Routemaster


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Routemaster

The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was built by Associated Equipment Company (AEC) in 1954 (in production from 1958) and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with doors and/or front entrances. Introduced by London Transport in 1956, the Routemaster saw continuous service in London until 2005, and currently remains on two heritage routes in central London. The Routemaster was developed by AEC in partnership with London Transport, the customer for nearly all new Routemasters, delivered in traditional red or green "country" colours, although

A Routemaster in Piccadilly Circus.

small numbers were also delivered to British European Airways and the Northern General Transport Company. In all, 2,876 Routemasters were built, with approximately 1,000 still in existence.

A pioneering design, the Routemaster outlasted several of its replacement types in London, survived the privatisation of the former London Transport bus operators, and was used by other operators around the UK. In modern UK public transport bus operation, the unique features of the standard Routemaster were both praised and criticised. The open platform, while exposed to the elements, allowed boarding and alighting away from stops; and the presence of a conductor allowed minimal boarding time and optimal security, although the presence of conductors produced greater labour costs.

Routemaster in profile

The traditional red Routemaster has become one of the famous features of London, with much tourist paraphernalia continuing to bear Routemaster imagery, and with examples still in existence around the world. Despite its fame, the previous London bus classes the Routemaster replaced (the RT-type AEC Regent and Leyland Titan RTL and RTW counterparts) are often mistaken for Routemasters by the public and by the media.

Novel design

The Routemaster bus was developed during the years 1947–1956 by a team directed by A. A.M. Durrant and Colin Curtis, with vehicle styling by Douglas Scott. The design brief was to produce a vehicle that was lighter (hence more fuel efficient), easier to operate and to be maintained by the existing maintenance practices at the recently opened Aldenham Works. The resulting vehicle could carry 64 seated passengers despite weighing three-quarters of a ton less than the previous RT which could carry 56 seated passengers. The first task on delivery to service was to replace London's trolleybuses, which had themselves replaced trams, in London and to commence replacement of the older types of diesel motor bus. The Routemaster was primarily intended for London use, being designed by London Transport and constructed at the AEC Works in Southall, Middlesex with assembly at bodybuilder Park Royal Vehicles, a subsidiary company of AEC.

Rear platform of a Routemaster, with updated hand-rails for Heritage Route operation


	It was an innovative design compared with previous buses, and used lightweight aluminium and techniques developed in aircraft production during World War II. As well as a novel weight-saving integral design, the Routemaster also introduced (for the first time on a bus) independent front suspension, power steering, a fully automatic gearbox and power-hydraulic braking. This surprised some early drivers who found the chassis unexpectedly light and nimble compared to older designs, especially as depicted on film on tests at the Chiswick Works "skid pan". Footage of Routemaster RM200 (VLT 200) undergoing the skid test at Chiswick was included in the 1971 film On the Buses. The Routemaster design was a departure from the traditional chassis/body construction method. With London Transport being the primary customer, the option to use different bodybuilders was less important. The design was one of the first "integral" buses, with the bus being a combination of an "A" steel sub-frame (including engine, steering, front suspension), a rear "B" steel sub-frame (carrying rear axle and suspension), connected by the aluminium body. The gear box was mounted on the underside of the body structure with shafts linking the engine to the back axle. Prototypes

The driver’s cab of an early Routemaster RM8


	London Transport received four prototype Routemasters; these were then placed in service between 1956 and 1958. The first two were built at the London Transport works at Chiswick, the third at Addlestone by Weymann, and the fourth, an experimental Green Line coach, at Eastern Coach Works at Lowestoft. The third and fourth had Leyland engines. The Routemaster was first exhibited at the Earl's Court Commercial Motor Show in 1954. In 1961 a small batch of 24 longer RMLs (30 ft compared with the standard 27 ft 6in) were built as a test, before eventually going into production from 1965. In 1962 the front entrance RMF concept was trialed, with a single bus RMF1254 produced based on the trial RMLs. This was exhibited and toured, leading to a small number of orders as the RMF and RMA class.


	In 1964, just before mainstream production of the RML, the final front-engined Routemaster model, AEC started work on a front-entrance, rear-engined Routemaster, the FRM class. Completed in 1966, it was not produced beyond an initial prototype, FRM1. This saw regular London service, then on tour operations, before being withdrawn in 1983. This vehicle acquired the nickname "Fruitmaster". Routemasters in use today London heritage routes Two heritage routes were immediately introduced in London, recognising the nostalgia for the type among ordinary Londoners, and their appeal to tourists. Although these buses are operated under contract to TfL, and accept standard Travelcards, Oystercards or cash fares, they only operate for a limited time during the day duplicating short sections of two regular London bus routes. The Heritage routes operate around 10 buses each,[30] with 5 each in reserve. * Heritage route 9: Royal Albert Hall — Hyde Park Corner — Piccadilly Circus — Trafalgar Square — Strand — Aldwych. * Heritage route 15: Trafalgar Square — Strand — Aldwych — Fleet Street — Cannon Street — Monument — Tower Hill. The buses used were specially restored from remaining examples for this service, and have clean environmental engines, modern electrics and sealed windows. Other public transport uses

Routemaster bus departing from Shrewsbury Bus Station in 2009.

Most of the post-privatisation use of Routemasters in UK public transport service has now ceased.On 7 April 2008 Routemasters were also introduced on a regular bus route in Nottingham, England. They were operated by Bellamy's Coaches Ltd with red Routemasters branded as the Nottingham & District Omnibus, on route 20 on a 20 minute frequency from 7am to 7pm, six days a week. Bellamy's positioned the conductor and open

Nottingham & District Omnibus Routmaster followed by a Nottingham City Transport bus


	platform features of the Routemaster as being able to compete with the incumbent operator's Nottingham City Transport (NCT) services, on increased speed of travel through the city centre bus stops, and through hail and ride operation in the suburbs. The Routemasters were withdrawn on 28 June 2008 with the company citing low passenger demand, although to satisfy bus service registration requirements, the service continued using single-decker buses into August. The council, which has an 82% stake in NCT, was criticised for not doing enough to provide information about the service in public facilities, and for increasing the competition selectively on the Routemaster route. The London and South East of England operator Metrobus had retained a green liveried Routemaster, RML 2317 (CUV 317C), obtained from sister company London General, which is sometimes used on regular routes as well as private and preservation appearances. This RML has however, now passed to Brighton and Hove Buses where is was painted into the livery of Thomas Tilling Ltd. Cavendish Motor Services operate RML 2324 in a light green and green livery, for special journeys as well as a relief bus for a number of their routes in the Eastbourne area. Wilson's Coaches of Greenock operate three Routemasters (one open-top) mainly on private hire workings, but also see service on the company's routes from Greenock to Clydebank, Helensburgh and on Saturdays prior to Christmas on the company's local Greenock service. Non-public service use

A Routemaster in use as a cafe in Brick Lane, London


	Aside from the London heritage routes, the last major operator of Routemasters in service in the UK, is in Edinburgh, Scotland. Local operator Lothian Buses tour operation Mac Tours uses a variety of closed and open top Routemasters on regular tour bus duties. Several operators in the UK maintain Routemasters for private hire usage, with the majority held by the successors to the former London Bus units, Ensignbus, London Bus Company Ltd (formerly Blue Triangle) and Timebus Travel. Many cities around the world have a Routemaster, or an older RT variant somewhere, often privately owned and used for many different purposes (from Preservation to Hot Dog stands, tour bus to shop). Routemasters can be found

far from Britain in places such as Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, China, Canada, Southern California, Malaysia, even Fairbanks, Alaska.

A number of Stagecoach-owned Routemasters have been exported to Montreal in Canada, where Stagecoach now provides a tourist service around the city. This is a unique case of London Routemasters being operated on a daily service in a foreign country by a former London Routemaster operator.


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