Routemaster

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English: The Routemaster was an iconic London bus, designed by London Transport in the 1950s. Large scale withdrawals from London began in the 1980s, but the type persisted in London service well after the dissappearance of several types intended to replace it, with the last standard route using it, the 159, not losing the type until December 2005. A small fleet was retained in London for the Heritage Routes which began operation in November 2005 as route 9 and route 15, although they were withdrawn from route 9 in July 2014. The design was the inspiration for the New Routemaster, which entered service in London in 2012. The bus was also used by public transport operators around the country, both from new and using ex-London examples well into the 1990s. As second hand buses became available, it also saw later use with various operators for tour/private hire work, with several having been exported overseas. Some Routemasters have even been converted for uses other than as buses. As an iconic bus, several have been preserved by individuals and groups, and can be seen at rallies and museums.

Public transport usage

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London

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1970 - 1979

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1980 - 1989

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1990 - 1999

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2000 - 2005

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2005

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Undated

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Elsewhere in the UK

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Last day of regular London service

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The last regular service was on Arriva route 159, which had used Routemasters since 1970. Buses operating on the last day were regular service buses and special 'guests' from preserved fleets.

London Heritage routes

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Route 9

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Route 15

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Buses converted to other uses

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Cafe buses

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UK Tour buses

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Foreign Tour buses

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Vehicles on hire

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Miscellaneous uses

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Preserved buses

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General

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Routemaster RM1

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The first prototype Routemaster Bus, now part of London Transport Museum's collection

Crew buses

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Museum vehicles

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London Transport Museum

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Detail views

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Models and toys

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Toys

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1/24th scale model of RM870 (WLT 870)

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Miscellaneous images

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