New Routemaster: Pre-production bus LT8

Images of New Routemaster LT8 (reg. LTZ 1008, ex- LT12 HHT).

This bus was one of the batch of eight pre-production prototypes, designated as fleet number LT8, i.e. the eighth in the class specific LT series. As such it was finished with the operator markings of an Arriva allocated Routemaster and given a standard GB plate registration LT12 HHT, and entered service 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), entering service on 27 February 2012. The remainder entered service over the following months, but not in fleet number order. LT8 was subsequently upgraded to a Euro 6 specification engine, emerging back in service in July 2014, but not with Arriva, it having been transferred to the Metroline fleet. Coinciding with this move, LT8 was re-registered as LTZ 1008, retrospectively aligning it with the class specific LTZ series, which was adopted just before the first batch of production buses entered service in June 2013.

LT12 HHT (Arriva)

• 
  27 February 2013
  route 38
• 
  21 June 2014
  Perivale CELF