My grandfather drove these beautiful buses (my grandmother was his conductress). I remember going to Upton Park bus garage and sat in the driver’s cab as a kid.
The Routemaster also lent itself to the incredibly dangerous practice of leaping on and off while it was moving. A practice in which I engaged on a frequent basis.
I remember going around Marble Arch and watching a lady's shopping trolley roll down the aisle, onto the platform and into the road. Those were the golden days!
I can still feel the pole in my hand and the platform vibrating as I jumped on the moving bus as a teen! That’s the only good nostalgia, the rest of the bus was rubbish compared to modern vehicles.
@@jimwoods9551 I also loved sitting on the bench seat on the left hand side, reaching up to tug the cord in order to ring the bell and request the next stop. Made me feel like a pro! (But in terms of pure passenger comfort, you are of course correct, modern buses win hands down).
A brilliant initiative, I've met the owners personally and they were very friendly. A £5 fare for an all day ride is a steal to a tourist! Wish them all the best. And of course - a great video covering the matter.
Thanks Jago! I used to drive these on the 13 from North Finchley to Aldwych back in the late 80's. They were getting on a bit even back then, though I loved driving them, and some of the conductors were real characters. It's amazing there are still so many on the road in such superb condition. Iconic indeed :)
That was my route a lot. I still remember when the 13 went only as far as Golders Green (with the occasional garage extension to Hendon Garage). That the route now goes to Victoria instead of the Aldwych is disgusting.
These were also my childhood buses too, I remember getting these on the 73. These are the originals and no other buses especially the ones of today i.e. the new routemaster can never beat or be like these very iconic originals..
If Routemasters were exclusively for London what was I riding in Ipswich in 1972? Same open passenger footplate and pole you ran at and grabbed as a kid. Conductor helped you on if you missed your footing. Routemaster version for the sticks?
I trained on RTs and was directed under a 13' 9" bridge by an instructor reading his newspaper (RTs are 14' 6" and having read the signs I preferred to stop and turn round). Got an unfriendly response when insisting on a different instructor but, it happened, lovely West Indian guy and passed my test first time. Type training instructor told me "although I drove RM perfectly he had to report defects to show he was doing his job". Drove RMLs in service. Had a full load in rush hour when the bus started leaning unusually on the front and stopped at an LT garage for a mechanic to assess. He told me front suspension had collapsed on the near side and to corner slowly. Had attempted bullying every payday to join the Union, or else!!! Won my insurance claim against London Transport for driving over my car when the bus driver made a right turn out of the garage without looking and left the following week. Ah, those were the days. Great vehicles but you would never get me back to London for all the tea in China.
Definitely an icon. Throwback to my youth in the 60s and 70s. Hoping on and off when the bus was moving was a thrill, if not at times, bloody dangerous 😂
I was brought up in Southampton in the 50s when their buses (Guy Arabs?) had the open rear platform. I was once on the platform waiting to get off at the next stop when the bus went round the Bargate - the ancient city gates now made into a roundabout. The centrifugal forces almost flew me off the bus. Lethal! Yes, jumping on and off when the bus was moving was another trick.
a kid in my school in the early 80's was killed when he jumped off one by the school. Saying that you have to love the Routemaster. there was always the moment when you didn't catch it to jump on in time and you just continued pretending you were'nt actually running for it, then slink off in shame.
The possible dangers and fear are simply not there when we were kids. Jumping on or off the moving bus and being yelled at by the clippy, not a care in the world!!!🤣
Oh the excitement when our local Country Area route 480 was converted from RT operation to Routemaster RML's in 1965. I insisted upon my mum taking me home upon the first one I saw although she hadn't finished her shopping! Dear old mum!
Thank you! She still IS very nice.... now in her ninety-ninth year! Perhaps she has been granted long life as a reward for indulging nine-year-old bus freaks with rides upon brand new and shiny RML's?!! @@jerribee1
A real treat as a child was when my Mum took me to Windsor for the day on Routes 457 or 457A from Uxbridge, which was RML operated from Windsor Garage. Happy Days !.
@@idealjohn I don't believe to this day that there has ever been a more comfortable bus made than the routemaster. The best seat had to be the little sofa upstairs at the very back beside the staircase and immediately below the emergency window.
There is another way to travel on a Routemaster bus. The annual Imber bus run every summer. It is the most bizarre fun day out , with queues of buses of all types of routemasters in country lanes along an army firing range to a closed village church which only opens for the day. You must give it a go.
@@eattherich9215 find out what date it is next year and set a reminder to book your train ticket! Personally I would love it if they ran one of the buses from the nearest parkrun.
And it was an original short wheel base 4 window Routemaster too. I sometimes used to get the Number 8 from Bow Church to Oxford Circus esp when it was raining and didn't want to walk to Mile End tube.
Never forget my first time on a routemaster, the number 6. Truly beautiful bus built for London streets and is the global icon for the city. Seats are comfy but being taller than 5' 11" they didn't make the legroom with me in mind.
Same engine? Wouldn't be the same without that chuckle. This gave me such a pang, took bus to and from school every day and every tiny detail just triggered so many memories. Seeing how fast you could dismount, the conductor's ticket machine (sounds like that has gone). Oof, got me in the feels
I recall that the lower deck had a rear-facing bench seat that ran the width of the vehicle behind the driver. I have memories of kneeling up on the seat behind the driver watching his every move, and in no way pretending to drive the bus. That was reserved for the front seat on the upper deck!! 😊
@@baxtermarrison5361 Routemasters didn't have those. Depending on where you grew up, it would have been another type of bus. I recall Bristol Lodekkas had a seat like that, may have been one of those?
My last time on a Routemaster (maybe 5 or 6 years ago) was on a tube replacement service. Jubilee line, Wembley Park to Finchley Road. And there was a conductor to give the signals to the driver.
This is my childhood, loved riding these buses and they seemed so modern compared to the RTs they were to replace. Thanks for the great trip down memory lane Jago!
