I’ve been researching the demise of Rexine out of interest and found this:
“It was made of cloth surfaced with a mixture of cellulose nitrate (a low explosive also used as the propellant in firearms rounds), camphor oil, pigment and alcohol, embossed to look like leather.
The use of rexine in a railway carriage contributed to the rapid spread of fire on the 15:48 West Riding express from King's Cross near Huntingdon on 14 July 1951”
Knowing about its accelerant characteristics one wonders why it was still incorporated in Routemaster and other PSV’s production well after that date, particularly as smoking was still permitted ? Also why was it necessary to include cellulose nitrate in its production I wonder ? Maybe someone out there knows the reasoning ?

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

Rexine is a brand name originally held by ICI.

LT used "rexine" extensively after the war, as did many car manufacturers as its use was not seen as being particularly hazardous and it was lighter and cheaper than leather.

Alternatives were looked at both for the RT and the RM but leathercloth/rexine was decided as being better and more hard wearing for seat backs and interior finishing...

Fire regulations have changed a lot since RMs were built and the modern equivalents of "rexine" like vynide and leatherite are more fire retardant and if heat exposure is a problem, it can be treated.

"Rexine" is still widely produced in India, in fact, a factory making it was burnt to the ground in 2011.


Rashfords who supply leathercloth for RTs and RMs no longer supply "Rexine".

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RM 1585, RML 2667 and several RTs

Thanks for that insight Brian, durability was obviously deemed more important than the fire safety risk back on RM’s in the 1950’s despite the product being named as a main accelerant in the train fire report, the risk of onerous US style suing culture being unheard of back then. No doubt the Dunlopillo seat foam wasn’t able to be made fire retardant or have a fire retardant barrier cloth back then either, how things have progressed. Coincidentally I did see on the net that there was a Rexine supplier in India, I don’t suppose the fire retardant laws have sadly caught up over there yet ?

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

One report Graham, doesn't say what caught fire, could have been seat coverings. A lot of things are found to be inflammable at extreme heat after they were installed including building cladding. The pillars on an RM during an intense fire were far more inflammable than are bit of rexine on the stress panel walls...

My bus number (if any): RTL 960, RM 1585, RML 2667 and several RTs

I agree Brian many materials combust well in extreme heat but the give away is surely “It was made of cloth surfaced with a mixture of cellulose nitrate (a low explosive also used as the propellant in firearms rounds) ?” Maybe they just didn’t have any alternative back then and as you say it was hard wearing. Also very few RM’s suffered fire damage anyway so the risk was probably very low.

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

Another question is what adhesive should be used to apply the vinyl coverings used nowadays? You see many preserved buses where the stuff is coming off. Could it be that the old fashioned adhesive fumes are hazardous to health and not available anymore? I was told that the adhesive used in destination blind manufacture would definitely not be allowed now.

Dave, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there ! So many products on the market don’t seem to work as well or be as long lasting as the equivalent ones in the past and is perhaps due to the elimination of the components now deemed hazardous (and righty so), but sadly were also the components that actually made them work and do the job as we all know ? (eg. Traditional paint stripper, LT pink etch primer, cellulose and lead paint to name a few). As you say a lot of preserved buses have the trim falling off, in some cases this may be partly due to poor installation or installation to a painted surface which has failed ? , but having worked on PSV’s old and modern it’s very hard to find an adhesive that holds up often heavy trim given the extreme temperatures and dampness a vehicle interior can get to in the middle of winter and height of summer, even the ones that state ‘high temperature resistant’ often fail after relatively few years. Perhaps also the expected short service life of modern vehicles makes the longevity of these products largely irrelevant saying that it’s always the trim that has been put on without any thought to access to fittings for future maintenance is always the hardest to remove without damage etc !

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

There might well be glues and sealants used in the building trade which may do the job. I went into a Leyland Paint shop once looking for windscreen sealant. The man told me they did not sell it but try CT 1, a sealant the trade uses, it worked a treat. don't get it on your hands though, wear gloves because only meths cleans it off, (or alcohol). After all, the material used in a lot of recent destination blinds, Tyvek, is widely used the building trade as insulation.

That’s a good point I’m sure a lot of the materials used in the building trade are suitable and often cheaper. In some cases though the modern adhesive can also be detrimental as I know of someone who has a lovely rechromed half cab windscreen similar to a Routemaster newly reglazed with modern bonding glue rather than the rubber sleeving. It didn’t leak and was fine until it broke and is now virtually impossible to remove the fragments from the grooves, even the glass company have turned the job down ! - The only possible solution is to heat it up but that could well distort the frame or damage the new chrome work - a real problem sadly.

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

I take your point, the stuff was a bit too good. Talking of Rexine, I seem to remember my sister's Sobell recod player,(with it's auto changer and VHF tuner). The large lid and sides had a rexine type covering.

As you say it was widely used to cover furniture as it’s hard wearing and original stuff is quite sought after in the antique trade apparently - hopefully not fireside chairs !

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

I may be able to help a bit here.

Back in the early 1970's I had to re-cover the interior of MLL721, my BEA coach. I used Evo-stick. Most of that has lasted the course now it's being restored "properly". I've had to use a blow lamp to heat the vynide to get the stuff off!

To 1990s, when we started on MLL738, we used vynide (produced by Wardle-Storey) and the glue they provided didn't last a couple of years. I called their rep round and he thought it could be polymer migration, some sort of chemical reaction. then he asked what adhesive was used, and that was the wrong sort. We needed to use a very high melt point adhesive that could withstand temperatures of over 200c. That is how hot it can get in motor vehicles in summer.

Later in the 2000's, GS67 was re-trimmed using the Ratchford's rexine. I used a spray on adhesive which so far has stood the test of time. I used the same stuff when MLL738 was done properly and that too shows no sign of lifting yet, and that was done about 6 years ago.

I also done RFW14 which has a mixture of a thick vynide on the ceiling and a thin railway grade dark green vynide on the sides. I don't think any of that has shown signs of lifting yet.

The knack seems to be to apply the adhesive from a spray gun, it has to come out like a spider's web, let it go off for about 15 minutes then apply it to the surface. I'll look up what the stuff is later.

Needless to say make sure all surfaces are clean and free from old adhesive. I'm about to do some today on an RT.

My bus number (if any): RML2532

I use alpha Adhesives S1922TF, 5 litre cans. also available in smaller aerosols, but a more expensive way to do things. you can get it direct from Alpha 01299 828626 or Boyriven 01624 771414.

Alpha bought out Dunlop Adhesives a few years ago including things like Thixofix.

My bus number (if any): RML2532

Thanks Roy that’s very helpful - it’s amazing how hot vehicle interiors can get to in the summer - certainly they right weather to do the job in not too hot, damp or cold for a change !

My bus number (if any): RML 2747