Borismaster & Routemaster Bues in London

[Xerces Fobe2]

I was in London yesterday and by pure chance managed to catch both old & new Routemasters both in silver on normal stage services in Knightsbridge

 

 

XF

[RANGERS]

I was in London yesterday and by pure chance managed to catch both old & new Routemasters both in silver on normal stage services in Knightsbridge

 

Old and New Silver Routemasters lr.jpg

 

XF

Notably, the Routemaster is in front....

[stewartingram]

As an aside, does anyone know what has happenned to LT62? Tis is the one that was involved in the serious accident the day after(?) entering service on the No.11. Has it been repaired or written off I wonder?

Also, is there anywhere on line that lists the Borismaster fleet, bus-spotting style?

 

Stewart

['CHARD]

Also, is there anywhere on line that lists the Borismaster fleet, bus-spotting style?

There is this, Stewart, not precisely what you're describing, but goes some way:

 

http://wmbusphotos.com/NONWM/NBFL/NBFL.html

[Gwiwer]

Don't forget the first three "Borismasters" are also on extended overseas tours so won't be available for spotting in London for some time yet.

 

Of note the real Routemasters on the 9 are finishing very soon leaving only the Tower Hill - Charing Cross section of the 15 worked by these icons.  That still includes the green one, RMC1461, on occasions.

[37114]

I was in London on Tuesday and saw they had pressed M1 (first London Metrobus) into use on the 15, which got me thinking as I don't think it is LEZ compliant so either the restriction was waved due to the strike or the owner is going to get a fine???

[Coppercap]

There is this, Stewart, not precisely what you're describing, but goes some way:

 

http://wmbusphotos.com/NONWM/NBFL/NBFL.html

 

   That's like filling in those books we used to get for stickers of football players, and swop them with our mates! Got, got, got, not got, wanna swop?, got, got.......    

[Gwiwer]

The LEZ and access conditions (i.e. low-floor / step-free entry) are waived during abnormal events including the present round of tube strikes.  

 

So long as the normal operator supplies the normal buses for each route the franchise is considered to have been met.  Extras are organised directly by TfL in response to specific and short-term needs.  It's a "least-worst" option scenario.  Te additional emissions on tube strike days are relatively small in volume in the overall scheme of things.

[stewartingram]

I managed to find the details I asked for in a spotting book. For those that may be interested, they are as follows:

 

LT1-3 in use as demonstrators (incluing abroad).

LT 4-7 allocated to Arriva for route 38.

LT8 is in use as a test bus, possibly for engine emissions?

LT9-40 allocated to Metroline for routes 24 & 390.

LT41-68 allocated to Go-Ahead for route 11.

LT69-94 allocated to London United for routes 9 & 148.

LT95-117 allocated to Metroline for routes 24 & 390.

LT118-119 allocated to Go-Ahead for route 11.

LT120-147 allocated to London United for routes 9 & 148.

LT148-171 allocated to London United for route 10.

LT172-600 are future deliveries.

 

At present routes 9, 10,11, 24, 148, 390 have been converted, along with the small number initialled allocated to route 38.

Route 8, and the full conversion of 38 are due in late spring. Others to follow later.

 

LT150 is the silver livery. There is no mention of the status of accident victim LT62.

 

And as an aside, during this week's tube strike, among the numerous RM and miscellaneous 'foreign' buses borrowed, I saw the Ensign-owned RT gallantly plying its trade on route 38. Wonderful sight.

 

Stewart

[Gwiwer]

An interesting parallel arises in that Routemaster RM8 was used for most of its life as a test bed.  Now its New Routemaster cousin LT8 is taking the same path.  

 

 

 I saw the Ensign-owned RT gallantly plying its trade on route 38.

 

You just can't keep a good bus down!  How many Borismasters will be plying the streets - even if only occasionally - on normal service operations aged 65 and above?

[HerbertHopkins]

As an aside, does anyone know what has happenned to LT62? Tis is the one that was involved in the serious accident the day after(?) entering service on the No.11. Has it been repaired or written off I wonder?

 

Stewart

 

I was talking to my mate Stuart, who works on route 11 from Stockwell Garage, a couple of days ago and he thinks that this bus is a write-off. This might explain why a couple more LT's have been allocated to the route. I seem to recall someone else telling me that the bus it ran into, a single decker hybrid on route 360, has also been written off.  

