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Theme: Not often seen on DX

16K views 31 replies 18 participants last post by  JSB 33 
G
#1 · (Edited)
As the past two months we have been doing the photo submissions we have had some awesome picture submissions. Following up the past contests is going to be extremely hard. But for some reason, I don't think it will be a problem for you guys/gals to come up with more awesome pics. :happy

This months theme will be Models not often seen on DX.
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
Rarely seen on DX - 1:24 Sunstar Routemaster (London bus) based on the first production vehicle.





These superb pictures was taken by Souky (Getter3) for whom I'm indebted.

Thanks Mate, for being a Routemaster lover from the other side of the pond.

The 1:1 has a far bigger engine than may other vehicles seen on these pages

There were 2876 Routemasters constructed between 1954 and 1968. However, that simple statement hides the fact that there were at least 7 main types plus an almost limitless number of variations to the basic specifications.

Some of these variations were there when the vehicles were constructed, but a far greater number were the result of modification and improvement through a service life now stretching for more than 45 years (RM1 entered service in 1956.) There is no way that all the variations can be listed here, but the main information can certainly be displayed.

The production breakdown was as follows:

4 Prototypes
2120 RM (27.5ft standard model)
524 RML (30ft standard model)
68 RMC (27.5ft coach)
43 RCL (30ft coach)
1 RMF (30ft front entrance model)

which gives a total of 2760 in the main London Transport series.

(Although they can't be counted as finished vehicles, there were also two spare bodies built in 1963, numbers 9985 and 9986. These entered service later in 1963 as part of the first overhaul cycle.)

Then there were a number built for other operators:

50 of the RMF type for Northern General
65 of a 27.5ft version of the RMF for British European Airways

Finally, of course, we must include the one and only FRM1 rear engined Routemaster.

Now for the advanced mathematics: 4+2120+524+68+43+1+50+65+1=2876

So let's get technical. Here follows a brief technical spec of all the main types:

RM - This is the Routemaster in its standard form (built 1958 to 1965)

Statistics:
Width - 8 feet
Length - 27 feet 6 inches
Height - 14 feet 4.5 inches

Seating: downstairs 28 - upstairs 36

Engine: AEC AV590 9.6 litre or Leyland 0600 9.8 litre diesel rated at 115 bhp at 1800 rpm

Gearbox: AEC direct selection/automatic 4 speed with electrical control and air operation

Brakes: Continuous flow power hydraulic

Steering: Power assisted, sweeping a 62 ft circle

Weight: 7 tons 7 cwt unladen, 11 tons 10 cwt laden

Body: All aluminium stressed skin construction

Chassis: Two separate steel sub-frames. Front 'A' frame carrying engine, steering and front suspension. Rear 'B' frame carrying rear axle and rear suspension.

RML

The final form of the Routemaster (built 1961 and 1965-8)

The RML was the high capacity version of the Routemaster, designed for the major Central London routes. The extra capacity was obtained by adding a 2ft 4in bay in the centre of the body and is instantly recognisable due to the square windows that rather look like an afterthought (which, of course, they were!).

RMLs 880-903 were the experimental batch which were subsequently followed by the main batch of 500 vehicles (2261 to 2760). The RML fleet is still mostly intact in London although most have been refurbished with more modern interiors and new engines. The last one of all, RML2760, is being maintained in original condition at Upton Park garage and is still made up of its original body and sub-frames.

The RML was also the ultimate in terms of the bus weight per passenger which, at a mere 240 lbs (compared to the standard RM's 257 lbs), is lighter than most modern buses and endowed it with excellent fuel consumption.

Statistics
Width - 8 feet
Length - 30 feet
Height - 14 feet 4.5 inches

Seating downstairs 32 - upstairs 40

Engine: AEC AV590 9.6 litre diesel rated at 115 bhp at 1800 rpm

Gearbox: AEC direct selection/automatic 4 speed with electrical control and air operation

Brakes: Continuous flow power hydraulic

Steering: Power assisted, sweeping a 69 ft circle

Weight: 7 tons 14 cwt unladen, 12 tons 6 cwt laden

Construction as standard RM.

RMC

The Green Line coach version of the Routemaster (1962)

The RMC was built to give passengers an even better ride than the standard version. Its design was based on the original 1957 prototype, CRL4 (later RMC4).

Apart from the special livery, this version is distinguished externally by twin headlamps and electrically operated platform doors. Inside there are other changes with more comfortable and wider spaced seats, and luggage racks.

