Welcome to this month's update. The first thing is to apologise for the quality of the pictures, normally the roof skylights are open and this little camera here will make do, alas in the current conditions they are closed and as such the pictures have suffered but I wanted to get something up. As can bee seen the side upstairs framing has now gone in thus at last giving us the look that it is a double deck and not some strange single deck. We are now working on the rear framework which thanks to all the beautiful RT curves is one of the most difficult bits we have tackled. We are however progressing and I would expect by the next update to have most of the rear framework in place. With such terrible weather and light it must be near Christmas, so an opportune moment to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The next update will go up at the end of the first week in January 2008.

October update

Well the latest update has not shown as much visual progress had I had hoped but that is purely down to us discussing how we were going to tackle the top deck and changing how we are doing it. We have a lot more detailed drawing for upstairs and of course we now have a lower deck that we know is correct to build up from. As such we have just completed cutting, preserving, shaping and restoring all the framework required to get the project above the upstairs windows and they will start going on at the end of this week. In the meantime as can be seen, the staircase was completed as was the conductors area and staircase bulkhead. The between decks aluminium has gone in as have the upper deck floorboards, which have now been sanded, treated and varnished. As can be seen RT8 has a friend visiting in the shape of RT113, the only other 2RT2 that is fully preserved and roadworthy. Interestingly the two buses entered service on the same day, at the same garage in 1940. Do pop by next month when hopefully a large step forward will have been taken and will be posted up here the first week in December.

31 August

A slight change of plan from last months anticipated actions. We did as planned put in the front framework around the cab, level and straighten the front bulkhead and support the remains of the cab. Alas not much more can be tackled here now until the upstairs goes in and provides the necessary support. So we decided to tackle the staircase and conductors area before moving on to the upstairs flooring, purely to make it easier to work on the floor and in addition to fit back a number of the original panels to make sure everything is fitting as it should!! As you can see the results are pretty good. All the panels that have gone back on are originals that were all in good condition and generally required sanding down and etching before going back into their rightful place. All the kick plates are again the originals and some of the wood supports are but alas most of the other wood was beyond re-use. Next month hopefully the flooring and last of the staircase will all be in place, unless of course we have another change of plan!

1 August 2007

Welcome back after the enforced break! With a gradual catch up in commercial work we got back on RT 8 at the end of June and have been making steady progress and as you can probably see she has moved ‘barns’. As can be seen the most obvious addition is that of the downstairs ceiling, which is now largely in place, all the wood in the ‘red’ looking primer is original wood in case you were wondering. The interior light fittings have also been, cleaned checked and re-fitted as have all the original conduit wiring sections of the lights and the bells. It’s interesting to note one of the conduits leading to where the push button bell in the ceiling will be as 2RT2’s never had the downstairs bell chord like their later sisters. The cab has also been an area where work has finally commenced. Because the support for this all comes from the top deck and the front bulkhead and as we have had to remove and repair much of the front bulkhead (which is now finished) the cab has sunk and sunk. We therefore have now removed all the windows, glass and reusable pans and are currently working on this front framework around the cant rail so we can commence the upstairs framework which will then provide the strength to hang the cab from once again.

The next stage will see the front framework finished and the cab ceiling and canopy finished. We will then be laying first the very thin aluminum and then the wooden floor boards to start work on the top deck, once these are in position then the brackets and vertical framework can start going in. Hopefully by the next update on or around August 31 the top deck will be starting to take some form of very limited shape.

30 April 2007

So welcome back to a strangely prompt update this month! As can be seen a lot has happened this month. All the rear lower deck supports are now in and some of the conduit tubing that houses the electrics can also be seen.

The battery cradle is now in position as are the rear lights and number plate (which was placed there to see if the drawings are accurate and it fits (!) looked good so we left it in for the photos!). Above the window line the horizontals have also gone in making it look less like a toast rack and is it me or is it just starting to look like a 2RT2? The next jobs will be to start putting in the ceiling and intermediate floor, quite a large job that won’t be completed for next month I suspect as most of it needs to be cut and shaped. If however it is we will then start on putting the staircase back in to allow us to then begin the upstairs and it is at that time that we will start to tackle the cab area which is presently supported by means of a jack but should in reality gain its strength and support from the upper deck.

