As an ex London Transport bus mechanic, I knew this bus type very well. At age 16, I was engaged as an engineering garage trainee based at Poplar garage in London's East end.(November 1st 1971) The men who trained me were ex armed forces, and they were all very knowledgeable. One particular man who helped with my training was Alf 'Alfie' Finnis. Alf had been an ex Trolley bus man, however this type of vehicle had been decommissioned, because of the introduction of the new diesel Routemaster bus in 1959. Now at age 68, I can recall speaking with many skilled hands who could repair any vehicle no matter what the job. Sadly Poplar garage was closed in November 1985, soon to become high rise apartments building project. As for my old workmates, I should think many of them are long gone. I do have my memories though, and I wish I could travel back in time and do my training all over again. Thank you for posting your film, you've mad a happy man very old.💐👍

@judithmonroeart

5 ай бұрын

I am so glad that you were able to take a pleasant trip down memory lane!

Well done! Great to see young people taking an interest in these classic buses and learning a great skill.

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

A pretty cool skill for a college kid to get :)

A nice vid, and a nice bus! Good to see them still running, as someone else said though, with an original AEC engine and pre-selector gear box they are much more fun to drive. It even looks like it has some power assistance on the steering, originally rack & pinion they took a lot of effort to move, especially at low speed, driving Blue Triangle's RT Lulu (LLU 670) was hard work but fun!

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

We take what we can get. :)

@j69buckjumper

10 ай бұрын

I drove thousands of miles in LLU670 over the years I was at Blue Triangle.... Can't imagine an RT with PAS or auto gears, just wrong!

@williamarmstrong646

7 күн бұрын

The RT steering wasn't rack and pinion as far as I can recall - was it worm and nut? (Aged 80 year old brain sluggish these days!).

Nice to see it go around the roundabout several times. We used to do that at Marble Arch to take the piss and not be the first onto Oxford street or Edgware road. Happy days.

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Funny!

What a majestic looks. Really awsome

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you like it.

About the RT double deck buses, from the Unitrans site: Unitrans’ symbol is the London double deck bus. Two of these buses were purchased back in 1968 direct from London to attract people to use the service. Unitrans is the only transit company in the United States to use authentic London double deck buses in daily service. Unitrans is well-known for our fleet of historic London doubledecker buses, which in 2010 were joined by two modern doubledecker buses. The doubledeck buses run on six lines (B, E, F, G, J, V) in regular service during the academic year, and their times are noted on the printed schedule. One of the doubledecks has been converted from a diesel engine to run on clean natural gas. Unitrans’ CNG doubledeck is unique in North America, and perhaps in the world. Although the doubledeck bus is the symbol of Unitrans, most of our service is provided by modern buses fueled by CNG. unitrans.ucdavis.edu/

@comandanteej

3 жыл бұрын

I visited UC Davis for two months back in 2014, and I was really impressed by many things I saw there. It was a pleasure to see such a bycicle-friendly town in the US with well-organized public transport. The highlight was indeed to see ancient double-deckers in regular service.

@thedave7760

4 ай бұрын

Aren't the exit platforms for the passengers on the wrong side?

What a build quality. Running even now

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Yep :)

@jamesfrench7299

5 ай бұрын

Lots of unoriginal bits though.

...this lady can really drive! 👌

I wish all London Transport Drivers were as attractive as this lady in the heyday years of the RT in London!!

@xanadudawn

3 жыл бұрын

Some of the clippies weren't too bad though

@colliecandle

3 жыл бұрын

How shallow and superficial. People are too ready to 'judge' others by appearance.

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, she’s my daughter. :)

@jamesfrench7299

5 ай бұрын

@@colliecandle not entirely. It's a pretty good guide on the person. Our brains are attuned to this.

Admirable mujer manejando un camión felicidades ❤

@judithmonroeart

2 ай бұрын

Thanks, she’s my daughter. 👍🏻

You have enough arm power for steering this bus. You are as strong as a man.

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Hahaha, I’m not sure she’s as strong as a man, but quite capable, for sure. :)

Wonderful keeps you smiling ❤

@judithmonroeart

5 ай бұрын

So glad, thanks.

Lovely to watch and great the affection you clearly have for classic London buses - but sadly this RT makes all the wrong sounds. It was the musical transmission whine of the original pre-selector gearbox and low revving, unstressed AEC engine that perfectly matched the RT's friendly appearance and cosy interior design. Oh, so beautifully mellow! Got to agree that gas power has to be cleaner. How about going all electric with the RT? An electric whine would - in my opinion - sound better than that fast revving little Cummins. Nice to see an RT abroad though!

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

You’d have to take that up with the school…

We were a bit more advanced than this in Britain by 1963!! This RT was new in 1949!

@johnjephcote7636

3 жыл бұрын

Many were kept in store as such a lot were originally ordered.

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Some things are classics. 😊

Is it just me, or do others think tubeless wheel rims look wrong on vintage vehicles?