@@thomasburke2683 Power steering that sometimes would lock on one if the revs were not kept up mid corner if left in auto. Hence my preference for the RT.
Yes, hanging on to that platform grab pole cheating death with no fear brings back memories of my school days! With a bus pass I could get a' 2d half' bus ride to within a half mile of my school! Happier days!!!😉
London's not the same without Routemasters running about. I travelled on one on the 15 route a few years ago- it was much bumpier than I remember but that's probably due to the roads. I must try this!
I’m a train girl through and through but I do enjoy riding on busses . I always get a sense of relief when the bus I’m waiting for arrives, especially at night time. I must check this “new” attraction out.
I can't believe how emotional this video made me. Grew up on double deckers, mainly Routemasters. Loved running to catch them as they pulled away and standing on the platform for as long as possible before reaching my stop.
When London Transport , who had earlier acquired the one time BEA routemaster fleet, mostly for staff bus and trainer use, on the 175 at Romford and later private RMAs were used on some of the London Underground rail replacement emergency bus service, folk got confused when running for the bus to find (a) no platform and (b) the entrance doors were about just over half way up the bus.
I used to travel on these buses in the 50s and 60s. Upstairs at the back was where the most seating room was. Downstairs could get very packed out at rush hour. These were two man buses - a driver and conductor. The conductor would take the fares.
The Routemaster, perhaps the best bus ever and a worthy successor to its earlier ancestor the RT. We had a friend who bought and lived in one of the latter after that type had been withdrawn from service. Parked up outside his parents home he had an illegal shore supply draped above the pavement. One new years eve in London we had a ride in his bus down Regent St. Another friend was driving the RT whilst its owner had some of the lower deck floorboards up to show us the subtleties of the vehicles transmission. We pulled up at a red light and a couple of unsuspecting foreign tourists innocently boarded. They looked a little shocked at the activity in the saloon but we took them down to Piccadilly Circus, where they alighted, without charging a fare . . .
Beamish Museum is served by buses from Newcastle to Chester-le-Street and (Sunderland)-Chester-le-Street-Stanley operated by Go North East. Last year Go North East tried a weekends and school holidays express route, B1, from Newcastle Central station to the museum. On the first day the service was operated by a preserved Northern Routemaster. Northern is one of the companies which merged to form Go NE and was the only bus company outside London to operate RMs. Their version is front entrance, with a folding door, and the stairs are behind the drivers cab rather than at the rear. northern painted their buses dark red, and the seats were upholstered with something which might have been Rexine. We enjoyed our ride up to the museum, but RMs are not very powerful and there are some steep hills on the way so the bus almost came to a stop every time the driver changed gear. We also saw lots of bus enthusiasts out filming and practised our royal wave from the top deck. . For the rest of the summer the service was operated by an Optare from route 28 with vinyls to make it look like the preserved Northen bus at Beamish and period adverts in the saloon. Sadly, Go NE have not run the service this year.
Think it was RMF1254 that ended up with Northern for a while - the rest they bought were a different length, LT bought it back and some other Northern ones for spares
In my mind the Routemaster is to London what the Atlantean was to Glasgow, I can only ever recall being on a Routemaster in London service once, was heading to my uncles in Leytonstone, used them more in Glasgow when Kelvin Scottish used them after bus deregulation
Used to ride on these as a kid! I once had a Christmas Lights private tour in one and had a go at a bus day at Brooklands Museum. Then I went on one on heritage route 15. Finally, a friend of mine (who was the MD of Reading Buses at the time) bought his own one and gave me a ride in it! Fantastic to see them back on the road again.
0:52 the Londoner Buses is owned by Transpora group who operate bus services in Blackpool and are currently operating sightseeing / contract services out of Manchester under the Coastliner Brand
The other odd tourist bus service was the Round London Sightseeing Tour (did that start as Route J for the 1951 festival of britain?). While normally newer/est buses would be allocated , first RTs and later RMs, for a while 9 vehicles on contract from Prince Marshall's Obsolete Fleet were used by London Transport, They were Midland Red D9 double deckers converted to open top (later replacements were convertible open top Daimler Fleetlines ex Bournemouth Corporation), BMMO used a similar Wheel and Bar logo on the front of its vehicles to the London Transport Roundel and fitted in well, the D9 being a sort of mix of RT and RM(but with rear doors) in concept and built by Midland Red in their own workshops similar to how London Transport assembled the early RTs at Chiswick. The D10 was a one (Two?) off equivalent of the FRM and met a similar fate as to its development, in part due to Midland Red losing most of its Birmingham and Coventry services to the creation and expansion of WMPTE, leaving its area a polo mint one similar to LCBS around London.
In my opinion, the day bus companies removed conductors, was the day they also removed 'service'. Buses have been lacklustre ever since. So glad to see a return of the Routemaster.
Ah, the bus of my youth! When they first came out I was young and, when their air brakes "hissed", I thought they were sneezing! My father worked for AEC at their factory in Southall before the family upped sticks to the wilds of Norfolk!
Marvellous! Although we think of RMs as archaic, they were really quite advanced vehicles in their day, despite the old fashioned half-cab look. An aluminium monocoque, fully automatic transmission and power steering stood them apart from their peers of the late 50s and yet they were sufficiently robust to withstand working day after day, month after month, year after year in London, supported by a wonderfully comprehensive maintenance system up at Aldenham. Sadly, integrated maintenance operations on that scale are way out of fashion in today's outsourced world.
It would be a very novel experience indeed. Travelling on a Routmaster bus, without the smell of stale tobaco, and cigerette ends embeded in the floor. Not to mention the often overflowing ash trays that were on the back of every seat.