One person this month asked how we intend to ‘launch’ RT8 when its finished and to be honest not something I’d really thought about, any one got any great ideas on how she should debut?

30 March 2007

Firstly thank you to those of you who took the time to write in and say you were missing the monthly updates, nice to know you are all out there! A number of people suggested making this a blog type update where people could ask questions along the way. SO, that's why you're reading this "Blog-Style" update!

But now on to bus things. Firstly the reason for the delay was that up until last week there really wasn’t much to show for a hard months labour. The reason is simple in that it’s the platform that has been worked on and this is a very complicated part of the vehicle that is compounded by a lack of drawings that are available for this area. Fortunately RT113 was borrowed and a number of the missing areas measured and checked. Nearly 40 individual parts make up the framework for the platform and each of these had to be cut and shaped before the construction could be begin, hence the delay. But then all of sudden, framework was down, floor boards were laid and now as can be seen the vertical frames are going up. With only one more, that of the one by the entrance left to add, (which is going on now) the lower deck framing will be complete. Quite a few joining pieces still need to be added, particularly on the rear but for these we have all the drawings and most bits cut so we are ready to move on. Other progress has seen the seats over the wheel arch be repaired and the actual wheel arch itself be readied to go back on. These need to go in before the floor supports can be laid and as soon as this is done and the floorboards put down it will be possible to stand inside RT8 again without putting your foot through. From there ceiling and staircase will be the next to be tackled but more on that in the next update, which will be at the end of April and I’m sure will be on time as we have many made and original parts ready to go back on at this stage.

February 2007

Firstly a happy new year to one and all reading this page, secondly a progress report. This month is quite a visual report as a lot of changes are quite easy to see. The vertical supports are largely in with the offside only needing the rear two added whilst the nearside is complete. The platform bulkhead has gone back in place and only actually required its ‘feet’ replacing as the rest was in good shape. The front wheels received their under coat and the rear wheels are due to go back on next week in preparation for the wheel arches which will follow shortly afterwards and will allow the remainder of the floor and platform area to be laid. The next update will be at the end of February and should hopefully be another fairly visual update.

December 2006

This month has seen the final work carried out on the chassis and the start of the work on the body. The chassis having been returned in anti-corrosion grey paint was painted matt black as 2RT2’s were when new (unlike later ones that were silver). The refurbished compressor went back on, the gearbox was drained, checked, tested and refilled and the front brakes were checked and replaced where necessary (and a small wasps nest removed!), the original type wheel hubs being fitted and work is currently ongoing on the rear brakes. The floor supports of the lower deck saloon were laid, all done to the exact specifications of the original drawings. The chassis itself was in great condition and is 100% original with no structural parts actually requiring replacing. The floor supports are made of 80% originals that have been cleaned and treated, although a couple were two far gone to be saved, however 90% of the wood inserts needed replacing. The next stage now will be the first six vertical framings going in which will start to take the structure to just above the lower deck window line, all these have to be built from new as the originals have rotted away to about 30% of their original size! From there some of the 1800 individual parts that are stored will start to go back on, from tiny brackets, to seat frames, around 1300 of them appear to be reusable, which will give a great percentage of originality for this classic. With Christmas coming up a chance to wish regular readers of the updates (are there any out there!!??) a Merry Christmas and due to the break in work, for most, the next update will be at the end of January.

31 October 2006

October has been a busy time in the restoration of RT8. The vehicle was removed via lowloader to be shot blasted and then treated with anti-corrosion paint. This was successfully completed and the bus returned on October 24. The engine has also been removed and is being reconditioned prior to be being installed back in the bus. Much of the steel work that is required for the framing is all now ready and can be seen in the before and after pile. The next job to be tackled is to repaint the chassis into matt black as they were when new and then start to relay the floor.