Recent Photos

Photo by Jill Newman

Older Photos

This view was taken in the late 60’s - early 70’s in Dalston Garage. Photo courtesy of Kevin McCormack from the Julian Bowden Collection

RLH 61 on Route 230. Photo: John Shearman

The last shot in this series of five, showing RLH 61 over the inspection pit in Dalston Garage. Parked alongside is an MBS-class AEC Merlin, allocated to Dalston for route S2 which partially replaced RLH route 178. Photo Peter Newman courtesy of the AEC Southall.co.uk

Her next owner in Canada was Travelways who again used it on sightseeing duties. Looking slightly scruffier than she did in 1975 in this view taken on the 22 April 1978 in Travelways yard. Photo via Peter Gasgoines' 'RLH Remembered'

Rear-shot on 31 March 1969. (Photo by Peter Esposito, via Chris Stanley)

After completing the journey to Stratford, RLH 61 then worked back to Dalston Garage where this shot was taken as the bus pulled in, now minus its passengers and with two inspectors riding ‘shotgun’ on the platform. Photo Peter Newman courtesy of the AEC Southall.co.uk

Signs of things to come were the enormous loads these buses carried on their last day, being the very last low-bridge buses in LT ownership. By mid-afternoon the buses had started carrying various signs indicating that it was their last day in service. Photo Peter Newman courtesy of the AEC Southall.co.uk

RLH61 spent the last 7 years of it LT life on the route 178 based out of Dalston Garage. (Photo by Chris Stanley)

By evening time with various duty changes it became apparent that RLH 61 was indeed going to be the very last RLH back to the depot, thus making it the very last London Transport owned low-height bus in service. The loadings were becoming so severe that various duplicate vehicles had to run as can be seen by the GS following. Photo Peter Newman courtesy of the AEC Southall.co.uk

After so many years outside one more Winter seemed to have made little difference. The first job was to attempt to re-inflate the tyres and push the bus from her long term retirement home. This was successfully achieved and the green light given to the recovery for the following weekend. Photo Paul Bateson

With Spring now here the opportunity was taken to start the recovery operation. Paul Bateson and volunteers went out to see how she had survived the harsh Winter a week before the move was scheduled and to work out what they needed to bring with them for the following week. Photo Paul Bateson

If her front was bad the rear was a complete shambles. The platform was collapsing, the rear quarter was missing showing exposed rotting framework and even most of the original lights had been removed. Photo Paul Bateson

Photo Paul Bateson

The interior seemed to offer a little more hope, however as we will see this proved not to be the case. But it was based on these pictures that RLH 61 was purchased by Ross & Steve Newman. It would still be sometime before she could be moved due to the snow and ice that would render any recovery operation impossible until the Spring. Her final Winter in Canada had begun and locals swore they heard her sigh with relief...Photo Paul Bateson

An offside view of the generally poor state of RLH 61. Photo Paul Bateson

These pictures were taken in the Autumn of 2003 before the Winter snow set in. They were then posted on the internet as the owner was moving house and she was not destined to go with him. The state of her meant you would have to be slightly mad to take it on as a restoration project, as can be seen by this front view showing corrosion, rot and deflated tyres... Photo Paul Bateson

And so it began... the first time on the Highway for many years and certainly the quickest she’s been in all her life! The local part of the journey was done by towing the vehicle much to the bewilderment of the local population. The interstate long-distance part of the journey would need to be completed by low-loader. The cross loading was completed more rotting panels were taped up and our Canadian volunteers bid her Bon Voyage! Photo Paul Bateson

RLH61

Seating Capacity:
53 (27 upstairs and 26 downstairs)
Special features:
Beautifully restored and very rare. Ideal for film work and weddings.

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Description:
RLH61 another of our long term projects that we have returned to the road in some style! RLH61 has a history that spans both the UK and Canada, having spent 33 years there mainly in Ontario. The reason for these vehicles being so popular overseas was that they are significantly lower than a normal double decker, which makes this vehicle ideal today for hires that are in areas that have low trees or limited height but where more people need to be carried than on a single deck bus. The buses were built to a very provincial feel and the interior gives off a feel of being older than the bus actually is, with exposed varnished wood and mellow colours. This particular example was the last of this type to ever operate for London Transport back in 1971.

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Vehicle History

Class History:
The RLH is basically a low height RT, hence the prefix Regent Low Height. London had, up until the war, ran very few low height buses as the Metropolitan Police were convinced the unusual seating arrangement would cause delays in loading times and hold up other traffic unnecessarily. World War II caused a complete re-think of this as extra capacity was required on many routes that passed under low bridges whilst economies were always sought in not running more vehicles than were absolutely necessary due to the fuel rationing and shortages of things like brakes and tyres. During this period London ‘borrowed’ many types from provincial operators some of which were of the low height variety which operated without causing the chaos envisaged in the pre war days. Following hostilities London needed to replace its war weary fleet and this included the few low height double decks actually owned by the Board. To start with 20 were purchased on standard AEC Regent III chassis and bodied by Weymann in 1950, these all went into service in the Country Area in green. To enable the remaining low bridge buses to be replaced a further 56 were ordered in 1952, the first 32 again went for Country use in green, whilst the remainder went into Central Area red (including RLH61). The class continued to operate until 1971 when the final route that could not be diverted round or have the road lowered to allow conventional double decks, the 178’s, was converted to high capacity single decks.
Due to their low height configuration many RLH’s were sold overseas for further use, with big buyers being both the USA and Canada. Even today some survive as bars, cafes or restaurants in these countries, whilst here in the UK only 5 remain, of which one is a mobile uniform store that was converted by London Country for this purpose.
For more on this class why not visit Ian's Bus Stop

RLH61
RLH61 entered service on December 1, 1952 at Harrow Weald where it took up duties on route 230, where it remained until August 1958 where a very short stay saw it operate on the 127’s until the last day of operation by double decks. It then moved back again to Harrow Weald where it worked until going into storage at various depots before eventually ending up Dalston Garage for use on the 178. It remained here until April 1971 when the route became the very last to be operated by the RLH’s and on April 16, RLH61 became the very last of the class to operate on this route and thus bring to an end 20 years of service in London.
Many of the RLH’s found quick buyers in the USA and Canada where their low height made them ideal. RLH61 was no exception heading of to the ‘New World’ in the summer of 1971 destined for Toronto. Various owners operated it on sightseeing duties in Ottawa and Kingston, before passining into private ownership in the early 1990’s where its condition gradually deteriorated.By 2004 the vehicle was in the last chance saloon as the elements took their toll and its long term home was due to be sold and the vehicle was left facing oblivion. Purchased by Ensignbus, its acquisition was kept secret from the Chairman and the vehicle was repatriated, recovered and restored without his knowledge, eventually being presented to him as a late birthday gift in July 2005. Since then it has been a regular performer at many events and still wears its Ontario number plate proudly alongside its UK one as a reminder of its long stint overseas.

Technical Specifications:
Date of first registration: 1st December 1952
Chassis: AEC Regent III
Chassis Number: 9613E6984
Body: Weymann low bridge 2RLH
Engine: AEC 9.6
Fuel: Diesel
Length: 25’ 11”
Seating capacity: 53 seats (27 downstairs & 26 upstairs)