Always travelled on the top deck, did you? (Smoking was forbidden on the lower ,IIRC.) I always hated it when the conductor decided some ventilation was needed up there - he always seemed to choose the window right near my face to go and wind open!!😠
Greatest way of travelling, get on and off whenever you want. No having to get off at Bus Stops past your destination They were Health and Safety paradise 👍🏻👍🏻😁
Hey Jago!....You working my side of the street now?....... lol I thoroughly approve though, your channel is definitely 'journeying' in the right direction! And for east enders like myself, when i grew up the one man buses were the odd ones out, Routemasters & their predecessors, the RTs, were the norm. And i too, like some other commenters on here, grew up in the East Ham area along with routes 15 & the 101....... But i probably went a step too far though, i ended up buying a couple to play with.... they are great fun to drive!
Fantastic news Mr H! I grew up travelling to school and everywhere else on Routemasters so they're very evocative for me. I last rode on one in 2016 on TFL's No. 15 heritage route (in fact, on RM871 - the one at 1:45 in this video) After that ended, I thought we'd never be able to jump on one in London again. Its time for another ride! Now, I wonder if the conductors use a Gibson ticket machine. Now there's a nostalgic sight and sound...
Thank you, I remember these busses as a normal, regular means of transport ... and loved the open platform as a speedy way to board / alight without waiting for anyone to open a door (but pretty nippy when cold weather).
A few years back, not sure exactly when, but at a guess I'd say 2008 or 09, I was waiting for a number 5 bus in Wood Lane, Dagenham, to go to Barking Station. Imagine my surprise when a 5 turned up as an old routemaster. Apparently it was being driven by a regular driver, but the conductor had come out of retirement for this day only. It was for a charity, and you were invited to pay whatever fare you wanted, and you got an old-style London Transport ticket. It was a really nice surprise.
Dave, You'll remember then, that the old 'RT' bus used to run down Valence Ave, on it's way to Chadwell Heath (?) Coming back from my pretty-wife's G/parents house in Bennetts Castle Lane, we waited at the junction of Green Lane & Valence Ave, late one night in April 1979 - Imagine how pi$$ed-off we were when the No.62 'R.T' bus turned up, but, it was PACKED to overflowing - Swearing, I suddenly heard one of my old schoolmates yelling my name at the top of his lungs - Turns out it was THE very last ever scheduled 'R.T' bus in London Transport's service I had ZERO idea, as I wasn't a "bus nerd" (sadly), so, said to G/f & future wife "Fuggitt then, we'll WALK" !!!! Party streamers & suchlike, as it reached the top of Chadwell Heath "Hill" by the Railway Station. Such an immense fuss made over it (at the time), so, when my mate Martin came down the stairs, he told me that he'd already BOUGHT an 'R.T' - not a 1/43rd toy, but a bloody REAL one (I almost fainted, as we'd only just left school) He told me he stored it down by the railway sidings, opposite the station, beside Freshwater Road I often wonder what became of it - Meantime, we carried on dating (wife & I), using Routemasters (86's) .
Great to see them back on the streets. Fond memories of working the 53 from New Cross on these (after we lost the wonderful Scania Metropolitans). It's a shame TfL got rid of their two heritage routes.
@@marksinthehouse1968 Sadly, at NX, there were more off the road than on at times; they were better treated when they went to Plumstead. As far as I know there's only one preserved survivor.
Best thing about the old Routemasters was jumping off jee-yust before the bus stopped. You don't get to look like a total badass getting off the 38 to Clapton these days.
'Best thing about the old Routemasters was ...' getting on or off in slow moving traffic. The "Boris bus" was such a disappointment because the open platform was just a bit of window dressing that never happened in practice.
As a young teenager during the early eighties I remember jumping on and off this bus (route 207 between Uxbridge and Hayes) Fashion trends of the era being important I used to have to grab the bar and jump up in my pencil skirt and winklepickers (pointed toe shoes). My birthdays coming up so I might pop down and take a ride for old times sake but I certainly won't be attempting to do the jump again: I couldn't do that even if I wanted to recreate it. Lol
I loved riding these buses when I was a child and later as a college student. I remember the first time I ran for a bus (I was 20-ish) and grabbed the pole to leap on while it was moving. I felt like a real Londoner, in spite of my American accent.
Like it? I loved it! I look forward to being able to organize my finances, my time, and my dear wife, so that we can visit London. Of course to see London, getting around on the tube. But also to ride on the Route Masters. I'll wait patiently also to see your extended project on these red icons. My Uncle was a railway Station Master all his working life, and my Father was an inter- state coach driver. Guess these things got into my blood when I was a whippersnapper. Thank you Jago for yet another most intriguing video. You are the red double decker of my laptop!
I had a chance to ride one of the Route masters in 1993 during a month long visit to The UK. Little did I know that they would become classics. I was thrilled by the experience. No such busses existed near my home in rural East Tennessee.
I think I have a corgi routemaster in the United Counties Livery. Wonder why they acquired routemasters I suppose fairly simple maintenance and they were younger than their first gen Bristol VRs which were nearly impossible to overhaul cheaply.
Red Bus Rovers took me e V e R y where back when was as an active spotter and garage ticker 69 - 72. Stil hav them all, and m'Ian Allen Fleet books. And all my 458 tickets from Iver Lane up to Iver / to Uxbridge. Rolls of later type LCBS unused ticket rolls.
I dont know why they cannot bring back the shape with an electric engine, its the shape that counts, Boris bus was a waste, Just thought inside have a tape of the old engine noise so it sounds authentic
Just a tiny correction Jago - Londoner Buses is part of Transporta Group, who operate various bus companies across the UK, Still though, I do see where you got confused. Still though, it's great to see these back about!
We like to drive in convoys We're most gregarious The big six-wheeler, scarlet-painted London Transport, diesel-engined Ninety-seven horsepower omnibus
It would be cool if you could do more videos about buses they don't get much attention to their history etc. Even in London, you can talk about different types of buses, history of the companies, even some key routes. Your videos are an accessible way of learning interesting stuff.
Route 37 was my daily ride in the 1980s on Route Masters and my girlgrind of the time's parents both worked on them: one as a conductor on Route 12 and the other as a driver. Wonderful old vehicles.
