In 1984 withdrawn RM`s were starting to stack up in such quantity at Bus Sales that it became inevitable that reasonable condition buses would have to go to scrap because, in the absence of customers wanting them, there simply just wasn`t enough room to store them all.

And then came a glimmer of hope - a potential market in the Far East. As the initial possibility of considerable sales became more plausible following an LT visit to Hong Kong / China, the idea was taken very seriously. I well remember just how optimistic the Sales Department staff were. This had the potential to reverse the balance of majority for scrap, minority for re-sale. Somehow, initial negotiations had moved quickly from whim to almost certainty. Quite what it was based on, I don`t know - but there was every intent to impress at an early stage in the hope of mass sales following.

So RM 1288 was sent to Aldenham for a special conversion to prove that it was possible to make Routemasters suitable for operation `on the wrong side of the road`. At the same time RM 1873 was put through an overhaul to be representative of a familiar London Bus. Both would then be exhibited at a Far East Trade Fair.



Aldenham, July 4th 1984. Possibly the conversion work had to take second place to routine repairs on buses for service but it certainly dragged on longer than was expected and a panic resulted when it became obvious that it might not be finished in time for a press call at Chiswick Works.

Pressure was put on Aldenham to get it finished and arrangements were made for it to be collected on a Saturday such was the urgency to get it back for mechanical inspection at Stamford Brook. It didn`t go well as the engine died at Sudbury Hill. Potentially awkward as the Sales Department didn`t have any arrangements for roadside recovery as such, it was fortunate that I had the phone number of a Harrow Weald Garage Foreman on me and assistance was almost immediate. This was on 1 Sept.







RM 1873 needed adverts which were fixed at Stamford Brook and on 5 Sept the appointment at Chiswick was fulfilled - as here.



Later that day, back at Bus Sales at the old AEC Works








And the next day they were gone. And within weeks it became obvious that the hopes of hundreds following them were also gone. Quite why it didn`t work out, I don`t know but it was real misplaced optimism.

Hi Neil , thank you for all the lovely pics of RM 1288 ,I particularly like the 5th shot down with the DMU in the background (I also have an interest in all early diesel trains) . Thank you for all the photo's of RML2485's repatriation from France ,I love it when another Ex LT / LBL or LCBS comes back fromn abroad . I am not one of the people who thinks " you can't save them all , after all who in there right mind would scrap a perfectly good bus for no reason?

Festive Regards

Jim Gilroy

My bus number (if any): none yet !!!

I think now as I did then. Bus Sales got it wrong.

The Chinese market then was very fickle and the desire was to look ultra modern at least superfically.
China was still a largely closed market and Hong Kong was all Driver only by 1979.

The issue of the drivers cab still being on the 'wrong side would not have impressed road safety in a nation which in the 1980s still had the vast majority on bicycles.

Also Air conditioning was on every new bus in these countries as early as 1975 so the RM would only be ideal for more temperate conditions.

So I think Bus Sales placed their eggs all in one basket and concentrated too much on an easy option to offload to the chinese and leave them to it.
As we all know now, the Chinese are far more astute then was perceived at the time - unless you knew Chinese people well.

The Hong Kong market was possibility for tourist market as they drive on the same side of the road as the UK.
In fact, a large part of South East Asia, Middle East, Japan and Australasia drive on the UK side.

So I think they would have had a much better rate of success by targeting the RHD market worldwide. Even Iraq at the time would have been a good market. Baghdad in peaceful times was a very smart city with good roads and infrastructure.

I know that Hobart in Tasmania wanted a significant fleet, ( A relative was the transport chief at the time) but fully overhauled and with warranties and a guarantee of spares, but BL who still held the parts supply chain could not meet the requirements and it fell through.

Much of the problem was after sales service and parts. Unlike RTs which can be patched up, some aspects of the RM need a bit more support and skill to maintain in service condition.

Had they sent the converted bus to Canada, Certain US states, and South America and in particular, Japan then there's a fair chance that they would have had good sales as Tour buses and service buses

As South Africa and Rhodesia/Zimbabwe were under sanctions at the time and things were rather frosty with Argentina, the best markets were unavailable. So they could do little with that.

But they should have had a on open top or RCL style convertible demonstrator for the RHD market.

Good points well made, Mark.
It increases the mystery as to why this part of the world was seen as having such great potential - and that`s certainly how it seemed at the time. I know it was much more than just sending a couple of buses to a Trade Fair and hoping for the best. With hindsight perhaps it might have been prudent for RM 1288 to have gone on elsewhere in the world as a demonstrator or for a few more buses to have a similar conversion and then offered to likely countries. The way in which the windows were modified suggested a new life in a hot climate was being considered. But if a very successful overseas market had been found would there have then been enough available buses to make the Scottish deal possible which at least enabled many of us to enjoy RM`s outside of London without leaving the UK!