Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

A query on behalf of an acquaintance.

They're interested in the possibility of hiring a Routemaster to
transport people from A-B, not a great distance but the most sensible
route would involve a stretch on a motorway.

If a Routemaster is going to be hired, it has to have an open-platform,
not a door.

The obvious question is whether any bus hire operation would be happy
carrying passengers on an open-platformed Routemaster along a motorway?
Said passengers would not (yet) be inebriated, and could be trusted to
obey instructions to stay away from the stairs.

A rope or bar across the platform would be acceptable - like on this bus
(though AFAICS it's passenger-less):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29520195@N08/8677999177

BTW, this is very much a preliminary inquiry - no research has yet been
done - thanks for any pointers though!

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

On 02/04/2014 20:34, Mizter T wrote:
A query on behalf of an acquaintance.

They're interested in the possibility of hiring a Routemaster to
transport people from A-B, not a great distance but the most sensible
route would involve a stretch on a motorway.

If a Routemaster is going to be hired, it has to have an open-platform,
not a door.

The obvious question is whether any bus hire operation would be happy
carrying passengers on an open-platformed Routemaster along a motorway?
Said passengers would not (yet) be inebriated, and could be trusted to
obey instructions to stay away from the stairs.

A rope or bar across the platform would be acceptable - like on this bus
(though AFAICS it's passenger-less):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29520195@N08/8677999177

BTW, this is very much a preliminary inquiry - no research has yet been
done - thanks for any pointers though!

The obvious thing to do would be to contact the operators directly.
They will know the answers, the rest of us will just be guessing. I
believe Ensign have at least one for hire, no connection, I photographed
it in Manchester.

As anecdata, I don't recall seeing an open platform bus on the motorway
with passengers on board.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read, substitute trains for rail.
Railway Miscellany at http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

On 02/04/2014 20:55, Graeme Wall wrote:
On 02/04/2014 20:34, Mizter T wrote:
A query on behalf of an acquaintance.

They're interested in the possibility of hiring a Routemaster to
transport people from A-B, not a great distance but the most sensible
route would involve a stretch on a motorway.

If a Routemaster is going to be hired, it has to have an open-platform,
not a door.

The obvious question is whether any bus hire operation would be happy
carrying passengers on an open-platformed Routemaster along a motorway?
Said passengers would not (yet) be inebriated, and could be trusted to
obey instructions to stay away from the stairs.

A rope or bar across the platform would be acceptable - like on this bus
(though AFAICS it's passenger-less):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29520195@N08/8677999177

BTW, this is very much a preliminary inquiry - no research has yet been
done - thanks for any pointers though!

The obvious thing to do would be to contact the operators directly. They
will know the answers, the rest of us will just be guessing. I believe
Ensign have at least one for hire, no connection, I photographed it in
Manchester.

As anecdata, I don't recall seeing an open platform bus on the motorway
with passengers on board.

Also, most Routemasters will be hard pushed to go much more than 40mph,
so I'd be concerned about taking them on a motorway, even when empty.
They were designed for use in London, and are geared as such. The only
ones whioch went faster were the RMC type and the ones used by BA from
the West London Checkin to Heathrow.
--
Tciao for Now!

John.

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

On 03/04/2014 08:42, John Williamson wrote:
On 02/04/2014 20:55, Graeme Wall wrote:
On 02/04/2014 20:34, Mizter T wrote:
A query on behalf of an acquaintance.

They're interested in the possibility of hiring a Routemaster to
transport people from A-B, not a great distance but the most sensible
route would involve a stretch on a motorway.

If a Routemaster is going to be hired, it has to have an open-platform,
not a door.

The obvious question is whether any bus hire operation would be happy
carrying passengers on an open-platformed Routemaster along a motorway?
Said passengers would not (yet) be inebriated, and could be trusted to
obey instructions to stay away from the stairs.

