Robert McCall wrote:
It`s hard to believe but this will be the last Christmas where we can
go shopping up west and be able to get a routemaster home :-(

I for one are going to miss the icon of London.

At least it looks like they aren't`t making the same mistake that
they made with the RT`s and will keep many RM`s in good working
condition for many more years to come

Here is a link to an BBC obituary to the RM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4075085.stm

I expect a lot of people were upset when the horsebuses were withdrawn.