Magtec, a UK designer and manufacturer of electric vehicle drive systems, has completed the world's first electric repower of an iconic London Routemaster bus for sightseeing operator Golden Tours.

The Rotherham-based company transformed the 1960s open-top diesel bus into a fully electric vehicle, packaging a 200kWh battery system within the original bodywork to deliver a 120-mile range without altering its classic appearance.

Magtec is now converting two further Routemasters for Golden Tours, both bright pink hard-top vehicles used for the operator's afternoon tea service, popular with tourists visiting London.

First introduced by London Transport in 1956 and produced until 1968, the Routemaster became one of the most recognisable symbols of London. Of the 2,876 built, around 1,200 are believed to still exist, with many preserved by enthusiasts and a number operated by heritage and specialist companies including Golden Tours.

The principal engineering challenge was packaging and distributing the battery system across multiple locations within the Routemaster's compact bodywork while preserving its original profile.

Magtec's engineers utilised the space beneath the shallow underfloor section for the primary battery block, controller and ancillary systems, locating the remaining battery capacity at points throughout the vehicle to achieve the required capacity.

The Routemaster's 1960s electrical architecture also worked in the engineering team's favour, allowing Magtec to install its own harnesses and systems from scratch rather than integrating with the complex proprietary electronics found in modern vehicles.

The cab was modernised with Magtec's own digital dashboard, enhancing driver controls and performance monitoring.

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."

Mikesh Palan, CEO of Golden Tours, added: "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.”

The Golden Tours project is the latest in a programme of more than 30 diesel bus repowers completed by Magtec across operators in London, Oxford, Liverpool and Wales. As the company's experience has grown, project timescales have reduced significantly, with the Routemaster conversion completed in four months compared to 14 months for Magtec's first electric bus repower.