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Face-lift for Arriva's Heritage Fleet RML 901

RML 901 Re-furb in progressUndergoing a face lift for the first time as part of The Arriva Heritage Fleet, Routemaster RML 901 will soon be back in service, helping clients to celebrate their special events and occasions.

The refurbishment is being carried out at Arriva’s in-house facility in Enfield, where skilled engineers repair and refurbish all of Arriva’s North London vehicles.

Seat cushions waiting to be re-upholsteredIn this instance, RML 901, which is 50 years old this year, has been completely stripped down and all of her upholstery removed. The upholstery has been sent to a specialist for this type of work, where the finishing touches are achieved by hand stitching, to retain the authenticity and historic significance of the vehicles.

Hand stitching the upholsteryIt was 50 years ago this year that RML 901, new off the production line, joined the London Transport Fleet as one of the first batch of 30 foot Routemasters, coded RML, with the L standing for long or lengthened.

This extra length has made it a popular choice with Heritage Fleet clients wanting just that little bit more seating than comes with the standard Routemaster.

The plan is to have her back in full service for April 2012, where she will be part of the team that will celebrate the centenary of route 38, which runs from Victoria to Clapton.

Completely stripped downFurther celebrations are planned for route 38, including a commemorative model of RML 901 and a special fund raising campaign from May to September for a cancer charity. You will have the opportunity to join in these celebrations, so watch this space for further details.

Published: Fri 10 Feb 2012Modified: Fri 10 Feb 2012

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