LONDON TRANSPORT (Timebus) TD89 Exterior Restoration part 1 of 2

Part one of a two part update for the restoration of ex London Transport TD89.

TD89 was delivered new to London Transport in April 1949 as part of a batch of 100 identical buses manufactured between 1948-1949. The vehicles were built using Leyland Tiger PS1 chassis with 7.4 litre diesel engines and all timber frame bodies supplied by Mann Egerton of Norwich in the UK.

This batch of 100 red buses was destined for the busy streets of central London where fast loading and unloading of passengers was required, this was a time when open platforms and doorless entry was the accepted norm. Although TD89 was built without a door it was not impossible to adopt the same design used on the structurally identical country/suburban (green) variant built prior to this batch. https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&vide...

TD89 was withdrawn from the London Transport fleet in 1962. It then was sold and adapted for the transportation of children with disabilities, it is reasonable to assume this is when the unique tubular seat frames and hand rails were removed and lost. There is also a belief and some supporting evidence that the passenger steps were removed or modified to allow the installation of a wheelchair lift.

While every effort was made to restore the bus in original specification some modifications were unavoidable and some were required for safety concerns. Obviously the sliding door is not original but a bus without a door is completely impractical for an operator if no conductor is present. Vehicle lighting was another component of safety that required a modern update which was also implemented sympathetically. At the front the old headlights were adapted to accept new fully adjustable double dip 7 inch units behind the original frosted glass. Sidelights, indicators and fog light only required repair or replacement. At the rear a lighting box was originally fitted with a single stoplight and a single tail light which also supplied illumination for the registration plate. The box now houses a reflector, a reverse light, a reverse warning buzzer and a dedicated registration plate light. A pair of period stop and tail units have been fitted in position of the old reflectors and the location of the indicators are unchanged.

The wiring on TD89 was outdated and in very poor condition so new looms were made with extra lines included for the new systems. A latch activated warning buzzer circuit was added for the rear off side emergency exit and a warning light for the sliding door also. In the past the conductor would have assisted the driver when reversing the vehicle so a mounted switch and activation method had to be devised on the gear shift linkage. Other new systems include a cab light, saloon heater, hazard lights, water temperature sensor and voltage meter. The original low vacuum (brakes) warning light works in reverse so an additional electromagnetic Stop Flag from a Routemaster was fitted directly in the drivers vision.

This phase of the restoration is now complete, repainting and work to recommision the engine, gearbox brakes etc. will be carried out by providers off site.