Friends of Classic London Buses of the Fifties For those actively involved in or supporting the preservation of London buses, coaches and trolleybuses of the past Here is a current photograph for a change – RT 3254 at last year's Chesham Running Day, in nice sunny weather. This continues my tradition of having unseasonal cover photos just to be awkward. One gets tired of snow and sleighs and fat blokes in red at this time of year. Photo by Paul van der Hulks. Newsletter 161 January 2020 Opening Lines Having to write 2020 reminds me that, as has often been remarked upon, hindsight comes with 20/20 vision, so I thought I would look back a little – well, quite a lot in fact. Of course the Newsletter is actually being written at the end of 2019, and a century ago the General built its last B-types and started production of the K-type which, with half-cab, perhaps was the forerunner of so many vehicles to follow. In 1929 AEC announced the Regent and Regal chassis, examples of which would go on to become the ST, STL and T classes, and ten years after that came..... RT 1. Looking back on those days it is quite surprising how rapidly the motor-bus developed and what great improvements were made over a couple of decades. In 1949 double-deckers were pretty much the same as their pre-war counterparts, but work was in progress on the revolutionary change to the design and layout of single-deckers, resulting in a horizontal, underfloor engine giving better weight distribution and more room for passengers. Ten years after that came the Atlantean, the first UK production rear-engined double-decker which must have been a surprise to the residents of South Wales, Wallasey and Glasgow when unleashed on their streets. Nowadays “progress” has led to low-floors, air suspension, automatic transmission and buses packed with electronics. We have yet to see where vehicle design is going because no-one seems to know what will be best for current conditions, but surely reintroducing trolleybuses in cities might not be a bad idea. Or would today's yobs steal the overhead...? 1 Forthcoming Event 2 ….... and another forthcoming event, too Transport Auctions of London Our 26 October sale was our best ever and has now been "put to bed" with all sellers paid and (almost!) all lots collected by winning bidders. A big thank-you to all our customers and hard-working staff for helping us to have such a great day. Realisations were generally very strong and some of the highlights were (all before buyers' premiums): • Two very special London Transport 'Gibson' ticket machines - one sold for £7,000, the other for £4,500 • £2,500 for the earliest known Underground map, issued by the Metropolitan Railway in 1867 • £2,200 each for two 1940s Beck Underground quad-royal poster maps • £800 for a BR (S) station totem from High Street on the Glasgow surburban lines • £950 for a London Transport bus stop enamel e-plate, probably a new record for a bus version • £2,200 for a unique Underground poster with artwork by Banksy • £950 for a set of Underground wall tiles reading 'Way Out' • £1,000 for a set of London Transport trolleybus destination blinds • £1,200 for a 1947 Southern Railway quad-royal poster 'Jersey' • £2,200 for an Underground platform roundel from Oxford Circus station We're now starting all over again for 29 February and entries are most welcome. We specialise in all types of transport collectables and ephemera from all over the UK, the following in particular: • Enamel signs & plates - main-line railway, Underground, bus, tram & trolleybus • Railwayana of all kinds • London Underground maps • Posters • Ticket machines • Destination blinds • Badges • Timetables & publicity material • Original slides, negatives & photos • ...and much more! Advice and valuations are freely given. If you're thinking of selling your transport collectables, just drop us an email to get the ball rolling: [email protected] 3 Previous page: Following a comment I made in a previous Newsletter, a couple of readers have expressed the view that we can never feature too many pictures of RTs. Here, then, is preserved RT 3775 photographed by Colin Wickens in July 1973. The bus is currently owned by a resident of Coulsdon according to the PSV Circle. Above: I suppose we ought to include something “festive” at this time of year, so here is a cartoon from 1960 in which the braking ability of an RTL (a Metro-Cammell one from the look of the cream band) - or could it be an RTW? - is put to the test in Regent Street which has been illuminated in anticipation of Christmas. From memory, this is one of a number of bus-related cartoon supplied by Alan B Cross some