Cobham Bus Museum - Routemaster Day

Sunday 30th October 2005

The FRM Outing 

(Webmaster's note: All images are "clickable" for a larger image.)

The FRM normally resides at the London Transport Museum in Acton, London.  So this was a rare occasion to see the FRM in action.

The following notes and images are courtesy of Tony Scott.

The event started officially at 10am, but by 9.45 the road to the museum was already parked up with about half a mile of cars, so I had quite a walk to the museum. The main museum building was laid out with various sales stands selling all the usual bus memorabilia, models, blinds etc.

Outside there was a small display of RMs at the back of the museum, but the main event was the free bus service (Route 411) to and from Martyr's Green via Cobham Village for the large display of RMs.  Or an alternative service which went via Weybridge Station and then on to Martyr's Green.  This, of course, gave an opportunity to ride on just about all the different versions of the RM including prototypes RM1 & RM(L)3, RMC, RCL and various standard RMs & RMLs.  RMF 1254 wasn't there, but it did run in service, the first time in normal London service ever, on the last day of RM operation of route 38 (Victoria to Clapton Pond).

Despite a pessimistic forecast it didn't rain, and in fact there was a fair bit of sunshine which helped us photographers!

 Routemasters at Martyr's Green Old Lane Cobham
Image of Routemasters. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window. Image of Routemasters. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.

Below the one and only Front Entrance Routemaster at Martyr's Green
Image of the FRM alongside an RM. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window. Image of the FRM. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.
Image of the FRM. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.

 Outside the Black Swan Public House at Martyr's Green.
Image of the FRM. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window. Image of the FRM. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.
Image of the FRM entrance internally. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window. Image of the FRM lower deck. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.
Image of the FRM upper deck. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window. Image of the FRM upper deck. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.

The FRM in action!

 Image of the FRM in action. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.
Image of the FRM at Cobham. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.

Arriving at the bus stop at Between Street Cobham Village!

Anyards Road is off to the left.

 
Image of the FRM at Cobham. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window. Image of the FRM at Cobham. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.

We cheated below; the photo is the interior of the upper deck of the Chiswick built RM1, with its RT type seat frames!
Image of the RM1's upper deck. Click here for a larger image that will open a new window.

A great day out was had by all!