to see someone take on a project with a will to see it through and to Steve A thank you for the kind comments.
I missed what were obviously some lovely comments about us, perhaps one of you would be good enough to let me know what was said as I lose count of the times we get slagged off and then have the same individual ask us for help in the future. It becomes tiresome but I would rather hear it from someone on here who I trust as to what was said by whom than second hand down the road so to speak.
Many thanks
Steve
I totally agree with you Ed. I have E mailed Steve Newman things did get a bit twisted and as far as he is concerned the matter is closed, and that gents I think should be the end of any more discussion except about RM 7.
My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RMC 1458 RM 1585, (M 961, M 271 - both sold) and several RTs