In south east London were I still live, there were nearly a dozen routes that were all Routemasters. When I went to secondary school in 1969, I rode an RT bus on route 163.
My brother was a conductor on the route 37 in the mid 80s.. How could I describe him to most people..- in his twenties at the time; Mediterranean looking"; and attitude. 😂
Used to love running after a routemaster if I "missed" it only to leap on the back at about 10 mph and the strangely nice 'feeling' when standing on the platform getting ready to alight while it was still going fast, and going around corners especially right handed ones.😆 Less of the sillier health and safety laws in those days..
Another thing to go on next time in London. We had a routemaster at our wedding, not because either of us were bus afficiandos but because it was a fun way to get between the wedding service in Redhill to our reception just outside of Horsham - made for some good photos too!
I remember running for one of those, with the conducter's eye on me, and a bit before I could jump and grab he pinged the bell and off it went. That was long ago; they were pretty horrid really, what with smoking and 'No Spitting' signs.
Good video😊 . Is great to see how the transport history of a country is preserved like that. Here in Chile at the city of Santiago where I live, we have the "Día de los Patrimonios" (Heritage Day), and during that commemorative day of history, historical buildings and stuff like that, a lot of heritage buses from older transit systems do a circular route at the downtown connecting all the historical places that are open at that day. On my UA-cam channel there are a few videos of that day if you want to see it
We sometimes have a Leeds bus running day - which also connects the Armley Mills weaving centre and Middleton Railway with its steam and diesel locomotive services
My grandfather drove these beautiful buses (my grandmother was his conductress). I remember going to Upton Park bus garage and sat in the driver’s cab as a kid.
No 15 and 15A to East Ham, and the X15 to Beckton.
@@jonathanwarrenberg9260 route 101 North Woolwich to Wanstead
@@jonathanwarrenberg9260 The X15 was for adults only.
@@heli-crewhgs5285 What do you mean??😏😏
Excellent piece Jago👍👍
Fantastic to see these dear old buses back. Always bring a tear to the eye for Londoners.
Legends are back 👍 🙌 🥳 😀 🥰 😍 🚌 🚌……
I totally agree
And not only Londoners, even abroad (Belgium) ! ❤
@@blackyellowred2000 agreed. I said London because these buses were made for London originally.
A transport of delight. Hold very tight please,ting ting!
Gosh I miss jumping on & off those buses back in the day. Thank you for sharing this.
The Routemaster also lent itself to the incredibly dangerous practice of leaping on and off while it was moving. A practice in which I engaged on a frequent basis.
Or hanging off the back late at night after a few beers as the 36 whisked me home to Lewisham in the early 90s.
@@edcaley of if you were lucky enough to have a romantic friend, the makeout seat at the back on the top deck.
I remember going around Marble Arch and watching a lady's shopping trolley roll down the aisle, onto the platform and into the road. Those were the golden days!
I can still feel the pole in my hand and the platform vibrating as I jumped on the moving bus as a teen! That’s the only good nostalgia, the rest of the bus was rubbish compared to modern vehicles.
@@jimwoods9551 I also loved sitting on the bench seat on the left hand side, reaching up to tug the cord in order to ring the bell and request the next stop. Made me feel like a pro!
(But in terms of pure passenger comfort, you are of course correct, modern buses win hands down).
A brilliant initiative, I've met the owners personally and they were very friendly. A £5 fare for an all day ride is a steal to a tourist! Wish them all the best. And of course - a great video covering the matter.
I couldn’t bare all day, just from A to C, then get off, as disliked buses.
@@jacksugden8190 why are you even bothering to post on here anyway? Just to be negative and moan?
Thanks Jago! I used to drive these on the 13 from North Finchley to Aldwych back in the late 80's. They were getting on a bit even back then, though I loved driving them, and some of the conductors were real characters. It's amazing there are still so many on the road in such superb condition. Iconic indeed :)
Lived in North Finchley and was studying at the LSE around then, used to catch the 13. You probably drove me!
Hello Friend, I drove the 13route from Golders Green to the Aldwych,from 1999 till 2009! UK🇬🇧
@@edcaley I probably did! I also drove the 263's down that way, which you were probably familiar with too.
That was my route a lot. I still remember when the 13 went only as far as Golders Green (with the occasional garage extension to Hendon Garage). That the route now goes to Victoria instead of the Aldwych is disgusting.
I remember a really nice Dutch conductor on the route.
Thanks Jago. Happy to see a Routemaster rattling around London. It's like seeing a long lost friend again. Grateful you took us along.
I love them. So happy they are back, even in this limited scaled back way.
Couldn’t be bothered to make the journey to Waterloo, as stayed away from Zone 1, too bad they can’t come to my part of town.
I wish more UA-camrs (especially transport UA-camrs) would review services incognito and give an objective view
I don't think Geoff has a hope of that anywhere in Britain.
I could not agree more.
@@webchimp Never underestimate a raincoat, hat, and false moustache!
These were also my childhood buses too, I remember getting these on the 73. These are the originals and no other buses especially the ones of today i.e. the new routemaster can never beat or be like these very iconic originals..
I noticed some of the old Routemasters when i was in London just the other day. Nice to see them again.
Excuse me, but a Routemaster is a perfect example of a normal bus, for anyone over 50!
Not so fast my friend; it should be "a perfect example of a normal bus for Londoners over 50 but under 65." I remember the RTs ....
If Routemasters were exclusively for London what was I riding in Ipswich in 1972? Same open passenger footplate and pole you ran at and grabbed as a kid. Conductor helped you on if you missed your footing. Routemaster version for the sticks?
and I've just remembered the trolleybuses, too 😀
I'm not quite over 50 yet 👵🏻 but I do remember when they were in regular service.
@@roderickjoyce6716 I still think of Routemasters as the new buses.
I'll never tire of Routemasters.
the was a wheely good pun
@@1224chrisng wonder if his house is called Dun Lopping ?
