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Leyland Routemaster - RML 3 Date: 1958 Registration: SLT 58 Acquired by Museum: 1974 Current State: Fully restored, operational Trust vehicle RML 3 entered London Transport service in January 1958 and was allocated to Willesden garage. Designated RML 3 due to its Leyland mechanical units, it was the last of the four prototype Routemasters to be completed and was the only Routemaster to be fitted with a Weymann body. In January 1959 it was involved in a severe collision in the Edgeware Road and suffered extensive frontal panel damage. After repair at the Chiswick experimental shop, it was returned to service until November 1959 when its service career ended after only 18 months. It was then allocated to Clay Hall garage, and then Upton Park garage, for trainer duties. During September 1961, the letter L was deleted from the fleet number due to the imminent arrival of lengthened RMs, which assumed the RML class. Between 1963 and 1965 the vehicle saw little use as parts were removed to keep sister Leyland prototype CRL 4 roadworthy. Upon overhaul in 1965, the original style of front panels were replaced with a set of standard panels, bringing the buses appearance into line with all other Routemasters. RM(L) 3s trainer service ended at the beginning of April 1972 and was the first Routemaster to be bought for preservation, it arrived at the Museum in February 1974. The original front design was reinstated during 2003/2004, using original screw holes, and photographs which were taken when the accident damage was being repaired during 1959. None of the original parts survived, and there were no drawing of the original parts, so they all had to be made from scratch, which took a large amount of skilled work. The results of all the work were unveiled at the RM50 event in 2004 at Finsbury Park. Chassis: Leyland Body: Weymann H34/30R Engine: Leyland 0600 9.8 litre diesel with RV 35 self changing gearbox Classification: 3RM3 Date into service: 1958 Date or withdrawal: 1972

The London Bus Preservation Trust Ltd, Redhill Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1EF Tel. 01932 868665

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