please empty your brain below

When we got a 'proper' Routemaster from the Chelsea Flower Show back to Victoria in May, the conductress was talking about this - but she said it was down to emissions?
There is a London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) charge, but historic vehicles constructed before 1/1/73 (as, originally, were Routemasters) are exempt from that. I don't think the more recent replacement engines affect this - checking dg's pictured bus on the LEZ database gives an 'exempt' result. Curious.
The 'New Routemasters' look pretty and it is nice to have an extra staircase but the temperature issues for the upper deck are a real problem.
Personally though I think the routemaster had had its day for regular passengers and it was a mistake to spend all that money on getting a newer version.

In terms of a tourist attraction though, I think its a shame one of the old Routemaster routes is going and I really think they should make much more of an effort to properly market those old heritage buses.
@ Bob - other than the odd tweet and a press release when there is a service change TfL do not market the bus network at all. Clearly there's a lot of demand already but there must be opportunities to generate more patronage and fill empty seats right across the network, not just the 15H.
If the running of 60 year old vehicle for fun and tourists isnt a "pet project" then I don't know what is. Scrap them all, 15H included.
Consult, vb: To ask people if they agree with you and ignore them if they don't.

As for whether they should keep going, the rational part of my brain agrees with Chris above, but my heart says that the cost of them is definitely worth it.
I think that consultation in this sort of context really means - "are there any reasons or issues for doing/not doing X which have not been thought about".
Unfortunately there are too many 'consultations' like this - whether for transport proposals or proposed building developments.

'Bout time people started jumping up and down? Preferably on the 'consultors'?
Frankly, if the consultation returns a 84% NO and they still do it, I think anyone in charge has sunk to the level of the Chinese Communist Party.

Time to hold some kind of demonstration right in front of TfL's doorstep.
Ha, they're getting rid of that too, if you mean 55 Broadway - being sold to become flats (and not for key workers).
Soon 'London Underground' will mean 'Expensive apartments for sale in the tunnels once used for tube trains'! Never mind about the purpose of the organisation so long as it can break even.
You should hear what the politicians think about TfL's consultation process and stakeholder participation. Let's just say they are not happy.
"air cooling system fails utterly" why? Design fault...or "they" thought it be o.k? or "we" won't notice. Was there are testing done? or do they expect (spring/summer) temperatures in London to drop over the working life-time of the "new Routemaster". With the money spent on these buses and the proposed amount to enter service, think someone has alot to answer for maybe?
I used to live beside the RAH and rode the #9 Routemasters daily. Unfortunately, I'm quite tall, and I discovered I could only fit facing forward in either the first row of seats (on the side opposite the driver) downstairs, or the last row of seats upstairs. Of course, I could fit in the side-facing seats, but those were reserved for those with disabilities other than "too tall".

In busy times, this essentially meant I had to stand, as otherwise - even in an aisle seat, - my legs didn't fit in the provided space.

It's a shame Brits can't "do" air-conditioning. I always suspected the fires in the bendy buses were caused because TfL insisted the manufacturers delete the AC on those buses (don't want to spoil people, now do we?) I've ridden the same buses in other EU cities and they were cool as cucumbers, while in steamy, sticky London we suffered.

Oh well, I was in NYC last week in 90F temps and the Subway cars are like deep freezes. I know London can't do that because we don't understand ventilation, but I also noticed no one in London has ever noticed the beauty of double-tracking and "express" services. Maybe next millenium?
What a shame something really "real" is being scrapped when with as bit more imagination it could really be capitalized upon as a bit of genuine London history. RM's tick ALL the boxes of London's social, economic and technical history.
I was a bus conductor for 6 summers, 1962&1963 on the good old Stockport Corporation buses (lots of Crossleys all day),then 1964-67 on the North Western Road Car Co.Ltd. of blessed memory. All around South Manchester, and even on "express" to Leeds, Bradford and Blackpool!!. Enjoyed every minute of it and the overtime was unbelievable...(and illegal now!). Now, as a volunteer at the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport (gmts.co.uk),I conduct a free hourly museum link vintage bus twice a year around Manchester City Centre, in full uniform with my driver of similar age, and we try to re-create the bus rides of the 1950's, using a 1958 back-loading Manchester Corporation Leyland PD2 double decker....the punters love it, especially the kids, to whom I always issue a pre-decimal bus ticket! The next one of these is Sat & Sun 13 & 14 September. Any Londoners fancying a mad weekend and a vintage bus trip among the Mancs, e-mail me and I will try to help you out with detailed local information.
As an introverted youth, I learnt to become a bit of a showman and a "Jack the Lad" on the back of a bus...hilarious and happy days. This is NOT an advertizing pitch for anyone, just an attempt to get publicity for a nice Manchester event which we may not be able to run for much longer, because we volunteers are getting older and older...
Happy Year of the Bus!










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