▁III ▁R T ▁and ▁the ▁Rout em aster ▁and ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁" ut ility " ▁bus ▁that ▁ran ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁orig ins ▁of ▁the ▁museum ▁lie ▁in ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁London ▁Bus ▁Pres ervation ▁Group ▁( L B PG ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁an ▁association ▁of ▁individual ▁own ers ▁of ▁London ▁bus es ▁who ▁wished ▁to ▁pool ▁their ▁resources . ▁Some ▁members ▁of ▁that ▁group ▁had ▁attempted ▁to ▁preserve ▁old ▁London ▁bus es ▁as ▁far ▁back ▁as ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁but ▁their ▁first ▁success ▁came ▁with ▁the ▁purchase ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁of ▁a ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁A EC ▁Reg al ▁single - de cker ▁which ▁had ▁origin ated ▁with ▁the ▁London ▁General ▁Om n ibus ▁Company ▁and ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁generally ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁bus ▁to ▁be ▁priv ately ▁preserved ▁in ▁the ▁UK . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁L B PG ▁acquired ▁a ▁former ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁aircraft ▁factory , ▁now ▁demol ished , ▁near ▁Cob ham , ▁Sur rey ▁where ▁the ▁private ▁Cob ham ▁Bus ▁Museum ▁was ▁established , ▁taking ▁its ▁name ▁from ▁the ▁location . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁museum ▁had ▁in ▁the ▁inter im ▁become ▁a ▁Register ed ▁Char ity ▁and ▁a ▁Register ed ▁Museum , ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁its ▁future ▁was ▁uncertain ▁as ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁d eter ior ating ▁and ▁planning ▁permission ▁could ▁not ▁be