WLT564 Long Holiday

[bsosaka]

Very close to me in the car park of a Pachinko parlour there is a bus.



I asked about how long it has been there but it is not clear. A long time ago it was used a restaurant but now stands derelict.


 

Sorry about the quality of the picture. Inside is a gas hob and in the background an Asahi drinks cabinet. 

Is the number plate from the UK or some type of standard export plate. WLT 564

[bsosaka]

Could this be the same bus?

www.flickr.com/photos/rw3-497alh/5411721228/

[Nortube]

I'm certain that it is the standard (British) number plate as I seem to remember seeing LT on RM bus number plates and thinking that they must have a special arrangement with the department that allocates the numbers.

Just looked at the photo on the link and I'm almost certain it is the same.

No doubt a bus enthusiast will be able to confirm it.

It's surprising what uses old buses are put to!

[Zippy]

I would say it is correct, the original registration of RM564 was WLT564 and shown as exported to Japan in October 1991.

[MonkFish]

Mar 3, 2013 9:25:24 GMT Nortube said:

I'm certain that it is the standard (British) number plate as I seem to remember seeing LT on RM bus number plates and thinking that they must have a special arrangement with the department that allocates the numbers.

Just looked at the photo on the link and I'm almost certain it is the same.

No doubt a bus enthusiast will be able to confirm it.

It's surprising what uses old buses are put to!

I know they have sunk at least one to create an artificial reef and something for scuba divers to look at

[Rob]

bsosaka, try and have a look at the roof, see if there is any sign of damage.

You would thought it would have been repaired after the bridge strike but seeing as the damage would have not been too visible from the ground, you never know. Worth a look.

[bsosaka]

I wrote to the very nice man Mr C Stanley from flickr and he sent me his photo's

 

Plus his thoughts on them being the same

"is it possible they are the same bus"?   Yes & No.  When Routemasters went for overhaul the body was separated from the mechanics and more often than not a different body was fitted onto the mechanics following completion of the work.  So yes , the bus in your photographs has the mechanics from the bus under the bridge in my photographs but it has a different body , one from another Routemaster which would have passing through the overhaul works at the same time. When the buses went back on the road in service they kept the mechanics registration plate , hence for all legal purposes your bus and the one in mine are the same bus (but a different body).

[bsosaka]

If you do a google search of this:



34.481338,135.41114



Then click on the A and choose street views. A slight turn
anti-clockwise will show the buses location. It does have a very strange roof ornament. 

[Zippy]

Mar 3, 2013 11:16:03 GMT MonkFish said:

I know they have sunk at least one to create an artificial reef and something for scuba divers to look at

They sunk a load of New York metro trains a few years ago for the same reason.  Can't remember where though. (Probably New York!)

[MonkFish]

Mar 3, 2013 15:51:30 GMT Zippy said:

Mar 3, 2013 11:16:03 GMT MonkFish said:

I know they have sunk at least one to create an artificial reef and something for scuba divers to look at

They sunk a load of New York metro trains a few years ago for the same reason.  Can't remember where though. (Probably New York!)

Yes, New Jersey I thought was one of them. Don't remember exactly where but there were at least 5 places.

[Zippy]

Mar 3, 2013 11:16:03 GMT MonkFish said:

I know they have sunk at least one to create an artificial reef and something for scuba divers to look at

Extreme Bus spotting?