Routemaster

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The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was unveiled in 1954. It was introduced in London on 8 February 1956 and is still in service on two routes in central London, albeit billed by Transport for London as a heritage service.

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History

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Design

Image:Acton Depot March 2002 2.JPG Production examples, at first to the 27 foot 6 inches (8.4 meters) length then permitted, were placed in service from 1959 to replace trolleybuses, this process being completed in May 1962. Subsequent Routemasters, the last 500 of which were 30 foot (9.1 meters) long RML types, began the process of replacing the previous generation of RT-type AEC Regent buses (commemorated by Flanders & Swann's A Transport Of Delight) and their similar Leyland Titan RTL and RTW counterparts. The last Routemaster, RML 2760, was put into service in March 1968.

The design proved very popular with Londoners and tourists alike. Its two main advantages were the open platform at the rear, and the presence of a conductor to collect fares, required by the isolated driver's cab. The platform allowed large volumes of passengers to alight and board quickly at stops, and indeed at traffic lights and slow speeds. The conductor collected fares whilst the bus was travelling, which considerably reduced waiting time at stops.

There were some shortcomings in the Routemaster series. Both the standing headroom of the lower floor and the walking headroom on the upper floor (standing is not allowed on the upper deck of London buses) were problematic. Another shortcoming is inadequate seated passenger leg room.

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Withdrawal

Image:Routemaster Bus, Piccadilly Circus.jpg Many of London's bus routes switched to modern "one-person operation" (OPO) in the 1970s, out of a desire to reduce operating costs and address staff shortages. However, it has been found that the increased boarding time while each passenger pays the driver slows down busy routes, and leads to "bunching" of buses and poor service. In an attempt to solve this, in central London bus tickets are now bought from street-side machines before boarding. The Oyster card has also made an impact in this regard.

Withdrawal of Routemasters commenced in 1982 but was largely halted by 1988, with comparatively few withdrawn between then and 1992, when a programme was instituted to refurbish 500 of the RML type for ten years' further service. This work, which included updating the interior to modern tastes and re-engining, was carried out by Mainline, TBP and Leaside Buses, and was completed in 1994, in time for the privatisation of London Buses Limited's subsidiaries. This saw the Routemaster fleet divided between nine new companies.

In spite of an earlier public promise to retain the Routemaster, Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, later announced the phasing out of the type in order to provide a bus service in the Capital fully accessible to wheelchair users. Government legislation requires full accessibility by 2017 under the Disability Discrimination Act. As a consequence the Routemaster was officially withdrawn from service on 9 December 2005, although in fact it remains in regular service on two heritage routes (see below).

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Timetable

Image:LC-rm758-36-050106.jpg Image:Route 13 Routemaster outside Golders Green tube station.jpg Withdrawals commenced on the dates below as the routes' five-year contracts expired.

The 159 route was the final one to be withdrawn, with the exception of the heritage routes.

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The last day

Despite the fact that Routemaste buses are still in regular service on two routes in central London, these services are billed as heritage services and TfL chose to treat the removal of the Routemaster from service 159 on 9 December 2005 as marking the withdrawal of the type from regular service.

Thursday December 8th 2005 was designated the "official" day for commemorating the end of normal scheduled Routemaster operation in London. A large number of preserved RMs and RMLs, plus a number of their predecessors from the "RT" family, made guest appearances on route 159. A huge number of people, not just enthusiasts, took the opportunity to take a ride on one of the buses to say farewell to these famous vehicles.

December 9th started as any other, with Routemasters on the road as normal. From 10am, though, they were replaced at the garage one for one as they arrived back. However around 11.45 more then a dozen routemasters could be counted around Marble Arch. Many were already preserved, with enthusiasts joining the occasion with their own immaculate examples (including RM1000, 2278, 2613, 2715, 2741. 2755 and more). Ominously around 12 noon, there were none. At 12.10 RM54 reached the Marble Arch bus stop and departed, and at 12.18 RM5, gleaming in 1960's style, arrived and went to the bus stop. At this point Oxford St stopped and the police had to contain the crowd. RM6 followed but had to wait nearly 10 minutes for RM5 and the traffic to move. RM6 departed at 12.31 leaving just RM2217 preceded by an open top bus for the press. Meanwhile at 12.49 RM6 was in Piccadilly, and RM5 and RM54 caught up and were swamped by the public on Westminster Bridge, taking 15 minutes to cross. RM6, catching public attention in Golden Jubilee GOLD colours, sailed through westminster bridge overtaking RM54 and RM5 to pass school children, thousands in the crowd, and regular people who waved one last time. When RM6 arrived at Streatham at 13.48, thousands of people blocked the four lane road, bringing all traffic to a stand. As the passengers left the bus, police cleared the roads, and photographers dodged the bus as it slowly moved to the depot. Minutes later the scene was repeated as RM54 arrived, the informed shouting that this actually wasn't the last one. Preserved Routemasters also passed by adding to the excitement. RM5 came to view complete with a British Flag in the drivers window, the crowd photographing the bus, the bus driver photographing the crowd. A member of the crowd leaped out and gave flowers to the bus driver as RM5 slid into the depot, as if carried by the crowd. Finally, RM2217, shining like new, dropped her passengers, the crowd shouting to stop. RM2217 took 10 minutes to turn the corner into the depot, as crowds ran behind chasing the bus to the very limits of the garage. The crowd took over an hour to leave.

Secretly RM5 and RM6 had slid from the rear of the garage and down the street to the LCC Brixton tramways depot, followed a few minutes later by RM2217. The lucky few, and the lucky passersby, were granted an extra chance at a photograh as RM5, RM6 and RM2217 were lined side by side for the press in the quieter surroundings of the old tramways depot, which still had tramlines on the ground. Finally the door was closed and the crowd took the regular less distinctive normal buses back home, leaving the last three alone.

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Heritage operation

Image:Heritage Routemaster.jpg For many people, Routemaster buses evoke nostalgic feelings, and the announcement spawned a campaign to save the bus. See also the television situation comedy (later a film) On the Buses, although the buses depicted there, while rear-entrance double deckers, are not Routemasters.

Two heritage routes have been introduced to keep the Routemaster alive in London. These operate on the central London sections of Route 9 and Route 15 as follows:

  • Royal Albert Hall — Hyde Park Corner — Piccadilly Circus — Trafalgar Square — Strand — Aldwych (0930 – 1830, every 15 mins, mirroring part of existing route 9). Operated by First Group under contract to TfL.
  • Trafalgar Square — Strand — Aldwych — Fleet Street — Cannon Street — Monument — Tower Hill (0930 – 1830, every 15 mins, mirroring part of existing route 15). Operated by Stagecoach under contract to TfL.

The two routes use the most recently refurbished Routemaster vehicles and accept standard Travelcards, Oystercards or cash fares.

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See also

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External links

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