Go Bus help London Transport Museum with annual test for unique bus 09/10/2025

Go Bus have been proud to support the London Transport Museum with undertaking the MOT test preparation and presentation for a very unique bus.  A vehicle from their collection was taken to Swanley garage this week for inspection, before being tested. 

The bus is FRM 1, the only front-entrance, rear engine Routemaster that was built.  It dates from 1966 and the engineering team were delighted to see and inspect the bus. 

Austin Blackburn, Engineering Director said:

“It is a big honour for Go Bus at Swanley depot to have an FRM for the day! It is such a unique bus and we are delighted to be able to undertake the work to allow the vehicle to receive a new MOT test for the year ahead.”

London Transport Museum states that this bus, FRM1, was a prototype front entrance Routemaster. The front entrance allowed the driver to monitor passenger flow on and off the bus. It never went into full-scale production. Other similar vehicles were already mass-produced and available for purchase, so this remains the last bus to be designed especially for London Transport. FRM1 operated on several routes in the London area before it was used for the Round London Sightseeing tour. It eventually passed to London Transport Museum in 1983.

The attached images show the bus whilst at Swanley, as well some of the unique design of the vehicle.

Go Bus has a large engineering workshop and undertakes work for many bus operators, carrying out MOT work, accident works and full vehicle refurbishment for both older and newer vehicles.