RLH 53

Entries are in reverse date order.

Photo

February 2020

At the filling station

Now fully restored and painted Central area London Transport red

Photo © A. Totten

Photo

February 2019

Seen at Ward Jones Commercial Vehicles (formerly Metropolis Bus and Coach), High Wycombe, Bucks, UK.

Side window glass now in and interior mostly restored.

Photo © E. Pring

Photo

March 2018

Seen at Metropolis Bus and Coach, High Wycombe undergoing restoration.

Window pans (frames) repaired and fitted

Photo © E. Pring

Photo

March 2017

Seen at Metropolis Bus and Coach, High Wycombe undergoing restoration.

Photo © E. Pring

Photo

March 2016

Seen at Metropolis Bus and Coach, High Wycombe

Undergoing stripping for restoration.

Photo © E. Pring

Feb or March 2016: Vehicle sold to Mr A. Totten.

Photo

October 2014

London Bus Museum, Brooklands, Surrey

Lower deck in use as 'the Regent Cinema'

Exhibit info was previously at this address: http://www.londonbusmuseum.com/museum-exhibits/double-deck-buses/1952-aec-regent-iii-low-height-bus-rlh53/ Photo © E. Pring

Photo

December 2012

London Bus Museum, Brooklands, Surrey

Stored under cover at last

Photo © E. Pring

April 2012: Moved by low-loader to the London Bus Museum, Brooklands, Surrey; where the bodywork will for the time being be retained in unrestored condition. Read Press Release from the museum.

Photo

April 2012

Liverpool docks

After re-patriation to the UK along with RLH 69 and RLH 71.

Photo © M. Weeks

September 2011: Sold to the London Bus Museum, Brooklands, Surrey. Awaiting export from the USA to the UK.

Photo

January 2010

Oregon, USA

Photo by S. McFadden

Photo

March 2007

Gold Hill, Oregon.

Photo by M. Walton

Photo

March 2007

Murrieta, California, USA

Sold, along with RLH 69 and 71. About to be moved to Oregon.

Photo by M. Walton

Photo

May 2005

Murrieta, California, USA

With RLHs 69 and 71

Photo by, and used with permission of, Bob Martin

Photo

October 2001

Murrieta, California, USA

With RLHs 69 and 71

Photo by David Humphrey

Photo

October 2001

Murrieta, California, USA

Lower saloon interior shows retained original paper advertisements (these 3 were, in general, perhaps the least modified RLHs in the USA at the time).

Photo by David Humphrey

New!  July 2001:  North County Times newspaper article about RLH 53, RLH 69 and RLH 71 in Murrieta (link last updated 2018-03-18)

Photo

November 1998

Murrieta, California, USA

With RLHs 69 and 71

Photo © E. Pring

November 1993: sold at auction, along with RLH 69 and RLH 71, to a gentleman who wished to use them on a proposed tour of the Murrieta Temecula valley. The tour did not go ahead and the buses remained in a back yard for nearly 15 years (see later photos, above).

January 1972: Exported (perhaps with the non-authentic route 11 blinds in the apertures) to a museum 'the Hill Country Wagons to Wings Collection', Morgan Hill, California, USA along with RLH 69 and RLH 71 (for the next 40 years, those three buses stayed together).

17th April 1971: The bus was withdrawn from London Transport.

Photo

Approx 1971

Laying over in Well Street, Stratford, between turns on route 178

Photo © C. Stannard

Photo

4th March 1971

Passing the Lord Napier pub on Hepscott Road, Hackney Wick, on route 178

Photo © D. Pring

Photo

26th October 1970

Turning out of Lee Conservancy Road onto Eastway, on route 178

© P.A. Aldous

RLH 53 was the first RLH to be delivered in red livery, and was always a Central area red bus. According to the official LT record, it was allocated new to Harrow Weald garage on the 19.11.52. It was first overhauled between 21.12.55 and 16.2.56. It was stored for 9 months from 20.8.58 until re-allocated to Dalston garage from 13.5.59, for the start of a new route called the 178. There were a further 2 overhauls (1.9.59 to 1.11.59 and 18.6.64 to 19.8.64).

1952: RLH 53 was built, painted in red for use in the London Transport central area.

UK registration number: MXX 253. For other identifying numbers (chassis, body etc) please see this table.

Return to top of page

RLH 52 | Fleet List | RLH 54