Routemaster coach RMC1461

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English: Routemaster coach RMC1461 (reg. 461 CLT) was delivered to London Transport in August 1962. As with all RMC class buses, it was a coach version of the Routemaster, with a closeable rear door and twin headlamps, delivered to the Green Line express routes division of the London Transport 'Country Area', delivered in Green Line livery, a dark Lincoln Green base, with light green window surrounds and mid-level line, 'Greenline London Transport' fleetnames on the loswer half of the bus, and small 'Green Line' roundels on the upper side of the bus, both positioned in the middle. As with all RMC class buses, the 1967 overhaul saw the adoption of a simplified Green Line livery, with the fleetname altered to just 'Green Line', and with larger roundels, moved to the front, and with the loss of the light green window surrounds. As with all the 'Country Area' buses, it passed ownership to London Country Bus Services in 1970, in turn as with all RMC buses, it was eventually downgraded to bus work (Feb 1973 for RMC1461), and recieved the lighter NBC green livery. All RMC class buses were eventually bought back by London Transport, over a phased period. RMC1469 passed into LT ownership in June 1979, being put to work as a training bus, still in NBC green but with white LT roundels. In July 1985 it was repainted red, still as a trainer. From 1989 it was one of several RMC's modified for use on the new London Buses X15 'Beckton Express' route, intended to serve commuters in the new Docklands areas. For this role it was given a gold lining to its red livery (see comparison image of RMC1490, preserved in X15 livery). In August 1994 it was rstored to its original Green Line condition of 1962, in time for the 40th anniversay celebrations of the Routemaster. A month later, as part of the privatisation process, it passed into the fleet of East London, who used it both as a service bus, and on private hires/special events/commemorative runs. By August 2003 it was withdrawn and stored, and the following month, was donated to Cobham Bus Museum, who have continued to use it on special events and running days, including several London Buses routes.

In preservation[edit]