London Banter - View Single Post - Sad day for London and farewell to faithful friends

Paul Corfield · September 4th 04, 09:34 AM posted to uk.transport.london

On 03 Sep 2004 17:44:42 GMT, (Mait001) wrote:

Today, for those of you that don't know it, sees the largest withdrawal of
Routemaster buses from London since the current withdrawals began last year:
from tomorrow, Routemasters will be no more on routes 9, 73 and 390.

My only regret is that (through work commitments) I cannot participate in any
of the special runs taking place today to mark this sad day.

I did manage some photos at lunchtime and I rode home on FRM1 - the rear
engined Routemaster - and that was great fun with many ordinary people
out and about taking pictures of their local buses complete with unusual
visitors.

This is an incredibly sad "improvement", and I would like to record both my
dismay at the wanton vandalism that is being visited on London's bus routes by
T.F.L (or whatever quango-based morons now control these matters) and my
sincerest thanks to the Routemaster buses and their crews who have so
faithfully served London for the last few decades.

Well the crews deserve the thank you. I have mixed feelings - I've
always enjoyed the 73 with Routemasters as a convenient way to get
about. However the RMLs are old and not in good condition. I don't think
artics will work on that route and would have much preferred
conventional low floor double decks to be provided as I think it is
wrong to expect 60-80 people to stand on a bus for many miles in order
to get to work.

Only a handful of Routemaster-operated routes remain - they wil not do so for
much longer. For those that care - cherish the opportunity to travel on these
few routes (from memory) 12, 14, 19, 22, 36, 159 whilst you can!

You missed route 13 from Golders Green to Aldwych which is rumoured to
be losing its recently modernised Routemasters very soon to former route
9 RMLs. Note this is a rumour that has just emerged and it may have no
foundation at all.

Farewell friendly Routemasters - may you ever reign supreme in our affections.

Yep - I cannot imagine what the events will be like when the very last
one leaves service if the experience of the last days of route 8 and now
9/73 and 390 are anything to go by.
--
Paul C

Admits to working for London Underground!