Buses on Screen: The Professionals (LWT thriller series, 1977-83)

Crime and terrorism fighting show starring Gordon Jackson, and making stars of Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins. The numbering of the episodes is confused to say the least; one episode was not shown at all in terrestrial television, and the running order of the rest became jumbled. Thanks to stronghold, who provided some of the information recorded here.

Episode 1.05: Heroes:
A distant London Country Green Line SNC class Leyland-National:

Episode 1.09: Close Quarters:
A view of a British Airways Concorde at Heathrow Airport. In the foreground are no fewer than 6 of the 20 Bedford VAL14s with Marshall bodied bought by BEA between 1965 and 1967, seen here in British Airways livery.

In a scene by a boat yard in Marlow when Bodie and his girlfriend hijack a Ford Cortina estate, an Alder Valley Leyland-National Mk I whizzes past in the background (thanks John Hammond):

Episode 1.10: Klansmen:
This episode was not shown on terrestrial television when made, owing to its controversial subject. The London Transport DMS class appears in the background of many episodes, including here, through a pub window:

Episode 1.11: Look After Annie:
I'm open to offers on the identity of this background double decker:

Episode 1.13: When the Heat Cools Off:
A sequence in a pub car park also features a London Country AEC RT in background, and a London Health Service Bedford, either an SB or a VAS. (thanks John Hammond)

Episode 2.03: First Night:
Doyle abandons his current girlfriend at the side of the road to attend an incident. While he's persuading her to exit the car, London Transport DMS1975 ((KUC875P, Daimler Fleetline/MCW) passes:

As he speeds away, another DMS passes, from the THM-M batch. In the distance can be seen an Alder Valley semicoach seated Bristol VRTSL/Eastern Coachworks on the service between Reading and London:

This glimpse of a Routemaster is also in West London, in Talgarth Road:

The ensuing bumpy footage gives the briefest of glimpses of a London Transport BL class Bristol LH/Eastern Counties, another West London type:

In a later scene Bodie and Doyle sit upstairs on a double decker, while Doyle pores over a London bus route map. The bus doesn't appear to be a London bus, however; John Hammond points to the sliding windows and vinyl seats, suggesting a Bristol VRTSL/Eastern Coachworks:

Meantime this scene seems to appear only on DVD; seen in the background is this unidentifiable single decker, possibly a rare Beadle-Commer:

Episode 2.04: Man Without a Past:
A London Transport Red Arrow AEC Merlin passes in the background of one scene:

Episode 2.05: In the Public Interest:
Our heroes pull up at a railway station while a London Country Green Line RB class AEC Reliance/Duple Dominant II passes in the background, pursued by a Leyland Atlantean/Park Royal of the same operator:

Episode 2.06: Rogue:
Not sure what this bus was doing here, it may have been used by the production team. It appears to be an ex Southdown Leyland Tiger Cub with Weymann Fanfare coachwork, from the 1960 XUF1xx batch. It also appears parked in two different sequences in episode 3.04:

In the background of this scene, London Transport DMS type Leyland B20 Fleetlines are passing:

Episode 2.07: Not a Very Civil Civil Servant:
A scene in a chip shop, and passing the window is an RT family bus painted blue. Perhaps it was used by the production team - I'd guess it's the same bus glimpsed in Episode 4.02:

Episode 2.08: A Stirring of Dust:
Doyle rides in the back of a car, while two London Routemasters pass, also a DMS type Leyland Fleetline:

A man under surveillance is photographed against an RML class Routemaster:

Our heroes travel in traffic, behind London Transport DM958 (GHV958N), a 1975 Daimler Fleetline/Park Royal:

....followed by an unidentifiable Duple Commander coach:

Episode 3.01: The Purging of CI5:

An unidentified Duple bodied coach passing in background:

Episode 3.04: Dead Reckoning
More London traffic scenes, first a distant DMS class Daimler Fleetline, then a Routemaster from the xxxCLT batch with a Duple Commander coach in the distance:

