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Legendary Routemaster Bus | Red London Buses

Ranked #540 in Cars, #31,313 overall

The AEC Routemaster was specifically designed for London

The traditional Red Routemaster is one of the famous Tourist Icons of London. Yet it has gradually disappeared from the city's streets, this caused it to be one of the most important issues in the recent election for London's Mayor. The bus is famous for its reliability, it kept being called back into service to replace worn-out modern buses. All the same most of them have been retired and are now used for promotions or adventure transport all over the world.

Warning: Routemaster bus fans are probably some of the most obsessive fans that exist any where!



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Click How to identify a Routemaster Bus

Symbol of London

The Routemaster bus is famous for its reliability and its open doorway which allow people to hop on and off in slow moving traffic where ever they wanted. It gives you a wonderful sense of freedom when you suddenly realised you could swap to a different bus or go by tube, or jump off and buy a newspaper, or just get off because you'd seen a friend or tourist site you'd like to visit. People also liked the bus because they had conductors (ticket sellers) who were often personalities and offered tourist advice.

photo by Dimity B Creative Commons

New Routemaster Bus Unveiled by Boris Johnson

New Routemaster Bus Unveiled by Boris Johnson

History of the Routemaster

The Routemaster bus was developed during the years of 1947-1956 , the brief being to replace London's trolleybuses, which had themselves replaced trams in London, and also the older diesel RT buses. 2875 were built and all but 115 were ordered by London Transport. In 1998 over 600 Routemasters were operating in London. Most surviving Routemasters are 72 seat 30 foot long RML class models, these can be identified by an extra shorter window halfway along both upper and lower decks.

Routemasters operated outside London on the Greenline service had enclosed rear platforms, as an open platform would not of been safe at the higher speeds obtainable on traffic-free roads.

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Routemaster and Bus Websites

Routemaster Association
Main Routemaster Website
Routemaster Photos Website
Routemaster UK photo collections within this site cover Routemasters & other Heritage vehicles across the UK.
London Transport Museum
London Transport Museum Covent Garden Buses & Tube trains a must visit
Routemaster Photos
Photo database of Routemasters, RTs, RFs and similar classic vehicles
Oxford Bus Museum
The Official Oxford Bus Museum Website, I'm a member here, try to arrive by rail Oxford to Worcester Line
Buses on Screen
This is a celebration of buses as they've been depicted on screen over the years, on film and on TV
The AEC Regal
AEC Regal, a marque which flourished in various forms for about 30 years starting in 1929
Routemasters - Last Stop!
Photographers Jet and Ralf Obergfell created LastStop! - a visual journey of the Routemasters final months. Through a mixture of still life, portrait and documentary photography, jet and ralf obergfell offer fresh perspectives on the vehicles iconic contours.
Routemasters Appaeraing in Films or Onscreen
Brilliant collection of screen shots of the Routemaster appearing in Movies,Films and in Television Series(over a hundred!)

Routemaster Books

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London Bus in Australia

RTL 547 in Sidney (Not a Routemaster, note the radiator)

Routemaster in the Falklands

Routemaster Toys

The Disliked Bendy Bus

Boris Johnson has vowed that his first act as Mayor of London will be to scrap bendy buses and replace them with a modern-day Routemaster.

Mr Johnson said that the controversial buses were abused by fare dodgers and highly dangerous to cyclists.

London Bus Poster

Bus in Motion Piccadilly Circus London

Bus in Motion, London, UK




Buy at AllPosters.com

How to Recognise a Routemaster

Distinguishing a Routemaster from an RT

Many people think all old Red Buses are Routemasters but in fact there were many more RTs produced. The front radiator is the easiest way to tell them apart. The Routemaster has a wide split radiator grill and the Identification of type RM1111 (Route Master 1111).
The RT's have a tall narrow split radiator grill and are numbered RT1111.

The RT, which served from 1939 to 1979, and of which 4,825 were built, the most numerous class of London bus (just 2,760 Routemasters were built for London). The RT had a 7½ft wide chassis, the Routemaster's was 8ft. There were a number of places in London right up to 1979 that could only be served by RTs because the Routemaster was too wide.

RT's are rather gaunt and stern looking in comparison with the more rounded Routemaster.

