London Night Bus

A few pictures from Sunday's Timeline Events Charter with an RM and an RT. Starting at 2am went to several locations in the West End then the hoped for sunny shot on Westminster Bridge early in the morning finishing with the Cenotaph and Horse Guards. Thanks to the Met Police Sargeant who very kindly agreed to remove the police van from this last location! This is the only way of getting it without traffic and hoards of tourists with their wretched camera phones, even so as you can see we did come acrossa Chinese couple doing their pre-wedding photo shoot.

 

Nice to see a RT in such good condition. To me the RT / RTL were more iconic than the RM.

 

I am inclined to agree but the RML is a rare one, one of the earliest numbered ER882. I didn't know until Saturday they were originally known as Extended Routemasters. Being pedantic not many of the locations show either bus on the routes displayed.

 

What a nice event it looks to have been! How many photters did it draw for the night shift?

 

Because it was behind the RT I had not noticed the extra square window. I grew up with the RT on the 75 West Croydon to Woolwich Free Ferry and the RTL on the 108 Crystal Palace to Blackwall. The RMs drove out the trolleys, my favorites, between the Palace and Croydon Airport so I might just be a bit biast

 

Yes I've done a few of these now and they are a good laugh, the usual number is about 25 of us. Transport for London are always informed and they let the vehicles use their bus stands. It would be hopeless during the day with traffic and vintage buses will always attract the tourists. We did try Westminster Bridge at midnight once but it was to crowded, after 1 o'clock is no good as they switch off the flood lighting on public buildings at that time.
Vehicles are either from Ensign Bus or the London Bus Museum at Weybridge sometimes with "passengers" suitably attired in period clothes.

 

I really must try to get a place on one in the future...especially if they use a Leyland RT

 

You mean like this one, the two ladies were with us as "passengers". There is one involving this vehicle and a single deck TD on 3rd September, have a look at Timelineevents.org

 

Excellent pic you have there! Thanks for the info!

 

Get yourself to the Epping and Ongar Railway. The connecting bus services are all classic LT types including Leyland engined RTs.

 

Thanks for that...well worth considering Are us Northerners still welcome down south after the referendum result?

 

Nah, an AEC and a pre select box, what more could a man want.

 

A Leyland engine in an RTL with a pre selector box

 

Loads of areas in the south voted leave too so us "inners" will hate both north and south equally. We're very even handed down here.

 

My father preferred the AEC, less vibration from the engine. They had both types on route 47

 

Stunning pictures.