Well I went to say my farewells to RMs on the 19 yesterday.

Little to report, other than seeing RML2524 (Great Northern) and is it
RM. 25 (?) in Shillibeer livery. At least one of the other RMs seemed
in *extremely* good condition (like something more usually seen on the
13!). I didn't get the number but wondered if it was a showbus or
something?



A couple of other thoughts:

A few of the VLAs were already in service.

There were a few times when Piccadilly and Shaftesbury Avenue were still
a sea of Routemasters. The loss of the 19 will really deplete *that*
feeling now for good.

Battersea Bridge is an odd place for a terminus, isn't it? I realise
that it's operationally sensible with the bus garage being there but
it's not really much use as a traffic objective I wouldn't have thought?
(An extension to Clapham Common or Tooting, which I think it once
served, would surely make more sense?)

And of course still no news about the proposed Heritage routes.......


--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

Ian Jelf wrote:

Battersea Bridge is an odd place for a terminus, isn't it? I
realise
that it's operationally sensible with the bus garage being there but
it's not really much use as a traffic objective I wouldn't have
thought?
(An extension to Clapham Common or Tooting, which I think it once
served, would surely make more sense?)

....particularly since much of the new allocation of buses is going to
be based at Norwood depot, leading to (presumably) a huge amount of
dead running! Clapham Common or even Streatham Hill would seem to make
more sense as a terminus (though cross-London bus routes are seriously
out of fashion these days!)

"Rupert Candy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Ian Jelf wrote:


...particularly since much of the new allocation of buses is going to
be based at Norwood depot, leading to (presumably) a huge amount of
dead running! Clapham Common or even Streatham Hill would seem to make
more sense as a terminus (though cross-London bus routes are seriously
out of fashion these days!)

Only 8 buses out of an allocation of at least 26 are to be based at Norwood
so hardly "much of the new allocation"

Paul

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 22:50:16 +0100, Ian Jelf
wrote:

Well I went to say my farewells to RMs on the 19 yesterday.

Little to report, other than seeing RML2524 (Great Northern) and is it
RM. 25 (?) in Shillibeer livery. At least one of the other RMs seemed
in *extremely* good condition (like something more usually seen on the
13!). I didn't get the number but wondered if it was a showbus or
something?

Unless I'm going ga-ga RM25 is in Great Northern Livery and 2524 is in
the Shillibeer livery. I actually managed to get a reasonable picture of
RM25 today - every previous attempt has been thwarted. No sign of
RML2524 although it was supposed to be doing late night runs but I
overhead a conversation that said it developed a defect yesterday.

Huge numbers of people out and about today including plenty of local
residents in Chelsea, Highbury / Arsenal and Battersea. Even kids taking
piccies with their camera phones. Lots of questions from the general
public and general disappointment when they learnt what was going on.

The preserved STL was running around and I caught up with it at Highbury
Barn where it was besieged by photographers - to an outsider you'd think
an act of worship was going on. Even the police trundled past looking
bemused :-)

The 19 has (had?) a proportion of the Marshall conversions which are
identical to the route 13 vehicles - new engines, transmission etc.
Having travelled in 2 or 3 today they are generally in very good nick -
more so than their brethren.

I can't begin to imagine what the actual last day of the Routemaster is
going to be like if the turn out and reaction on these last day events
is anything to go by.

And of course still no news about the proposed Heritage routes.......

There is a rumour that the "newer" (i.e. recent conversions) RMs from
the 19 are going into store for the Heritage routes.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

In message , Paul Corfield
writes
On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 22:50:16 +0100, Ian Jelf
wrote:
Little to report, other than seeing RML2524 (Great Northern) and is it
RM. 25 (?) in Shillibeer livery. At least one of the other RMs seemed
in *extremely* good condition (like something more usually seen on the
13!). I didn't get the number but wondered if it was a showbus or
something?

Unless I'm going ga-ga RM25 is in Great Northern Livery and 2524 is in
the Shillibeer livery.
D'oh! :-))

I actually managed to get a reasonable picture of
RM25 today - every previous attempt has been thwarted. No sign of
RML2524 although it was supposed to be doing late night runs but I
overhead a conversation that said it developed a defect yesterday.

Huge numbers of people out and about today including plenty of local
residents in Chelsea, Highbury / Arsenal and Battersea. Even kids taking
piccies with their camera phones.
I've noticed a lot of this sort of thing with the passing of
Routemasters. People who wouldn't normally see such things as having any
street cred seem to have a real soft spot for them.

Lots of questions from the general
public and general disappointment when they learnt what was going on.

I can't begin to imagine what the actual last day of the Routemaster is
going to be like if the turn out and reaction on these last day events
is anything to go by.
I suspect it will be like - or even greater than - the end of London's
(first generation of) trams in 1952.

I would have loved to have been in London today. Ironically, neither
of us was working today but I have to be in Bristol very early tomorrow
morning and couldn't really have a late night in London other than
spending most of tomorrow's earnings on an hotel room! (So I rally
ought to be in bed now rather than sitting up reading Usenet.)

And of course still no news about the proposed Heritage routes.......

There is a rumour that the "newer" (i.e. recent conversions) RMs from
the 19 are going into store for the Heritage routes.
That would make sense, especially from the condition of some of the
Battersea ones I mentioned yesterday.

