Andy

LRT had a Strategic Reserve of forty Routemasters. They were kept for immediate use in the event of a contractor unable to provide a service for any reason i.e. business failure, terrorist attack etc.

These were kept at Fulwell and then subcontracted to, I think, Universitybus in Hatfield or thereabouts. I was warned off tendering for the contract to look after these buses by a former LRT subsidiary (that was also a customer of mine) as they wanted the job of storing and maintaining the fleet themselves. I later found out they didn't bother tendering!

So I would imagine the two strategic reserve buses are just that. There to back up any failure other than the normal swap around with maintenance spares.

David

My bus number (if any): RML 2276 M1001 T806

To bring this up to date, there was a strategic reserve of buses displaced from the 24 route kept ready to roll in the event of a need to take out of service unexpectedly the new fleet of 'Borismasters'. A precaution overlooked with bendy buses that had to come off service for fire proofing investigation. But at what cost is it practical to store and maintain enough buses to effect an instant replacement in quantity?

Thanks to all who have replied. It isnt a term l have come across before.Does seem an 'interesting' approach to the problem

tfl have got a reserve fleet of rms there are rm659 1145 and 1280 others will be added when the 9 goses on friday

Good to know these buses will be retained by TfL James, thanks for the update.

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

Hello Neil

Good to meet you last weekend.

When I looked at the Strategic fleet storage tender in the late 1990's I seem to remember the requirement was something like undercover storage, secure (manned) 24 hours, Insured of course, each bus to be run weekly (I think that meant on the road), Tested annually (It would have excluded repair costs I would think) and within 60 miles of Central London for 32 buses over a three year deal.

Not sure what University Bus gave them or what the tender price would have been. Is that information published and still available?

The London bus company I mentioned could have been a lot cheaper by spreading across their Garages if they had room and using existing staff and facilities. London Transport could have even asked thirty two garages to squeeze one bus in!

At today's rental rates where I lived at the time (Abingdon) I would think you would be very luck to get any change out of £200.00 per week per bus. Hatfield (where they ended up) is as expensive as Abingdon/Oxford area. Perhaps that's why it was eventually stopped. The ex 24 buses for the New routemaster must be farely recent/current. Where/who has them and how many are there?

My bus number (if any): RML 2276 M1001 T806

In London Transport days before tendering and the possibility of a contractor failing necessitated things like having strategic reserves, RSE buses classified them as SVS, - Serviceable Vehicle Stored, these were different to as David says above the normal allocation of extra buses to garages cover maintenance requirements.

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

there will be the ones like come off the 15 when the 9 ones get done up