DMS 130 RM577 LFM 734

Welcome To My Website...

On these pages I try to present my experiences owning and restoring various buses.  I bought my first bus, an ex-London RT, RT1396, in 1988.  This site gives some details of the 6 buses and 1 coach I have (so far) owned. 

At present (February 2012) I am working on the Bristol bus, so please see LFM 734 January 2012 work

Revised pages on the Routemaster (RM577) and the Regal (DMS 130) coming soon...

 

Please enjoy browsing the site, and don't forget to leave a message (JohnB @ crownsys.co.uk) [remove the spaces].

Book Published

Hobby or Obsession?
By John Braga
Why not buy a copy from Blurb in time for Christmas?!

RT1396, my first bus

In the cab of RT1396, with grandson Oscar.
   
 RT1396 can now (2011) be found working for Alphabus, of Leighton Buzzard. 

DMS 130, my fourth bus

DMS 130, viewed just before I bought her, and clearly in need of urgent attention.
 Click on the photo for photos of the long restoration process 

 

WLT577, my seventh bus

RM577, the "Silver Lady"

This newly painted ex-London ROUTEMASTER joined the stable at the end of April 2010, as my 7th vehicle.  As it has the body and running gear of RM664 (which was the unpainted Routemaster known as the Silver Lady), it has been painted silver rather than red (RM664 was painted red later in its life).

Please click on the photo to see more pictures.

RT4777, my second bus

Going to the ball
Here, in 2000, the bus sits outside my house, waiting to take villagers to the Village Millenium Ball.   
RT4777 could until recently be seen in and around Shaftsbury, Dorset, in service with the Shaftsbury and District Motor Company.  She is now RED!  

GHV 51N, my third bus

GHV 51N, at Showbus 2003
 After selling RT4777, I thought I had given up bus restoration, but the bug struck again when an ex-London DMS, owned by a friend, came on the market... 

LER 666P, my fifth vehicle

LER 666P, ex Kenzies Coaches of Shepreth

 An immaculate example of a 1970s Duple-bodied coach.

I kept this for 3 years (very popular for village outings!) and then sold it in April 2010, back to Mike Fuller (from whom I bought it!)

LFM 734, my sixth bus

LFM 734 is an 1950 Bristol single-deck bus (not coach) with the classification LL5G meaning that it has a long body (30 ft, seating 39), and a 5 cylinder Gardner engine. 

It was operated in the North-West by Crosville, and based at Chester.


See LFM 734 Restoration