It really doesn't seem two minutes since Kentish Bus was running the 19
with special liveried buses, does it?
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

As A Blue Badger I`m sure Ian recognizes the value of an identifiable city
icon and the Routemaster is most certainly that.
I believe that the entire issue has been mishandled from the start by the
TfL folks who muscled in on Hizzonor`s post election programme.
The rather fine condition of the Marshall Refurbished RM`s makes some of the
one-year old replacement vehicles on routes such as the 23 look very gummy
indeed.
There are issues which detrimentally reflect on the RM but I rather suspect
that the much trumpeted "Disability Access" one is a very large Red Herring.
I have spent the last two days in London and saw far more serious access
issues with brand new Low Floor stock than with any of the Routemasters
still trundling about.
For example Two seperate incidents of Ramps failing.
The first was a failure to deploy which resulted in disappointment but
cancelled out by another bus following behind.
The second however which stuck OUT in Knightsbridge caused a very rapid rise
in the Road Rage indicies of motorists caught in the tailback behind.
In addition the present TfL "Standard" Low Floor arrangement is simply
illogical and unwieldy particularly to the extent to which it actively
discourages Busdrivers from managing their vehicles loadings.
At several times on Sat I came upon dangerously overloaded ALX 400`s with
upwards of 6 people Standing UPstairs.
The resultant inability of passengers to get Off or On at stops merely added
to a sort of grudging understanding for Baroness Thatchers dictum about
those over 30 still using public transport being failures.....
The other oddity about Routemaster operation whish I feel is worthy of
comment is the level of general conversation on board in comparison to a
"New" generation OPO operated Bus.
Maybe it`s me but I felt that general conversation flowed much easier in the
RM`s ....
Any thoughts ???

In message , Alek
writes
As A Blue Badger I`m sure Ian recognizes the value of an identifiable city
icon and the Routemaster is most certainly that.
Absolutely I do. That's why I pester here perhaps more than I should
about the proposed Heritage Routes. I consider them *very* important.

That's mot to say that I somehow want London's transport to be in a time
warp. The Wright/Gemini buses are very smart indeed and even the
Bendybuses I think have a place (principally on Red Arrow routes of
which there could perhaps be more than at present).

But Routemasters are both handsome and are truly unrivalled at allowing
speedy boarding and alighting.

And many people want to ride on them as part of their sightseeing.
They go alongside K2/K6 telephone kiosks and policemen in the
photographic desires stakes. (Funnily enough, I spent some time this
morning trying to locate a telephone kiosk for a US group, albeit in
Stoke on Trent!)

There are issues which detrimentally reflect on the RM but I rather suspect
that the much trumpeted "Disability Access" one is a very large Red Herring.
I have spent the last two days in London and saw far more serious access
issues with brand new Low Floor stock than with any of the Routemasters
still trundling about.
Absolutely.

I've had two experiences of taking a couple of friends (one of whom may
be reading this!) around Central London by bus in the last year or two.
One in a wheelchair and we had repeated problems with the rams simply
not functioning. Staff were helpful and attentive but the ultimate
incident was the complete failure and withdrawal from service of a Bendy
in Whitehall!

In addition the present TfL "Standard" Low Floor arrangement is simply
illogical and unwieldy particularly to the extent to which it actively
discourages Busdrivers from managing their vehicles loadings.
At several times on Sat I came upon dangerously overloaded ALX 400`s with
upwards of 6 people Standing UPstairs.
Yes, I've witnessed that on the 15 on several occasions.

The resultant inability of passengers to get Off or On at stops merely added
to a sort of grudging understanding for Baroness Thatchers dictum about
those over 30 still using public transport being failures.....
I regard being over 30 and using public transport as a badge of honour
most of the time! (That's caused me to be labelled everything from a
"PT Weenie" to a "Train Spotter" in the past. However, those making
such remarks are confusing me with someone who gives a toss.......)

Better calm down now! :-))
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

There is a rumour that the "newer" (i.e. recent conversions) RMs from
the 19 are going into store for the Heritage routes.

RM25 (in Great Northern livery as you say) was on the 159 tonight. I
passed it going the other way in Whitehall about 17:45.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Colin Rosenstiel wrote to uk.transport.london on Thu, 7 Apr 2005:

In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

There is a rumour that the "newer" (i.e. recent conversions) RMs from
the 19 are going into store for the Heritage routes.

RM25 (in Great Northern livery as you say) was on the 159 tonight. I
passed it going the other way in Whitehall about 17:45.

And I passed it going the other way in Streatham yesterday morning!
Meant to comment on it to you guys....

Remind me again, is the 38 going to go bendy or will they be
double-decker, and when do they change? I thought it already had done
one or the other, and was surprised to see it was still RMs yesterday.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 3 April 2005

"Mrs Redboots" wrote in message
...
Colin Rosenstiel wrote to uk.transport.london on Thu, 7 Apr 2005:

In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

There is a rumour that the "newer" (i.e. recent conversions) RMs from
the 19 are going into store for the Heritage routes.

RM25 (in Great Northern livery as you say) was on the 159 tonight. I
passed it going the other way in Whitehall about 17:45.

And I passed it going the other way in Streatham yesterday morning!
Meant to comment on it to you guys....

Remind me again, is the 38 going to go bendy or will they be
double-decker, and when do they change? I thought it already had done
one or the other, and was surprised to see it was still RMs yesterday.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 3 April 2005

Going bendy in November

Paul