1,000th Routemaster for London Transport
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rIVER 300 guests attended a luncheon ‘-of to mark the official handing-over of the 1,r000th Routemaster double-decker to London Transport at the Southall works of A.E.C., Ltd., last Monday.
Lord Brabazon, chairman of A.C.V., Ltd., said he considered that London's bus services, which carried 7m. passengers every day, formed the greatest proving ground at the disposal of any manufacturer, and had considerable importance from an export point of view.
• Mr. A. B. B. Valentine, L.T.E. chairman, said that people who relied on a public vehicle required, and deserved, to get the best ride that could be provided for them at a reasonable price, and the provision of this was London Transport's aim. The policy of standardization and strict inter-changeability made possible a reduction in the nurnber of spare vehicles in the fleet from 10 to 5 per cent.
Thirty-footer Shown RM 1000 is of the standard 64-seat Routemaster design. Also on display, however, was an example of the 30-ft.long 72-seater version of the Routemaster, shortly to be introduced on an experimental basis. Now designated RML, i.e., "Routemaster long," this vehicle was of particular interest by virtue of the unladen weight which, at 7 tons 12 cwt., is exceptionally low for a 30-ft.-long doubledecker. The additional length has been obtained by means of a bay inserted amidships, immediately behind the gearbox, and ha a required a change to 10.00 x 24 14-ply front tyres in place of the 9.00 x 20 size long favoured in London.