Ep3: Restoring a 70 Year Old London Double Decker Bus

Ep3: Restoring a 70 Year Old London Double Decker Bus | Strip Out!

Рет қаралды 20,304

Күн бұрын

In this episode we continue working on our latest restoration project - RT2629 is London double decker bus built in 1951. Looks like we have our work cut out restoring this 70 year old London Bus!
What does it take to keep a London double decker bus on the road?
Filmed in the UK at the Routemaster 4 Hire HQ in Wrexham, North Wales we are passionate about London buses and with 7 vintage buses in the fleet we defiantly have our work cut out!
Also don't forget to check-out all our London bus restoration videos in this playlist...
• London Bus Restoration...
About Us:
We offer our London buses for private hire.
We are proud to have the privilege of owning one of London’s most recognisable sights - the iconic London Routemaster Double Decker Bus!
Our beautifully restored red London double-decker buses are available for Weddings and Special Events across North Wales and the Northwest UK, they add some nostalgic novelty and a touch of class to any occasion.
For more information, please visit our website: www.routemaster4hire.co.uk
#londonbus #rtbus #routemaster4hire

Пікірлер: 75

@billygamezgtaandmore3283 2 жыл бұрын

I found your channel when you went to the scrapyard I like watching these videos on my way to school because I love the routemaster

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Billy, glad you like the videos.

@billygamezgtaandmore3283 2 жыл бұрын

@@Routemaster4Hire :)

@rubbishsignup 2 жыл бұрын

Good work.

@JohnStodden1 Жыл бұрын

These videos are great! They remind me of the time I bought RT1396, a rare Saunders-bodied RT, and drove it back through central London to a farmer's barn in Cambridgeshire, never having driven a bus before. I enjoyed driving it for about a year before I noticed a beading strip just below the windows on the nearside was loose. No problem, let's screw it back in. But I found I could not screw it back in because there was no wood behind! I removed the whole strip, and the wood poured out as dust... The bus later went to Alphabus who did a thorough restoration. It later ran as a PSV and may still be doing so, I have lost track of it. Wish Tim and Co could have worked on it!

@nickhale2900 2 жыл бұрын

Ah, the old RTs. Brings back memories of Saturday trips to and from Woolwich market "upstairs and at the back"😜 with my female acquaintance and a pot of cockles!

@battz99 2 жыл бұрын

I had to smile. I remember that bump in the floor in front of the bench seat from when I was a little lad and my legs were just long enough to rest my feet on it when I went shopping with my mum. Edited to add the bump is over the diff casing.

@shiver_me_timbers 2 жыл бұрын

Of course! Random suggestion on youtube! Subscribed Sir!

@marksinthehouse1968 2 жыл бұрын

Surprising how much wood was used in an RT body ,all the best

@peterjhillier7659 2 жыл бұрын

Whenever I see a RT I always think it’s like a friendly Face in a Crowd. I’d love to own one myself, mind I like Bristols (Buses) too.

@Mick-sl3nv 2 жыл бұрын

I want a bus now 😂

@tonys1636 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to see an RT being restored as IMO as an ex LT driver in the early 70's, a far better bus to drive than an RM. We only had one RM road from my garage and four RT. The rest OMO. When rostered on the RM road I did my utmost to get it taken off with a fault and replaced with an RT. Did not go down well with the crew taking over. Had a dream of buying one in the mid 70's when the last were being withdrawn and converting into a motorhome (so "Summer Holiday"), Bank Manager did not have the same vision.

@jamesfrench7299 2 жыл бұрын

Loved the view of the rear axle showing the diff and the flange hubs.

@markobrien1439 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic love watching you guys.... restoring and looking after these lovely buses 👍

@ThePorridgeGobbler 2 жыл бұрын

I really like this channel, eye protection is observed but don't forget the lungs and the ears. 😁

@ianmaddams9577 2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant Tim could make a whole video just with bloopers. 🤣 excellent video as usual guys 👍🏻

@MrRossi1805 2 жыл бұрын

Cool!

@garrywhite9025 2 жыл бұрын

Great Videos Guy's Keep-Up The Work You Do, Brilliant !!

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Garry. 👍

@paultilly 2 жыл бұрын

excellent the dedication and patience is unbelievable

@paulsthemarksman 2 жыл бұрын

I first like to say a big thank you for such a great channel To you and your team. I haven't a mechanical bone in my body but your presentational skills helps me understand as well as Timm .It helps loving the buses.Take care guys you have a fan here in Australia

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul, Aussies always welcome here - just don't mention the cricket!!

@igigig27 2 жыл бұрын

Tim : You need knee protectors all the time , your knees weren't made for kneeling on all the time . Ask me how I know LOL . Love all the videos and your presentation .

@geoffreycharlton8875 2 жыл бұрын

cant wait guys luv yer

@mrkhokhar4895 2 жыл бұрын

Lovely jubly excellent superb work

@derekblake9385 2 жыл бұрын

Well done for keeping these great looking buses alive

@grahamehunter4820 2 жыл бұрын

Great content lads, love the banter 😂

@harlowkeith 2 жыл бұрын

Great stuff again Tim.

