In my humble opinion.... The Routemaster ... The best bus ever made.. 70 years of excellence. A credit to everyone who keeps these iconic buses going. 😊
I happened by chance upon the Routemaster 50 celebration in Finsbury Park in 2004...what a fantastic line up of beautiful buses who at the time,were still serving the Capital.
AMAZING, im from Brazil and i was doing a Google search on the history of routemasters, it's incredible that this video was posted so few hours ago! connecting minds heheh
I 💕 watching this cant believe 70yrs wow what a long time and your still rolling and you still will be for years to come ive always love this form of transport, why did they stop the back door where people used to jump on if theyed missed it and also the words of the root on back is not on back either😮😢
Nice selection of RM's, especially those preserved in original condition. Can always tell the roar of the Leyland 0600. The RF's are superb and even graceful. Would have been complete with all the variants, such as 1254 or Northern General. Nice day out.
So was I in 1979.Whilst the skid bus didn't form part of the driving test it was part of the training. I remember the instructor saying to me "you done good there son now let's do another one but perhaps this time not quite so fast". I had the old RT bus flat out at 45 MPH and managed to stop it from a skid,which the instructor had put the bus in,well before the required position marked out on the skid pan. Considering the failed marriages behind me at least there was something I was good at !!
So nice to see the Routemasters back at their spiritual home in Chiswick. A superb design which really has not been bettered other than more modern buses being more accessible. Just travel in hot weather in a new bus. The ventilation is terrible. The Routemasters with their wind down windows get a nice flow of air, lockable at the front for winter travel. Probably better on fuel economy as well. Also speedy. Today’s buses crawl along at a glacial pace.
I remember them when they replace dthe Trolleybuses in Tottenham, i was sad as i loved the trolleybuses, i went to school on the Route 41 plus also on RTs on 231 and 217. What a legendary bus were the RMs, they still look fantastic in 2024.
Im from tottenham, born in 1991, my only rare memory is when the 73 was an RM and used to come from AR garage and was allowed to turn right onto the high road for its first stop. Apart frm that, RMs in in my local area is not a memory i have lol
That was great. My favourites were the single-deckers, both LT and Green Line. When I went to school, Uxbridge Bus Garage always had a great selection of bus types, but the Green Line buses always seemed to be clean, and shiny all the time. Sad to see the progression from the specific "Green Line", to the vague, "London Country", and then the totally anonymous, boring and inaccurate "London Transport. Corporate blandness that lowers the value of experiencing the excitement of individuality.
I was doing RR this day and i saw one RM later on in the day in the car park in chiswick BP. Thats also the day i found out that i could bring a double deck under the bridge there after being told previously by more than one person that it wouldn’t fit🤔🤷🏽♂️
Interesting video but how many of them still have their original AEC or Leyland engines? At least RM1 is still genuine unlike RT1 which suffered Aldenhams overhaul procedure. I don't like RMs with 4 cylinder engines despite their necessity of keeping the whole bus intact. Surely a Northern General "RMF" should have been present? I know this is all voluntary effort so we'll done to all involved. The single deck Route master was an accident victim and only saw ancillary use but it's good that it has been saved Well done everyone!
Thanks for your comments. I know that RM1397 still retains its original Leyland engine but you are right there aren't many that have their original engines. I was lucky enough to see RMF1254 and ride on it earlier this year. Maybe it was booked for a wedding hire. It was a fantastic effort to stage such an event of that scale. It's good that so many Routemasters have survived in various forms and great to some of them in attendance such as RM1403.
Ah RMF 1254....one of the very few I never saw! I saw all the RMLs save a couple of country buses, and I drove past 1 some years ago abandoned on the IOW. It turned out to be one I had never seen!!
@@arthurreeder8451 I was very lucky to see it earlier in the year and get a trip on it and one or two pictures. I have just uploaded one onto my flickr page which you can view here www.flickr.com/photos/197483763@N02/53832746603/in/dateposted-public/
When London Transport started disposing of Routemasters the first to go were the ones with Leyland Engines. I am presuming that this is why not many of them survived as it wasn't considered the Routemaster was yet an endangered species. I think there is an example of a Routemaster with a Leyland engine at The Manchester bus museum in Cheetham Hill.
That was the great thing about the Routemaster. You can give a really smooth ride(if you want to) I always changed gear manually instead of using the automatic facility as this gave a much better ride Some Routemasters,when driven in automatic would lurch down the gears when braking. They weren't supposed to change down until around 3MPH unless you put your foot back on the gas(never called the accelerator by LT). To counteract the lurching when braking I ,along with many drivers,would take the bus out of gear and put it into second gear at 3 MPH to mimic what the bus should be doing if it was working correctly. I stated second gear as Routemasters were designed to pull away in second gear.First gear was only supposed to be used if the bus was on an incline.Modern buses tend to be quite lurchy but there is not a lot the driver can do to counteract it which is why the Routemaster is a much better bus to drive.I spent more than 49 years working on the buses in London,44 of them driving and I never drove a better bus than the Routemaster.
I drove Routemasters for three years in London and loved every minute, so much fun to drive.
In my humble opinion.... The Routemaster ... The best bus ever made.. 70 years of excellence. A credit to everyone who keeps these iconic buses going. 😊
I wouldn’t go as far as to say the best bud ever made but they are incredibly good
I spent more than 49 years working on Buses in London. The Routemaster was undoubtedly, in my opinion, the best bus ever.
I happened by chance upon the Routemaster 50 celebration in Finsbury Park in 2004...what a fantastic line up of beautiful buses who at the time,were still serving the Capital.
The Routemaster will be chugging along long after we are all gone.