....and here's that Tiger Cub from episode 2.06, from both sides:

Episode 3.05: The Madness of Mickey Hamilton:

The opening scene has two London AEC Routemasters in traffic as an ambulance races to hospital:

John Hammond notes two more Routemasters as the character Mickey Hamilton conducts his killing spree across London. Firstly he is seen jumping off RM792 (WLT792) which is working a 159 to Streatham:

....and later on, waits to board an RM (from the WLTxxx batch) working a 155 to Elephant and Castle:

Episode 3.08: Servant of Two Masters:

John Hammond notes:"At one scene at a queue of traffic in North London, an SNC (looks like one from the HPF3xxN batch) in full Green Line livery passes on the left hand side, and a Routemaster is visible in the background!".

Episode 4.01: The Acorn Syndrome:

A distant view of an Eastern Coachworks bodied bus. It's in National Bus Company red with the flying N logo. It's likely to be an Alder Valley bus, but whether on a Bristol LH or Ford R1014 chassis I guess we'll never know:

Episode 4.02: Wild Justice:

A motocross event, but in background is a blue-painted RT type bus. It's a good bet this is the bus seen in Episode 2.07:

Episode 4.03: Fugitive:

An early scene takes place with a London Transport AEC Routemaster as a backdrop:

Bodie follows a woman on and off London Transport RT196 (HLW183) on route 209.

Leon Daniels comments:
"- a scene we did by Wembley Stadium. It was the height of the evening peak hour and Lewis Collins was supposed to alight from the bus but be impeded by boarding passengers. Sadly 99 other real passengers boarded the bus too, and he found himself back against the front bulkhead!" Bodie chases the woman into Wembley Park Underground station where he loses her. Thanks also to Dave Matthews at The Authorised Guide to The Professionals. RT196 (HLW183) was by then actually with dealers Brakells of Cheam.

Episode 4.06: Take Away:

A National Travel London Bedford YMT/Duple Dominant II passes in the background of one scene.

Episode 4.07: Black Out:

A London Transport AEC Routemaster passes St Mary's Church in Ealing, West London:

A chase ends in the bad guys' car exploding, while London Transport DMS class Daimler Fleetlines pass overhead:

Episode 4.08: Blood Sports:

Another passing DMS, an N-registration example:

Meanwhile Doyle parks his Ford Capri awkwardly behind a Routemaster outside Chalk Farm Underground station, which draws the attention of two traffic wardens:

Episode 4.10: The Gun:

As the guys turn off the main road, a Wallace Arnold coach depot is seen, with a number of Plaxton bodied Leyland Leopards:

A school team travels to play football on a Bedford VAS bus. It's not however the standard grey school bus of the era, and a glimpse of the registration reveals it as BOE798C, a 1965 Bedford VAS2/Willowbrook new to Birmingham Fire and Ambulance Service:

Episode 5.02: Operation Susie:

A scene walking past a line of London Transport bus stops includes DMS type Daimler Fleetlines, AEC Routemasters and a passing Green Line RB class AEC Reliance/Duple Dominant II:

Another Routemaster is glimpsed in traffic, also a DMS type Leyland B20 Fleetline from the THX_S batch:

Episode 5.03: You'll Be Alright:

An Alder Valley Bristol VRTSL/Eastern Coachworks semicoach passes outside this car dealer. A similar vehicle (or even the same one) appears in episode 2.03, but the livery has been revised in the two years between that and this episode:

Episode 5.05: Discovered in a Graveyard:

A chase sequence ends in a van crashing and exploding. Parked in the yard are a bus and two coaches, none of them clearly seen. The bus looks like a London Country SMW class AEC Swift!

The coaches are blurred, but on the right is a Duple bodied Bedford, Ford or Commer:

Buses on Screen > Television > Television P > The Professionals (LWT thriller series, 1977-83)