I never did
I trained on RTs and was directed under a 13' 9" bridge by an instructor reading his newspaper (RTs are 14' 6" and having read the signs I preferred to stop and turn round). Got an unfriendly response when insisting on a different instructor but, it happened, lovely West Indian guy and passed my test first time. Type training instructor told me "although I drove RM perfectly he had to report defects to show he was doing his job". Drove RMLs in service. Had a full load in rush hour when the bus started leaning unusually on the front and stopped at an LT garage for a mechanic to assess. He told me front suspension had collapsed on the near side and to corner slowly. Had attempted bullying every payday to join the Union, or else!!! Won my insurance claim against London Transport for driving over my car when the bus driver made a right turn out of the garage without looking and left the following week. Ah, those were the days. Great vehicles but you would never get me back to London for all the tea in China.
Definitely an icon. Throwback to my youth in the 60s and 70s. Hoping on and off when the bus was moving was a thrill, if not at times, bloody dangerous 😂
I was brought up in Southampton in the 50s when their buses (Guy Arabs?) had the open rear platform. I was once on the platform waiting to get off at the next stop when the bus went round the Bargate - the ancient city gates now made into a roundabout. The centrifugal forces almost flew me off the bus. Lethal! Yes, jumping on and off when the bus was moving was another trick.
a kid in my school in the early 80's was killed when he jumped off one by the school. Saying that you have to love the Routemaster. there was always the moment when you didn't catch it to jump on in time and you just continued pretending you were'nt actually running for it, then slink off in shame.
One reason for getting rid of them, as you stated b dangerous buses.
The possible dangers and fear are simply not there when we were kids. Jumping on or off the moving bus and being yelled at by the clippy, not a care in the world!!!🤣
@@johnnyhollis9977 They were indeed the innocent, good times 😂
Oh the excitement when our local Country Area route 480 was converted from RT operation to Routemaster RML's in 1965. I insisted upon my mum taking me home upon the first one I saw although she hadn't finished her shopping! Dear old mum!
There's no one like your mum.
I mean one's mum, not your specific mum. I didn't know her. But I'm sure she was very nice.
Thank you! She still IS very nice.... now in her ninety-ninth year! Perhaps she has been granted long life as a reward for indulging nine-year-old bus freaks with rides upon brand new and shiny RML's?!! @@jerribee1
I remember the conversation from RT to RMC in 1962 on the 721’s Brentwood to Aldgate - Green Line.
A real treat as a child was when my Mum took me to Windsor for the day on Routes 457 or 457A from Uxbridge, which was RML operated from Windsor Garage. Happy Days !.
@@idealjohn I don't believe to this day that there has ever been a more comfortable bus made than the routemaster. The best seat had to be the little sofa upstairs at the very back beside the staircase and immediately below the emergency window.
There is another way to travel on a Routemaster bus. The annual Imber bus run every summer. It is the most bizarre fun day out , with queues of buses of all types of routemasters in country lanes along an army firing range to a closed village church which only opens for the day. You must give it a go.
I always fancied the Imber run, but every year that I don't do it makes it increasingly unlikely that I ever will. 😔
@@eattherich9215 find out what date it is next year and set a reminder to book your train ticket! Personally I would love it if they ran one of the buses from the nearest parkrun.
I used to take the parts to a powder coater (wheels, seat frames and handles) for the Edinburgh tour Route Masters.
A masterpiece of design that's never been bettered.
RT was far better
@@jacksugden8190no.
Lovely to have that sense of riding in a normal bus once more. Many thanks!
And it was an original short wheel base 4 window Routemaster too.
I sometimes used to get the Number 8 from Bow Church to Oxford Circus esp when it was raining and didn't want to walk to Mile End tube.
Never forget my first time on a routemaster, the number 6. Truly beautiful bus built for London streets and is the global icon for the city. Seats are comfy but being taller than 5' 11" they didn't make the legroom with me in mind.
Same engine? Wouldn't be the same without that chuckle. This gave me such a pang, took bus to and from school every day and every tiny detail just triggered so many memories. Seeing how fast you could dismount, the conductor's ticket machine (sounds like that has gone). Oof, got me in the feels
They stopped the number 15 heritage route. those buses was converted to euro 6 engines shame they spent all that money and then stop them running.
Travelled on Routemasters almost daily growing up, would love to take a trip down memory lane and do so once more .
I recall that the lower deck had a rear-facing bench seat that ran the width of the vehicle behind the driver. I have memories of kneeling up on the seat behind the driver watching his every move, and in no way pretending to drive the bus. That was reserved for the front seat on the upper deck!! 😊
@@baxtermarrison5361 Routemasters didn't have those. Depending on where you grew up, it would have been another type of bus. I recall Bristol Lodekkas had a seat like that, may have been one of those?
@@stevefry5783 Am I correct in assuming that they look very similar to the Routemaster, at least to the untrained eye of a small child?
@@baxtermarrison5361Different manufacturer, different model, same general layout.
@@stevefry5783 Mystery solved, thanks.
My last time on a Routemaster (maybe 5 or 6 years ago) was on a tube replacement service. Jubilee line, Wembley Park to Finchley Road. And there was a conductor to give the signals to the driver.
It seems amazing that nobody has thought of this before! Seems a pretty reasonable price as well.
This is my childhood, loved riding these buses and they seemed so modern compared to the RTs they were to replace. Thanks for the great trip down memory lane Jago!
They were indeed modern, they had power steering for example, way ahead of their time.
Primarily they replaced trolleybuses.
@@thomasburke2683 Power steering that sometimes would lock on one if the revs were not kept up mid corner if left in auto. Hence my preference for the RT.
Preferred the RT’s instead
Yes, hanging on to that platform grab pole cheating death with no fear brings back memories of my school days! With a bus pass I could get a' 2d half' bus ride to within a half mile of my school! Happier days!!!😉
London's not the same without Routemasters running about.
