Just a note to say that Martin Gurr and myself have completed the purchase of RM910. The plan is to restore it as Kelvin Scottish 1929, not the most sympathetic livery for an RM, but it has to be done! RM835 looks superb in Clydeside livery, and it would be great to re-unite them at some point!

Some initial photos can be found on our fotopic site:http://bestbusintown.fotopic.net/

The current livery is based on Edinburgh tram livery.

It should hopefully be MOT'd this week or next, it's been off the road for a few years but has been well looked after.

Cheers

Gary

Looks very nice, good orignal looking interior too. AEC running gear i'm guessing? Nice to hear another Routemaster going to be painted in non London colours for a change. Well done..

Hi Gary

I had the feeling you would probably paint her back into Kelvin two-tone blue with yellow front livery, why not as there are no other Routemasters preserved in these colours? The screens RM910 sports are post-August 1991 Kelvin Central blinds fitted to the Gavinburn & Stepps Routemasters when the 5/5A route was split into the 5 Easterhouse-Argyle Street (Bus Station), 5A Glasgow Cross-Faifley, 5B Glasgow Cross-Old Kilpatrick & 6 Easterhouse-Argyle Street (Bus Station). Our Stepps Depot RMs also did runs on other routes and I remember driving them on the 30 Easterhouse-Cambuslang, 33 Glenboig-Buchanan Bus Station & 61 Baillieston (Old Wood Road)-Argyle Street (Bus Station) I bought some spare Kelvin Central blinds a few years ago Gary and if they are still in my dad's shed, you can have them.

BTW, once you complete your application form for Routemaster Association membership, if David still has spare copies of the last magazine , I'm sure he can send you one. I wrote an article about the West of Scotland Routemaster story during the 1980s/1990s and there is a photo of me standing next to RM367 (1943) at Easterhouse Terminus when I drove that bus on the Kelvin Central Routemaster Farewell Tour in 1993. RM910 received the same livery scheme as 367 during 1991, they were in fact the only two Kelvin RMs to have it, I was going to suggest therefore that you could consider re-painting 910 back into that variant.

Here are some photos that would be useful if you decide to opt for that livery:

http://donald1852.fotopic.net/p42558846.html
http://donald1852.fotopic.net/p42558852.html
http://donald1852.fotopic.net/p42558863.html

Thanks Mark, yes it's still AEC under the bonnet.

I'll try and get some film of her running and post on you-tube.

Graham, I'm more inclined to go with the original Kelvin blue and yellow to match the our metrobus but never say never, likewise it would be nice to see it red at some point in the future!

I thought if Kelvin Central had kept the RMs a bit longer they would have suited the KCB NETWORK livery with the horizontal cream band rather than the diagonals as this photo shows http://donald1852.fotopic.net/p42993758.html

There is a superb photo of RM910 on Phil Clarkes websitehttp://philipclarke2.fotopic.net/p49632718.html with non-standard fleetnames.

I think I have a set of original blue and yellow Kelvin Blinds for 910, although I know for sure that I don't have a canopy blind in blue and yellow. Although they main ly ran on the 5 & 5A I remember seeing RMs operating on the 19's from Buchanan Bus Station and I alsohave photos of RMs in Cumbernauld on both the 61 and the X4. The last peak express X4 from Anderston to Abronhill was RM operated for while, although neither X4 of Abronhill was on any blinds!

Gary

I cant wait to c it done mate i hope she gets ralled down south i am hopeing one gets done in stathway livery and the others bacesue they look the nuts bacsue i do get bored of rm 835

Hi James,

I'd love to see one in Strathtay livery too, they looked very smart, not as "in your face" as the Kelvin livery!

Are there any Strathtay vehicles still in existance, unrefurbished?

Cheers, Gary

Good photo of 910 in her London days Gary, although she carried Body 830 at that time, gaining her current Body 861 four years later. As for surviving Strathtay Routemasters, Michael Roulston's RM759 which was SR3 still resides at Beith alongside my own bus and Michael's fleet of Private Hire RMLs, (2365,2553 & 2677). I don't believe however that Michael could be persuaded to paint it out of Glasgow Corporation Livery back into it's old Strathtay variant. There is also a photo of RM759 in her Strathtay days in Steve Fennell's "Routemasters around Great Britain" book. James, being a former Sovereign 13 conductor would have worked on another Strathtay survivor, RM191 (SR22) which is now owned by the "Nippybus" Company of Somerset. Raymond Lunney, the General manager is an ex-Clydeside driver.http://rodney.nippybus.co.uk/.

RM191 was one of several Strathtay Routemasters loaned to Kelvin Scottish during 1987.

BTW, totally agree with you Gary about how the KCB Routemasters would have looked in "Network" livery as they really would have had that London appearance about them again. Pity Mr. Blundell and his management didn't see it that way.

