RLH62 - History

Delivered to London Transport on December 1952, RLH 62 was registered as MXX262.

The chassis was built by AEC of Southall, Middlesex the main supplier of buses (both double and single deck) to the London Transport Board, supplying chassis of many types over a course of 60 years.

Employed on bus routes where a low bridge could not be bypassed, London Transport bought in 76 Weymann bodied Regent 3 types in 1950 and 1952. These buses were given the London Transport type code of 'RLH' (Regent Low Height). These RLH buses had a distinctly different look to the standard RT family type standard London bus of the time, with a more older 'provincial' look. For a very detailed description of the RLH, it's operations and histories of all 76 RLH buses see Ewen Pring's excellent 'RLH Bus Information Centre'.

©Photo taken by and Courtesy of Bob Martin

The completed bus was delivered to London Transport from Weymann's factory in Addlestone, Surrey on 27 November 1952 and alloted to the Central Buses arm of London Transport. RLH 62 was allocated to Harrow Weald garage (code HD) for use on routes 230 and 230A, and this is where it spent most of its working life apart from a short time at Merton garage (code AL), being used on route 127. Always a red London Transport RLH bus, RLH 62 was overhauled three times in its london career, in 1956, 1961 and finally in 1965. Withdrawn in 1969 and stored firstly at Stonebridge garage (code SE) then onto Cricklewood garage (code W), it was exported to the U.S. in December 1969, having been purchaed by the City of Columbus Transit Co. in Ohio for use on special outings and in a parks service.

Eventually surplused in 1990, RLH 62 was sold to a local dealer, Smith's Equipment, where it stayed until purchased for preservation in 2008 by the current owner.

Ian Smith has the history of RLH 62 on his website - 'Ian's Bus Stop'

RLH 62 MXX 262                        12/52      HD   New into service on 230 (Harrow Weald)
                                                       53-5      HD
                                                       8/56       AL   Transfer for 127 (Merton)
                                                       9/56       AL   After overhaul
                                                      1957       AL
                                                       8/58       HD Transfer for 230
                                                      1959       HD
                                                      1960       HD Used on 230
                                                       3/61       HD To Aldenham overhaul
                                                       5/61       HD From o/h, unlicensed
                                                       6/61       HD Relicensed
                                                      1962       HD Used on 230, 230A
                                                      63-4        HD
                                                       6/65       HD Into store
                                                       7/65       HD To Aldenham overhaul
                                                       8/65       HD From o/h, unlicensed
                                                       9/65       HD  Relicensed for 230
                                                       3/66       HD Into store, and out again
                                                      67-8        HD
                                                       6/69       HD Withdrawn..
                                                       6/69       SE   .. into store (Stonebridge Park)
                                                       8/69        W Change store (Cricklewood)
                                                     12/69              Exported to USA by Columbus Transit Co, Columbus, Ohio.
                                                       5/74              Central Ohio Transit Authority (Ohio registration No. OE 128)
                                                     08/90              Smiths Equipment & Truck Sales Co. (Dealer), Columbus Ohio
                                                       5/00              Smith Equipment & Truck Sales, Columbus, Ohio
                                                       4/06              Still extant, Columbus, Ohio,in red London Transport livery
                                                     12/07              For sale on e-bay, Columbus,
                                                       3/08              Bought by Jim Pullen, Maryland - for preservation

5/08 Transported to Maryland for restoration

RLH 62 and RT 2292 (KGU322) awaiting crews at the entrance to Harrow Weald garage in around 1968. Interestingly, both buses are preservered 40 years later. What are the odds on that? ©Photo courtesy Ewen Pring, photographed by Peter Edgar.

RLH 62 has in fact spent more time in the United States than it did on the streets of London.