Marina's Story...

Affectionately known as Marina, RM1357 was built in 1962. She is a standard-length Routemaster, measuring 27 feet 6 inches and providing seating for up to 64 passengers across her two decks.

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Marina began her London career in December 1962, operating from Stockwell Garage. She spent more than two decades working on various routes around the capital and underwent her final major overhaul at London Transport’s famous Aldenham Works in July 1983.

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Marina is particularly interesting because she retains a Leyland O.600 diesel engine. Although most Routemasters were fitted with AEC engines, a smaller number were built with Leyland mechanical units. Her current Leyland engine was fitted during her later years with Reading Mainline.

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In 1988, Marina was sold to Blackpool Transport, where she was painted in an attractive 1930s-inspired red and cream livery. Renumbered as fleet number 528, she carried passengers along the coast on Blackpool’s popular Beachroamer service until 1994.

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After spending two years in storage, she was purchased by Reading Mainline in 1996. Marina was repainted into the company’s distinctive red and cream livery, given fleet number 34 and returned to regular passenger service until 2000.

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That year, Marina began the most unusual chapter of her life when she was purchased by the Royal Navy for use as a mobile Sea Cadets training unit. Her interior was transformed to resemble a submarine, complete with a working-style periscope and replica torpedo. It was during this remarkable conversion that she received the name Marina.

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Painted in a striking blue and white naval colour scheme, Marina toured the country for several years, introducing young Sea Cadets to life beneath the waves. She remained in Royal Navy ownership for nine years before eventually being taken out of use, placed into storage and left in need of considerable care.

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In 2009, Marina was rescued by Mike Fuller of the Routemaster Association. Her bodywork was resprayed in traditional London Transport red and the submarine-style interior was carefully removed, allowing many of her original Routemaster features to be reinstated.

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Marina arrived at London Bus 4 Hire in March 2010, where the completion of her restoration continued. Since joining our fleet, she has been carefully preserved and maintained, ensuring that her fascinating history—from London service and Blackpool’s seafront to her extraordinary years as a naval training bus—can continue to be shared.

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Today, Marina is based at our Usk depot in South Wales and is available for weddings, private tours, day trips, proms and other special occasions. She is supplied with a professional driver and conductor and can be decorated for weddings with external white ribbons and white silk flowers.

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