Editing AEC Routemaster (section)

==Colour schemes==
[[File:Routemaster VLT 6.jpg|thumb|left|upright|RM6 on [[London Buses route 159|route 159]] in December 2005 in [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee colours]]]]

With the Routemaster's longevity, examples were painted to celebrate both the Queen's [[Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Silver]] and [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee]]s. In 1977, 25 Routemasters were painted silver and temporarily renumbered SRM1 to SRM25 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee and, in 2002, 50 buses were painted gold including three RMs and 12 RMLs.<ref name=KBlackerVol2/><ref>[http://www.countrybus.org/RML/RML6.html#top The Long Buses Part 6] Country Bus</ref>

[[File:Kentish Bus AEC Routemaster RML2574.jpg|thumb|[[London Country South East|Kentish Bus]] RML2574 in July 1993]]

During privatisation in London from 1986, several private operators won contracts to operate services, including Routemaster-operated routes. Before an 80% red rule for liveries was introduced in 1997 by London Transport, the contract tendering authority, some of these new entrants ran Routemasters in non-red liveries, most notably [[London Country South East|Kentish Bus]] on [[London Buses route 19|route 19]] and Borehamwood Travel Services on [[London Buses route 13|route 13]].

The Routemaster appealed to the many new operators outside London that appeared post-1986 in the UK following [[Bus deregulation in the United Kingdom|bus deregulation]]. Several traditional operators purchased second-hand Routemasters as a cheap way of expanding their fleets in response to competition from new operators after deregulation,<ref name=AECBusOutsideLondon>{{cite web |url=http://www.busweb.co.uk/aecbus/routemaster.htm |title=Routemasters outside London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724074250/http://www.busweb.co.uk/aecbus/routemaster.htm |archive-date=24 July 2008 |website=AEC Bus Site |url-status=dead}}</ref> and new operators also chose it as a distinctive-looking bus. Painted in a variety of colours, they were used in regular service in [[Bedford]], [[Blackpool]],<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/19th-july-1990/16/blackpool-battles-on Blackpool battles on] ''Commercial Motor'' 19 July 1990</ref> [[Burnley]],<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/7th-april-1988/15/eastenders-soft-soap-burnley Eastenders soft soap Burnley] ''Commercial Motor'' 7 April 1988</ref> [[Carlisle, Cumbria|Carlisle]], [[Corby]], [[Doncaster]],<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/2th-august-1990/17/south-yorkshire-counter-attacks South Yorkshire counter attacks] ''Commercial Motor'' 2 August 1990</ref> [[Dundee]], [[Glasgow]],<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/11th-january-1986/14/the-scottisl-i-i3us-gr-is-preparing-to-have-a SBG builds up] ''Commercial Motor'' 11 January 1986</ref> [[Kingston-upon-Hull|Hull]],<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/2nd-june-1988/21/routernasters-for-east-yorkshire Routemasters for East Yorkshire] ''Commercial Motor'' 2 June 1988</ref> [[Manchester]],<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/31st-may-1990/21/end-of-gm-buses-is-ceasing-its-routemaster-operati End of] ''Commercial Motor'' 31 May 1990</ref> [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]],<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/5th-april-1990/20/waterworth-gives-warning-to-magicbus Waterworth gives warning to Magicbus] ''Commercial Motor'' 5 April 1990</ref> [[Rotherham]].<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/21st-june-1990/21/terrier-challenges-syt Terrier Challenges SYT] ''Commercial Motor'' 21 June 1990</ref> [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]],<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/14th-december-1989/18/primrose-joins-battle-for-scarborough-town Primrose joins battle for Scarborough town] ''Commercial Motor'' 14 December 1989</ref> [[Southampton]] and [[Southend-on-Sea]].

One of the earliest examples, if not the earliest, of deregulated use of Routemasters was early in the history of the [[Stagecoach Group]], by 2014 one of the largest operators in the UK. Stagecoach used vintage Routemasters in its new corporate livery of all-over white with red, orange and blue stripes, to start one of its first operations, [[Magic Bus (Stagecoach)|Magic Bus]], in [[Glasgow]] in the late 1980s.

[[File:Clydeside Scottish RM835.JPG|thumb |upright|[[Clydeside Scottish]] RM720]]

In the mid 1980s [[Clydeside Scottish]] purchased 114 Routemasters for use in [[Glasgow]], with many repainted at Aldenham Works. Most were withdrawn in 1990.

[[File:Reading Mainline 15 and 17.JPG|thumb|left|Preserved Reading Mainline RM1859 and RM999 in July 2008]]

Towards the end of this period, in July 1994 in [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]], new operator Reading Mainline built up a 45-strong Routemaster fleet to compete with the established operator, [[Reading Buses]], in the process becoming the largest operator of Routemasters outside London. They used conductors to compete on speed in the town centre and, in the outskirts, took advantage of the rear platform to operate [[hail and ride]] sections of route. In 1998 Reading Mainline was sold to Reading Buses; some Routemasters continued in use until July 2000.<ref>[http://www.buszone.co.uk/RMainline.html Reading Mainline] Buszone</ref>

With the costs of running elderly two-crew buses, and with a general reduction in the number of operators, buses, and services in the years following deregulation as competitors merged or closed, use of Routemasters outside London declined through the 1990s. Many of these buses found their way back to London to assist with the refurbishment programme, as spares donors or to increase fleet size.

Withdrawal from mainstream London service saw another resurgence in the use of Routemasters outside London,<ref name=AECBusOutsideLondon/> but on a smaller scale than immediately after deregulation. After 2000 Routemasters were mostly used on small novelty or seasonal routes.

===Green livery===
[[File:2003-m07-d20 (18reduced) - Alton Bus Rally.jpg|right|thumb|Preserved RMC1476 coach with rear folding doors, in [[National Bus Company (UK)|NBC Green]] livery of [[London Country Bus Services]], lighter than London Transport Country green]]

The first green Routemasters, apart from prototype CRL4, now RMC4, were 69 RMCs (Routemaster Coach) for [[Green Line Coaches|Green Line]] work. These were the same length as the RMs but had luxury seating, luggage racks, strip lights and platform doors.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Double-deck Routemaster Green Line coaches |magazine=Railway Gazette |date=29 June 1962 |page=757}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=LTE brings coaches into service |magazine=Railway Gazette |date=24 August 1962 |page=263}}</ref> The later 43 RCLs (Routemaster Coach Lengthened) were the same length as the RMLs but again with coach seating and platform doors.

One hundred green Routemasters, based on the RMLs, were delivered in 1965/66 for Country area bus work. Three of these were transferred to the Central (Red) fleet in 1969 in exchange for three XA [[Leyland Atlantean]]s.

On 1 January 1970 these green Routemasters were transferred to the newly formed [[London Country Bus Services]], a [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]] subsidiary formed to take over London Transport's Country Area. London Country announced that it intended to convert all its services to one-man operation, which it achieved by 1981, making all the Routemasters redundant. Many were sold back to London Transport, the RMCs becoming trainers along with most of the RCLs.

Most of the ex-Country RMLs that were sold back to LT in the late 1970s served longer with red livery than with their original green{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} (Most did 14 years as green buses but over 20 as red buses).
Some RCLs had the platform doors removed and entered service as red buses. RMC4 (ex CRL4) was kept by London Country but was later sold when the NBC was sold off.