New Routemaster: Pre-production bus LT1

Images of New Routemaster LT1 (reg. LT61 AHT, ex-LJ61 CJE).

This bus was the first of the batch of eight pre-production prototypes. As the first fully complete New Routemaster (being preceded by the unpainted Development Vehicle and non-operational design mock-up), it was the bus pictured in most of the early publicity shots. On 4 November 2011 it was ceremoniously driven out of the Wrightbus factory in Ballymena Northern Ireland, wearing the standard GB format registration plate LJ61 CJE. At that time it had no fleet number, and wore only the basic red Transport for London 'Buses' livery. By the time of its official unveiling in London's Trafalgar Square on 16 December 2011, it was registered LT61 AHT, and was finished with the operator markings of an Arriva allocated Routemaster, as well as the fleet number LT1, starting the class specific LT series. Before entering service, LT1 was displayed to the public in various outer London locations over Christmas 2011/New Year 2012. It then entered service on 27 February 2012 in trial operation on route 38. This was the intended use for all 8 prototypes, although only LT1 and LT2 were complete by the first day's operation (LT2 starting the first journey, at lunchtime). As the other pre-production buses gradually emerged, LT1 was returned to Wrightbus in Spring 2013 to be upgraded to the newer prototype standard. Having returned to Arriva on 17 April 2013, instead of re-entering service it was instead loaned to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, who sent it on a promotional world tour intended to last a year (also sent were LT2, and later LT3), with LT1 performing the Americas leg. Having been driven to Southampton docks, it was disembarked in New York on 9 May, officially starting the tour in the city on 14 May. It is now in storage in Abu Dhabi.