RT Bus

(photo Wikipedia Commons by Elsie)

The AEC Regent III RT was a double-decker bus produced jointly between AEC and London Transport. It was the standard red London bus during the 1950s. It was narrower than the Routemaster and was thus be used on certain routes where the Routemaster was too wide

Routemaster Heritage Route 9 and 15

Yes you can still travel on a Routemaster in London

From 2005 there are two Routemaster Heritage Routes 9 and 15

Route 9 : Buses run between Royal Albert Hall via Trafalgar Square to Aldwych

Route 15 : Trafalgar Square to Tower Hill

Even if you are not mad about buses this is the best way to visit London (try and get the front seats on the top deck)

Check London Transport for details

Jeremy Clarkson Blows up a Routemaster Bus

Jeremy presents a successful Motoring Programme on British TV called Top Gear. He hates buses that get in the way of his luxury sports car and decided to blow one up for his DVD. Unfortunately he chose to destroy one of the only 500 remaining Routemasters in the country. Andrew Morgan, chairman of the Routemaster Association, said: "It's just sacrilege and a very sad thing to do.

Routemasters on Film and on Television

Reference http://www.busesonscreen.net/

See the Link above in the Routemaster Web Links for screen shots of over a 100 films.
  • 28 Days Later (2002, Christopher Eccleston)
  • 102 Dalmatians (2000, Glenn Close) with a Dalmatian Colored Routemaster!
  • Summer Holiday (1963, Cliff Richard)
    Does not feature Routemasters but instead Three RTs, RT2305 (KGU334), RT2366 (KGU395) and RT4326 (NLE990) RT1881 with a fake registration number (WLB991)
  • Live and Let Die 1973 James bond with Roger Moore
    AEC Regent III RT type double-decker. This has the famous scene where the top deck is removed when Roger Moore drives under a low bridge. Roger Moore took bus driving lessons for the film.

How to Visit London - Advice for Tourists

Travelcards for buses and tube

The London Travelcard and London Visitor Travelcard are the travel passes for short term visitors to London. The Travelcard is easy to purchase and as well as saving money also saves a lot of time obtaining tickets individually.

You can buy one, three, seven day travel cards. You can save even more money by buying the off-peak version.

Apart from saving you money the travel cards also you a lot of hassle, as you chnage from bus to tube to bus again freely without having to queue for tickets.

Tip: take a ride on the overground Docklands Light Railway which gives you magnificient views of London (use your travelcard)

Modern Routemaster Design Proposal for 2011

One of two winning designs

Computer Graphic of New Routemaster Bus May 2010

Boris Johnson unveils London Routemaster bus design

TFL Image

Best Routemaster Bus books (UK)

Routemaster books on Amazon.co.uk in order of popularity

Routemaster Omnibus
The Routemaster was more than just a bus. It was a symbol of all that was great about Britain and in particular about London, which it served faithfully for an unmatchable fifty years.
Buses Yearbook 2009
Enduringly popular and eagerly awaited, Buses Yearbook almost has a cult following; it is simply the best round up of current, topical and varied features of interest to all road transport enthusiasts.
The Bus We Loved: London's Affair with the Routemaster: Travis Elborough: Amazon.co.uk: Books
This quirky book looks at the Routemaster in a completely different way to other publications relating to this iconic bus... a light-hearted read that will amuse as well as tell the story of one of London's best loved buses

Routemaster Bus at Ascot Station close to Ascot Racecourse

Creative Commons by Chris J. Dixon

This was not taken during Royal Ascot when the square would be crowded with elegant racegoers. The pub just seen to the right is the the first and last halt of those determined to have a great day out.

Routemaster in London Transport Museum Covent Garden

London Transport Museum Covent Garden a Mecca for Transport fans

The splendid Routemaster, an icon of this great city sadly no longer in regular use- although some still survive as tourist buses. At the London Transport Museum

Photo by Basher Eyre under Creative Commons

Buses in the News : Atheist Bus in London

Didn't know buses could be religious!

UK Routemaster and Bus Books, Toys and Models

Routemaster Books and Models for the UK

A Row Of Wonderful Routemaster Buses

Photo by Elsie Esq.

Engine of Dismantled Routemaster Bus

Photo by wetwebwork

A Bright Green Routemaster

Elsie says I think this is one of the finest bus liveries EVER.