Nice to see the other London buses there as well and the RM's in various stages of restoration... 👍👍👍
AMAZING, im from Brazil and i was doing a Google search on the history of routemasters, it's incredible that this video was posted so few hours ago! connecting minds heheh
I love these old buses, but I am reminded of the passage of time and my long vanished childhood and young adulthood.
A Great Bus to Drive ! i Drove Them in 1969 ! EX L.T 😊
Engineering at its best, wonder if the Boris Bus will still be around in 70 years time.
I 💕 watching this cant believe 70yrs wow what a long time and your still rolling and you still will be for years to come ive always love this form of transport, why did they stop the back door where people used to jump on if theyed missed it and also the words of the root on back is not on back either😮😢
Nice selection of RM's, especially those preserved in original condition. Can always tell the roar of the Leyland 0600. The RF's are superb and even graceful. Would have been complete with all the variants, such as 1254 or Northern General. Nice day out.
PPS I Was on The Skid Pan on a R.T ( The Great Times ! )😊
So was I in 1979.Whilst the skid bus didn't form part of the driving test it was part of the training. I remember the instructor saying to me "you done good there son now let's do another one but perhaps this time not quite so fast". I had the old RT bus flat out at 45 MPH and managed to stop it from a skid,which the instructor had put the bus in,well before the required position marked out on the skid pan. Considering the failed marriages behind me at least there was something I was good at !!
So nice to see the Routemasters back at their spiritual home in Chiswick. A superb design which really has not been bettered other than more modern buses being more accessible. Just travel in hot weather in a new bus. The ventilation is terrible. The Routemasters with their wind down windows get a nice flow of air, lockable at the front for winter travel. Probably better on fuel economy as well. Also speedy. Today’s buses crawl along at a glacial pace.
Great Video.
Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it.
@@GrahamSleathHappy days at Merton bus Garage in 1977 , N 112235 .
I remember them when they replace dthe Trolleybuses in Tottenham, i was sad as i loved the trolleybuses, i went to school on the Route 41 plus also on RTs on 231 and 217.
What a legendary bus were the RMs, they still look fantastic in 2024.
Im from tottenham, born in 1991, my only rare memory is when the 73 was an RM and used to come from AR garage and was allowed to turn right onto the high road for its first stop.
Apart frm that, RMs in in my local area is not a memory i have lol
Nice
Superb video, great channel, subbed!
Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it. Welcome to my channel thanks for subscribing.
RML3 isn't a Long 5 window bus! So, do I guess correctly the 'L' refers to it having a Leyland engine?
Yes you are correct. This is stated on The London Bus Museum Website where you can read all about its history.
That was great. My favourites were the single-deckers, both LT and Green Line. When I went to school, Uxbridge Bus Garage always had a great selection of bus types, but the Green Line buses always seemed to be clean, and shiny all the time. Sad to see the progression from the specific "Green Line", to the vague, "London Country", and then the totally anonymous, boring and inaccurate "London Transport. Corporate blandness that lowers the value of experiencing the excitement of individuality.
I was doing RR this day and i saw one RM later on in the day in the car park in chiswick BP.
Thats also the day i found out that i could bring a double deck under the bridge there after being told previously by more than one person that it wouldn’t fit🤔🤷🏽♂️
I was at RM70!
You weren't Alone
Interesting video but how many of them still have their original AEC or Leyland engines?
At least RM1 is still genuine unlike RT1 which suffered Aldenhams overhaul procedure.
I don't like RMs with 4 cylinder engines despite their necessity of keeping the whole bus intact. Surely a Northern General "RMF" should have been present?
I know this is all voluntary effort so we'll done to all involved.
The single deck Route master was an accident victim and only saw ancillary use but it's good that it has been saved Well done everyone!
Thanks for your comments. I know that RM1397 still retains its original Leyland engine but you are right there aren't many that have their original engines. I was lucky enough to see RMF1254 and ride on it earlier this year. Maybe it was booked for a wedding hire. It was a fantastic effort to stage such an event of that scale. It's good that so many Routemasters have survived in various forms and great to some of them in attendance such as RM1403.
Ah RMF 1254....one of the very few I never saw! I saw all the RMLs save a couple of country buses, and I drove past 1 some years ago abandoned on the IOW. It turned out to be one I had never seen!!
@@arthurreeder8451 I was very lucky to see it earlier in the year and get a trip on it and one or two pictures. I have just uploaded one onto my flickr page which you can view here www.flickr.com/photos/197483763@N02/53832746603/in/dateposted-public/
Our RM2037 at the start of the video still has its Leyland 😊
When London Transport started disposing of Routemasters the first to go were the ones with Leyland Engines. I am presuming that this is why not many of them survived as it wasn't considered the Routemaster was yet an endangered species. I think there is an example of a Routemaster with a Leyland engine at The Manchester bus museum in Cheetham Hill.
You wait for 1 then 130 turn-up
The Routemaster shows us how uncomfortable modern bus are!
That was the great thing about the Routemaster. You can give a really smooth ride(if you want to) I always changed gear manually instead of using the automatic facility as this gave a much better ride Some Routemasters,when driven in automatic would lurch down the gears when braking. They weren't supposed to change down until around 3MPH unless you put your foot back on the gas(never called the accelerator by LT). To counteract the lurching when braking I ,along with many drivers,would take the bus out of gear and put it into second gear at 3 MPH to mimic what the bus should be doing if it was working correctly. I stated second gear as Routemasters were designed to pull away in second gear.First gear was only supposed to be used if the bus was on an incline.Modern buses tend to be quite lurchy but there is not a lot the driver can do to counteract it which is why the Routemaster is a much better bus to drive.I spent more than 49 years working on the buses in London,44 of them driving and I never drove a better bus than the Routemaster.
@@SIMONWINTER-m6d Hi Simon, Thank you for giving us this useful insight from your experience.
@@nickdawson9270 It was a pleasure !