Category:RMA25 (Routemaster coach)

English: Routemaster coach RMA25 (ex-BEA53) (reg. 67-D-813, ex-NMY 653E) was one of the batch of front entrance Routemasters built as express coaches for use by British European Airways (BEA). Also equipped with luggage trailers, they transported passengers from their Cromwell Road Air Terminal in Kensington to Heathrow Airport. Initially numbered BEA53, it was delivered to BEA in February 1967, wearing blue & white BEA livery, followed by a more striking orange one. Following the creation of British Airways, absorbing BEA, it received a darker blue & white BA livery. In November 1976 it was one of the middle batch of these air buses bought by the owner of most other Routemasters built, London Transport, and renumbered RMA25. Still wearing BA blue & white and initially stored, in January 1978 it eventually entered service for LT as a staff bus, transporting workers to and from Aldenham Works, LT's main overhaul facility. When Aldenham was privatised in October 1985 as Bus Engineering Ltd (BEL) it passed to them, being repainted into their mainly grey livery. In October 1986 it was one of 6 RMAs bought back from BEL by London Buses for the Official London Transport Sightseeing Tour fleet. It was duly modified at Aldenham for the work, fitted with a PA system and painted in the classic red with cream band LT livery, eventually entering service in March 1987. In 1989 it passed from LT to their subsidiary London Coaches Ltd, which in May 1992 was fully privatised. In October 1994 it was sold to Blue Triangle, but immediately exported to the Republic of Ireland. After being converted to open top, still numbered RMA25 but given the Irish registration of 67-D-813, by 1996 it was in use by Dualway of Rathcoole, Dublin, as a Dublin sightseeing bus.