Blackpool Transport

Briefly the bus was with LT from 1961-1986, Blackpool acuired it in 1986 and sold it to Reading in 1997. During its spell at Blackpool it acquired the all-over Pontins ad, and I have photos of it parked outside the Pontins Holiday camp as such. After Blackpool sold it, Reading ended up using it as a spares source and never ran it in service. It was probably destined for the scrapyard until TFL, now desperate for buses that could get through the West End of London quicker than the O.M.O. machines of 10 years ago, bought back about 50 RMs from various sources, Reading Mainline being one.

RM 848 was towed engineless to Ash Grove garage in 2001 and during 2002 was one of some 50 refurbished by Marshalls of Cambridge. She gave another couple of years service with London United until route 9 was converted, then after a period in store was used by Arriva from Clapton garage on route 38, seeing service on the last day Routemasters ran on that route in October 2005. I've had her about 2 years and took her up to Blackpool to see her old stomping ground last June, during their annual Transport event.