Entries are in reverse date order.
RLH 23 has been lovingly preserved with Timebus for longer than its service career with London Transport.
RLH 23 was the first RLH in the UK to be re-licensed for commercial passenger carrying service including private hires. It has a fully refurbished interior with all original features retained, including the extensive used of wooden trimming.
18th April 2021
Clapton Pond, Hackney, London
The 'LT RLHs 50 Years Later' event organised by Timebus featured our red RLH 23 in the Spring as the UK emerged from lockdown. Route 178 is recreated, here was the old terminus stand.
Photo © Timebus
21st November 2019
Wembley, London
Representing a classic British red London bus at the media launch of the new Pink coach park for Wembley Stadium events- modern development contrasts with old beauty
Photo © Timebus
16th September 2018
George Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Representing 'fifties classic vehicles at the St Albans BID Time Turner Festival display, with classic car and bus displayed on temporarily closed city street
Photo © Timebus
23rd October 2016
Visiting the Spring Gathering of the London Bus Museum, Brooklands, Surrey
Photo © E. Pring
September 2015: no longer used as a PSV from this date onwards
1st August 2010
Walton, Surrey.
Route 461 was being re-created by RLHs on this date as part of the RLH40 commemoration.
Photo © T. Drake
22nd April 2010
The Bedford Arms, Chenies, Buckinghamshire
Stopping for a countryside lunch at a pub and hotel
Photo © Timebus
20th October 2006
Cricklewood
Photo © E. Pring
20th October 2006
Kensington and Chelsea Register Office, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London
Waiting to collect wedding guests, a 1950s bus with wedding flowers
Photo © Timebus
5th February 2005
Banqueting House, Whitehall Place, Westminster
Quadruple buse line-up (3 Routemasters behind RLH 23) are still dwarfed by building
Photo © Timebus
19th June 2004
Ely Place, London
Flag bunting overhead above the street frames RLH 23
Photo © Timebus
6th December 2003
City of London
Photo © E. Pring
6th December 2003
City of London
Deserted steets in the square mile at the weekend, interior light bulbs glow
Photo © Timebus
16th November 2002
Westminster Register Office, Old Marylebone Town Hall, London
Waiting alongside a Timebus Open Platform Routemaster for the ceremony to finish
Photo © Timebus
13th October 2002
Metroline's Harrow Weald Garage (with RLH 44)
During 'RLH50' event
Photo © E. Pring
13th October 2002
Rayners Lane Underground Station, route 230 recreation
Photo © Peter Larkham
2001
Kew Gardens
Photo © E. Pring
2001: RLH 23 was repainted red, but the colour of the central horizontal band changed from cream to flake grey.
13th April 1996 - took part in a route 178 recreation on the occasion of 25 years since the last London lowbridge service
Downstairs interior view, showing sunken upstairs gangway on offside
RLH 23 with an RT
Photo © D. Pring
c1990
Cobham Bus Museum, Surrey
Photo © D. Pring
1st October 1988
Wolverton Station
Photo © E. Pring
9th July 1988
the Lygon Arms, Broadway, Worcestershire
Timebus' first vehicle, only 9 months since we began operating.
Photo © Timebus
July 1987: RLH 23 was fully PSV certified with Timebus Travel (later called just Timebus), the first RLH in the UK to be re-licensed for commercial passenger carrying service including private hires.
29th August 1978
Beside St Albans bus garage
Photo © M. McClure
7th May 1972
Brighton seafront
Photo © R. Lanham
1967: Purchased for preservation by David Pring and D James
June 1966: withdrawn
1964: Final garage allocation to Dalston in 1964, where it ran on the 178 route.
1959: Went back to Hornchurch, for route 248
November 1955: Repainted red during an overhaul and moved to another Central garage, Harrow Weald. Only 8 RLHs changed colour (all from green to red) during their London careers.
February 1955: Transferred to the Central area at Hornchurch, the first time this garage had been allocated RLHs. 3 other RLHs also moved there at this time. It was still painted green
1952: RLH 23 began its career in Country area green colours, at Addlestone garage.
UK registration number: MXX 223. For other identifying numbers (chassis, body etc) please see this table.
© Timebus 2000-2025