@stevecallachor 2 жыл бұрын

We had buses like these in Sydney Saustralia in the 1950s, they cried AEC, Leyland and Fidel and Regent badges. I assume these were engine variants on some sort of generic body/ chassis. They were lumbering beasts. my favourite position was the little window into the drivers cab.. I think they were 3 speed manual transmission- automatics hadn't made it in my schooldays 1950 to 1960. I'm not aware of any restoration /preservation group here in Oz They were eventually replaced by the Leyland Atlantean fleet

@darrencowley8265 2 жыл бұрын

Hi what a great video thankyou take care ☺️

@mrmoralman1 Жыл бұрын

Just bought a 1950 RT which had been dry stored for 20 years. Bought unseen, arriving Tuesday, absolutely petrified!

@stephenport4768 2 жыл бұрын

Remember the older driver's talking about the RT's a proper driver's bus most said no power steering semi auto box with an operator's pedal to select the gear when the driver wanted it fascinated me driving an RT would be on my bucket list

@Paul-gz1tz 2 жыл бұрын

Love what you guys are doing, it's great to see however please use some hearing protection with the power tools!!

@Big.Al.3 2 жыл бұрын

Another very interesting video. It just goes to show what happens in restoring and running old buses. Keep up the good work gents. Looking forward to your next film. 🚍👍

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!

@michaelkeen5010 2 жыл бұрын

Another great video, progress is being made. 👍

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

@jamesbalchin4640 2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant again

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks James

@jamesbalchin4640 2 жыл бұрын

@@Routemaster4Hire no probs anytime

@james28813 2 жыл бұрын

Love the channel. What you guys do. As a mechanic found it very interesting. Keep it up.

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, will do!

@jamesbalchin4640 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome video

@dazzlerbob1870 2 жыл бұрын

Great to see your subscription rate has risen quite rapidly. I found you after the first couple of video's, back in the beginning it has been entertaining to watch the video's and watch the channel grow. Keep up the good work. Love the banter, how a working relationship should be!

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Bob, appreciate you sticking around from the start.

@petersmith4455 2 жыл бұрын

happy new year, cant wait, ex AEC ltd

@davidvivian596 2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating video guys. I bet you're glad that you have a covered workshop rather than an open air yard, although I'm guessing that it's pretty cold nonetheless at this time of year. Tim's manual 'screwdrivering' to remove each floor slat probably compares poorly with the air-powered tools I imagine the used at Aldenham works.

@jamesfrench7299 2 жыл бұрын

I think they want to preserve the screw heads. At Aldenham they would have had replacements. They don't have that luxury here.

@redfire20003 2 жыл бұрын

Great Job! I am gutted that TFL stopped the "15" Heritage route in April 2021

@jamesfrench7299 2 жыл бұрын

They were way too altered mechanically with high revving tinny engine and Allison automatic. It's almost better not to have them there like that. Plenty of real RMs preserved along with RTs.

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Couldn't agree more James, but I guess the tourists who used the service couldn't care less what engine was in the bus.

@jacksugden8190 2 жыл бұрын

Keep up the good work 👍

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, will do!

@jacksugden8190 2 жыл бұрын

@@Routemaster4Hire Best regards, loved those RT’s, great in the 50’s onwards.

@johncourtneidge Жыл бұрын

Thank-you. Please, did this bus keep its original chassis and body combination through its life?

@ptdumptruck 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic job guys, Keeping old machines on the road is hard but in the end its worth it. Also seeing this resturation would it be better to just replace all interior and destination boards light bulbs to LED?

@briangentle5515 2 жыл бұрын

Don't' think that is what this channel is all about. They, and we, I suppose, would be looking to see things restored to as close to original as possible.

@timhines6543 2 жыл бұрын

It is possible to replace with LED however I much prefer the warm glow of a 'real' light bulb. The LED ones these days are very close but just dont give the same dull glow I like to see recreated.

@v88krb 2 жыл бұрын

Love your videos as we are old enough to have travelled on RMs and RTs. What's the tune that goes with your credits??

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Its not a commercially available track, we found it on Audio Jungle.

@davidrice9880 2 жыл бұрын

Do you replace cross head screws with pozidrive screws?

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

No, we only use slot head screws.

@98Blackbess 2 жыл бұрын

3:55 Are they Michelin XZY tyres that you use ? If so, where do you get them from ? I own a Dennis RS fire appliance which uses those tyres and i struggle to them. If you copy and paste 'Dennis RS. F926 NHK. Harlow rescue pump, Essex, using two tone horns' in the youtube search box you will see the video of it. For some reason i cannot post the youtube link.

@timhines6543 2 жыл бұрын

The tyres on it currently are the original LT tyres which I have now replaced. After years of sitting about they had degraded and much better on new ones. Sadly I dont think you can get XZY's very easily any more however Dunlop still make a 900 r20 that is still available in a radial.

@98Blackbess 2 жыл бұрын

@@timhines6543 Thank you for your reply. XZY's are still available but i am currently paying almost £600 per tyre. I heard there was a chinese copy of the XZY though but i cannot find a reference to them.

@stevecallachor 2 жыл бұрын

Sorry meant FODEN

@topcappy100 2 жыл бұрын

Where on Earth do you find these buses?

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Usually from people we know.

@Jab1303 7 ай бұрын

What happend to this bus is it still being done

@veteran011 2 жыл бұрын

Please use some eye and ear protection with those death wheels. Some gloves wouldn't be a bad idea either!

@ricobass0253 Жыл бұрын

If you'd like to minimise hearing loss when you retire, start using ear defenders now...

@Srevelation 2 жыл бұрын

Out of interest have you guys been to look at a rm before then suddenly looked at each other and walked away because of the amount of work or money needed to restore it

@Routemaster4Hire 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, many times!!