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Frank Spencer Bus Stunt

I have received the following email:

I am contacting you on behalf of the BBC One Show. I am currently setting up a feature which will look back at iconic stunts in UK TV history. One of these stunts is Frank Spencer’s roller skating incident during the series Some Mothers’ Do ‘Ave ‘Em. During the sequence Frank manages to attach himself to the back of a double decker bus, roller skate through a junction narrowly missing a red mini and a Ford Capri and skate underneath an articulated lorry. We have a professional stunt team (including a skater, two drivers and a coordinator), a contained closed off race track in which to recreate our stunt and we have located a 60s Mini and a Mk1 Ford Capri but we are missing the star of the show – the bus.

We are looking for a 1960s/70s RT or RM bus to appear in the programme. We are scheduled to shoot the piece on Monday 6th July at Longcross racetrack near Chertsey. We would love to invite the owner and their bus along to the shoot for the day, it should be a great piece and they will get the chance to see a professional stunt team at work.

Hopefully someone can help so if you fancy a day out with your family and your bus please contact me soonest.

David Colin

metro425@btconnect.com
07508883846

My bus number (if any): M1001, RML2276, T806

Re: Frank Spencer Bus Stunt

The actual RTL 358, (not an RT), still survives! It was on Ebay when it was in Devon it was then bought and taken to London, to be refurbed by South Eastern Coachworks? or Roger Wright's engineering arm It would be best recreated with one of the preserved RTLs, there are a few good ones about.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RM 1585, RMC 1486 and several RTs

Re: Frank Spencer Bus Stunt

The original video of the roller skating was filmed at Picketts Lock Sports Centre in Edmonton, the circular stairway was at the old Edmonton Green Shopping Centre Bus Stops, with the RTL driving through the bus stops. A single decker Merlin/Swift can be seen also, probably on the W8 route to Picketts Lock Centre. The scene with the Mini and Ford Capri was I believe filmed near Bounces Road in Edmonton, the scene with the lorry was filmed on the industrial area close to the sports centre. I was working in Edmonton between 1973 and 1979, and used the sports centre regularly, although I never saw it being filmed!! The short video can be viewed on you tube if anyone is interested in watching it.

My bus number (if any): Conductor RM 2213, 471, 238, and GS17

Re: Frank Spencer Bus Stunt

Hi David (C) - was anyone able to help with this in the end and did the piece get shot?

My bus number (if any): RML2302