Carshalton 2007

Notes on the buses operated - page 1

 

Buses taking part in the Running Day on 15 April are profiled here (RT family vehicles) and on the following pages:

 

RT190 was an early RT3-bodied bus first delivered to Leyton for the 10 and 38A in 1947.  Many movements around the system followed before the bus was sold in 1970.  During that time, in accordance with normal LT practice, the identity of body and chassis changed several times.

The RT190 of today comprises the original body from 1947 on a later chassis, a combination that was RT1173 when it left LT service in 1963.  This bus last saw service from Rye Lane, Peckham on the 36 and 37.

 

Running into Sutton Garage on the 157, RT190 sports the early restricted blind layout.

Photo © Peter Osborn

 

Heading for Carsahlton Depot

 

RT604   New with a Weymann roof-box body in 1948, RT604 was always a Country bus.  Having gained a non-roofbox body on its 1960 overhaul, the bus worked at a number of garages in the northern part of the Country Area before it became to London Country in 1970, transferring south of the river to Chelsham in 1974.  One of the last four RTs at that garage and usually running on the 403, it became the last green RT in passenger service in September 1978.

 

RT604 heads along the tram tracks in Croydon.

Photo © Michael Petch

 

Timeless

 

RT1702 was one of four new buses which were the first to travel abroad for London Transport, touring eight European countries in 1950 to publicise the 1951 Festival of Britain.

After the tour, RT1702 went to Mortlake Garage before working London Transport's first Round London Sightseeing Tour, Service J, during the Festival of Britain.  Spells at Holloway, Victoria, Seven Kings and Hornchurch garages preceded the final overhaul in 1966, coming out to Catford Garage.  As a GB tour bus, RT1702 kept its original body all its life, unlike most of the RT family.

In 1972, RT1702 was purchased from London Transport by three Catford Garage staff members, forming a group that still keeps the bus at Catford.  Its preservation history includes its year in the Millennium Dome.

 

On the day, RT1702 worked in on the 154 from Crystal Palace before forming part of the static display at Carshalton Depot.  It is seen here on its arrival.

Photo © John Parkin

 

RT2043 on the morning feeder from Crystal Palace

 

RT3062, Blue Triangle's splendid Saunders RT.

 

RT3062 heads towards Sutton Garage for its crew change. 

Photo © Stephen Bidey

 

Not visiting West Croydon bus station

 

RT3491 has been owned by the same owners in preservation for some 35 years, considerably longer than its life with LT.

 

Green line RT3491 runs a 408 past Beddington Park.

Photo © Peter Larkham

 

Standing proud in Sutton Garage

 

RTW467 is another famous bus, being the last RTW in passenger service in London.  These pioneering 8 ft-wide buses were initially used in the suburbs until the police permitted experimental use on central London routes - for which Merton received a batch for a week in 1950 for use on route 88.  RTW467, new later that year, was a Battersea bus for much of its career, with brief spells at other garages, before arriving at Brixton for routes 109 and 95.  Six months later, on 14 June 1966, it was the last to run in on the 95.

 

A little bit of London history.  The trials of wider buses led ultimately to the Routemaster.

Photo © Geoff Ragg