On 28 Feb, 17:01, "d" wrote:
wrote in message

ps.com...





On 25 Feb, 22:49, "Richard J." wrote:

I can think of many people who have good reason to prefer other types of
bus, but your mind is evidently closed on the subject, so it seems
pointless to pursue the matter.

I don't know how you managed to ascertain that.

Since I initiated the trolleybus thread, I obviously don't have a
"closed mind" about any particular form of public transport. It
should, of course, have low CO2 emissions and offer an effective,
cheap form of transport.

The RM did suit London conditions well and was almost universally
popular, unlike the vehicles that replaced it.
It's a shame that it hasn't been possible to develop a less polluting
design, based on the RM concept. One of the main reasons for this was
that the manufacturing capacity that sustained urban transport was run
down beforehand. Another was privatisation of the buses, which works
against centralised purchasing and planning.

Disabled and old people didn't like the routemaster. Mothers with
push-chairs didn't like them either. Or people with luggage. Or tall
people. Or pregnant people. Apart from them, yeah! Everyone loves the
routemaster.

I do love the routemaster, but from a practical standpoint I prefer the
bendy-busses. I'm 6'4 and I fit in the seats, I can stand up, and I don't
have to navigate the twisting stairway of death to get to half the seats.
It accelerates nicely, brakes nicely, has heating/air-conditioning, and 3
massive doors for people to get on/off instead of one tiny little door
everyone had to crowd through before the bus could pull off. The only
benefits of the Routemaster are their shorter wheel base, and the fact you
can get on/off in between stops.

But let's not let logic get in the way of nostalgia! :-P



- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's not a question of nostalgia - contrary to the theme song of '97,
things don't always get better.

In fact, there were a number of variants of the RM made at Park Royal,
including one with front-door entry.
Numerous projected designs, including a trolleybus version, never got
off the drawing board.
Typical of British management in the 70's.

The partnership between London Transport and Park Royal was essential
to bus manufacture in this country.
Now that's gone, we're forced to buy off the shelf products, which
aren't ideal for the London road system - like the Bendy Bus.
It wouldn't be hard to produce something better and less polluting.
Some of the innovative trolleybus and hydrid buses now being produced,
are by new start-up companies in Eastern Europe, almost from scratch