The Amersham &
District Motorbus Society organised two superb classic bus running days
featuring preserved, mostly London buses, centred on High Wycombe and
Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire in April and July 2023 respectively. The independent transport videos cameras
were out in force recording the action for you to enjoy. You will see an excellent selection of former
green London Transport buses in action together with other related buses that
operated in this area of Buckinghamshire.
For example some of the green London Transport/London Country buses seen
are Guy ‘Special’ GS13, RF600 and RF673, RT1700, RML2412, RML2440 and RML2456
as well as Leyland Nationals SNB312, SNB448 and SNB449 in the National Bus
Company leaf green livery. Newer buses
attending the events include Dennis Darts from Arriva, a Leyland Olympian, MCW
Metrobus and 875 (AE61 EWR), a Mercedes-Benz Touro OC500 with MCV Evolution
bodywork from the current Go Ahead Oxford Bus Company fleet in the revised new
Thames Travel livery. There is even a preserved
coach from Strathtay Scottish, 438 (D278 FAS), a Leyland Tiger/Alexander T type. A non-London bus of interest at Beaconsfield
was preserved Southern National Bristol LS bus 1781 (TUO 497) with blinds set
for Green Line route 711 that ran from Reigate via London’s Oxford Street to
High Wycombe. It is a nod to Bristol
Tramways 2828 (PHW 918), a 1953 Bristol LS that was loaned to London Transport
for evaluation in the early 1950s.
The first part of our programme begins at
High Wycombe bus station where the preserved buses share the station with the
contemporary buses from Arriva and Go Ahead Oxford Bus Company’s Carousel
brand. These buses will be covered in
more detail in a forthcoming programme from itv. Our first ride of the day is on board RM848
(WLT 848) a red liveried AEC Routemaster for a return trip to Beaconsfield on
route 363 via Tylers Green at Penn.
Returning to High Wycombe we then join RT1700 (KYY 527), a 1950 AEC
Regent III with a Park Royal body for a return journey to Aylesbury
Station. You will enjoy the sound and
atmosphere on this lovely bus with a good view of the driver in action. Back at High Wycombe bus station we then join
GS13 (MXX 313), the 1953 Guy ‘Special’ for a local run to Hicks Farm Rise and
return to the bus station. We conclude
our filming with more action at the bus station.
The second part of the programme features the
Beaconsfield event. Based in the Old
Town we see the buses arriving to take up their duties. We ride on the superbly restored RML2456 (JJD
456D), an AEC Routemaster for a return journey to Windsor Castle. We make brief stops at Slough railway station
and on the return at Hedgerley near Slough to film the RML next to the last
remaining London Transport designed ‘Q’ bus shelter. Our next ride is on board a Leyland National
‘B’, SNB449 (YPL 449T) smartly turned out in National Bus Company leaf green
with ‘Chiltern Link’ branding from the MAP programme of the 1980s. It is recreating route 363 to High Wycombe
via Tylers Green at Penn and returning to Beaconsfield Old Town where our
programme concludes.