Stobart Stopper said:
Bet you didn't get £2 million quid though ...
Last stop for the Routemaster :(
- Thread starter cockneyrebel
- Start date
Bet you didn't get £2 million quid though ...
Orang Utan
Maybe I like the misery
Who's talking about bendies though? I think the consensus is that they are shit - prone to catching fire and dangerous for cyclists, plus what you mention above. The new double deckers are the best option. You can get on one of there buses if you are in a wheelchair, you cannot on a Routemaster. This reason and this reason alone is all you need to justify phasing out Routemasters.boohoo said:
boohoo
No.
Orang Utan said:
But the bendies do seem to be replacing the majority of routemaster services. I think people might have been happier with the routemasters being replaced only with double deckers - it's not such a drastic change - it feels familiar. And they seem to be less problematic then the bendies.
However, I like the routemasters cos they look nice and I grew up going to school on the 2b and the 174. And if anyone would like to buy me one for christmas, I will be very happy.
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
The bendies are crap for loads of reasons, one of which is that they take up more roadspace, as a consequence of which, TfL has just had to extend the bus station a little bit. In the Good Old Days, there was always a queue of 38s at Victoria, which moved along as the one at the front left. Now, they can only get 2 in at a time, and there are often none at all, just a queue of people waiting. So they must have put fewer buses on, which means that the commuter is not as well served.
BRING BACK THE ROUTEMASTER
Or, at least, replace it with another double decker, for crying out loud!
BRING BACK THE ROUTEMASTER
Or, at least, replace it with another double decker, for crying out loud!
citydreams
on the road again
Why couldn't those with prams just hold on to the back of the bus like we did with our skateboards?!
Peter Hendy of TfL (he who gave the RM the axe) was on the Today programme this morning to justify Ken's remark "only a moron would scrap the routemasters".
I think he got off very lightly as Cameron was up for a right grilling.
Peter Hendy of TfL (he who gave the RM the axe) was on the Today programme this morning to justify Ken's remark "only a moron would scrap the routemasters".
I think he got off very lightly as Cameron was up for a right grilling.
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
William of Walworth said:Q-Master!!
<off to attempt a Google>
<edit to add> ARSE!! Utter failure ...
Building the “Son of Routemaster”: Some Real Alternatives Which
Transport for London Passed Up by Andrew Morgan
page 36 et seq.
There you go.
Why do we informed amateurs always seem better able to retrieve information than posters with paid jobs in "infomation science"
Those pics brought to mind the 'night of the last tram' in Sheffield, way back in 196summat. Much more spectacular mind, given that the trams were lit from top to toe, in glorious procession, and we all put pennies on the tracks to get them 'bent by the last tram' - I've still got mine somewhere.
Stobart Stopper
Well-Known Member
It's really sad looking at the Editor's pics, even worse if you are an oldie like me. Used to travel on them all the way from Leyton (38) to Clapton Pond (253) ..to Cambridge Heath Rd, every weekend without fail. I remember when people could smoke on them.... I think they had to go upstairs though......the old style noisy ticket dispensers, with letters for the number of stops you were travelling.Routemasters had a very distinct smell, hard to describe really. Always tried to sit at the front behind the driver in the winter as that was the warmest place. Boy did they used to steam up or what?
They must have been buggers to drive, the big silver dial for the indicators......... struggling up the hill at Chingford Mount, still can't believe they made it up there. They used to chug along like old tanks on hills.
Oh yes, and my brother remembers London trolleybuses! How fucking old is that???????
They must have been buggers to drive, the big silver dial for the indicators......... struggling up the hill at Chingford Mount, still can't believe they made it up there. They used to chug along like old tanks on hills.
Oh yes, and my brother remembers London trolleybuses! How fucking old is that???????
Stobart Stopper
Well-Known Member
More memories:
The 38 used to go from Leyton Green bus garage to Victoria, the 48 used to go from Whipps Cross to London Bridge and the 55 used to go from Chingford Mount to Aldwych. The first route in Leyton to get the new style closed bus IIRC was the 55. Then there was the 69 routemaster, that ran from Chingford to North Woolwich, many a long summer's day for east end kids was spent on that bus, it was a big adventure. Kids didn't usually vandalise buses in those days, I remember one particular lady conductoress (as they were called) on one bus route who would smack us around the head if we played up. Or they would pick kids up and throw them off the bus.
