The British Electric Traction subsidiary Northern General Transport Company introduced the RMF in 1964/65, with an initial batch of 18, followed by another 32 and later joined by the prototype RMF1254.
This order created considerable interest and raised eyebrows within the bus industry, as Northern had been one of the biggest investors in the new rear-engined Leyland Atlanteans.

However, Northern shared many routes with the United Automobile Services, which operated the Bristol Lodekka, and the Atlantean did not match their performance and passenger satisfaction, so Northern brought in the RMFs as a better match.
They were fitted with Leyland engines and a higher-ratio rear axle for operation on longer trunk routes.
Other notable differences were a standard, single-panel front destination blind, sliding windows and a one-piece driver's windscreen.

They operated in various Northern red and cream liveries receiving the poppy red corporate livery and NBC Northern fleetnames in the National Bus Company era.
The RMF fleet wore the long-standing adverts characteristic of buses in the north-east of England, "Shop at Binns".
Northern Routemasters were well liked by their crews: the high axle ratio meant a good turn of speed on long-distance routes such as Newcastle to Darlington, and power steering was well appreciated on busy urban services in Gateshead and Sunderland.
Their service in the north also produced the odd sight of a Routemaster with a rollsign "X1 Scandinavia", connecting with the DFDS ferry from North Shields to Scandinavia.

However, throughout the 1970s it became increasingly uneconomic to have conductors on inter-urban services.
Despite driver and customer satisfaction, Northern had little option but to replace them.
Northern placed a large order for Bristol VRs with Eastern Coach Works and Willowbrook bodywork in 1977 to replace them.
Withdrawals began in May 1977 with the last withdrawn in October 1980.
Most were scrapped although 14 were sold to London Transport.
Only one entered service, as an open-top with London Coaches.
The British Electric Traction subsidiary Northern General Transport Company introduced the RMF in 1964/65, with an initial batch of 18, followed by another 32 and later joined by the prototype RMF1254. This order created considerable interest and raised eyebrows within the bus industry, as Northern had been one of the biggest investors in the new rear-engined Leyland Atlanteans.
However, Northern shared many routes with the United Automobile Services, which operated the Bristol Lodekka, and the Atlantean did not match their performance and passenger satisfaction, so Northern brought in the RMFs as a better match. They were fitted with Leyland engines and a higher-ratio rear axle for operation on longer trunk routes. Other notable differences were a standard, single-panel front destination blind, sliding windows and a one-piece driver's windscreen.
They operated in various Northern red and cream liveries receiving the poppy red corporate livery and NBC Northern fleetnames in the National Bus Company era. The RMF fleet wore the long-standing adverts characteristic of buses in the north-east of England, "Shop at Binns". Northern Routemasters were well liked by their crews: the high axle ratio meant a good turn of speed on long-distance routes such as Newcastle to Darlington, and power steering was well appreciated on busy urban services in Gateshead and Sunderland. Their service in the north also produced the odd sight of a Routemaster with a rollsign "X1 Scandinavia", connecting with the DFDS ferry from North Shields to Scandinavia.
However, throughout the 1970s it became increasingly uneconomic to have conductors on inter-urban services. Despite driver and customer satisfaction, Northern had little option but to replace them. Northern placed a large order for Bristol VRs with Eastern Coach Works and Willowbrook bodywork in 1977 to replace them. Withdrawals began in May 1977 with the last withdrawn in October 1980. Most were scrapped although 14 were sold to London Transport. Only one entered service, as an open-top with London Coaches.
AEC Routemaster