On the mechanical side, the main differences are the rear air suspension system, a higher rear axle ratio (4.7:1 instead of the usual 5.22:1) to permit higher speed running, and a fuel tank capacity increased from 29 to 41 gallons to allow for the longer route lengths.

Statistics
Width - 8 feet
Length - 27 feet 6 inches
Height - 14 feet 4.5 inches

Seating downstairs 25 - upstairs 32

Engine: AEC AV590 9.6 litre diesel rated at 115 bhp at 1800 rpm

Gearbox: AEC direct selection 4 speed with electrical control and air operation

Brakes:
Continuous flow power hydraulic

Steering: Power assisted, sweeping a 62 ft circle

Weight: 7 tons 16 cwt unladen, 11 tons 10 cwt laden

Construction as standard RM.

RCL

The extended Green Line coach version of the Routemaster (1965)

The RCL was introduced initially to take over routes 715A, 721, 722, 723 and 726 from the old RFs and RTs although many people considered it an expensive gamble by London Transport. The main motive was an attempt to attract travellers out of their cars and back onto public transport by providing what they called 'private car comfort'. There is no doubt that they were the most comfortable Routemaster model produced but they were fighting a losing battle with route 715A being returned to single deck RF operation within a year.

Like the RMCs, they had a special livery, twin headlamps and electrically operated platform doors plus the more comfortable seats and luggage racks.

They also received the larger 11.3 litre engine, partly to offset the greater weight but also to give smoother running at higher speeds.

Statistics
Width - 8 feet
Length - 30 feet
Height - 14 feet 4.5 inches

Seating downstairs 29 - upstairs 36

Engine: AEC AV690 11.3 litre diesel rated at 150 bhp at 1800 rpm
Gearbox: AEC direct selection 4 speed with electrical control and air operation

Brakes: Continuous flow power hydraulic

Steering: Power assisted, sweeping a 69 ft circle

Weight: 8 tons 3 cwt unladen, 12 tons 7 cwt laden

Construction as standard RM.

RMF 1254
The first of the front-entrance Routemasters (1962)

RMF1254 was built as an demonstrator to show how easy the basic design could be modified for other purposes. Many operators were by this time going headlong into front-entrance, rear-engined designs and this was the first attempt to compete using an RM. It was designed in such a way that it could be used for one-man-operation if required, though to do this the driver would have to turn round by about 90 degrees.

This bus made its debut at the Commercial Motor Show in October 1962 and drew much comment. It never entered normal LT service but worked as a demonstrator in Liverpool (1962), East Kent (1963) and Halifax (1964). Strangely, the only fleet outside London to buy Routemasters was Northern General, who never tested RMF1254!

From 1964 to 1966 it also worked as an experimental vehicle to test an alternative to the ageing BEA Regal Fours. In this experiment it had to tow a luggage trailer from the West London Air Terminal, down the M4 to Heathrow Airport. This trial was obviously deemed successful because it spawned the production of 65 similar vehicles (albeit of 27ft 6in length) for BEA.

Finally, in November 1966 it was sold to Northern General where it joined their own RMFs and remained in service there for a further 13 years. It is currently being rebuilt and it is hoped to see it on the rally circuit in the next year or so.

Mechanically, it was identical to the RML apart from the slightly stiffer rear springs.

Statistics
Width - 8 feet
Length - 30 feet
Height - 14 feet 4.5 inches

Seating downstairs 38 - upstairs 31

Engine: AEC AV590 9.6 litre diesel rated at 115 bhp at 1800 rpm

Gearbox: AEC direct selection 4 speed with electrical control and air operation

Brakes: Continuous flow power hydraulic

Steering: Power assisted, sweeping a 69 ft circle

Weight: 7 tons 14 cwt unladen, 12 tons 6 cwt (approx) laden

Construction as standard RM.

RMF (Northern General type)

The only Routemasters built for service outside London (1964/5)

The order for Routemasters from Northern General was unexpected since they had not shown any previous interest in the model. However, 50 were ordered and they began entering service from May 1964.

There were many detail differences in specification from the usual London requirements such as one-piece non-opening windscreen, sliding window ventilators, fluorescent interior lights and their own pattern of seat frames. Mechanically, they had Leyland engines, a Monocontrol semi-automatic gearbox with no fully automatic setting and a worm driven rear axle as opposed to the usual spiral-bevel type used by LT.