time back. Lack of space has prevented their use in recent issues. Now, for those who could not bear life without extracts from the Minutes of long-past meetings held by London Transport, I am very glad to say that our indefatigable researcher, Tony Beard, has found some more, so here goes. From the Minutes of the Rolling Stock Technical Committee Meeting held on 18 January 1960 From earlier discussions, the Chief Mechanical Engineer (A. A M Durrant) directed: 1. Seat Squabs in Routemaster Vehicles that due to the collapse of the polyurethane foam fillings used on a limited number of vehicles, a campaign change of all these seat squab fillings on Routemaster buses should be undertaken at the earliest practicable opportunity. 4 2. Fuel Consumption with Non-Standard Rear Axles that no further orders be placed for standard worm shafts and wheels should be placed but a suitable order for non-standard material be made at once which would enable Country Area RT vehicles and County and Central Area RF vehicles to be equipped. The position would be reviewed in nine months’ time to consider the rate of fitment. Item from AEC Rear Frame Jacking Pads – Replaced Code affected: RM The position of the emergency jacking pads on the rear frame radius arms (forward of axle) has proved unsatisfactory and as a safety measure AEC has introduced new design pads to locate on the radius arm pivot bracket caps. Existing studs securing the pivot bracket caps are replaced by new setscrews, which will also secure the new jacking pad and will be wired in pairs after assembly. Sufficient new design pads and setscrews to equip all vehicles delivered prior to the introduction by AEC on new production in early February 1960. Existing pads are to be removed and returned to Works for dispatch to AEC for credit and reuse on subsequent new production vehicles at the extreme rear positions. Items from the Drawing Office and Specification Section Drainage of Rectifier Cables Codes affected: RM5, RM5/1, RM5/2, RM 5/3, RM5/4 and RM5/5 On approximately 169 vehicles (body numbers B22 to B169 inclusive) the PVC sleeving covering cables from the control panel to the rectifier and rectifier to the AC generator is fitted to the exterior of rigid PVC conduits allowing water (due to vehicle washing) to enter the sleeving. Garage Action In order to avoid possible short-circuiting a drainage hole is to be cut in the sleeving at the bottom of the loop. Works Action All future vehicles from the contractor will have the PVC sleeving inserted inside the rigid conduit to obviate water entry and vehicles prior to modification will have this alteration carried out at overhaul. Action: Full application at Overhaul and Garages. Introduction of Additional Mounting Packings Codes affected: RLH1 and RLH1/1 Owing to the settling down of the body, flywheel cowl is found to be fouling the flywheel casing. To enable clearance to be maintained additional mounting packings are to be fitted as follows: Front Bulkhead – 2 Balata Packings No RLH.229.N12 No 1 Crossbar – 4 Aluminium Packing Pads No 2 Crossbar – 2 Aluminium Packing Pads. Action: Full Application At Overhaul. 5 Coach Side Route Boards – Routes 718, 720 and 720A – Wording Amended Codes affected: RF 1/3, RF2/1 and RF2/3 operating routes 718, 720 and 720A The recent Government Report on New Towns contains a request that the designation “New Town” should no longer be used to describe these recently developed areas. To conform with this request transfers ‘Harlow New Town’ and ‘Harlow Old Town’ are to be replaced by transfers ‘Harlow (Bus Station)’ and ‘Old Harlow’ respectively, as and when the route boards are renovated. Existing stocks of transfers are to be disposed of at the discretion of the Progress and Material Superintendent. Action: Full application when route boards are renovated. Method of Assembling Bottom Channel Assembly – No 6 Bay Nearside – Into Body Revised Codes affected: RT3, RT3/1, RT8, RT8/1, RT8/2 and RT10 It has been found, at overhaul, that to replace the bottom channel assembly – No 6 Bay nearside (Part No RT.081.C1), necessitates excessive stripping in order to replace one 3/16in. diameter rivet and three 2BA bolts. The rivet passes through bracket (Part No RT.063.C4) at the foot of No 6 pillar, bottom channel and bottom channel end bracket only as shown on the issued drawing. The three 2BA bolts are used to attach the moulding rail (Part No RT.038.C13) to the bottom channel assembly (RT.081.C1). These bolts are to be replaced by five No 8 round head woodscrews. Existing stock of RT.081.C1 is to be modified by adding a 3/16in diameter rivet hole and five holes for No 8 woodscrews.