[PhilJ W]

An interesting parallel arises in that Routemaster RM8 was used for most of its life as a test bed.  Now its New Routemaster cousin LT8 is taking the same path.  

 

You just can't keep a good bus down!  How many Borismasters will be plying the streets - even if only occasionally - on normal service operations aged 65 and above?

Its a great pity that they withdrew all the old buses on Malta a couple of years ago, some of them were over 80 years old! Its a moot point anyway about the age of both the London and Malta buses as both were rebuilt several times 'as new'.

[edcayton]

An interesting parallel arises in that Routemaster RM8 was used for most of its life as a test bed.  Now its New Routemaster cousin LT8 is taking the same path.  

 

You just can't keep a good bus down!  How many Borismasters will be plying the streets - even if only occasionally - on normal service operations aged 65 and above?

 

and won't it be wonderful if they are still called Borismasters but nobody remembers who the heck Boris was?

 

Ed

[Claude_Dreyfus]

 

And as an aside, during this week's tube strike, among the numerous RM and miscellaneous 'foreign' buses borrowed, I saw the Ensign-owned RT gallantly plying its trade on route 38. Wonderful sight.

 

 

Ah, I saw this sitting in a traffic jam on East Cheap the other night. I though it was odd, as it appeared to be operating a normal service, as opposed to being a private hire. I'm in no way a bus expert, but the vehicle behind looked to be a variation on the Routemaster...a trawl through the net suggests it may have been an RMC (it had the twin headlight cluster).

 

Edit: Doh! Of course the 38 goes nowhere near East Cheap. I'm thinking of route 15, with this rather nice individual doing the honours...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Old_bus_on_route_15.jpg

[Xerces Fobe2]

Tube Strike days were good news for bus fan with a many preserved buses pressed into passenger service including a green RT with roof number box red, RT's and Routemasters Can't wait for the next Tube Strike

 

XF

[Nimbus]

Tube Strike days were good news for bus fan with a many preserved buses pressed into passenger service including a green RT with roof number box red, RT's and Routemasters Can't wait for the next Tube Strike

 

XF

 

I hope they're getting well rewarded, in line with the costs of preserving them for the future. Mind you, LT's classic designs were notably well-built. Regardless of Tube grief, I think I would be perked up by an unexpected ride on a smart RT.

 

The Nim.

[SRman]

LT's earlier buses were designed with much forethought, well built, and well maintained ... and well rebuilt at Aldenham during their lives. They were virtually new buses again when they left after a full overhaul.

[stewartingram]

I was talking to my mate Stuart, who works on route 11 from Stockwell Garage, a couple of days ago and he thinks that this bus is a write-off. This might explain why a couple more LT's have been allocated to the route. I seem to recall someone else telling me that the bus it ran into, a single decker hybrid on route 360, has also been written off.  

Thanks for the info on this. Is it possible to see this bus anywhere though?

 

Stewart

[Andy Reichert]

I really miss the 35, the 38A, the 144, the 581, the 623, and the 625.

 

Andy  (sob)

[37114]

Also how many people would have thought a DMS would be used in fare paying service in 2014 when they were withdrawing them after5years service in the early 80's

[HerbertHopkins]

Thanks for the info on this. Is it possible to see this bus anywhere though?

 

Stewart

 

I can't help you with that I'm afraid Stewart. I imagine that the bus has been returned to the manufacturer who will, possibly retrieve everything they can from it for reuse. 

 

'Boris Buses' are, after all, quite expensive pieces of kit. My mate was telling me that one had to be towed in following a breadown and, because the towing company was unfamiliar with these buses, they caused several tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage to the bodywork because they didn't tow it correctly!  

[Gwiwer]

Also how many people would have thought a DMS would be used in fare paying service in 2014 when they were withdrawing them after5years service in the early 80's

 

Indeed!  Though many operators who got them second-hand swore they were the best thing since sliced bread.  One or two others simply swore at them, London-style

 

In an alternate universe the code letters DMS were alleged by a number of what we then called platform staff (conductors to you and I) to stand for Daimler's Multideck $hitheap.  Those same platform staff, whose jobs were threatened and eventually claimed by the incoming fleet of square boxes, also referred to the RT as Really Terrific and the RM as Rather Magnificent buses.  Though I also heard one of the former described, in a Jamaican-accented drawl, as a Red Terror after a particularly exhilarating trip on the 176 across central London's potholed streets.