Tickets, Money, Passport?

The slow eradication of the Routemaster is a source of much dismay to many not to mention, myself. One of the iconic sights of London my very first Routemaster was the marvellous number 15* which would ferry me from the youth hostel near St Pauls into the glittering West End. Gainful employment followed as a nanny in W9 and the number 6 in particular was the route of choice. I even bought the poster to commemorate it.

Actually I bought Nancy in London too as a reminder - not to mention it's a cracking LP.

I used to take the kids on the bus (upstairs of course) to Hyde Park where we'd feed the squirrels. Very Mary Poppins. Other Routemasters featured over the years before I settled on the numbers 7 and 23 in particular. Living in Paddington at the time we were very fortunate that not only were those two our local buses but the 6, 98 and 36 all scooted down the Edgeware Road resplendent in their Routemaster glory. Pamela and I would text or call each other when a particular bus appeared, the open top 23, the early registration 6, the green 15 with the doors. Or the time we nearly imploded with excitement when a Routemaster drove down St Michael's Street taking up not only the width of the street but most of the height. Happy days.

Sadly one by one they left and I too moved away from the area. Arriving in East London I was happy to find the numbers 8, 19 and 38 servicing my Routemaster needs. None of them really took me to my door but I'd catch them where possible and sit a little wistfully at the front of the bus (top or bottom, it never really mattered).

Last week it was the turn of the number 13 to say goodbye. It wasn't one of my routes and only one I caught on occasion. The passing of it was marked by a crowd of bus enthusiasts and the three of us: see us here on the last ever official Routemaster about to embark from Aldwych.

You can see it was rather crowded so we took our photo and decamped to the early Routemaster behind. It was a beautifully restored old bus. I can't remember the specifics but though it looks like the classic Routemaster it was in fact a forerunner. On the upper deck we sat with drivers and enthusiasts, lots of photos were taken and the conductor, utlising an old style ticket machine, gave us a ticket in exchange for a donation to the heart foundation. It doesn't refer to the route or the journey or even the date but we know where it's from.

Two more Routemasters remain in official service with the 38 and 159 bowing out before the end of the year. After they're gone there will be two heritage routes, the 15 and London Transport's Respectable Warrior the number 9.

Catch 'em while you can.

*Also famous for being the bus that takes you to the Queen Vic for G&T's.