Peter A Hadfield
WLT632- RM632.
Sad news from Tokyo. It was announced on 23-12-24 that RM632 was being scrapped in Tokyo. www.instagram.com/p/DD5xF5qBvQ2/?img_index=1.
It had been exported to Japan in 10/89 and had served as a dining area with McDonalds and was known as McDonald's "Party Bus". Latterly it had been used as an eye-catcher outsider the Ome Kaido Shinmachi store in Ome City, Tokyo Metropolis..
The author of a press report from 12/21 www.j-cast.com/2021/12/04426026.html?p=all says - it was commonly known as the 'Donald Bus' and originally used as a space where you could have parties and karaoke. McDonald's mascots such as "Donald", the purple "Grimace" and the yellow bird "Birdie" are depicted on the side of the bus. If you go around to the other side, there is a spot where you can measure your height and a place where you can take a photo by putting your face in through the window. However, the red paint has peeled off in some places, and it is impossible to enter the bus. When I looked into the car through the window, I saw a pile of round chairs on a long sofa. I have the impression that it has been a long time since it was last used.
What exactly is this "party bus"? According to McDonald's Japan company history "Japan McDonald's 20 Years of History: Winning and Losing (1991, Japan McDonald's Co., Ltd.), it was first introduced in February 1990 at the "246 Yoga store" (now closed) in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. The interior of the car, which was converted from a London bus in England, was equipped with a space where you could eat and drink, and you could hold a party. An article in the Japan Keizai Shimbun on November 26, 1990, which featured the party bus at the 246 Yoga store, reported on the success of the event, saying, "Kindergarten children and groups of friends in the lower grades of elementary school hold birthday parties on the bus, and they make a lot of noise every day.
According to a McDonald's spokesperson on Japan J-CAST News on November 26 2021, "new buses have not been introduced for a long time." He said that he "did not know everything" about the stores where the buses were, but that one remained at the Ome Kaido Shinmachi store, which he visited this time, and the No. 27 Maizuru store in Maizuru City, Kyoto.
According to the person in charge, the party bus at the No. 27 Maizuru store was used as a seating and party room. However, it was closed due to the influence of the new coronavirus. Without waiting for the reopening, the store was to close on 12/20/21.
In response to the closure of the No. 27 Maizuru store, attention had been focused on the treatment of RM632. However, according to a McDonald's representative Japan, "The future has not yet been decided at that time (12/21)."
(J-CAST News reporter Shonosuke Sat
Seemingly it was recently decided to sell RM632 for scrap.
Photos of it being scrapped c/o Ichikawa Tamotsu, @ichitamo dated 22-12-24.
Ian Smith's website records its history-
RM632 WLT 632 1/61 new to Aldenham: 7/5RM5/7, AEC AV590
1/61 sent to Self Changing Gears, Coventry. 5/61 sent to Leyland, fitted with Leyland O.600. 6/61 return to Aldenham. 6/61 HL ..into service (Hanwell). 8/61 HL into store. 10/61 HL ..and out. */62 HL used on 207. 4/63 W transfer (Cricklewood). 1964 W. 5/65 W into store. 6/65 W to Aldenham overhaul. 6/65 WN from o/h, unlicensed (Wood Green), body B633. 7/65 WN relicensed. 66-67 WN. 11/68 WN to Aldenham repaint, and return. 7/69 WN into store. 9/69 MH transfer (Muswell Hill). 10/69 SF transfer (Stamford Hill). 6/70 EM transfer (Edmonton). 1971 EM. 6/72 EM to Aldenham overhaul. ****** Aldenham works float ****** 4/76 NX from o/h (New Cross), body B1659. 1977 NX. 10/78 NX into store. 12/78 NX ..and out. 1979 NX. 2/80 NX to Aldenham repaint, and return. 12/80 NX to Aldenham overhaul. 12/80 AK from o/h (Streatham), body B773. */80 in service on 3 to Crystal Palace $. 1981 AK. 9/82 TH transfer (Thornton Heath). 1983 TH. 1/84 TH to Aldenham overhaul. 3/84 AR from o/h (Tottenham), still body B773. 1985 AR. 10/86 SF transfer (Stamford Hill). 11/88 WN withdrawn..11/88 FW ..to London Bus Sales (Fulwell). 10/89 sold to Burgsport,(Harrow). exported to Japan 1996 McDonalds Party bus
WLT632- RM632.