@judithmonroeart

4 ай бұрын

Hey, I just made the video of my daughter driving… 😄

I'd like to see that babe drive one with the original lower revving AEC 9.6l diesel and preselect Wilson gearbox. This bus is extremely inauthentic with American driveline transplants and doesn't have the character the AEC provides. Just look up any other RT video to hear the original engine and gearbox. (I understand as a daily used bus, like London's RMs, to keep them on the road, an alternative engine was necessary as AEC became defunct in 1977).

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, not authentic but it is what it is. And that babe is my daughter…

@jamesfrench7299

2 жыл бұрын

@@judithmonroeart wished I realised. I humbly apologise. See if your daughter can pull off this manoeuvre. kzread.info/dash/bejne/oHZ7t9mGoJmnYtY.htmlm15s

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

@@jamesfrench7299 She’s not driving buses anymore - she’s putting her Davis degree to use. :)

@jamesfrench7299

2 жыл бұрын

Don't blame her when there's no AEC engine in it!

1963 ? Really ? RT production ceased in 1954 !

@stephensaunders1845

3 жыл бұрын

1954 was when this one was built. Originally registered as OLD 521.

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Really?

@jamesfrench7299

6 ай бұрын

@@judithmonroeart 💯 not 63.

@dieselfunk65

5 ай бұрын

In 1963 the AEC Routemaster, which was the successor to the Regent Type (RT) was in production.

@leytonexile

5 ай бұрын

I still drive RT buses!

Lovely!!

@judithmonroeart

8 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😊

You’re a NATURAL😉

@judithmonroeart

7 ай бұрын

😁

Has this bus been fitted with a different gearbox as you do not see the driver changing gears a lot ?.

@samp2754

5 жыл бұрын

4735 is one of the 4 RTs that Unitrans has. It is one of the 2 diesel RTs, fitted with a Cummins B-serries engine, and Allison 4-speed automatic transmission. It still has not power steering, and no power brakes.

@judithmonroeart

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info!

@paulmason4616

3 жыл бұрын

The 1963 date is wrong no RT family buses were built after 1954. The Cummins engine is sacrilege! A Leyland 0600 would be preferable, better still an AEC 9.6 but I accept that spare parts for 60 year old engines are hard to find.

@LandAnchor

3 жыл бұрын

@@paulmason4616 I think sacrilege is a bit of an over statement. The cummins-B series keeps this piece of heritage transport alive in a modern world. Better yet an electric motor would give that authentic wine.

@szymongorczynski7621

3 жыл бұрын

@@paulmason4616 This is a bus required for use in regular passenger service, hence the need for a new engine. Just like many routemasters were re engined in the 80s and 90s by London Transport to keep them going into the 2000s

These RT's were all over London along with RM's and RFs when I was a kid. This one, doesn't have it's original AEC engine which had a great sound, very typical of AEC and so much a part of it's character. Not so keen on this engine sound, although better to have it than none I guess.

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, it’s been modified. ;)

Yes the r t had a bell housing up front that as a 60s kid with cold feet was a warm spot to put your feet on ( fluid fly wheel) you did not get this on the r l bless it 👍

@judithmonroeart

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the info

When and where is this? Not in UK ! 😅

@judithmonroeart

6 ай бұрын

2017, Davis, CA.

Is this bus still running or is the whole fleet being taken out of service.

@robertrich663

5 жыл бұрын

What's the engine and gearbox in this bus? Doesn't sound like an AEC.

@davidwebster537

5 жыл бұрын

@@robertrich663 to me personally it sounds like a more Modern Engine than an Aec so it could be a Cummins engine.

@robertrich663

5 жыл бұрын

I can't see any sign of the pre-selector gear box lever being used so I assume that an auto box has been dropped in. The original box was half way down the chassis of course.@@davidwebster537

@alfiewhittaker3763

4 жыл бұрын

@@davidwebster537 cummins b series and allinson 4 speed auto

@judithmonroeart

3 жыл бұрын

.

That engine sounds horrible what is it? has bus been converted to auto, i didn't see any gearchanging.

@judithmonroeart

6 ай бұрын

Yep, and no idea. 😉

I read the title as " Last shit in the RT"

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Hahahaha!

I would to see a London Titan and Metro (mcm) in America, I still live in London 😃

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Well if you’re ever in Northern California…

wrong way round the roundabout!

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Hahaha! Well, not in California!

I wouldn’t get off the bus if the driver was so pretty.

@judithmonroeart

Жыл бұрын

That driver is my daughter…

A one buses . my god veary old seen .

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, an old bus :)

Pity it has lost any authenticity it had.

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

And yet it is still loved.

London Bus RT ok ok ok ok ok ok ok

@judithmonroeart

2 жыл бұрын

Ok :)

She looks too young to drive aswell as being very pretty more like a model 😁😁😁😁😁 But, she handle that bus quite well. What happened to that bus ? It wasn't scrapped or destroyed in some other way was it 🙄😯😮 It be such a right shame & DESPICABLE!!!! to do such a HORRIBLE!!! thing to it.

@judithmonroeart

6 ай бұрын

It’s been a few years but I’m guessing they are still using those buses, as it was a point of pride.