please empty your brain below

The loss of our heritage would be deplorable. Time for more monitoring of the conductors and new card readers....
Now I have moved over to contactless, and chucked out my Oyster card, I dread seeing a number 15 Routemaster coming down Fleet St. Why can't the conductors card readers be adapted to take contactless fares?
I just wish they were Routemasters with the proper wind-down windows. They are the transport version of someone buying cheap upvc windows and putting them on a historic building.
One time I did the 15H (some years ago) I was sat top deck, right at the front. Conductor would come round regularly, but every time he got close to me, he had to dash downstairs as we were getting to a stop...

And people were so concerned about people not paying fares on bendy buses... 15H was the best way to avoid them!
Yes, the tilting windows are gross, but it's almost a real Routemaster: at least it's kept the tobacco coloured ceiling, the mellow globe lights (are they LEDs?), the moquette seats and the maroon interior.
Such a shame about the 15H being pulled back again. Soon it will be gone altogether.
It always makes me smile to see and almost bounce with excitement to actually ride!
The new routemasters are a con. They never have their back door open anymore. And even I (at 5'4") feel claustrophobic upstairs!

With London traffic, being able to hop on/hop off is still something I deeply miss.
It could be argued that selling fun rides in historic vehicles should not be part of Tfl's remit. Perhaps this should be left to private operators, licensed by TfL, but setting their own prices and protecting their own revenue as they see fit.
The last time I rode the 15H, I just missed one outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
Instead of waiting for a normal 15, and because of the traffic, I quite comfortably walked to the next stop before it did so hopped on there instead!
After the introduction of Oyster there was a noticeable drop in the enthusiasm/diligence of conductors to collect fares/check cards, anyone who remembers the world when it was all cash will recall just how busy the conductor used to be, with the right away given at the front of the top deck with two bangs with his key on the bulkhead, the vocal exchanges, the near constant noise of the ticket machine, and loose change.

This is something artificial, and TfL should have withdrawn it years ago.
My favourite seat was always the one at the back.
"It could be argued that selling fun rides in historic vehicles should not be part of Tfl's remit. Perhaps this should be left to private operators, licensed by TfL, but setting their own prices and protecting their own revenue as they see fit."

It could also be argued that Britain is an increasingly bleak place just now and killing off one of the quirkier aspects of London by privatising it would be unwelcome. I for one am more than happy to pay a few extra pennies to subsidise heritage freeloaders if that is what is needed to keep the buses running.

Privatisation in my experience never leads to increased joy for anyone apart from a few rich people. And even they often don't look that happy.
Posted at 15H00 I see. How appropriate.
As with the flappy windows, these vehicles were never quite the same after all the engines and transmissions were swapped out late in their lives. As with the old light bulbs, they originally had a mellower sound and a kinder ride.

I like the space for sticking paper posters on the flanks of the top deck at the front and back and am glad they are still doing it. That for me was all part of the visual 'bustle' and identity of London.
Thanks for this article. I climbed aboard on Sunday and really enjoyed a nostalgic experience. Compared to today's buses, aren't they tiny? I was the lone passenger for nearly all the journey, until a tourist couple with toddler alighted (somewhat confused and worried about the lack of an Oyster card reader), whist the 'conductor' remained aloof and staring out of the front window. However the conductor did tell me that this service will soon be withdrawn, "In a month or two". I'm not sure that's actually true. However a quick search reveals a plan to reduce the frequency to "Operate heritage service only summer weekends and Bank Holidays"
(https://853london.com/2018/08/15/tfl-plans-permanent-cutbacks-for-routes-53-171-and-172-in-huge-bus-axe-scheme/) Which is a shame, although better than axing it completely.
The Routemaster Association are now reporting March 1st is the last day of daily operations.
The 15H's daily service ends on 1st March:
http://tfl.gov.uk/changes-to-route-15-heritage-buses.pdf

"From 2 March 2019, heritage buses on route 15 will operate only on bank holidays and weekends, from the last Saturday in March until the last weekend in September."
Last weekday working today - took a ride on a surprisingly busy one at lunchtime. Top deck was well over half full, which is unusual for any bus on Fleet Street at that time of day.

More foreign tourists than MWLBs. (the overlap between the two is small, but maybe not zero)










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