Sad news from Tokyo. It was announced on 23-12-24 that RM632 was being scrapped in Tokyo. www.instagram.com/p/DD5xF5qBvQ2/?img_index=1.
It had been exported to Japan in 10/89 and had served as a dining area with McDonalds and was known as McDonald's "Party Bus". Latterly it had been used as an eye-catcher outsider the Ome Kaido Shinmachi store in Ome City, Tokyo Metropolis..
The author of a press report from 12/21 www.j-cast.com/2021/12/04426026.html?p=all says - it was commonly known as the 'Donald Bus' and originally used as a space where you could have parties and karaoke. McDonald's mascots such as "Donald", the purple "Grimace" and the yellow bird "Birdie" are depicted on the side of the bus. If you go around to the other side, there is a spot where you can measure your height and a place where you can take a photo by putting your face in through the window. However, the red paint has peeled off in some places, and it is impossible to enter the bus. When I looked into the car through the window, I saw a pile of round chairs on a long sofa. I have the impression that it has been a long time since it was last used.
What exactly is this "party bus"? According to McDonald's Japan company history "Japan McDonald's 20 Years of History: Winning and Losing (1991, Japan McDonald's Co., Ltd.), it was first introduced in February 1990 at the "246 Yoga store" (now closed) in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. The interior of the car, which was converted from a London bus in England, was equipped with a space where you could eat and drink, and you could hold a party. An article in the Japan Keizai Shimbun on November 26, 1990, which featured the party bus at the 246 Yoga store, reported on the success of the event, saying, "Kindergarten children and groups of friends in the lower grades of elementary school hold birthday parties on the bus, and they make a lot of noise every day.
According to a McDonald's spokesperson on Japan J-CAST News on November 26 2021, "new buses have not been introduced for a long time." He said that he "did not know everything" about the stores where the buses were, but that one remained at the Ome Kaido Shinmachi store, which he visited this time, and the No. 27 Maizuru store in Maizuru City, Kyoto.
According to the person in charge, the party bus at the No. 27 Maizuru store was used as a seating and party room. However, it was closed due to the influence of the new coronavirus. Without waiting for the reopening, the store was to close on 12/20/21.
In response to the closure of the No. 27 Maizuru store, attention had been focused on the treatment of RM632. However, according to a McDonald's representative Japan, "The future has not yet been decided at that time (12/21)."
(J-CAST News reporter Shonosuke Sat
Seemingly it was recently decided to sell RM632 for scrap.
Photos of it being scrapped c/o Ichikawa Tamotsu, @ichitamo dated 22-12-24.
Ian Smith's website records its history-
RM632 WLT 632 1/61 new to Aldenham: 7/5RM5/7, AEC AV590
1/61 sent to Self Changing Gears, Coventry. 5/61 sent to Leyland, fitted with Leyland O.600. 6/61 return to Aldenham. 6/61 HL ..into service (Hanwell). 8/61 HL into store. 10/61 HL ..and out. */62 HL used on 207. 4/63 W transfer (Cricklewood). 1964 W. 5/65 W into store. 6/65 W to Aldenham overhaul. 6/65 WN from o/h, unlicensed (Wood Green), body B633. 7/65 WN relicensed. 66-67 WN. 11/68 WN to Aldenham repaint, and return. 7/69 WN into store. 9/69 MH transfer (Muswell Hill). 10/69 SF transfer (Stamford Hill). 6/70 EM transfer (Edmonton). 1971 EM. 6/72 EM to Aldenham overhaul. ****** Aldenham works float ****** 4/76 NX from o/h (New Cross), body B1659. 1977 NX. 10/78 NX into store. 12/78 NX ..and out. 1979 NX. 2/80 NX to Aldenham repaint, and return. 12/80 NX to Aldenham overhaul. 12/80 AK from o/h (Streatham), body B773. */80 in service on 3 to Crystal Palace $. 1981 AK. 9/82 TH transfer (Thornton Heath). 1983 TH. 1/84 TH to Aldenham overhaul. 3/84 AR from o/h (Tottenham), still body B773. 1985 AR. 10/86 SF transfer (Stamford Hill). 11/88 WN withdrawn..11/88 FW ..to London Bus Sales (Fulwell). 10/89 sold to Burgsport,(Harrow). exported to Japan 1996 McDonalds Party bus