I travelled on one on the 15 route a few years ago- it was much bumpier than I remember but that's probably due to the roads. I must try this!
I’m a train girl through and through but I do enjoy riding on busses . I always get a sense of relief when the bus I’m waiting for arrives, especially at night time. I must check this “new” attraction out.
"These are words that go together well" (December 1965) ;-)
A train girl?, which type of railway you into?
Great to see the new bus of my youth. Trolley buses, RT then RM. Brings back memories. Great video as always.
I can't believe how emotional this video made me. Grew up on double deckers, mainly Routemasters. Loved running to catch them as they pulled away and standing on the platform for as long as possible before reaching my stop.
I shed a tier for you 🥲
I really, really like this mini-overviews of new transport related videos you do, Jago. Keep it up! 👍
The full experience must include chasing the bus as it leaves a stop and jumping on.
I am one of the Customer Assistants on this great route. Love the job.
Are London General still running the London by Night Tour with their PH RM fleet ?
@@highpath4776 No, that London By Night tour went a few years back.
@@MikeGMcDermott Why didnt London General Run the Epsom Race Day Service this year ? ( Edward Thomas used coaches inc their ADL? Double Deck one)
Drove from Dorset to have a go on these beauties, The children loved it. Cheers Jago
When London Transport , who had earlier acquired the one time BEA routemaster fleet, mostly for staff bus and trainer use, on the 175 at Romford and later private RMAs were used on some of the London Underground rail replacement emergency bus service, folk got confused when running for the bus to find (a) no platform and (b) the entrance doors were about just over half way up the bus.
I used to travel on these buses in the 50s and 60s. Upstairs at the back was where the most seating room was. Downstairs could get very packed out at rush hour. These were two man buses - a driver and conductor. The conductor would take the fares.
The Routemaster, perhaps the best bus ever and a worthy successor to its earlier ancestor the RT. We had a friend who bought and lived in one of the latter after that type had been withdrawn from service. Parked up outside his parents home he had an illegal shore supply draped above the pavement. One new years eve in London we had a ride in his bus down Regent St. Another friend was driving the RT whilst its owner had some of the lower deck floorboards up to show us the subtleties of the vehicles transmission. We pulled up at a red light and a couple of unsuspecting foreign tourists innocently boarded. They looked a little shocked at the activity in the saloon but we took them down to Piccadilly Circus, where they alighted, without charging a fare . . .
Beamish Museum is served by buses from Newcastle to Chester-le-Street and (Sunderland)-Chester-le-Street-Stanley operated by Go North East. Last year Go North East tried a weekends and school holidays express route, B1, from Newcastle Central station to the museum. On the first day the service was operated by a preserved Northern Routemaster. Northern is one of the companies which merged to form Go NE and was the only bus company outside London to operate RMs. Their version is front entrance, with a folding door, and the stairs are behind the drivers cab rather than at the rear. northern painted their buses dark red, and the seats were upholstered with something which might have been Rexine. We enjoyed our ride up to the museum, but RMs are not very powerful and there are some steep hills on the way so the bus almost came to a stop every time the driver changed gear. We also saw lots of bus enthusiasts out filming and practised our royal wave from the top deck. . For the rest of the summer the service was operated by an Optare from route 28 with vinyls to make it look like the preserved Northen bus at Beamish and period adverts in the saloon. Sadly, Go NE have not run the service this year.
Think it was RMF1254 that ended up with Northern for a while - the rest they bought were a different length, LT bought it back and some other Northern ones for spares
In my mind the Routemaster is to London what the Atlantean was to Glasgow, I can only ever recall being on a Routemaster in London service once, was heading to my uncles in Leytonstone, used them more in Glasgow when Kelvin Scottish used them after bus deregulation
The Atlantean?
The thing that replaced the caurs?
Used to ride on these as a kid! I once had a Christmas Lights private tour in one and had a go at a bus day at Brooklands Museum. Then I went on one on heritage route 15. Finally, a friend of mine (who was the MD of Reading Buses at the time) bought his own one and gave me a ride in it! Fantastic to see them back on the road again.
The lack of modern power steering means that driving a Routemaster for an extended period is a great way to build upper body strength.
0:52 the Londoner Buses is owned by Transpora group who operate bus services in Blackpool and are currently operating sightseeing / contract services out of Manchester under the Coastliner Brand
The other odd tourist bus service was the Round London Sightseeing Tour (did that start as Route J for the 1951 festival of britain?). While normally newer/est buses would be allocated , first RTs and later RMs, for a while 9 vehicles on contract from Prince Marshall's Obsolete Fleet were used by London Transport, They were Midland Red D9 double deckers converted to open top (later replacements were convertible open top Daimler Fleetlines ex Bournemouth Corporation), BMMO used a similar Wheel and Bar logo on the front of its vehicles to the London Transport Roundel and fitted in well, the D9 being a sort of mix of RT and RM(but with rear doors) in concept and built by Midland Red in their own workshops similar to how London Transport assembled the early RTs at Chiswick. The D10 was a one (Two?) off equivalent of the FRM and met a similar fate as to its development, in part due to Midland Red losing most of its Birmingham and Coventry services to the creation and expansion of WMPTE, leaving its area a polo mint one similar to LCBS around London.
In my opinion, the day bus companies removed conductors, was the day they also removed 'service'. Buses have been lacklustre ever since. So glad to see a return of the Routemaster.
Well, that's another thing to check off the list for the upcoming London visit...
I used one of these to go to school (a No. 6), now I feel really old!
Ah, the bus of my youth! When they first came out I was young and, when their air brakes "hissed", I thought they were sneezing! My father worked for AEC at their factory in Southall before the family upped sticks to the wilds of Norfolk!
I have travelled on one of the earliest Routemasters, RM6 VLT6, and also the very last one RML2760 SMK760F.
An Icon of London pure BRITISH....
