Routemaster

Saying Goodbye to the Routemaster
By Sharron Livingston, Freelance Writer

November 2006

They are iconic, famous the world over and, like the black cab and The ability to jump on and off the bus quickly was one of the advantages of taking the Routemaster, one of London's famous icons. the red telephone boxes, are an international symbol of quirky London but sadly they are no more – well not much more.

For many middle-aged Londoners, like myself, who grew up with this big red tin on wheels, the withdrawal of the hop-on-hop-off Routemaster feels as regrettable as the confiscation of a much loved childhood toy.

As a young adult I recall the almost daily satisfaction of running for dear life to the catch the 9:15 a.m. bus to take me from Finchley to Baker Street to my place of work and managing to jump on (or off for that matter) at the last moment just before the bus moved on. Or sneaking on or off between bus stops at traffic lights, at zebra crossings or in heavy traffic. That was the beauty of a doorless bus. Those intimately satisfying mini dare-devil escapades can never be repeated on today's bendy, automatic-door buses. I even remember with some fondness, those windy winter days, dressed in just my flimsy school uniform skirt, when finding the warmest part of the bus (usually on the top deck) was a challenge.

There is more. Certain sounds have disappeared forever; the familiar monotone request of the bus conductor as he walked the bus aisles clucking 'tickets please' (always polite) followed by the sound of the whirring ticket printing machine when he found a taker - sounds never to be heard again.

But even more than that; as a child, the bus conductor seemed to me to be the font of all local knowledge. He would know where all the landmarks were, where the shopping centers and cinema were and often, when I was unsure, all I had to do was ask, and he would provide the valuable service of letting me know when I should get off. It was like having my own blue badge guide on each bus trip dispensing reassurance to order - and all for the price of a bus ticket. Priceless.

Routemaster buses were originally introduced in 1954 to replace trolleybuses on London's streets and these lightweight buses were designed specifically for the vagaries of London's tight corners. Only 2,876 of these sturdy aluminum beasts were ever made, but even so, they have a claim to Hollywood fame maki Ten Routemasters continue to run along the "Heritage Routes." ng their debut in Cliff Richard’s classic feel-good film ‘Summer Holidays’.

For thirty odd years, these red, rounded-roofed topped buses were the pride of London’s roads. Then in the late 70’s one-person buses (driver only) were introduced effectively saving on the cost of two salaries.

However, their ease of maintenance, quick boarding times, and iconic design saw them remain on a hard core of routes right up until 2003 when TfL (Transport for London) began to slowly replace them with bendy buses. This slow withdrawal from the standard London bus network was finally completed on December 9th 2005.

Visitors to London though, should not feel too badly about missing out on the Routemaster experience. There are still around 10 of them in use along two of London's most popular routes and remain the only buses left in the developed world that actually have conductors. The circuits have been dubbed 'The Heritage Routes' and though the more modern square-roofed buses also travel those routes, there is usually, and perhaps unsurprisingly, a clamor to board the Routemaster.

Just last week I overheard a conversation among a couple of visiting American sweethearts on the number 15 bus –

She: "Aren't we supposed to get off at St Paul's Cathedral?"

He: "Hey babe, we're together cuddled up on the top-deck of an old-fashioned big red bus, enjoying London's views. It’s so romantic. St Paul's can wait”.

**All Photos by Sharron Livingston

Heritage Routes

Heritage Routemaster run every 15 minutes between 9.30am and 6.30pm.

No. 9 runs from the Royal Albert Hall, through Knightsbridge, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar square, Charing Cross, down the Strand to Aldwych
No. 15 runs from Trafalgar Square, rolls down the Strand past the Coal Hole pub and the Lyceum Tavern, up Ludgate Hill past St Paul's Cathedral into Cannon Street then by Monument, Eastcheap and finally into Tower Hill.

Travelcards are accepted.

www.tfl.gov.uk