Routemaster RM1859 cab ride in Central London

Here's a video of me driving RM1859 (ex Putney bus) on one of its old routes, route 74, down Cromwell Road, Knightsbridge. Filmed through the sliding window behind the driver.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Leyland
• Routemaster
• cab
• video

[ECWH60RD]

Excellent video. The strange thing is, most PD2s had nothing like such a pronounced diesel knock as 0600 engined RMs, most sounded much more mellow. Coming from Greater Manchester, the exceptions were some Manchester (3696-3720) and SHMD ones - I remember my first visit to London thinking how the Leyland eng'd RMs sounded like the later Mcr PDs. Something to do with the type of air filter? Liverpool Atlanteans also made this deep thumping noise - I put this down to maintenance.

[RM1859]

@ECWH60RD I've noticed that too. At rallies, buses other than Leyland RM's fitted with the 0.600 dont have the distinct induction noise that Leyland RM's do. That said I have driven a couple that were quiet in Leyland RM terms, like RM2037 & 2089. On the other hand when you'd completed 4 hours in RM1357 or 1650 your ears would still be ringing at bed time!

[mike81041]

The growl of the leyland engine takes me back to my school days when i used to catch the 41 bus from Tottenham to Crouch End in the late 70s. Its allocation was Tottenham garage (AR) which had mainly leyland engine RMs. The good old days were the best. Great video.

[RM1859]

Hi Mike.

Glad you enjoyed the video. You may well have travelled on this very bus as it was an (AR) bus from 1967-1977! It was overhauled at Aldenham in 1970 and was sent back to AR after this, abit like Mortlake gararge who used to get the 'same' bus back after overhaul.

[gapminded]

Thank you so much for posting this video. I am from the US and visited London with my girlfriend in Sept '05. Our hotel breify appears in this video. It's on the left with a green awning and appears just a few seconds prior to the Sainsbury's store. I love this video as it covers some the same ground that we walked every day while there. We love London and plan to return. Thank you.

[RM1859]

Hello gapminded! So glad you enjoyed the video, i certainly enjoyed making it! Great buses to drive! I really hope you enjoy your next trip to London! All the best, from Adam!

[43weaver]

sounds like the original engine - mine had a 9.0 l cummins

[43weaver]

Been there and done it Number 13 Golders Green To Aldwych Loved every second. lulululululululululullulululul­ulu

[4crevis]

I just love the sound of them! There really is nothing else like it!

[paulikxp]

Thanks for that nice video. I rode on many Routemasters and I'm actually driving Cummins C engined RML2386 on 4 days a week, but I never had the pleasure of driving a or riding on a Leyland engined RM. Sounds very nice. But I know the engine from Southend 311, a 1958 PD3 which is serving as a sightseeing bus in Berlin where I drove it several times.