Routemaster Bus Front Seat Ride

[@ROCKINGMAN]

I remember the RMC on the 715 route through Camden Town as a child. We took it sometime to Epping. Love the older LT vehicles. There were Bus/Coach stops everywhere too, great memories.

[@Gary0557]

I used to love sitting in that seat as a young boy in the 60’s and try to learn what the driver was doing. Occasionally a driver would turn to his left and wink.

[@adrianaustinhobbit]

I`m a musician ... this video is awesome and for me .... music to my ears...always wanted to visit England ... Thumbs up !!

[@acceptableandbornind80s32]

I think the gears here were used very well and good timing aswell like on the roundabout dropping into second gear to go around it, a lot of drivers in service before didn't use the gears very well atall they would cause jolting on it massively

[@greghill1655]

Very nice, Live in Canada but spent many summers in England as a little boy. Whenever I smell Diesel I still automatically think of my time near double deckers in England 40+ years ago....Nice Memories.

[@stevehillier7018]

Driving properly delaying between the gears. Many drivers used to go straight through the gate causing a jolt

[@acceptableandbornind80s32]

Driving like that is not good atall for the gearbox on Semi Automatics slammimg it through the gate and the Gearbox system thinks your trying to use two gears at once. And eventually the Gears will slip like a clutch slipping effect when changing into any gear. And coasting isnt good for the bus either

[@richardclarke376]

those were the days. I'd love to have a crack at driving one of them. I remember when one would have a driver change at Thornton Heath Bus Garage and I'd wait for the new driver to arrive and be so excited to hear the engine fire up. As I recall the starter was like a light switch at the level of the driver's head. Am I right ? I was like 3 years old at the time.

[@LandAnchor]

Being a conductor on one of these still in service I can confirm - the starter switch is to the left above the drivers head.

[@TheKingsleyHamilton]

M & I, it sounds just ight what a lovely beast!! K

[@Mitsugejl]

sounds great, especially when idling :)

[@graemewilson5097]

On many RMs there was an automatic option by selecting 4th (top) gear, so probably the auto-changing causing the jolts in some cases and not the driver!

[@drchrisdavies2941]

Graeme Wilson yes the RM had the ability to automatically go through the gears if top was selected. However, if the gearbox was not well set up, or the driver did not lift off slightly between changes, they often jolted between gear shifts. I have been on buses when this became very pronounced. It was exacerbated by the fact the engine produced maximum torque at 1,000rpm, meaning it had considerable pulling power between gear changes if not driven correctly.

[@johncourtneidge]

An entirely divine vehicle. Thank-you! If only the roads had remained that little used the Green Line network would have endured. But.

[@michaelnarduzzo9263]

Thank you John. We still own RCL2233 and she still purrs along with that wonderful AEC 11.3ltr AV690 engine giving a superb performance. Cheers for you comment. Michael.

[@briangentle5515]

Great drive with a careful driver. Interesting about the gearbox; these "country area" (Green) Routemasters had a preselector gearbox, where you chose the gear first and then pressed the gear-change pedal (clutch to the ordinary mortal!) to activate the selected gears. Not as easy as it sounds, especially changing down. The red London Routemasters did have an automatic option, but this was not available on the country area buses. Hope this clarifies things a bit.

[@johnpiper3416]

Brian Gentle The country area buses did not have pre select boxes, these were fitted to the RT and RF. The auto option on the Routemaster was isolated, so they were a semi auto.

[@briangentle5515]

Interesting; I always thought it was a preselector! You live and learn. If I could, I would scan what it said in my Ian Allan British Bus Fleets book, but I am sure you're right. Thanks for the comment.

[@briangentle5515]

Indeed... oops! I just went to take a look. You are absolutely right of course. BTW you aren't the John Piper I have known in Brussels via Scouting by any chance?

[@johnpiper3416]

Brian Gentle Hi, Sadly I have never been to Brussels.

[@ericgraham7026]

I’m 99.9% sure that no RM (or any of its variants) had a pre-select gearbox. The country RMs would probably not had the “auto” option though. The previous design to the RM (RT) had a pre-select gearbox. I believe all RMs had air operated semi (or including auto option using top gear selected position) using either Simms or Westinghouse electric control gear.

[@HJDodo]

I really enjoyed your Routemaster front seat ride, thank you. I would know the sound of an RT or an RM blindfolded.

[@clarky2356]

The sound of the engine reminds me of the first generation dmu

[@adrianaustinhobbit]

@johno4521 i love the soundtrack ...music to my ears !!

[@caroldocherty6810]

I used to drive these

[@kev1973]

would i be right in guessing from what people have said,that its an RMC in original spec??

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Is this an RM C (C,/CL), as it sounds so smoothly muted from the heavier used RM/RMLs, as potrayed here on YT.... ¿?

[@iainpuddephatt8428]

Its an RCL with an 11.3L AEC engine.

[@regentv980]

yes

[@christopherdalton7828]

Great engine noise

[@davidshaw7105]

Lovely 😊 sounds brilliant you can't beat the sounds of the AEC. Great 👍 thanks

[@jacksugden8190]

All very well and good 👍

[@neilhurn2685]

Where is this?

[@Achiliesguy21]

oi! whatever happened to the rule "keep right" when driving?

[@johno4521]

Excellent, but my only complaint about the soundtrack is that for obvious reasons owners/ drivers of preserved vehicles do not 'slam' the gears like regular drivers used to in service!

[@Globus601]

old bus! It even still has a manual gearbox!

[@80sWeekends]

I like this video.

[@timsimmk]

What's the little knob on the side of the steering wheel for? Is it some sort of semi-automatic gear selector?

[@LandAnchor]

Semi automatic gear box selector yeah.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Ease of turn use.

[@TheKingsleyHamilton]

Hi M And I It sounds lovely just right!!! My turn within the next year hopefully! K

[@regentv980]

@Globus601 Advanced! Semi auto gearbox,poor comments,The Rm is a legend

[@TheAngryFloridian]

this video almost remind me of Jamaica

[@regentv980]

aec