Routemaster bus RML2284

English: Routemaster bus 2284 (ex-RML2284) (reg. CUV 284C) was delivered to London Transport in 1965. It served continuously in London wearing the various red Central Area London Transport & London Buses Ltd liveries. As with all RML buses, in the early 1990s it was re-engined (Cummins) and refurbished. It remained in use in London into the privatisation era, passing in 1994 into the fleet of MTL London (ex-London Northern). It remained with MTL until their purchase in 1998 by neighbouring ex-London Buses Ltd division Metroline, eventually in 2000 being repainted into their blue-skirted red livery. Latterly operating out of King's Cross garage (code KX), by July 2004 it had entered storage in North Wembley (NW). A month later in August 2004 it was sold for scrap.

RML2284 was eventually purchased as a wreck by the Coulsdon Old Vehicle & Engineering Society, who converted it into a mobile workshop/meeting space/accommodation unit/tour bus for a heritage railway group, in the process turning it into one of the few single deck Routemasters in existence. The conversion involved major changes to the structure, interior and mechanical parts. The conversion has also reduced the passenger seating capacity to 8, meaning the driver doesn't need a full bus driving licence.

Structurally, in addition to removing the roof and staircase to create a single-decker vehicle, the rear exterior was completely rebuilt, filling in the former open platform rear entrance and fitting a close-able door in the middle of the rear end. New windows were installed in this re-panelled rear end, recycled from the upper deck - square ones in the rear (one in the door and two either side of it) coming from the small bay windows, with the two curved windows from the rear of the upper deck becoming the new rear windows on either side of the lower deck. Other exterior modifications include the addition of another closable door added half-way along the nearside in the small bay space (re-using the small square window), and the panelling over of the windows over the rear wheel arches - the offside becoming just a fixed panel, the nearside becoming an horizontally opening hatch. While the original headlamps and forward facing indicators were retained, new side lights and rear light clusters have been installed, along with reflectors.

Inside, structural modifications included the addition of bulkheads to create a workshop in the rear and a passenger cabin in the front, demarcated just forward of the rear wheel arches (with an opening providing interior access between the two). In the workshop, the rear door opens into a tools/equipment/spares area, separated from the areas above the wheel arches which are now workshop benches (with the nearside one having exterior cable access via the new the hatch). Access to the passenger cabin is acheived using the new middle door, while the separation of and access to the driver's cab remains the same as in RML bus form. The passenger cabin features a completely remodelled interior finished in blue moquette, utilising the first class seating and lighting from slam door style electric train stock (with the silver handles on the new doors and access hatch also resembling those used on slam door stock). Other interior modifications included installing a fridge.

Mechanical modifications include the fitting of a new turbo-charged 240bhp Cummins engine with ’sports mode’ option, along with an automatic ZF gearbox. Air pressure brakes were fitted to both axles, plus spring accumulator brakes for the hand brake on the rear axle. The steering was also upgraded, while the cab was modernised with a new plastic dashboard.

Completing the conversion, RML2284 was turned out in London Transport Country Area style Lincoln green, minus any fleetname, and with the fleetnumber applied in gold (front near and offside) and black (rear end), but shortened to just "2284". The Coulsdon Old Vehicle & Engineering Society is recognised as the manufacturer in certain exterior details - 'COVES' has been indented into the panel at the top of the rear door, while the radiator grille has been changed from a standard London Transport one, to a custom design of a red and black triangle with silver spanner motif, positioned turning the 'O' of the letters C.O.V.E.S. Other cosmetic details include a gold metal strip applied all the way around the passenger saloon directly under the windows.