LT radio car
Now restored to original condition, with a London Transport roundel perched on its roof is a one-time member of the LT ancillary fleet, Ford Cortina Mk.1 1464F (JLA83D). New in 1966, it is the survivor of a pair that served as radio control vehicles and can be viewed at the London Bus Museum at Brooklands.
During the 1960s, urban bus operators were impacted by a surge in private car ownership that resulted in road congestion and difficulties in keeping to scheduled journeys. How effective LT’s radio cars were in tackling the problem is uncertain, but two-way radios began to equip buses from the late-1960s, and in conjunction with CCTV cameras at pinch points, enabling controllers from a central office to advise drivers of traffic conditions and the need for turning the bus short.
LT radio car
Now restored to original condition, with a London Transport roundel perched on its roof is a one-time member of the LT ancillary fleet, Ford Cortina Mk.1 1464F (JLA83D). New in 1966, it is the survivor of a pair that served as radio control vehicles and can be viewed at the London Bus Museum at Brooklands.
During the 1960s, urban bus operators were impacted by a surge in private car ownership that resulted in road congestion and difficulties in keeping to scheduled journeys. How effective LT’s radio cars were in tackling the problem is uncertain, but two-way radios began to equip buses from the late-1960s, and in conjunction with CCTV cameras at pinch points, enabling controllers from a central office to advise drivers of traffic conditions and the need for turning the bus short.