Once, in about 1978/9, we were travelling on a routemaster to school (58) and this kid was pissing around at the top of the stairs, lost his grip and fell down the stairs and onto the road, think he died. This happened outside the Standard public house at Blackhorse Road.
The 38 used to go from Leyton Green bus garage to Victoria, the 48 used to go from Whipps Cross to London Bridge and the 55 used to go from Chingford Mount to Aldwych. The first route in Leyton to get the new style closed bus IIRC was the 55. Then there was the 69 routemaster, that ran from Chingford to North Woolwich, many a long summer's day for east end kids was spent on that bus, it was a big adventure. Kids didn't usually vandalise buses in those days, I remember one particular lady conductoress (as they were called) on one bus route who would smack us around the head if we played up. Or they would pick kids up and throw them off the bus.
Once, in about 1978/9, we were travelling on a routemaster to school (58) and this kid was pissing around at the top of the stairs, lost his grip and fell down the stairs and onto the road, think he died. This happened outside the Standard public house at Blackhorse Road.
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
The surrealism of today continues. Just spotted this...
South London Press said:
Stobart Stopper
Well-Known Member
From the BBC:"Forty passengers joined dignitaries on the 159 route in Oxford St on the 1208 service which was 26 minutes late."
Any idea who these "dignitaries" were?
Probably the first time they have ever set foot on a bloody bus.
Any idea who these "dignitaries" were?
Probably the first time they have ever set foot on a bloody bus.
Maggot
The Cake of Liberty
Like most people I'm sad to see the Routemaster go.
Disabled access
At the risk of being controversial, I have hardly ever seen clearly disabled people using buses. I haven't noticed a great increase in disabled users since easy-access buses were introduced. Should something so loved be scrapped because of a tiny minority who could easily use other routes with modern buses on.
Another alternative would be to run Routemasters and easy-access buses alternately on the same route. Most of the last Routemaster routes had frequent services and any disabled person waiting might have to wait a few extra minutes, just as parents with buggies do already.
Anyway it's too late now.
Disabled access
At the risk of being controversial, I have hardly ever seen clearly disabled people using buses. I haven't noticed a great increase in disabled users since easy-access buses were introduced. Should something so loved be scrapped because of a tiny minority who could easily use other routes with modern buses on.
Another alternative would be to run Routemasters and easy-access buses alternately on the same route. Most of the last Routemaster routes had frequent services and any disabled person waiting might have to wait a few extra minutes, just as parents with buggies do already.
Anyway it's too late now.
trashpony
Hag
On the disabled access front, in a survey 87% of disabled people said they wanted the Routemaster to stay.
And conductors (and that little space under the stairs) are a bloody godsend if you're travelling with anyone with a disability, children or big bags/cases IME
It's a crying shame. I'd slap Ken round the face for this if I could
And conductors (and that little space under the stairs) are a bloody godsend if you're travelling with anyone with a disability, children or big bags/cases IME
It's a crying shame. I'd slap Ken round the face for this if I could
articletwo
Libertarian
By coincidence, we ended up driving into Brixton just as the last Routemaster came through - in fact, we were held at the lights at Coldharbour Lane/Brixton Road by the police outriders until it had passed (just to the right of the Editor's photo). We then followed it down Brixton Hill, to the most amazing sight - people everywhere, and the children from Corpus Christi school all lined up waving Union flags.
It is very sad to see them go, but the world moves on and they were terrible for people in wheelchairs or with pushchairs. But when they final get rid of the bendy buses I don't think the crowds will be turning out (other than to praise the decision ...)
It is very sad to see them go, but the world moves on and they were terrible for people in wheelchairs or with pushchairs. But when they final get rid of the bendy buses I don't think the crowds will be turning out (other than to praise the decision ...)
dogmatique
merde alors
More fond Routemaster memories (permanent ones)
Failing to land properly on the platform of a moving 159, Regent Street, October 1998:
My leg, earlier today.
Ooh, that smarted. What a flesh wound, eh?
I wear it with pride
it looks much worse "in real life" honest... you try running your finger over it... no flesh! Ew!
Failing to land properly on the platform of a moving 159, Regent Street, October 1998:
My leg, earlier today.
Ooh, that smarted. What a flesh wound, eh?
I wear it with pride
it looks much worse "in real life" honest... you try running your finger over it... no flesh! Ew!
Harold Hill
Jay Emm forgot his p/word
Orang Utan said:
Some of the sightseeing Routemasters were fitted with wheelchair access. Tfl parroting this stuff about getting rid of them for disability reasons is a lie.