A rope or bar across the platform would be acceptable - like on this bus
(though AFAICS it's passenger-less):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29520195@N08/8677999177

BTW, this is very much a preliminary inquiry - no research has yet been
done - thanks for any pointers though!

The obvious thing to do would be to contact the operators directly. They
will know the answers, the rest of us will just be guessing. I believe
Ensign have at least one for hire, no connection, I photographed it in
Manchester.

As anecdata, I don't recall seeing an open platform bus on the motorway
with passengers on board.

Also, most Routemasters will be hard pushed to go much more than 40mph,
so I'd be concerned about taking them on a motorway, even when empty.
They were designed for use in London, and are geared as such. The only
ones whioch went faster were the RMC type and the ones used by BA from
the West London Checkin to Heathrow.

It's not actually unusual to see them on motorways, travelling between
gigs. Though in Mizter T's case there would not appear to be a great
advantage in using the motorway given they can't really exploit the
higher speed available.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read, substitute trains for rail.
Railway Miscellany at http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

On 02/04/2014 20:55, Graeme Wall wrote:
On 02/04/2014 20:34, Mizter T wrote:
A query on behalf of an acquaintance.

They're interested in the possibility of hiring a Routemaster to
transport people from A-B, not a great distance but the most sensible
route would involve a stretch on a motorway.

If a Routemaster is going to be hired, it has to have an open-platform,
not a door.

The obvious question is whether any bus hire operation would be happy
carrying passengers on an open-platformed Routemaster along a motorway?
Said passengers would not (yet) be inebriated, and could be trusted to
obey instructions to stay away from the stairs.

A rope or bar across the platform would be acceptable - like on this bus
(though AFAICS it's passenger-less):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29520195@N08/8677999177

BTW, this is very much a preliminary inquiry - no research has yet been
done - thanks for any pointers though!

The obvious thing to do would be to contact the operators directly. They
will know the answers, the rest of us will just be guessing. I believe
Ensign have at least one for hire, no connection, I photographed it in
Manchester.

As anecdata, I don't recall seeing an open platform bus on the motorway
with passengers on board.


Many years ago, I was on a passenger on an open platform bus that used a
short part of the M6. (A St. Helens Corporation Leyland PD2, with a full
load of Rugby League supporters..)

Bevan

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

On Wednesday, April 2, 2014 3:55:22 PM UTC-4, Graeme Wall wrote:
As anecdata, I don't recall seeing an open platform bus on the motorway
with passengers on board.

My father once told me that the first time he drove on the 285 to Heathrow, he took a wrong turning near the airport and found himself on the M4 and had to go up to the next junction and come back. This would have been in the late 60s/early 70s and Wikipedia says it switched from Routemasters to Swifts in 1971. I think it would have been more likely my dad was driving the latter.
--
Roy

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

On 2014-04-05 20:35:57 +0000, Roy said:

On Wednesday, April 2, 2014 3:55:22 PM UTC-4, Graeme Wall wrote:
As anecdata, I don't recall seeing an open platform bus on the
motorway with passengers on board.

My father once told me that the first time he drove on the 285 to
Heathrow, he took a wrong turning near the airport and found himself on
the M4 and had to go up to the next junction and come back. This would
have been in the late 60s/early 70s and Wikipedia says it switched from
Routemasters to Swifts in 1971. I think it would have been more likely
my dad was driving the latter.

The Heathrow spur, then techically a motorway, had some Sunday route
140 journeys on it worked by RTs rather a long time back, ISTR.

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

Doesn't a Routemaster go down the M1 in the film Mutiny on the Buses?

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

"Offramp" wrote in message
...

Doesn't a Routemaster go down the M1 in the film Mutiny on the Buses?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One drives all the way to Greece in Summer Holiday - so what?

tim

Open-platform Routemaster on the motorway
 

On Monday, April 7, 2014 3:14:21 PM UTC-4, tim..... wrote:
"Offramp" wrote in message

One drives all the way to Greece in Summer Holiday - so what?

That was an RT shurely?
--
Roy