Peter A Hadfield
SMK659F - RML2659.
t's good when Japanese enthusiasts update us about buses in their country!
In 2019 SMK 659F-RML2659 opened as part of the London Bus's Western Restaurant at 1-16-9 Omorikita, Ota-ku, Tokyo. Japanese reviews say - London Bus's Western restaurant newly opened in 2019 and the first floor is a kitchen and the second floor is seating. There is an inexpensive lunch and it is written that it boasts of Western-style meat dishes using carefully selected meat.
The vehicle is a long Routemaster RML and it was used as a private bridal bus in Northern Ireland after being used as a public bus in the UK. The number on the front is SMK659F On the side, the notation that seems to be from the Northern Ireland period is left as it is. It has an automobile inspection certificate and has a Japanese license plate (17-69), but it is currently used as a fixed store. In the future, it seems to be expected to be used for events and catering.
This is a highly entertaining store that uses a dining car (32 seats), a container building (6 private rooms), and terrace seats (8 seats).
SMK659F had been put for sale in 11/16 by James Wray, t/a Top Tours of Londonderry through Car & Classic.com at £40K. Photo- www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1313405682014766&set=...
It was said that the Cummins engine was rebuilt in 2015 and the gearbox was rebuilt in 2013.
The DVLA records that its last logbook was issued 4/17 and it was exported afterwards. Malcolm Allan records the history of fleetnumber RML 2659-
New to LT at the end of June 1967, this Routemaster was kept back at Aldenham until mid-August when it was placed into store at HL before entering service at Uxbridge (UX) Garage on the first day of September. A year later, in September 1968, it was reallocated to AC, gained its repaint in October 1970, then in April 1973 was sent via HL to settle in at SW.
In July 1974 it was ready for its first overhaul, being out-shopped in early August with body B2618 then joined the fleet at HL. Reassigned to AE in February 1976, it gained another repaint in February 1978 then in June 1981 was back at Aldenham for its second overhaul. Mounted with body B2610 it was returned to AE to remain loyal until its third overhaul, penned in for June 1985. Emerging in August with the same body and running units, it was now part of the run-out at T, transferring over to AC in February 1990, gaining a Cummins engine at the beginning of 1993 followed by its refurbishment.
In December it was repainted into orange with yellow relief and leased to BTS in Borehamwood for use on route 13, being returned to London Buses and allocated to MTL London Northern at HT then taken over by Metroline the following year.
In March 2003 it was sent down to the KX outstation then withdrawn from there in September 2004 and put into store at North Wembley (NW).
The next month it was taken over to Tottenham Marshes (TM) then sold in February 2005 to a M Tonks in Bishops Wood in Staffordshire. In December it was purchased for sightseeing work and shipped over to Northern Ireland for a Mr J Wray in Londonderry.
SMK659F - RML2659.
t's good when Japanese enthusiasts update us about buses in their country!
In 2019 SMK 659F-RML2659 opened as part of the London Bus's Western Restaurant at 1-16-9 Omorikita, Ota-ku, Tokyo. Japanese reviews say - London Bus's Western restaurant newly opened in 2019 and the first floor is a kitchen and the second floor is seating. There is an inexpensive lunch and it is written that it boasts of Western-style meat dishes using carefully selected meat.
The vehicle is a long Routemaster RML and it was used as a private bridal bus in Northern Ireland after being used as a public bus in the UK. The number on the front is SMK659F On the side, the notation that seems to be from the Northern Ireland period is left as it is. It has an automobile inspection certificate and has a Japanese license plate (17-69), but it is currently used as a fixed store. In the future, it seems to be expected to be used for events and catering.
This is a highly entertaining store that uses a dining car (32 seats), a container building (6 private rooms), and terrace seats (8 seats).
SMK659F had been put for sale in 11/16 by James Wray, t/a Top Tours of Londonderry through Car & Classic.com at £40K. Photo- www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1313405682014766&set=...
It was said that the Cummins engine was rebuilt in 2015 and the gearbox was rebuilt in 2013.
The DVLA records that its last logbook was issued 4/17 and it was exported afterwards. Malcolm Allan records the history of fleetnumber RML 2659-
New to LT at the end of June 1967, this Routemaster was kept back at Aldenham until mid-August when it was placed into store at HL before entering service at Uxbridge (UX) Garage on the first day of September. A year later, in September 1968, it was reallocated to AC, gained its repaint in October 1970, then in April 1973 was sent via HL to settle in at SW.
In July 1974 it was ready for its first overhaul, being out-shopped in early August with body B2618 then joined the fleet at HL. Reassigned to AE in February 1976, it gained another repaint in February 1978 then in June 1981 was back at Aldenham for its second overhaul. Mounted with body B2610 it was returned to AE to remain loyal until its third overhaul, penned in for June 1985. Emerging in August with the same body and running units, it was now part of the run-out at T, transferring over to AC in February 1990, gaining a Cummins engine at the beginning of 1993 followed by its refurbishment.
In December it was repainted into orange with yellow relief and leased to BTS in Borehamwood for use on route 13, being returned to London Buses and allocated to MTL London Northern at HT then taken over by Metroline the following year.
In March 2003 it was sent down to the KX outstation then withdrawn from there in September 2004 and put into store at North Wembley (NW).
The next month it was taken over to Tottenham Marshes (TM) then sold in February 2005 to a M Tonks in Bishops Wood in Staffordshire. In December it was purchased for sightseeing work and shipped over to Northern Ireland for a Mr J Wray in Londonderry.