Transport Museum Wythall News - London Comes To Wythall

Published: 27/06/2022

Welcomed by the first day of heavy rain for two weeks, Transport Museum Wythall’s London bus event was still well attended by both buses and enthusiasts. As expected, several Routemasters came along but variety was assured with examples of the Volvo Ailsa, AEC RTL, Bristol BL, AEC RF and MCW Metrobus alongside buses with a London connection from Wythall’s own fleet.

Despite a day of rain on Saturday, Sunday dawned dry and bright to the arrival of two open top RMs RM 1783 and RMC 1510 posed alongside D9 3016 HA OM5 (Midland Red 5016). A D9 in a London line up? This D9 was sold, along with six others, to Obsolete Fleet in London. Converted to open top by LPC Coachworks in Hounslow, they received London Transport Red livery and carried a cast LT roundel on their grilles. They entered sightseeing service in 1975 and ran until 1981, Wythall purchasing the vehicle in 1984.

Routemasters on display were RM 1783 (O/T), RMC 1510 (O/T), RM 2097, RM 2180, RM 2213 and RML 2276. Two RTLs were present although not in LT livery – RTL 326 now in Barton livery following a short life in Jersey and former RTL 173, painted in Brown’s Blue livery in 2012.

Adding further to the variety were, SUU 103V the 1984 Volvo Ailsa two staircase prototype built for LT’s Alternative Vehicle Evaluation (AVE) trials, early MCW Metrobus BYX 161V which languished for many years at the now defunct Coventry Electric Museum, beautifully restored OJD 93R Bristol LH BL class and LUC 213 AEC RF, one of 25 27’ 6” ‘Private Hire’ RFs.

TMW vehicles on display with a London connection were CUV 219C RCL, BHA 656C the BMMO CM6 Birmingham/London Motorway Express coach, and OV 4486, the museum’s recently completed BCT  AEC Regent which spent several weeks in London in 1940 operating out of Turnham Green garage covering for blitz losses.

Several of the visiting vehicles operated on Wythall’s free bus service on the Sunday when the weather was more favourable. 

We hope that this successful event will become a fixture in the museum’s future calendar.

DON’T FORGET WYTHALL BUSFEST@GAYDON ON SATURDAY 2 JULY 2022