An iconic London Routemaster red bus will go green with a Cummins ISB4.5 clean diesel engine, which will ensure it is fit to meet the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) standards planned to take effect in congested parts of the capital from 2018 to 2020.
The AEC Routemaster RM1005 double decker bus first came into service in 1962 and has now got the distinction of being the oldest bus ever to meet the latest Euro VI emissions standards.
This has come after a repower scheme undertaken by the Cummins Darlington Engine Plantâs application engineering team.
The scheme will offer the chance to preserve the historic Routemaster buses for decades to come.
The owner of the bus and former Commissioner of Transport for London, Sir Peter Hendry CBE, challenged the Cummins engineers to extend the operating life of RM1005 with a cost efficient repower package, thereby creating an ultra-low emissions option to enable other Routemasters to continue operating in London.
Initial road tests show that the bus is easy to drive, with quiet operation and smooth acceleration. The pedal controls and driver cab dash panel have been upgraded to align with the new engine technology.
The highly compact envelope of the 4.5-litre ISB clean diesel engine and integrated exhaust aftertreatment is an ideal fit in the small engine compartment, which will ensure that the characteristic external appearance of the bus will stay the same.
Ashley Watton, Cummins Director â On- Highway Europe, commented: This is the first public display of the Cummins repowered Routemaster and weâre sure its iconic design coupled with its ultra-clean environmental credentials will prove of great interest to visitors to the Goodwood event.
On the Cummins stand this year, people will also be able to view a working âEngineers On Dutyâ display, with Cummins service technicians and apprentices demonstrating how an ISB engine can be fully dismantled and then rebuilt during the course of the day.