Marvellous! Although we think of RMs as archaic, they were really quite advanced vehicles in their day, despite the old fashioned half-cab look. An aluminium monocoque, fully automatic transmission and power steering stood them apart from their peers of the late 50s and yet they were sufficiently robust to withstand working day after day, month after month, year after year in London, supported by a wonderfully comprehensive maintenance system up at Aldenham. Sadly, integrated maintenance operations on that scale are way out of fashion in today's outsourced world.
It would be a very novel experience indeed.
Travelling on a Routmaster bus, without the smell of stale tobaco, and cigerette ends embeded in the floor. Not to mention the often overflowing ash trays that were on the back of every seat.
Always travelled on the top deck, did you? (Smoking was forbidden on the lower ,IIRC.) I always hated it when the conductor decided some ventilation was needed up there - he always seemed to choose the window right near my face to go and wind open!!😠
Loved this clip something I might come to London and have a look at and see a few more touristy things.
I haven't ridden on an RM for years. I might try it on Sunday when I'm in London. Thanks for the heads up.
The return of a proper bus!
Greatest way of travelling, get on and off whenever you want.
No having to get off at Bus Stops past your destination
They were Health and Safety paradise 👍🏻👍🏻😁
Hey Jago!....You working my side of the street now?....... lol I thoroughly approve though, your channel is definitely 'journeying' in the right direction! And for east enders like myself, when i grew up the one man buses were the odd ones out, Routemasters & their predecessors, the RTs, were the norm. And i too, like some other commenters on here, grew up in the East Ham area along with routes 15 & the 101....... But i probably went a step too far though, i ended up buying a couple to play with.... they are great fun to drive!
Soi the legend!
Routemaster back in central London. Nature is healing!
I would have definitely got on one if this existed when I visited London this summer
Fantastic news Mr H!
I grew up travelling to school and everywhere else on Routemasters so they're very evocative for me. I last rode on one in 2016 on TFL's No. 15 heritage route (in fact, on RM871 - the one at 1:45 in this video) After that ended, I thought we'd never be able to jump on one in London again. Its time for another ride! Now, I wonder if the conductors use a Gibson ticket machine. Now there's a nostalgic sight and sound...
Thank you, I remember these busses as a normal, regular means of transport ... and loved the open platform as a speedy way to board / alight without waiting for anyone to open a door (but pretty nippy when cold weather).
There is one of these buses 🚌 in the Sir Cliff Richard movie 🎬 Summer Holiday a must watch ⌚ film 🎥 🎞 🎦 🎬
A few years back, not sure exactly when, but at a guess I'd say 2008 or 09, I was waiting for a number 5 bus in Wood Lane, Dagenham, to go to Barking Station. Imagine my surprise when a 5 turned up as an old routemaster. Apparently it was being driven by a regular driver, but the conductor had come out of retirement for this day only. It was for a charity, and you were invited to pay whatever fare you wanted, and you got an old-style London Transport ticket. It was a really nice surprise.
Dave,
You'll remember then, that the old 'RT' bus used to run down Valence Ave, on it's way to Chadwell Heath (?)
Coming back from my pretty-wife's G/parents house in Bennetts Castle Lane, we waited at the junction of Green Lane & Valence Ave, late one night in April 1979 - Imagine how pi$$ed-off we were when the No.62 'R.T' bus turned up, but, it was PACKED to overflowing - Swearing, I suddenly heard one of my old schoolmates yelling my name at the top of his lungs - Turns out it was THE very last ever scheduled 'R.T' bus in London Transport's service
I had ZERO idea, as I wasn't a "bus nerd" (sadly), so, said to G/f & future wife "Fuggitt then, we'll WALK" !!!!
Party streamers & suchlike, as it reached the top of Chadwell Heath "Hill" by the Railway Station.
Such an immense fuss made over it (at the time), so, when my mate Martin came down the stairs, he told me that he'd already BOUGHT an 'R.T' - not a 1/43rd toy, but a bloody REAL one
(I almost fainted, as we'd only just left school)
He told me he stored it down by the railway sidings, opposite the station, beside Freshwater Road
I often wonder what became of it - Meantime, we carried on dating (wife & I), using Routemasters (86's)
.
Proper internal bulbs, nice.
Great to see them back on the streets. Fond memories of working the 53 from New Cross on these (after we lost the wonderful Scania Metropolitans). It's a shame TfL got rid of their two heritage routes.
I went to school on the 53. The route was insanely long - Parliament Hill Fields to Plumstead Common. That route is probably half a dozen buses now.
@@marksinthehouse1968 Sadly, at NX, there were more off the road than on at times; they were better treated when they went to Plumstead. As far as I know there's only one preserved survivor.
That looked like the old banger that came out of Stratford when the 15 RM’s were withdrawn.
This is wonderful news, really made my day!
Glad to see the old ladies back working in London again0
Shepherd Market? 😉
This was good to know,as I love visiting London.😊
I had hire one for my wedding. London lad needs to. And the looks of Newbury area was fun
Best thing about the old Routemasters was jumping off jee-yust before the bus stopped. You don't get to look like a total badass getting off the 38 to Clapton these days.
Thought I looked like a badass jumping of the 73 at Tottenham...until the bus accelerated at the last moment. I looked foolish.
Or leaning out hanging on to the rail !
'Best thing about the old Routemasters was ...' getting on or off in slow moving traffic. The "Boris bus" was such a disappointment because the open platform was just a bit of window dressing that never happened in practice.
@@eattherich9215 TfL never thought that through, "Oh hang on, we don't actually employ Conductors".
As a young teenager during the early eighties I remember jumping on and off this bus (route 207 between Uxbridge and Hayes) Fashion trends of the era being important I used to have to grab the bar and jump up in my pencil skirt and winklepickers (pointed toe shoes). My birthdays coming up so I might pop down and take a ride for old times sake but I certainly won't be attempting to do the jump again: I couldn't do that even if I wanted to recreate it. Lol
I loved riding these buses when I was a child and later as a college student. I remember the first time I ran for a bus (I was 20-ish) and grabbed the pole to leap on while it was moving. I felt like a real Londoner, in spite of my American accent.
