BACKGROUND HISTORY

David Alan LEE, a businessman and bus enthusiast combined his talents and interests together to produce a very successful enterprise involving vintage buses.

David’s former business, Businessav Limited was a company that provided audio-visual equipment for conferences, seminars and live events.  It also provided technical support with staging, audio visual, lighting and event production.

In 2012 David began to combine his business with his interest in London Routemasters.  On a commercial basis he acquired RM765 (WLT 765) and named his new business - Routemaster 4 Hire.  By August of that year he not only had acquired a second vehicle RM548 (SVS618, WLT548) but he successfully gained an Operating Licence for these two Routemasters.

An open top Routemaster RM1783 (783DYE) was acquired in 2014 and together with the other two they were hired out for such events as weddings, prom days, promotional work and filming.  Also starting that year, one of the Routemasters, sometimes the open top, was hired for one day every week during the summer period to Prestatyn Town Council.  The bus did a number of circuits of the town allowing visitors and residents to have a free ride around Prestatyn.

David built up a network of drivers / owners of vintage buses who assisted him in providing the facilities. Some of this group also made available their own preserved buses to the firm which enabled the number of buses available for hire.  The fleet list below shows the additional vehicles involved.

By 2019 David gave up his other business and he then concentrated his time on Routemaster 4 Hire.

Also in 2019 the firm began running a sightseeing tour from Llangollen.  Initially there were two tours with one visiting the Froncysyllte Aqueduct at Trefor Basin but this was reduced to one tour visiting the Horseshoe Pass. 

Demonstrating his skills from his previous business David has produced a number of interesting videos on various aspects of Routemaster 4 Hire and the restoration of former London buses and these videos can be found on YouTube or their website.

In November 2022 it was announced that David intended to close down his business but the reasons at that stage were not known.

In January 2023 the business closed and the three buses belonging to the firm were sold.  The buses belonging to the enthusiasts have been moved from the Routemaster 4 Hire premises in Llay to other locations.

The name and website together with two of the fleet have been sold to Countrywide Coaches in High Wycombe who will now trade under the business name of Routemaster 4 Hire

David has produced a video - available on YouTube at <<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyHLX4zt_qg >> which explains his reasons for closing the business.  This video is worth watching and it explains that his next venture to sail across the Atlantic. 

HISTORIC FLEET LIST

The table below gives a list of all recorded vehicles known to have been with this operator.  I am indebted to David Donati for his dedicated work in compiling this data and enabling me to present it.

In the right hand column - where available - there is a link to a photograph of the vehicle.  The photo will open in a new window.  Links in CAPITAL LETTERS suggest the vehicle is seen when with the operator.

Chassis and body numbers are to be found on the right hand side of the table below. You may need to scroll to see them.

© Ron Hughes and David Donati - any reproduction should give credit to the originator and may require permission.