This is the full text of a TfL press release, dated 9 September,
relating to the new Routemaster Heritage routes.


--------------------
Heritage route contracts awarded

Routemasters will finally leave front-line service with London Buses by
the end of 2005, but they will still be seen in the Capital on heritage
routes.

Contracts for two Heritage Routemaster services have now been awarded
by Transport for London to the bus operators First Group and
Stagecoach.


The contracts have been awarded for the following proposed routes:

* Trafalgar Square - Strand - Fleet Street - Ludgate Hill - Cannon
Street - Eastcheap - Tower Hill

To be operated by Stagecoach under contract to Transport for London.


* Royal Albert Hall - Kensington Road - Knightsbridge - Piccadilly -
Trafalgar Square - Strand - Aldwych

To be operated by First Group under contract to Transport for London.

It is proposed that the routes would both operate every 15 minutes,
between about 0930 and 1830, seven days a week.

The vehicles used would be Routemaster buses owned by TfL.

The final details of the services, including the names or numbers given
to the routes, are still to be confirmed.

Five buses will be used for each route, and three extra buses will be
kept in reserve, totalling 16 Routemasters across both Heritage routes.

About 50 drivers and conductors in total will be employed by First and
Stagecoach.

Standard fares will apply on both services, and all valid Bus Passes,
Travelcards, freedom passes, Oyster Cards and Saver Tickets will be
accepted.

The proposed introduction date for the services is likely to be during
November 2005.

Ends
--------------------
Link to press release on TfL website:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-cent...t.asp?prID=501
--------------------

What happened to the six routes with 50 'green'-engined RM's originally
promised?

In article .com,
() wrote:

What happened to the six routes with 50 'green'-engined RM's originally
promised?

Ken's love affair with conductors ended some time ago.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

5+5+3 = 16??

Or is this just another example of the moronic inability of the twits
now running London Transpport being even unable to do simple
arithmetic?

Marc.

wrote:
5+5+3 = 16??

Or is this just another example of the moronic inability of the twits
now running London Transpport being even unable to do simple
arithmetic?

3 spares per route, presumably.

I think this is too infrequent and starts too late. The best hope is
to try and get them crush-loaded so that they have to raise the
frequency. They'd better keep track of the other 'clean-engined' RMs
for when they need them. Though personally I'd be in favour of making
up the numbers with regular guest vehicles, even if not technically
'clean-engined', to give a bit of variety.

Colin McKenzie

In article .com,
() wrote:

5+5+3 = 16??

Or is this just another example of the moronic inability of the twits
now running London Transpport being even unable to do simple
arithmetic?

Presumably 3 spares for each route? 5+5+3+3 = 16.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Colin McKenzie wrote:
wrote:
5+5+3 = 16??

Or is this just another example of the moronic inability of the twits
now running London Transpport being even unable to do simple
arithmetic?

3 spares per route, presumably.

I think this is too infrequent and starts too late. The best hope is
to try and get them crush-loaded so that they have to raise the
frequency. They'd better keep track of the other 'clean-engined' RMs
for when they need them. Though personally I'd be in favour of making
up the numbers with regular guest vehicles, even if not technically
'clean-engined', to give a bit of variety.

Colin McKenzie

I like your idea - it would be good to see other vehicle types, eg. RTs
and RFs guesting too.

Any word on whether the RMs will be returned to 'London Transport'
livery?

Colin (both of you!), maybe they do mean 3 spares per route, but that
is not actually what the press release says. Perhaps I am just being
too pedantic.

That being so, a 60% "spare" capacity for a bus route must be a World
record! Or are they just being realistically pessimistic as to the poor
maintenance (as sadly seen so often on the remaining Routemasters) that
is to be expected, and that 3 out of the 5 buses can be expected to
break down on each route every day?!

Marc.

Spares aren't just for breakdowns. Routine maintenance also has to be
carried out. Also, with such old buses, of low capital value, it's probably
wise to spread the usage within a larger fleet to slow the overall rate of
wear.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Colin (both of you!), maybe they do mean 3 spares per route, but that
is not actually what the press release says. Perhaps I am just being
too pedantic.

That being so, a 60% "spare" capacity for a bus route must be a World
record! Or are they just being realistically pessimistic as to the poor
maintenance (as sadly seen so often on the remaining Routemasters) that
is to be expected, and that 3 out of the 5 buses can be expected to
break down on each route every day?!

Marc.

Its a shame they wont run into the evening, I always enjoyed seeing
tourists catch their forst sight of a floodlit St Pauls as they sat on
the top deck going up Ludgate Hill

Rob