Plenty of seats on top!

We have been busy fabricating the original style seat fixing brackets and this has allowed a trial refitting of the RTW seat frames. We have also made an interesting discovery - the seat backs from a Routemaster will (with a slight modification) fit RTW seat frames. RTW335 returned from Germany without seat frames, so the use of standard RM/RML backs will save having to fabricate from scratch.

Other progress includes removal of the front and rear domes - which are both badly dented and not fit for re-use. A local company will make new, using sister bus RTW467 as a template.

Fabrication of new window pans is in progress and the re-fitting of these will make a great visual appearance to RTW335's extensive restoration.

All that should glisten

Not the most exciting of photographs, but one that illustrates one of the many tasks in bus restoration - one of the tasks that are taken forgranted. The photo is of the component parts of the wind-down half drop windows from RTW335. The units have been stripped down and separated from the glazing ready for re-chroming. Screws were seized, gears were seized or covered in years of solidified grease and rubber gaskets have perished - all need restoring to form their part of the many pixels that will become the fully restored picture of a London RTW.

RTW467 at BusWorks too

As previously reported, RTW467 is currently at the BusWorks for some mechanical work and MoT submission - but also to have its seats completed retrimmed. We have taken the opportunity to take lots of detailed pictures of this vehicle to inform the detailed re-assembly of RTW335.

More from the blog roll!

Other work in hand is the rexine covering of the internal window cappings on RTW335. If you scroll through the back pages of this blog, you'll see the condition of the interior with its cracked emulsion paint - the condition which 335 arrived to us. Despite the years stored outside and the generally damp interior, the aluminium window cappings are in good condition and fit to re-use. We are therefore stripping off the emulsion covered rexine, cleaning them up and fitting new green and cream rexine. The picture is not of a before and after - but of a cleaned up capping and one with new green rexine applied.

Back & blogging

Steve Newman at Ensign reminded me that it has been over 3-months since any fresh news on RTW335 appeared on the blog. I know this is unforgiveable but I can only use the excuse of a very hectic summer, day-to-day life at the BusWorks being very busy and frankly being a bit 'blogged out' with keeping track of events for the Blackpool tram 125th anniversary and the projects I was managing as part of this once in a lifetime celebration. Anyway, enough excuses - I apologise!

Although visually work on 335 does not appear to have progressed as far as I would have hoped by now, work is still progressing. The rear platform was stripped down to reveal to usual corroded rear step riser (which is now being replaced) and timberwork around the rear end has been replaced (see picture). There is still a reasonable amount of timberwork to replace around the front & cab area which is one of the next jobs - our specialist joiner has been laid up in hospital for two months after a big operation - but he is back part time now.

Other news to report is that sister bus RTW467 is now with us - and we have photographed it to death! Ironically, 467's body used to be on 335's chassis! We will be using the sister bus to create patterns over the next few months to rebuild parts of 335.

Panelling commences

Repanelling commenced today on the RTW, another major step forward in the restoration phase. Next major obstacle, is tackling the corroded step riser and platform bulkhead area and getting window pans fabricated. Certainly the pictures of RT8 now completed by Ensignbus is an inspiration - we look forward to seeing RTW335 alongside RT8 when its own restoration is complete.

New floor fitted as re-framing progresses

A new lower deck floor has been fitted to RTW335 this week, whilst continued good progress on re-framing continues. The offside is now 90% complete and the nearside around 70% complete. There is still a lot of work to tackle around the front and rear ends, but it is proposed to start repanelling between the decks over the next few weeks.