Statistics
Width - 8 feet
Length - 30 feet
Height - 14 feet 4.5 inches

Seating downstairs 41 - upstairs 31

Engine: Leyland 0600 9.8 litre diesel rated at 115 bhp at 1800 rpm

Gearbox: Monocontrol semi-automatic

Brakes: Continuous flow power hydraulic

Steering: Power assisted, sweeping a 69 ft circle

Weight: 7 tons 14 cwt unladen, 12 tons 6 cwt (approx) laden

Construction as standard RM.

BEA RM (a.k.a. RMA)

The London to Heathrow Airport Express Coach (1966/7)

Following on from the successful trial of RMF1254, an order was placed for 65 coaches to take over from the old Regal IV one-and-a-half deckers, which were now becoming rather too small for the work required of them.

They were designed to Routemaster coach standard with large powerful engine, high ratio differential (4.08:1) and luggage racks, and also to haul a luggage trailer. The Ministry, however, insisted that this main batch would have to revert to the old standard length of 27ft 6in.

These vehicles were perfectly capable of running up to 70 mph on the M4 even though, legally, they were restricted to 50mph because they were towing a trailer.

Between 1975 and 1979 the fleet was withdrawn and passed to London Transport who used them for Aldenham staff buses and driving trainers. They were numbered in the RMA series but in the order of acquisition not registration. RMAs 5 and 8 were eventually used for passenger service on the X15 route from Upton Park, East London.

Statistics
Width - 8 feet
Length - 27 feet 6 inches
Height - 14 feet 4.5 inches

Seating downstairs 24 - upstairs 32

Engine: AEC AV690 11.3 litre diesel rated at 175 bhp at 2200 rpm

Gearbox: AEC direct selection 4 speed with electrical control and air operation

Brakes: Continuous flow power hydraulic

Steering: Power assisted, sweeping a 69 ft circle

Weight: 7 tons 14 cwt unladen, 12 tons 6 cwt (approx) laden

Construction as standard RM.

FRM 1

The one and only front-entrance, rear-engined RM (1966)

This was the belated attempt to update the Routemaster to the layout employed almost universally in the bus industry by that time. It used about 60% of standard RM parts and a considerable amount of design effort went into it.

The engine compartment layout was particularly well thought out such that each of the main components could be removed while leaving the others in place. On most modern vehicles the entire engine/gearbox unit has to be removed. It only suffered one major failure which resulted in the engine compartment bursting into flames! The culprit was the fitting of an incorrect type of flywheel, the fitter apparently not realising that the standard RM unit was too thick.

As originally built it had a forced air heating and ventilation system which required the use of fixed windows. This was removed at the same time that the bus was repaired after the fire mentioned previously. It had not proved particularly efficient and actually increased the fuel consumption by a measurable amount. Standard RM quarter-drop windows were then fitted which greatly improved the look of the vehicle.

Sadly, it was too late to have any effect on other operators and no further examples were built. FRM1 gave excellent service during its time with London Transport and was generally admired by drivers and passengers alike. It now forms part of the stock of the London Transport Museum and can occasionally be seen at rallies.

Statistics
Width - 8 feet
Length - 31 feet 5 inches
Height - 14 feet 4.5 inches

Seating downstairs 31 - upstairs 41

Engine: AEC AV691 11.3 litre diesel rated at 150 bhp at 1800 rpm

Gearbox: AEC direct selection 4 speed with electrical control and air operation

Brakes: Continuous flow power hydraulic

Steering: Power assisted, sweeping a 68 ft 2 in circle

Weight: 8 tons 9 cwt unladen, 13 tons 6 cwt (approx) laden

Body: As standard RM but strengthened at the front to carry front suspension and steering directly, and at the rear bulkhead to support the engine and gearbox units.

They don't call me Oxford Busboy for nothing :giggle

all info from
 
#16 ·
From What I have seen this is a pretty rare model

AUTOart Toyota Trophy Truck
Rare? Hardly! These trucks were a dime-a-dozen back when released as they did not have much of a following and loitered on store shelves.
They have since become hard to find and pricey but there are always some listed on eBay.
I gave one to a nephew because I got it for $30. He played with it like if it was a Tonka truck and it sure did not live up to the "Iron Man" title.
 
#20 ·
^ Awesome looker Matt
....Jaguar looks but Bug coloured.....
Please give us a clue?
 
#25 ·
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