CUV 23 Route 368 Grays and Stifford Clays to Chadwell St Marys

Elsie Esq.

Routemaster and RT Bus Photo Gallery

PWL 413 of Oxford Bus Museum Leaving Abingdon Air Show 2009 AEC Regent III 1950<br />

PWL 413 of Oxford Bus Museum Leaving Abingdon Air Show 2009 AEC Regent III 1950

PWL 413 of Oxford Bus Museum Leaving Abingdon Air Show 2009 AEC Regent III 1950
Routemaster RM 45 Rear View on Wedding Duty Abingdon 24th May 2009. Rear View of a Routemaster- Back of a bus.

VLT45 now re reg to AST415T
Park Royal Bodywork Ex London Transport
Fleet No: RM45

Walkers Crisp Routemaster Advert with Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker maybe doesn't know that he is not the star in the Advert

The advert which is a parody of the Cliff Richard film 'Summer Holiday' shows Gary Lineker eating a bag of crisps and singing along to the song 'Summer Holiday'
2008 Walkers Crisps ad Routemaster Bus
by BristolRE | video info

40 ratings | 57,702 views
curated content from YouTube

How to Tell a Routemaster Bus from an RT Bus

Photo and description to distinguish a Routemaster Bus from an RT Bus

The Routemaster has a wider radiator and a more streamlined cowling. The older RT has a tall radiator and a gaunter more austere look. The Routemaster has twin headlights set into the cowling, the RT has single headlights on stalks.

See the comparison image below

Modern Bus Photo Gallery

Green Park and Ride bus in St Aldates Oxford August 2009.ALX400

Green Park and Ride bus in St Aldates Oxford August 2009.ALX400

Green Park and Ride bus in St Aldates Oxford August 2009.ALX400

Sinclair C5 Electric Vehicle in a Carpark in Basingstoke

What's this got to do with Routemaster's you might well ask!

None really , but one of the reasons the C5 was a failure was that it could not be seen by trucks and buses

London Transport Museum at Covent Garden

Very Handy for Tourists with Uninterested Wives - Lots to see/shop near by!!

Routemaster next to a smart Greenline. (The Greenlines ran fron the city to the country)

Routemaster next to a smart Greenline. (The Greenlines ran fron the city to the country)

Routemaster next to a smart Greenline. (The Greenlines ran fron the city to the country)
Routemaster with Anachronistic Flower Girl!
Routemaster Interior
Sought after Rear Seat
Routemaster Stairwell
Trolley Bus at London Transport Museum
Bus Conductor Uniform with Ticket Machine and Range of Colored Tickets
The Rear of RM1737 737 DYE
Lifelike Trolley Bus Conductor with a Pole to Untangle Trolley Cables
Close up of front of a Routemaster Bus

Routemaster Buses in the News

  1. 11 Nov 2009 Strongman Pulls Routemaster Bus with His Hair
    Manjit Singh, a 59-year-old from Leicester, attached a clamp to his thick ponytail and bore the pain of pulling a seven ton vintage routemaster 21.2 metres through Battersea Park to set a new world record .

Routemaster procession at Showbus 2006, Duxford

Showbus
by SJBVIDEO | video info

43 ratings | 27,006 views
curated content from YouTube

Hiring a Routemaster Bus For a Wedding

Hiring a Routemaster Bus For a Corporate Event

routemasterhire.com
They own
RML 2548 1966-2005
RML 2374 1965-2007
RML 2390 1966-2007

Using a Routemaster bus is not only one of the most fun and enjoyable ways of transporting your guests or clients in or around London but it also helps reduce congestion and emissions on London roads. One bus can carry 72 seated guests, which equates to nearly 15 Black London taxis and with parking at practically every London venue being non-existent, a vintage Routemaster is the perfect solution.

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Routemaster and RT Bus Side by Side for Comparison

Yep that's a Routemaster on the Right!

Routemaster Bus at Leicester Forest East Service Station

Welcome Break Service Station

Routemaster Bus at Leicester Forest East Service Station

JJD 498D - 1966 AEC Routemaster - decorated in Children In Need Livery, was previously black.

formerly RML2498. First RML2498 AEC Routemaster Double Deck Bus JJD498D, built in June 1966 for London Transport, in service until at least 2002.

Angel Blessings for London Buses

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