Yep sure did and rm 45 both of them rm 191 looks nice now old rodney

Gary, definately up for reuniting 910 & 835!! Just say when and where!!! Was gonna suggest Kirkby Stephen at easter 2010 but current thinking is we will be plodding up there in 2456. We would like to bring 835 back up to Scotland at some stage though so let me know what event you will be launching a blue and yellow 910 and we will do our best!

And on the subject of Strathtay survivers dont forget RM298 owned by Roger Wright (London Bus Company). Most times I see Roger I tend to raise the subject of blue and orange paint but alas, he is not that keen!!!! RM1691 also survives but I have no idea who the current owner is!

There is a photo of RM45 (SR23) lining up with RM191 (SR22) on Page 30 of Steve's book. Who would have thought both of these buses would have re-entered London service twelve years later?

We spent yesterday cleaning the interior or RM910 and fitted some original LT blindshttp://bestbusintown.fotopic.net/p60045332.html. Does anyone have a spare canopy blind that includes routes 260/266 i could borrow/buy? We'll carry London blinds until next year when the repaint into Kelvin livery will take place and blue and yellow Kelvin blinds will be fitted.

MoT test is on thurs and all being well she'll be on the road run at the Open Weekend at Lathalmond 15/16 Aughttp://www.busweb.co.uk/svbm/

910 will then move to the GVVT Bridgeton and will be kept with our other buses.

Cheers

Gary

visit www.bestbusintown.org for updates on our preserved buses, including RM910.

That link doesn't work because of the full stop!

http://bestbusintown.fotopic.net/p60045332.html

That one should.

Gary

visit www.bestbusintown.org for updates on our preserved buses, including RM910.

Nice paint job , very thoughtful and pleasingly different, keep it for a few years at least so its seen around.

I hope the FLOOR PAINT IS TO BE SANDED OFF at some time , it'll do for now as it seems in good condition.

nice i like the pic with the london blinds in btw did you speak to my contact selling the blinds mate

Alan, probably will only keep the Edinburgh livery for the rest of this season. I don't like the painted floor but can't afford to replace it. I've never sanded a floor before, I take it t.he paint should sand off and the treadmaster just needs re-sealing, or is it more complicated?

James, not had a chance to contact your mate yet.

Cheers

Gary

visit www.bestbusintown.org for updates on our preserved buses, including RM910.

Hi Gary

Will M781 & RM910 be running on the external & internal services over the Lathalmond weekend? Good job with M781's new black grill.

Hi Graham

Nothing has been planned at the moment but if anything they will operate a couple of internal trips.

Gary

visit www.bestbusintown.org for updates on our preserved buses, including RM910.

Gary ,

Yes indeed you can safely - BUT DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE PRESSURE - sand off most of the RM/L floors with simple home use sanders , flat OR belt type, it will be very dusty and time consumming, the only real problem you'll have is the gaps between the lines which when the other stuff is done use of a mild paint stripper in short sections might get the rest off and you absolutely MUST neutralise it all afterwards as the stripper will attack any glues.

Once happy with the effort and its free from dust then you can apply some sealant type varnish coating but remember this is not good for heavy wear but excellent for preservation use ++ cheap gangway carpet - staircase is good - overlay to protect when finished.

HTH ..

oh right thats cool no worries mate when is the open weekend i see if can get my conctact to go but i dont know becasue i want to c the metrobus and the rm and other ex london bits

I'll be taking RML2271 up to the event next Sunday James, I'm hoping to catch up with RM606's owner John Lydiate to see how restoration work is coming along on my old Kelvin Central shift bus. Actually I remember when I did my old crew spreadover duties 118/120 at Stepps Depot, I used to regularly get RMs357 (1909), 606 (1919) & Gary's 910 (1929) for Schedule 9 on both shifts. Good to see RM357 fully restored back to original London livery and back in London. As she has her original Body 357, I wonder if her owner Ted Price may be tempted to totally restore her lower saloon to 1960 vintage as was done on RMs 5 & 291?

i hope so it be nice to c a rm i havent seen

Hello.

I travelled on your bus at Lathalmond on Saturday on the internal shuttle. It sounded very healthy, and looks very original, including the drivers mirror!

In my view a preserved RM in Kelvin colours is long overdue and cant wait to see it when completed. It will complement the Kelvin livery Metrobus and also the Clydeside Leyland Leopard and Fleetline that have recently been restored. Will you be refitting the mesh over the upper deck light bulbs!!!?

I remember travelling on these buses to Easterhouse from Anderston bus station in the early 90's.

Who knows, maybe one day we could persuade the powers to be at Buchannan St Bus Station to let us all in when its quiet for some re-enactment of the mid 80's!?

I wish you all the very best in your restoration

Adam Conner

ex Clydeside conductor
ex Reading Mainline driver
now Reading Buses.