Good replacement for the heiritage 15
When I’m next in London I’m definitely going to take a ride. Childhood memories.
Like it? I loved it! I look forward to being able to organize my finances, my time, and my dear wife, so that we can visit London.
Of course to see London, getting around on the tube. But also to ride on the Route Masters. I'll wait patiently also to see your
extended project on these red icons. My Uncle was a railway Station Master all his working life, and my Father was an inter-
state coach driver. Guess these things got into my blood when I was a whippersnapper. Thank you Jago for yet another most
intriguing video. You are the red double decker of my laptop!
Real buses! Served me well all through my youth... At this rate they may yet outlive me. I shall look forward to your longer video.
I used to drive Routemasters in passenger service.
I had a chance to ride one of the Route masters in 1993 during a month long visit to The UK. Little did I know that they would become classics. I was thrilled by the experience. No such busses existed near my home in rural East Tennessee.
They ran in Corby northants for many years when I was a child great bus
I think I have a corgi routemaster in the United Counties Livery. Wonder why they acquired routemasters I suppose fairly simple maintenance and they were younger than their first gen Bristol VRs which were nearly impossible to overhaul cheaply.
@@highpath4776 they was painted green in corby lol we got them because of cheapness and so many of them still on the road, but not in london
@@johnmc5112I think I was working in Northampton at the time
Nice to see them back in London, I hope they're genuine RM's with the AEC AV590 engine and not a Cummins lump under the bonnet...
Last day in London of my holiday, I arrived Saturday I did see a route master,didn't get to catch one,will try next time I'm in London.
Red Bus Rovers took me
e V e R y where back when was as an active spotter and garage ticker 69 - 72. Stil hav them all, and m'Ian Allen Fleet books. And all my 458 tickets from Iver Lane up to Iver / to Uxbridge.
Rolls of later type LCBS unused ticket rolls.
I dont know why they cannot bring back the shape with an electric engine, its the shape that counts, Boris bus was a waste, Just thought inside have a tape of the old engine noise so it sounds authentic
Uh. Even just watching left handed traffic makes me nervous... But good to know that these icons are in service again!
Just a tiny correction Jago - Londoner Buses is part of Transporta Group, who operate various bus companies across the UK, Still though, I do see where you got confused.
Still though, it's great to see these back about!
I love Routmasters. They are the very best bus design.
Maybe a additional door in the middle or near the front for better accessiblity and it's perfect.
When I was at grammar school they were still delivering new routemasters!
They was the best in the 60's and 70's and I remembered getting lots of rolls of ticket papers from them when I was a kid. Good old days.
We like to drive in convoys
We're most gregarious
The big six-wheeler, scarlet-painted
London Transport, diesel-engined
Ninety-seven horsepower omnibus
"Hold very tight please" ting ting
It would be cool if you could do more videos about buses they don't get much attention to their history etc. Even in London, you can talk about different types of buses, history of the companies, even some key routes. Your videos are an accessible way of learning interesting stuff.
Route 37 was my daily ride in the 1980s on Route Masters and my girlgrind of the time's parents both worked on them: one as a conductor on Route 12 and the other as a driver. Wonderful old vehicles.
Hated the 37s - worst route in the garage!
In south east London were I still live, there were nearly a dozen routes that were all Routemasters. When I went to secondary school in 1969, I rode an RT bus on route 163.
ah, that pesky girlgrind: don't we all know about them, fellas?
You grinded your girl? Takes allsorts I guess.....
My brother was a conductor on the route 37 in the mid 80s..
How could I describe him to most people..- in his twenties at the time; Mediterranean looking"; and attitude. 😂
I love these buses, the ability to hop on and off the back mid route was the epitome of convenience. It was just better
When they fell they wanted to sue.
@@kc-bg7ym
Back then people took responsibility for their own actions rather than doing the American thing of blaming someone else.
@@cigmorfil4101 Some did, but the 1980's was when the compenstaion culture started to spread.
Used to love running after a routemaster if I "missed" it only to leap on the back at about 10 mph and the strangely nice 'feeling' when standing on the platform getting ready to alight while it was still going fast, and going around corners especially right handed ones.😆
Less of the sillier health and safety laws in those days..
I remember the conductors moaning stopping people from getting on when not at bus stops.
Hopfully it’ll last! It’s being managed by Rhys Hand and he’s failed many bus company’s… one recently bring the HCT Group.
Another thing to go on next time in London. We had a routemaster at our wedding, not because either of us were bus afficiandos but because it was a fun way to get between the wedding service in Redhill to our reception just outside of Horsham - made for some good photos too!
Brings a warm feeling seeing these don’t it☺️
This brings back memories. Both as a child and when I use to drive them in London.. Route 10 from Archway to Hammersmith out of Holloway garage.
I remember running for one of those, with the conducter's eye on me, and a bit before I could jump and grab he pinged the bell and off it went.
That was long ago; they were pretty horrid really, what with smoking and 'No Spitting' signs.
Bloody-minded lot at times, those 'ductor blokes (and blokesses).
Good video😊 . Is great to see how the transport history of a country is preserved like that. Here in Chile at the city of Santiago where I live, we have the "Día de los Patrimonios" (Heritage Day), and during that commemorative day of history, historical buildings and stuff like that, a lot of heritage buses from older transit systems do a circular route at the downtown connecting all the historical places that are open at that day. On my UA-cam channel there are a few videos of that day if you want to see it
We sometimes have a Leeds bus running day - which also connects the Armley Mills weaving centre and Middleton Railway with its steam and diesel locomotive services
@@highpath4776 Oh that`s great, ill probably search about that to see some videos😄
I rode on a Routemaster on the 15H route in 2018. It sounded like a Euro 2 Dennis Dart.
I missed a Notizen concerning the Epping-Ongar-Railway with ist heritagebus-shuttle. If you have good luck, you catch a bus of the thirties...