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Photos of Routemasters around Britain

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Routemasters
outside London

Perhaps one of the most surprising consequences of deregulation in 1986 was the way  operators up and down the UK took to the Routemaster as a cheap and reliable tool to protect or develop their services.  More recently, as the remaining Routemasters were withdrawn from London service in 2003-2005, Routemasters again started to appear around the country, often for their novelty value and special services. The photos on this page are just a selection of the varieties of colours and locations in which Routemasters have found themselves.

The photographs on this page are from the author's personal collection unless credited otherwise.  If you would like to contribute photographs or news of AEC Routemasters in service please email the author at


NML 623E
Eastern Counties run three RMLs in the Great Yarmouth area during the summer months. RML2623 is in "Flying Banana" livery and was seen at the Showbus rally in September 2006.
RM 2151 'Holt Flyer' at Holt Station on the North Norfolk Railway. April 2006. Photograph Copyright Terry Gower 2006.
CUV 151C
RM2151, owned by Awaydays, is used on the "Holt Flyer" between Holt Station (of the North Norfolk Railway) and Holt town centre, where it was photographed in April 2006. Photo by Terry Gower.

JSJ 746
Lothian Transport owned Edinburgh tour operator Macs Tours runs a number of open-top AEC Routemasters acquired from the Arriva Original London tour fleet, alongside Olympians from the Lothian fleet. Number 4 in the Macs Tours fleet, former ERM90 was seen ascending to The Mound in April 2007.

NMY 634E
One of the former BEA Routemasters used originally for passenger transfers between Heathrow and central London, and later on a variety of duties in the London Transport ancillary fleet, former RMA34 is also a current member of the Macs Tours fleet. It was seen in livery for the Britannia Tour (now the Heritage Tour) in July 2003. Photo by Stephen Gow.

CUV 106C
The Big Red Bus Company ran RM2106 in full LT livery on their summer Sunday and bank holiday service between Seaton Sands and Beer during 2006 and 2007. Proprieter Pat Avery provided this photo of it in the summer 2006 season. It has now passed to Alpha Bus Company and is in use for wedding and private hires. Photo by Martin Fowler.
Click for full size picture of 214 CLT
214 CLT
Halifax Joint Committee made a name for themselves as operators of Routemasters in the Halifax area.  Dennis Darts and Metrobuses are now the mainstay of the fleet. Former RM1214 was pictured in April 2000. This vehicle has now been sold, although RML2327 was acquired at the end of 2004.
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650 DYE
Reading Mainline ran Routemasters in Reading for a six year period, the last two years until July 2000 under Reading buses control. The vehicles themselves came from various sources including Scottish operators and Southend, and many returned to London as part of the TfL refurbishment programme.  Former RM650 was seen at work in May 1999 and had even managed to keep its original registration number.

AST 415A
A rear-view shot of no. 12 as it loads in St. Marys Butts in January 2000. This was one of those acquired from a Scottish operator and retained the Scottish registration mark it received while there. It was running on Line A to Turnham Farm, which was withdrawn a month later as the run-down of Mainline got under way. For more Reading Mainline pictures see the Mainline last day feature on the features page.

XVS 319
Another user of Routemasters was Southend Transport. Following takeover by British Bus and passing into the control of London & Country they were rapidly withdrawn and many in fact passed to the Reading Mainline fleet. Here Southend number 106, former RM... is seen in the resort's bus station on a local service to Canvey Island. Photo by Ian Banks.
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USK 625
Routemasters continued in service with Stagecoach at Perth until 1997. Number 605, having lost its original registration number and received a dateless Scottish one, was seen in the city in August 1996.
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EDS 50A
One of the Perth Routemasters was transferred to Western and worked alongside Volvo Olympians in a version of A1 livery. Numbered 1101, it was seen at Kilwinning on the former A1 main road service in August 1997. This bus is now retained only for special operations and is usually kept at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum at Lathalmond.
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WLT 367
Clydeside were also an avid user of Routemasters, and some of these survived merger with Western and the second demerger to remain in use at Paisley into the mid-90s. RM367 was seen at Johnstone in September 1986, shortly after making the trip north from London.
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WLT 512
United Counties managed to get hold of some Routemasters even before passing into the Stagecoach empire, and made sure that passengers would have no doubt about what sort of bus they were travelling on. Former RM512, numbered 701 by United Counties, was seen at Kempston on the cross-Bedford service in March 1988.

RCN 699

Stevensons of Uttoxeter always kept an interesting fleet, one of which was this former Northern General front-entrance Routemaster seen at the Spath depot in September 1986. Shortly after the picture was taken this bus was sold to Stagecoach and ran in their Magicbus fleet from 1986 to 1991, when it was sold back to Go Northern for preservation. It is now registered PCN 762 having lost its original registration while with Stagecoach.
The remaining Stevensons operations, centred on Burton and Swadlincote, are now a part of the Arriva Midlands operation.


FPT 593C
Seen with Northern General in National Bus Company red is Routemaster 3107 alongside 3145 which had a London registration and acted as a demonstrator for four years before being purchased by Northern. Photo courtesy of Northern Routemasters, www.northernroutemaster.co.uk

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