I have been asked by the owner of my former Routemaster regarding paint codes for dustbin lids. The bus is 1962 and to that year's spec still, and someone has nicked a wheel cover.

He's a replacement now that requires painting, as it's in primer. Can someone give paint codes, he asks. I know that the cover has the silver highlight rings for this bus.

Help would be appreciated.
John.

My bus number (if any): Rattletrap RT

The rear discs were painted the same colour as the wheels - Indian Red. The LT code is somewhere on this site.
Beware of the RAL code, it's not the right shade. The Equivalent code to the LT shade is a BS number.

Only the prototype RMs carried the silver highlight on the rear discs to match the front wheel chrome trims which also were only found on prototypes and specials.

These were chrome on RTs when new, but RMs were factory painted Indian Red from new -even Green Line versions had painted wheel embellishments.

Production RMCs, RCLs and BEA types had Chrome bezels on all the side/tail light fittings but not around main Headlights. Again wheel fittings were the same colour of the Wheels, Green or Black.

RM, RML and Northern RMs were all body colour along with the wheel fittings.

Examples of this are in the Ken Blacker Books i.e.. showing that even RM8 at a Trade show only had chrome front wheel trims, all other embellishments like light rims were painted.

Only RM1 and 2 carried a silver painted highlight on the rear disc. RML 3 and RMC4 did not.

Standard Lucas / CAV side and rear light fittings were normally with a chrome bezel and found their way into LT stocks and onto some vehicles and later, many MB, SM, DMS and BL types ( which has these as chrome when new) were relieved of their chrome fittings which found their way on to quite a few RM and RM types.

So during the early 80s quite a few RMs were running around with chrome fittings but none ran with rear discs in service after 1972.

They did appear on show buses at rallies and some had special paint jobs which did pick out the silver highlight on the rear disc, but in the main most show buses went for authentic originality and painted the rear discs Indian Red.

Some for complete authenticity reverted to all painted fittings. But there is no doubt that a bit of embellishment does lift the bus aesthetically.

As ever, a good accurate reply, and very much appreciated. I shall search out the BS number and pass this information on to the RM's owner.

John

My bus number (if any): Rattletrap RT