A Brief History: 70 Years Of The Iconic Routemaster Bus

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2024 sees the 70th anniversary of the iconic Routemaster bus. Hop aboard for a speedy history of these legendary double-deckers.

1851: Although Paris claims it had the world's first double-decker omnibus, the impériale — which was introduced by the Compagnie Générale des Omnibus in 1853 — a George Cruikshank cartoon from the time of the Great Exhibition proves that Londoners were already piling onto the roof of Tilling 'knifeboard' horse buses by 1851.

1933: Up to this point, London has had as many as 40 types of bus on its roads at one time. That's all set to change, however, with the formation of London Transport, which promises to usher in "a properly coordinated system of passenger transport."

1939: The first RT-type buses enter service. They are not Routemasters, but let's face it, look very similar, and will go on to cause endless consternation among over-scrupulous bus anoraks, who deliver withering remarks to writers for certain London-centric publications who've incorrectly (but understandably) misidentified them.

1954: Following seven years of design, the public get their first glimpse of a Routemaster, at the London Commercial Motor Show. Like the RT-type it has a driver's half-cab next to the engine, and an open rear conductor's platform. But the Routemaster is also far lighter (thanks to aluminium tech acquired building planes during the second world war), can carry more passengers, is easier to operate and cheaper to run. Just under 3,000 Routemasters will be built (precise numbers differ), to run in central London, but also as Green Line and airport buses.

8 February 1956: The Routemaster RM 1 prototype drives out of Cricklewood bus garage and officially enters service on route number 2 between Golders Green and Crystal Palace. As it proudly announces on its flank, 'London's Bus of the Future' has arrived. But it's not all plain sailing; driver Francis Howick later recalled how the Routemaster felt so light on the front wheel that when he applied the brake it skidded: "It frightened the life out of me."

1958-9: Christ Church in Southwark, designed by R Paxton Watson, is built. It features a beautiful stained glass window depicting a Routemaster. (IanVisits wrote a whole article on it.)

1961: The tartan-style maroon, yellow and green Routemaster moquette is unveiled. It's the work of Douglas Scott, designer of the Routemaster itself. Decades later, Londoners will be buying Routemaster moquette socks, scarves, pyjamas — even laptop cases.

1966: A new kind of Routemaster — with the engine shifted to the back, front entrance doors, and a full width windscreen — is launched. Nicknamed the 'Fruitmaster' (so called because of its FRM designation), it's eventually taken out of service in 1983.

1966: Nairn's London, the quintessential guide to architecture in the city, is published, its front cover showing the author impishly poking his head out of the driver's cab of a Routemaster.

1972: Tom Jones catches a magical Routemaster to Arizona. At least we THINK it's a Routemaster — can any pedants confirm this?

1977: 25 Routemasters are painted silver to mark Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. In an echo of this in 2002, 50 Routemaster are painted gold.

1984: The final episode of anarchic sitcom The Young Ones ends with Rik Mayall and co plunging off a cliff in a Routemaster. "Phew, that was close," shouts Rik, before the bus explodes in flames.

1989: London Transport Museum takes custody of the RM1, the first of four Routemaster prototypes. You can still see it in the museum today.

2002: A Routemaster is flipped on its side in the dystopian movie 28 Days Later.

September 2005: Travis Elborough publishes his book, The Bus We Loved: London's Affair With The Routemaster, in which he wistfully evokes them as "Roll-top baths in Guardsmen's red, they exuded an air of implacable, if polite, majesty. At night they glowed like lanterns; harbour-lights beckoning us home."

9 December 2005: The last original Routemaster completes its final journey from Marble arch to Brixton. At its destination, it's met by a crowd of adoring (and emotional) fans. But it's not all quite over for the Routemaster, because the previous month, heritage bus routes have been established on routes 9 and 15.

2006: The Routemaster is voted as one of the top 10 British design icons alongside the Spitfire, Harry Beck tube map and K2 phone box.

19 July 2008: BBC Four broadcasts a half-hour documentary on the Routemaster, which you can watch in full here:

2009: The first Imberbus event is held, in which a convoy of vintage buses — many of them Routemasters —pootle across Salisbury Plain.

February 2012: London's first 'New Routemasters' start running. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick and championed by then-Mayor of London Boris Johnson, the buses are, on the whole, praised. "It is not until you've taken a ride on the new Routemaster that you become fully aware of how unlovely our current fleet of buses is," gushes the Guardian. But problems are on the horizon...

September 2015: TfL announces it'll be retrofitting 800 New Routemasters with windows that actually open, after Londoners complain the air con isn't working properly.

July 2016: 300 New Routemaster conductors lose their jobs, as the role is removed from all of the buses. Boris Johnson had previously talked-up the importance of these conductor roles. Londonist later publishes an article, The Calamitous New Routemasters Tell You Everything You Need To Know About Boris Johnson.

2017: Amid TfL budget constraints, and reports that New Routemasters aren't as environmentally friendly as was initially claimed, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announces he's going to scrap them.

January 2019: Londonist publishes its 360-degree video of a Routemaster ride along the number 15 route.

4 December 2019: In the run up to the General Election, and in a (somewhat tardy) riposte to the infamous 'Brexit Bus' promise to fund the NHS, Burger King park a Routemaster in front of the Houses of Parliament, showing an image of a Whopper burger and the line: "Another Whopper on the side of a bus. Must be an election."

5 December 2019: Londonist publishes its article The Calamitous New Routemasters Tell You Everything You Need To Know About Boris Johnson: "It won't be long before the New Routemasters are put out to pasture, to work on the transportation version of the after-dinner circuit; heritage open days. Making people laugh and revel in their silly rambunctiousness. But not actually playing an actual daily part in their lives. Hell not that."

April 2021: TfL retires the number 15 heritage route, citing a fall in passenger numbers, and a lack of accessibility. That said, you can still get your fix of Routemaster rides in London on a Ghost Bus Tour, afternoon tea or on occasional heritage rides.

November 2021: Londonist's Harry Rosehill publishes Routemasters of the Universe, in which he discovers 50 old Routemasters discovering new lives as everything from a bra-fitting showroom to a German McDonald's.

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