London Routemaster Engines

[ert47]

Just wondering, as my work place is along the Strand, we regularly have the heritage route 15 going past and everytime I hear a Routemaster, it reminds me of the single deck Dennis Darts that I used to ride on in the mid 90's (not sure of model makes, but the ones Cowie/Arriva South London had - M/P- reg).

Are they using similar engines? Thanks

 

[KT530]

Yes - most, if not all, of the RMs currently used have Cummins engines with Allison gearboxes, similar to earlier Dennis Darts.

 

[ert47]

Thanks! I kinda find it a little disconcerting having a bus that looks radically different to another, yet sounds the same - kinda like the Leyland buses that sounded like Metrobuses!

 

[Lewisham2221]

Thanks! I kinda find it a little disconcerting having a bus that looks radically different to another, yet sounds the same - kinda like the Leyland buses that sounded like Metrobuses!

On the flip side to that, you also get buses that look near identical but sound worlds apart.

For example: (not my photos!)

a.http://www.flickr.com/photos/roysbuses/6258404290/in/set-72157627982837514
b.http://www.flickr.com/photos/41302931@N03/7872880266/in/photostream
c.http://www.flickr.com/photos/41302931@N03/7640302678/in/photostream
d.http://www.flickr.com/photos/30109352@N00/6015084650/in/photostream
e.http://www.flickr.com/photos/41302931@N03/7315009858/in/photostream
f.http://www.flickr.com/photos/30109352@N00/7268880776/in/photostream

Despite looking very similar, A sounds very different to B. As does C when compared to D. Likewise E and F.

Conversely, A, C & E sound similar despite looking very different. The same is true for B, D & F.

 

[34D]

Yes - most, if not all, of the RMs currently used have Cummins engines with Allison gearboxes, similar to earlier Dennis Darts.

A dartmaster!!

Other engine types fitted to routemasters:

From new: AEC 5-90, Leyland 600, something else

In later life: cummins 6bt, iveco ?, scania DS, something else

Others will know much more than me here.