Just had the annual newsletter of the Aldenham Works Association.

Sobering thought is that in 1965 Aldenham when I started there, it employed around 1800 staff, when it closed 450 people joined the Association.

Last year membership was down to 57 and this year just 38. I know there are people who retired to the West country and one or two who worked at Aldenham as part of their apprenticeships who are not members, the reunion always takes place in Rickmansworth,but many of the original members are no longer with us and all that knowledge and experience has also gone.

Before anyone asks, you can only join if you worked at Aldenham Works.

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

An ex-Aldenham man Sid Pearce used to work for me at Nostalgiabus.

He "retired" at the age of about 85. I don't know if he's still around. He'd be about 100 by now. I still have some of his tools in my workshop, including a big bit of 4x4 timber marked C/MAKERS. They used to use it for straightening body pillars with the help of some rather large g clamps.

My bus number (if any): RML2532

I can easily identify with that, Brian.
Every time I phone my Mortlake Conductress the first part of the conversation is usually taken up with an update of recently deceased staff. A passage of time inevitability.

As regards the loss of knowledge and first hand experience, whilst 1986 was a monumental landmark for Aldenham, it was also the last year in which the Operating Department and much of Chiswick Works and Training School functioned as it had for decades. Operationally, reducing crew operation and paying severance to long serving staff was the beginning of the end of career bus staff. In Routemaster preservation terms the gradual loss of the knowledge built up by time served craftsmen is of greater concern but there`s still a lot of interesting Routemaster operating experience held by an equally diminishing band of former staff. By the early 1990`s the calibre of staff had greatly changed as had the ways of doing things. Decentralisation removed so many facets of Routemaster knowledge and in the case of refurbs, took it out of London - something that would have been unthinkable just years earlier. Imagine how much easier life would be now for owners of RML`s if the refurb had been done at Aldenham to a recorded standard common to each bus.

The problem with the pre 1986 Routemaster knowledge pool in 2014 is not just that it`s held by a steadily decreasing number of people, it`s also compounded by too few people in the original LT days seeing a need to retain hard copies of documents and other items to be treasured and used so many years distant. If you think in percentage terms of the number of staff employed in the bus side of LT in 1986 that can still be readily contacted now for first hand knowledge, I doubt it would be 1%. Even with extensive research and really trying hard to relocate people who haven`t been heard of for years, I still doubt the figure would hit 1%. Thirty years ago even the newest Routemasters were approaching the end of their intended lifespan but in being surrounded by them at work every day there was a complacency to accept them being there and thus very few people `collected` stuff that would be `part of the story`. Throw away items such as paper adverts and farecharts so sought after now were, well, thrown away. In 1986 did I ever imagine I`d be writing this in 2014. No, I didn`t.

Do you have a contact email for the Aldenham association. I would like to join if it is still running.

My bus number (if any): none. I worked at Aldenham 1976 to 1986 & Chiswick

I have sent you an E mail Steve, with the contact details.

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

That's me Neil, I had a wooden attaché case that I made as an apprentice @ Chiswick stuffed full of technical stuff on RM's, DM's, SMS's, LS's, BL's, M's didn't use it or need it for over 20 years (late 80's) so finally binned it.

Last year we bought RM597 & now this year have aquired RM1971!!!

DOH.....

My bus number (if any): RM597 / RM1971

Stuart, do you have the number WLT 597 on your bus? I know that the plates were on a car at AL garage. Whether they worked at the garage or the Head Office next door I don't know.

My bus number (if any): RM 912

I was an apprentice coachbuilder at aldenham works 1969 . Do you remember Len Leyland the apprentice supervisor ? He introduced me to you Brian as being the senior coachbuilder apprentice as I believe it was your final year. Could you forward me the contact details for the Aldenham association,as I would like to join ? My service was Aldenham 1969 - 1986 & Chiswick 1986 - 1987. Regards Martin

Hi Martin

I have sent you an E mail, it's from a hotmail address so keep an eye out for it in your spam folder ! Regards Brian

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