The London Routemasters

Routemaster RM2121

Currently housed at Bridgeton Garage Glasgow

Routemaster history

The very first Routemaster prototype (RM1) was introduced by London Transport in 1954, which was designed to replace the older trolleybuses and RT-type buses.
The Routemaster buses began service trials in London in 1956 to test their reliability and efficiency.
Full production of the Routemasters started in 1958, manufactured primarily by the Associated Equipment Company (AEC) and Park Royal Vehicles.
Between 1959 and 1968, around 2,876 Routemasters were built.
The RM was innovative for its time, featuring lightweight aluminum construction and power steering.
London Transport ceased orders for new Routemasters in 1966. Future fleets were to be one-person-operated.
Routemasters remained popular throughout the 1980s, due to their durability and iconic design. Some received refurbishments, including new engines and interiors.
The last Routemaster buses were retired from routine routes in 2005, due to accessibility issues (no wheelchair access) and staffing costs (they required both a driver and a conductor).
A limited number of Routemasters continued to operate on two central London heritage routes (9H and 15H) until 2021, primarily for tourism.
In 2012 the Boris Bus (nicknamed after Boris Johnston, the then-mayor of London) was introduced and entered service. This was a modern hybrid version inspired by the classic design of the old Routemasters.
The Routemaster remains one of London’s most iconic symbols, frequently seen in media, souvenirs, and restored vehicles at museums and events.

This is a post image London Routemasters: Image generated by ChatGPT with DALL·E, an AI by OpenAI

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