The Chinese Detective (BBC police series, 1981-2)

Episode 1.1: Release
In this East London-set series, a scene walking down a London street has two Park Royal-bodied DMS-class Daimler Fleetlines passing, both based at Poplar garage. The first is 1976-built DMS2116 (KJD116P) on route 54; the second is one of the first batch, 1970-built DMS13 (EGP13J), on route 277:

A third Fleetline can't be identified:


Episode 1.4: Income Tax
Leon Daniels recalls working on a bus crash scene using an AEC Regent III RT. Chris Hough adds: “The main character, John Ho, a detective in the Metropolitan Police played by David Yip crashes into the RT. Later he is carpeted by his boss (later to become Charlie Slater in Eastenders for hitting a Routemaster bus. At this point Ho corrects his boss by telling him it was in fact an RT. The series aired some years after the last RT ran!”</i> The bus driver is played by another former Eastenders stalwart, Arthur Treacher. Mike Lloyd confirms the RT as RT1784 (KYY622):


In the aftermath there's a scene at a London Transport bus garage, with a number of DMS Daimler Fleetlines and BL-class Bristol LH6Ls. From the buses identifiable, I believe this is Turnham Green garage, as all were in store there at the time of filming: BL52 (OJD52R) and DMS1637 (THM637M), plus an unidentified DMS:

BL67 (OJD67R), and an unidentified BL from the KJD___P batch:

DMS2449 (OJD449R), BL54 (OJD54R) and another unidentified BL:


Episode 1.5: Washing
A glimpse of a passing AEC Routemaster:


Episode 1.6: Ice and Dust
An aerial view of a DMS Daimler Fleetline:


Episode 2.4: Tapdancer
A glimpse of a London Transport standard AEC Routemaster:


Episode 2.5: Bounty Hunter
'Doc Halliday', played by Maurice Roëves, arrives in London by coach, which allows for some views of Victoria Coach Station. The coach is Western Scottish V129 (GGE129X), a Duple Dominant III bodied Volvo B10M:


Also seen are an East Kent Road Car AEC Reliance/Duple Dominant and a similarly bodied Maidstone and District Leyland Leopard PSU3C from the 4120-4125 batch (OKE_P). The latter is parked alongside Southdown 1307 (ANJ307T), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3E, and what appears to be a Maidstone and District bus-bodied Leopard arrives behind:

An Alder Valley Leopard/Plaxton is seen in Londonlink livery, apparently 502 (WJM816T), and an older Midland Red Leopard crosses in the foreground as V129 arrives. I had this as Plaxton-bodied, but Howard Berry corrected me, “Contrary to the description of a Plaxton bodied Leopard, it is in fact a Duple Viceroy bodied Leyland Leopard with a Plaxton Elite lower front grafted on to it - fleet no 2251 (LRF220F) and acquired from Harper Bros of Heath Hayes.”:

Another Southdown Leopard is glimpsed behind a taxi; this one is dual purpose liveried 1286 (RYJ886R), a PSU3E/Duple:

Later a German Mercedes of Jasper Reisen is seen in traffic:


Episode 2.6: Chorale
Seen as a character leaves a telephone box is the rear of a London Transport Bristol LH:


Episode 2.8: Secret State
In the background of a scene in a multistorey car park is what appears to be an East Kent Road Car AEC Regent V:

Later two Routemasters pass: