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old routemaster

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mac

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In London for a couple of days at the end of week are there any routes that still use the old buses?
 
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Harbouring

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Last time I was there a 15 still used old routemasters up and down the strand. Should be able to get it at trafalgar Sq
 

Wirewiper

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Yes, route 15 operates Heritage Routemasters between Trafalgar Square (Strand) and Tower Hill, every 20 minutes between 09.30 and 18.30 daily. They operate as extras to the normal service (which is New Routemaster).

You can't use contactless (the conductors don't have readers), but Oyster cards, Bus Passes and all Travelcards are accepted.
 

class387

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The refurbishment on these is brilliant too. Almost original inside now. Highly recommended.
 

PeterC

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IIRC they are short workings from Trafalgar Square to Tower Hill starting after 09:30 with no evening service.
 

Busaholic

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IIRC they are short workings from Trafalgar Square to Tower Hill starting after 09:30 with no evening service.
Correct, but they do operate seven days a week. Incidentally, I believe I read somewhere that the 15 has the lowest actual mph, as opposed to timetabled, of any central London bus route, even for the Routemaster workings, so don't necessarily expect to wait 20 mins max for one to turn up!
 

johnw

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I read in one of the trade magazines that the refurbishment of the fleet has either been stopped or paused.
 

mac

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Thank you for your replies, I've not been to London for about 10 years so be good to have a ride on one
 

quarella

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My original post:

I am sure they have fluorescent tubes instead of tungsten bulbs. I think the moquette is Tfl blue and not the original pattern. No fog of cigarette smoke either. :) But it is good that they are still in service.
 

Wirewiper

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I am sure they have fluorescent tubes instead of tungsten bulbs. I think the moquette is Tfl blue and not the original pattern. No fog of cigarette smoke either. :) But it is good that they are still in service.

Four have been returned to as original condition as possible, with the original deep red moquette and tungsten light bulbs. Unfortunately the quarter-drop wind-down windows could not be sourced.
 

quarella

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Four have been returned to as original condition as possible, with the original deep red moquette and tungsten light bulbs. Unfortunately the quarter-drop wind-down windows could not be sourced.
Thank you. That is good. The last one I travelled on early last year was not one of those to the best of my recollection, and before that was a few years ago out to Kensington.
This thread has brought to mind some other changes. The replacement of the single central stop light with a pair and the large number that were re-registered when a bean counter realised how much could be made for the VLT/CLT original registrations.
 

Mikey C

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Four have been returned to as original condition as possible, with the original deep red moquette and tungsten light bulbs. Unfortunately the quarter-drop wind-down windows could not be sourced.

I assume the original window fittings when removed in the early 2000s during the "Marshall Rebuilds" were snapped up by other owners of Routemasters
 

quarella

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Four have been returned to as original condition as possible, with the original deep red moquette and tungsten light bulbs. Unfortunately the quarter-drop wind-down windows could not be sourced.
Saw one today. The yellow of the tungsten bulbs is much more welcoming than the glare of tubes or leds.
 

Busaholic

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Saw one today. The yellow of the tungsten bulbs is much more welcoming than the glare of tubes or leds.

Travel on them while you can. The RMs on the 9 disappeared without too much notice and, with Leon Daniels's departure, their main advocate in TfL has disappeared. Sadiq is no Ken or Boris (a good thing in many ways imo) and probably won't have any views either way.
 

AnthonyRail

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Any idea when one finds the route of the number 15, I be in London next week and love to photograph it along somewhere , thxs
 

Lrd

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Do the old Routemasters have the "Please hold on the bus is about to move announcement"? :lol:
 

bluegoblin7

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Any idea when one finds the route of the number 15, I be in London next week and love to photograph it along somewhere , thxs

The 15H follows the route of the 15 between Trafalhar Square/Charing Cross and Tower Hill, with buses laying over around the back of Tower Gateway DLR.

The route of the 15 is on the TfL website:

https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/15/?Input=15+towards+Trafalgar+Square&direction=outbound
https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/15/?Input=15+towards+Blackwall&direction=inbound
 
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