New Routemaster in service today.

bevans6 · February 27, 2012, 04:48:05 AM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/interactive/2012/feb/27/routemaster-new-buses-boris-johnson-london-interactive

I find this a quite stunningly good looking bus, particularly from the drivers side with the angled glass.

Brian

Jeremy · February 27, 2012, 05:16:25 AM

I've been following this myself - I think there's only seven been built so far but another 50 or so on the way. Either way, I'm pleased they're going to be in use when the Olympics are taking place in July. The decision to start employing bus conductors again on is causing a fair bit of controversy, especially when they're not even going to be taking money - it's a pure 'make work' role to satisfy those tedious officials who think the public won't be able to cope with the re-introduction of the open rear platform. I think the conductors will be quietly phased-out after a few months.

Not sure whether it's 'stunningly good looking' - I like a lot of the details, and the back end is great, but for me the front is spoiled by the treatment of the headlight area.

Jeremy

Oonrahnjay · February 27, 2012, 06:07:05 AM

Not a "half-cab" and with two "flip doors". PAYE (i.e. "Pay As You Enter" or pay the driver). What will they think of next? The first thing you know, British buses will be boldly charging straight into the 1980's.

belfert · February 27, 2012, 06:24:52 AM

The most interesting thing I like about these buses is apparently it runs on electric motors like a diesel locomotive and the engine only runs when the batteries need a charge. I could have read things wrong.

Jeremy · February 27, 2012, 06:28:56 AM

Quote from: Oonrahnjay on February 27, 2012, 06:07:05 AM
Not a "half-cab" and with two "flip doors". PAYE (i.e. "Pay As You Enter" or pay the driver). What will they think of next? The first thing you know, British buses will be boldly charging straight into the 1980's.

Three doors in fact, when the rear platform is open. Which is a bit strange - I'm not sure how the driver is supposed to take payment from the middle and rear doors, unless they have some sort of automatic Oyster card-operated barrier as trains do in London. I do know that it's very rare for passengers to pay cash nowadays.

The original Routemaster was probably one of the last ever buses to be given a half-cab when it was designed back in the '50s - back then the idea of ditching the conductor hadn't occured to anyone. Other than that - and the fancy power plant - nothing's really changed for decades. And I can't immediately think of anything that could be changed to enable it to do it's job better. Maybe remove the driver as well so that buses operated completely automatically, like the DLR, (The DLR is the Docklands Light Railway which is a driverless train/tram that operates in London).

Jeremy

bevans6 · February 27, 2012, 06:43:00 AM

I suspect that it will be "honour system" that you have a pass card, only the driver will take cash. Conductor, if on board, won't take fares but will only assist passengers, apparently. That's in the article behind the red dots (interactive picture, not sure if I like it or hate it).

Brian

Oonrahnjay · February 27, 2012, 08:02:32 AM

Quote from: Jeremy on February 27, 2012, 06:28:56 AMThree doors in fact, when the rear platform is open. Which is a bit strange - I'm not sure how the driver is supposed to take payment from the middle and rear doors, unless they have some sort of automatic Oyster card-operated barrier as trains do in London. I do know that it's very rare for passengers to pay cash nowadays. (snip)

Yes, it is a little strange. My bus was built with two door kerb-side doors; one front next to the driver and the other right across from the foot of the stairs. On both the outside and inside of the amidships door, there was a sign "EXIT ONLY BY THIS DOOR, Enter by front door only". The idea was that exiting passengers would alight by moving rearwards from the seats behind the driver, forward from the rearmost lower saloon seats, and outwards after coming down the stairs (don't know how this worked in practice). But that wouldn't do much to help with the rear-platform door.

CrabbyMilton · February 28, 2012, 04:07:17 AM

Nice looking bus. There have been a few generations of London buses since the classic ROUTEMASTER but this one looks much like the original. I believe the rear platform with conductor will only be used for tourist type nastalgic routes since there will be many that will state correctly that a conductor will not be needed in regular route service.

Dave Siegel · February 28, 2012, 04:56:24 AM

Personally I think it's a great looking bus. While everyone is worrying how the driver is going to get paid I spent time wondering how I could get one here, make it left side steer, and convert it into a two bedroom 2 1/2 bathroom RV. Oh yeah, and how cool would it be to strengthen the roof area and have another set of stairs to a patio up on the roof, (much like a recent try by a US bus converter.)

Just saying,

Dave Siegel

CrabbyMilton · February 28, 2012, 05:10:34 AM

You can always wait for a VAN-HOOL TD925 to come out of service. Now there's some possibilities and you would have American powertrain components in place.

Oonrahnjay · February 28, 2012, 05:16:08 AM

Quote from: Dave Siegel on February 28, 2012, 04:56:24 AM(snip) I spent time wondering how I could get one here, make it left side steer, and convert it into a two bedroom 2 1/2 bathroom RV. (snip)

Oh, no -- nobody in their right mind would try such a thing with a double decker bus!!!

Dave Siegel · February 28, 2012, 07:51:39 AM

Bruce I never said I was in my right mind.

dave

Oonrahnjay · February 28, 2012, 07:54:54 AM

Quote from: Dave Siegel on February 28, 2012, 07:51:39 AMBruce I never said I was in my right mind.
dave

And I'm obviously NOT! (See the photo next to my name at the left.) Obviously.

Dave Siegel · February 28, 2012, 08:00:47 AM

So cool, why don't you post more pictures. I would love to see more of your bus.

dave

Nusa · February 28, 2012, 08:02:16 AM

Aw, it's cool having a right-hand drivers station, I wouldn't change that. Now having a second drivers station up on the upper deck would be a project worth contemplating...you could have that one on the left.