Harold Hill
Jay Emm forgot his p/word
If people feel as strongly as they do then maybe people should make more of a fuss. The case for a new 21st century Routemaster is ridiculously strong with added wheelchair access - you can offset the costs of manufacturing a new bus by sharing the cost with operators in Hong Kong/Singapore/India where there is extremely high demand for bus travel. And offset the cost of conductors against the money thrown at expensive tram lines which inevitably won't get the green light and the larger number of fare evading teams you now find on the buses. Higher patronage, greater security, quicker running times, huge amounts of bus subsidy swimming about.....
Looking at the link, you have a former Cabinet Minister and 2 nationally known journalists, both who regulalry write for the Standard prepared to support it and Livingstone when prompted by Nick Ferrari on televised hustings before the Mayoral vote, did seemed prepared to at least listen to a case for a new Routemaster. If he didn't want to hear it then we all know the real reason for the RM demise was to save money by sacking hundreds of clippies.
Sadly though, I get the feeling its one of those things people will moan about to their friends but not be arsed enough to write an email or letter about
Looking at the link, you have a former Cabinet Minister and 2 nationally known journalists, both who regulalry write for the Standard prepared to support it and Livingstone when prompted by Nick Ferrari on televised hustings before the Mayoral vote, did seemed prepared to at least listen to a case for a new Routemaster. If he didn't want to hear it then we all know the real reason for the RM demise was to save money by sacking hundreds of clippies.
Sadly though, I get the feeling its one of those things people will moan about to their friends but not be arsed enough to write an email or letter about
oryx
Sitting on the bok of the day
I'm sad to see Routemasters go. I have lovely memories of the comfort of that upper deck back seat and of the comfort of having a conductor, and the feel of those orderly upholstered seats.
But the disabled access argument is too hard to ignore, & also I read today (BBC website) that they were involved in many more accidents.
I think the utter crap on wheels which has replaced them is a big issue. Those Plaxton (?) double deckers are horrendous - uncomfortable seats & hard to hold onto anything in the rear area, plus the heat belching out from the rear engines in summer. The safety problems of bendy buses have been mentioned here too.
I would have preferred to see the retention of Routemasters with regular small & accessible bus services for wheelchair and pram users.
But the disabled access argument is too hard to ignore, & also I read today (BBC website) that they were involved in many more accidents.
I think the utter crap on wheels which has replaced them is a big issue. Those Plaxton (?) double deckers are horrendous - uncomfortable seats & hard to hold onto anything in the rear area, plus the heat belching out from the rear engines in summer. The safety problems of bendy buses have been mentioned here too.
I would have preferred to see the retention of Routemasters with regular small & accessible bus services for wheelchair and pram users.
cockneyrebel
New Member
Same here. He's such a tosser.
Agree with Harold Hill about the need for some kind of protest. Loads of people feel strongly about his, whatever fanta says, and call it misty eyed nostalga, sad or anything else but the ending of the routemaster was a sad day for a lot of people. And for a lot of old people, the blind, women at night etc etc it is a very real issue that the last buse with conductors have gone....
Nice pictures ed......
Callie
Pivoting
So how would people feel about having a security type person on buses to replace conductors?
Conductors are simply NOT needed on any of the buses now running. They were there purely to collect fares. If you want to feel safe and secure and have someone to carry your bags (!) how about a nice beefy security guard? I can't imagine anyone agreeing to that.
Conductors are simply NOT needed on any of the buses now running. They were there purely to collect fares. If you want to feel safe and secure and have someone to carry your bags (!) how about a nice beefy security guard? I can't imagine anyone agreeing to that.
cockneyrebel said:Same here. He's such a tosser.
Agree with Harold Hill about the need for some kind of protest. Loads of people feel strongly about his, whatever fanta says, and call it misty eyed nostalga, sad or anything else but the ending of the routemaster was a sad day for a lot of people. And for a lot of old people, the blind, women at night etc etc it is a very real issue that the last buse with conductors have gone....
Nice pictures ed......
Buses without conducters have been around for years. A bit late to protest now. Anyway since most people have Oyster cards, Travelpasses or Freedom passes and the buses will be going onto a cashless system (2007?)
there has been for several years very little work for conducters do. Anyway its not like Routemasters have been 100% withdrawn from London bus routes. They are still working on stretches of the 9 and 15 routes. Heritage routes as described. Gives tourists something to photograph. But fares on them remain the same as before. So Londoners can still use them.
BarryB
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