Very musical Leyland-engined AEC Routemaster RM1966 (ALD 966B) - ride, part 2

Come with me aboard freshly-restored very tuneful Leyland-engined AEC Routemaster RM1966 (ALD 966B) for a ride, in this part 2, from Epping back to North Weald on linking service 339 at the Epping Ongar Railway.

[@ROCKINGMAN]

Great Britain produced many great inventions and designs in many aspects. The Routemaster was one of the 'Best of British' long gone but not forgotton.

[@Housephonestimes4]

Real Dmu engine! The sound of a large spinning top in motion!

[@richardwalker1880]

What great old LONDON BUSSER S NEVER BROKE DOWN HARDLY AND I USED TO LOVE GOING TO LOOK AT THE ROOTMASTER WHEN WE WENT TO AUNTIE MABLES IN ADILADE ROAD IN LONDON IT WAS 1 AN 6 TO THE CITY

[@EdVanMeyer]

Fantastic engine sound, would love to have ago at driving this one having driven other RM's.

[@chipofftheoldblock1109]

Used to go to school on an RM. 18 bus route in London many years ago. Such a beautiful sound and stunning lovely bus. Beats anything on the road today. Charm & presence!

[@richardwalker1880]

Fantastic the route master and the clippie taking the fairs I love the old route master they lasted for ever

[@TheFlyingBusman]

No substitute for an AV590 (well, apart from an AV690). I drive RM 378 regularly which has its original AEC and they just sound great. Taking it over the Stainmore summit on the A66 to Kirkby Stephen with the sun shining was one of the best days of 2019.

[@johng.lidstone2236]

Very true, I used to drive that at Southend Transport when we had it. As you say AEC is definitely best especially for hill climbing. Our best Leylands had far better top end speed than all the AECs, not that that was either my driving style or needed often. Leyland RM1871 would cruise happily at 50mph top end around 56mph where our AECs would be on the governors around 42-45mph. We had two routes where just 4-5mins at around 50mph could catch you up massively on time, so then, having 1871 was handy. But on hills the Leylands struggled compared with the trusty AECs - they had the grunt where you needed it and also were far nicer on the ear. A tired bad Leyland was an ear bashing I didn’t enjoy!

[@andrewarnott2428]

Love that sound

[@TheFlyingBusman]

Engine, mirrors, ear indicators..... I love them original.

[@trevorkeyes6067]

the noise awesome

[@thisiszaphod]

Thanks for sharing. That's a very quiet Leyland engine, there!

[@jarun1984]

Awesome sound....Love Leyland

[@trevorkeyes6067]

miss these buses .

[@kevywevvy8833]

sounds nice. Last routemaster I was in had the Scania upgrade. Sounded decent enough.

[@Cazkumali]

Good old routemaster buses beasts these were

[@johno4521]

I was brought up in Northern General territory... Say no more!

[@biffick99]

Looked like he got a reasonable turn of speed going there, for a bus that is.

[@wharris302]

biffick99 routemasters are slow as fuck, this is just a faster example, any other bus would blow the doors off one of these

[@TheFlyingBusman]

Only a couple of other buses come close for the soundtrack in my opinion..... Bristol VRT with Gardiner 6LX engine and Volvo Alisa. Lets hear about your favourite sounding bus and possibly some uploads.

[@HORNEBEEDUBLO]

Leyland PD2s, PD3s, Routemasters and Gardner engined Fleetlines and Bristol REs were my favourites.

[@williamredfern5504]

Love to here a LEYLAND LEOPARD,, I would say that I am from the Original Genuine ,,BartoN Transport Ltd,, Chilwell Notts (not the nastie trent outfit)

[@paulbennell3313]

AEC Regent V. Incredible gear whine!

[@robertp.wainman4094]

@@paulbennell3313 Absolutely musical!

[@danielrussell446]

Daimler fleetline scream, Volvo ailsa, Bristol Re Gardner with semi auto routemaster and aec regent manual

[@joeking1019]

The sound of a struggling Leyland

[@johng.lidstone2236]

Joe King no ‘struggling’ it was running just fine :)

[@joeking1019]

@@johng.lidstone2236 lol, I was thinking more about British Leyland

[@drchrisdavies2941]

@@johng.lidstone2236 - totally agree, it was spot on

[@danielrussell446]

@@joeking1019 what’s up with British leyland

[@joeking1019]

@@danielrussell446 British Leyland, had a few, so I know😮‍💨

[@Hollandsehits1]

Sounds like a Den Oudsten SB220 B88

[@davemoore8759]

Noticed that the driver is driving in semi-auto mode, not fully automatic. As I did when I drove that bus.

[@acceptableandbornind80s32]

I always went with the gears driving the 94 routemaster bus pulled away in first gear a lot and let it Rev and change full throttle

[@murraydean2371]

I always drove using the gears too, I found many of the AV590s would change up a little too early for me.

[@davidluck4608]

Leyland engines were definitely NOT musical, just a loud roar. AEC AV590 and AEC AV690 engines were poetry in motion❤️

[@malctennant7412]

What is that bloody rattle???

[@jaggass]

sounds like a national/atlantean