London Bus Night Photographic Shoot - 25th April 2015
On Saturday 25th April I attended a Timeline Events photographic charter with a difference. The event featured two preserved London Transport LT Buses from the London Bus Museum based at Brooklands. The unique feature of the event was a foray onto the streets of London overnight. The buses set off at 20:00 (Saturday) and returned to Brooklands at 04:30 (Sunday). The two London Transport icons were posed up at various landmark locations around London including the Royal Albert Hall, St Pauls Cathedral, Bank of England and on Waterloo Bridge., in addition 'reinactors' provided period dressed characters to some of the scenes.
During the night is the only time you can reasonably expect to attempt to 'turn back time' in London, when traffic and pedestrian levels die down to a reasonable level to allow buses and actors to be posed without too much background clutter.
The two buses supplied from the London Bus Museum at Brookwood provided a 1950's era to the photographs being taken. The night of photography was well organised and gave some unique opportunities to capture London buses in the past and present. Ironically although torrential rain arrived at 02:00 these the last two images of the night proved to be the best from the entire set of photos taken during the event, the rain very much enhancing the colours and reflections and creating a great atmosphere. Each of the two buses used also have their own unique histories, with information taken from the London Bus Museum website below:
During the night is the only time you can reasonably expect to attempt to 'turn back time' in London, when traffic and pedestrian levels die down to a reasonable level to allow buses and actors to be posed without too much background clutter.
The two buses supplied from the London Bus Museum at Brookwood provided a 1950's era to the photographs being taken. The night of photography was well organised and gave some unique opportunities to capture London buses in the past and present. Ironically although torrential rain arrived at 02:00 these the last two images of the night proved to be the best from the entire set of photos taken during the event, the rain very much enhancing the colours and reflections and creating a great atmosphere. Each of the two buses used also have their own unique histories, with information taken from the London Bus Museum website below:
RT2775 - LYR 826
RT2775 was delivered to London Transport in January 1952 and was selected, with two others, to represent the British Travel and Holidays Association and London Transport on a tour of the USA and Canada to promote travel to Britain and the purchase of British products. The tour visited the cities of New York, Cincinatti, St Louis, Kansas City, Dallas, Sante Fe, Hollywood, San Francisco and returned via Salt Lake City, Denver, Omaha, Des Moines, Chicago and Detroit. The 2000-mile detour to Canada visited Ottawa, Montreal, Perth, Toronto and London, Ontario.
On return to Britain the vehicles were put on show at the 1952 Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court in recognition of their faultless performance. After return to the coachmakers to be put in service condition, RT2775 was allocated to Mortlake garage in December 1952, and finally entered normal revenue earning service. In May 1953, it was moved to Old Kent Road for the Coronation special bus service. Withdrawal in May 1977, it was one of the last of the RT type still in service and was acquired by Cobham Bus Museum in July 1977 |
RT139 - KGK 803
RTL139 was delivered to new Chiswick works at the end of February 1949 and commenced service from Riverside garage a few days later. After three overhauls, and a period of time on the works float system, the bus was finally withdrawn in 1967. Upon withdrawal, it was sold to Louwman and Parqui of Leidschendam, who exported the vehicle to Holland for display at the HET National Automobielmuseum near The Hague.
The Dutch Motor Museum closed in 1996 and the RTL was purchased by a Trust member and donated to the Museum, arriving at Cobham in October 1998. The vehicle is very original, having been sold directly from service to a museum, who ensured the condition did not deteriorate. Some work has been carried out on the bus at Cobham. This has included relaying the cork tiles on the floors, cleaning the seats, and recently repainting the roof, due to the faded paint. The bus has been used in service in London, on several occasions since its repatriation, and is sometimes used on the Museums route 462, on open days. |
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