Bow Garage, July 6 1983. A few hours earlier RML 2695 had a bit of a mishap only a short distance from the garage.



I can`t recall the exact circumstances but looking at the pics it seems that the driver was probably cut out of the cab.




Quite unusual for significant damage to occur on both sides.



I also took a picture of it under repair at Aldenham on Oct 10 which seems to be a lengthy timescale for the amount of damage sustained. Possibly going through a busy spell at the Accident Shop.

Kelvin Central RM606 suffered a similar mishap back in 1991 when the driver had to be cut out of the cab. It was fully rebuilt using parts from RM1040 and back on the road before the end of that year.

My bus number (if any): RM967 (Driver & Restoration Consultant, bus owned by Tom Ireland)

Depends on a lot of factors Neil. When was it released to Aldenham? Were allegations of mechanical failure made by the driver? If injuries involved it would have to have been inspected by DMI or DtP Inspector.

Although body damage looks relatively light, there may have been damage to both the A and B frame, and these would have had to have been rebuilt using existing parts.

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

Brian

Your comment about a DMI inspection regarding a driver allegation of mechanical failure raises an interesting point.

For those who don`t know, a DMI was a `Divisional Mechanical Inspector` (there were twelve of them) who covered the entire operating area as `multi-task` operatives. One function was to attend the scene of an accident (being `on call` if necessary) if any form of mechanical failure was alleged as contributory by the driver. If so, in order to `contain` evidence, the bus would be `sealed` In practise this meant affixing `signed` brown sticky tape (yes really!) over the cab door and all cab window access plus the engine cover access to prevent any tampering with the controls or mechanics of the vehicle as recovered from the crash scene. No `minion` was allowed to remove this tape - only a DMI could and it didn`t have to be the one who put the tape there in the first place if I remember correctly.

So in the case of RML 2695 having no door and missing side glass, plus the bonnet being jammed in the up position, it would be pretty difficult to seal it effectively. My guess is that if it were the subject of allegation it should have had notices to that effect on it and as I recall several hours had passed between crash and taking pictures - time enough for a DMI to have left their mark. Similarly, a Dtp inspector would have made their presence known to stop people (me!) getting too close.

True Neil, it would have been taped up by then. Was the bonnet "jammed" or just open? Default position is open, would have had to have had front bulkhead damage to be jammed.

However, looking at the photos closely,the damage on the N/S looks to have damaged the interior stress panels and possibly floor plates and bars, so might have been a lot heavier than it looks.

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

I should have said that the bonnet was out of line and wouldn`t shut.
The damage pattern on the n/s is unusual, don`t you think? Halfway along before it starts then immediately tears into the bus relevant to forward motion. I just cannot remember what the bus hit. Could railings have done that?

Yes, railings, central reservation type barriers, certainly something rigid!

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

Hi All,

Interesting reading about DMI’s. I worked as a conductor at Upton Park for a number of years with George Patten. When I went driving he didn’t want to work with a new conductor and so applied to be a Driving Instructor, (RCL2339 I think, although I wouldn’t put my life savings on it). He eventually ended up as a DMI in East London. He reckoned it was the best job on LT. Pretty well left to your own devices, unless you were sent to look at a particular driver somewhere, always in civvies and paying your fare on the bus so as to not give the game away with your Officials ‘plate’. A strange mixture of Operating and Engineering, completely independent and often the oil on the water between the two when the blame game was on. Plenty of tales to tell if the right forum springs up!

The reason this bus wasn’t sealed up was because there was no allegation against it, pure driver error; by moving off through a green light and not doing what he was taught. For anyone not familiar with Bow Garage, when you leave it you can’t turn right because of a low bridge. You have to turn left, up to the lights at Bow/ Mile End Roads and turn left again, (no right turn there). If you were heading into the city you had to go down to the roundabout under Bow flyover and back up the other side. This driver was fairly new, he had only been driving a few weeks as I recall. Early one morning he left the garage, down to a red light and stopped. The light turned green and still in dreamland, as he said himself, he moved off without doing what his instructor had told him; always have a quick look right to make sure it’s safe and double check everyone’s stopping. (No prizes at this point for guessing who the instructor was!)

He moved off through the green light and a lorry coming down the Mile End Road at speed came straight through the red, struck the front and pushed the whole bus up onto the kerb. The bus ended up on the steps to the old bank on the corner of the junction, one of those big old Victorian banks with the steps and railings you used to see everywhere. After it was all over George went to see his old trainee to make sure he was ok. Completely shaken, as you can imagine, but unhurt otherwise. He told George what had happened and he said “What did I tell you? Be careful!”. They had a cup of tea and a laugh and the driver had the good grace to say “Blimey, you were right George”.

Me and George spoke about the whole affair later and he said that although he settled the driver down and steadied his nerves his blood ran cold at the thought that had he been in a DM/S he may well not have been so lucky. The normal control front wheel/ axle offered some protection to him in the cab but a forward control set up with the front wheel back behind the driver would have left him extremely exposed. Life’s toss of a coin that we all experience at some time or another, I suppose, even if we don’t know it!

Absolute different world, we may as well be talking about horse drawn buses but there you go. Always great thinking of those days. Hope this is of interest, at least to some. Take care everybody.

Regards,

Danny Robins

What a brilliant reply Danny!

Amazing isn`t it - dig out an old picture from thirty years ago and straight away along comes someone who can take it a step further. So, every picture does tell a story!

I knew RML 2695`s prang was close to Bow Garage and it happened in the early part of the morning rush hour but I really didn`t expect someone to fill in the detail. Unreal. And I`m glad we now know how that strange damage pattern on the n/s got there!