Magtec has repowered a London Routemaster bus with electric propulsion for Golden Tours, with the vehicle now entering service on the capital’s sightseeing routes.
The Rotherham-based manufacturer has replaced the bus’s original diesel powertrain with an electric driveline and a 200kWh battery system while retaining the vehicle’s original bodywork. The repowered bus has a range of up to 120 miles.
The project required engineers to package the battery system within the Routemaster’s compact structure without altering its external appearance. The primary battery pack and associated equipment were installed beneath the underfloor section, with additional battery modules distributed elsewhere in the vehicle to achieve the required capacity and weight balance.
Magtec also replaced the vehicle’s original electrical system with new wiring and installed a digital dashboard in the driver’s cab to provide modern vehicle controls and performance monitoring.
The Routemaster’s relatively simple electrical architecture enabled the installation of an entirely new electrical system, avoiding the need to integrate with more complex electronic systems found on modern buses.
Two further Routemaster conversions are now underway for Golden Tours. The hard-top vehicles will be used on the operator’s afternoon tea sightseeing service in London.
Matt Kasprzycki, Senior Programme Manager at Magtec, said:The Routemaster is one of the most recognisable vehicles in the world and preserving that appearance while completely transforming what powers it was the central engineering challenge.
We also engaged closely with the Routemaster enthusiast community throughout the project, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. They recognise that electrification gives these historic vehicles a viable future for decades to come.
The Routemaster project forms part of Magtec’s wider bus repower programme. The company says it has now completed more than 30 diesel-to-electric bus conversions for operators in London, Oxford, Liverpool and Wales. The Routemaster conversion was completed in four months, compared with 14 months for its first electric bus repower project.
Mikesh Palan, CEO of Golden Tours, said:We are incredibly proud to be introducing the first-ever electric Routemaster to London's streets. This project represents the perfect blend of heritage and innovation, preserving an icon of London while embracing a more sustainable future.
At Golden Tours, we are committed to enhancing the visitor experience while reducing our environmental impact, and this vehicle is a major step forward in that journey.
