Why? Johnson’s Mayoral election-winning gambit – the scrapping of those hated bendy buses in favour of a modern incarnation of the classic Routemaster – finally comes to fruition this weekend, on our “very own” route 24, no less.
We’ve been impressed with the test drives we’ve spotted passing up Malden Road over recent weeks. The huge red vehicle, with its swooping windows cleverly following the line of the two (yes, two) staircases inside, seems destined to become an instant design classic.
From tomorrow (Sat June 22nd) the whole 24 route will be served by these striking new busses, so hop on after a visit to Queen’s Crescent’s Saturday market, perhaps, (via the open back platform, for full effect) and let us know how they are.
The all new Routemaster was of course designed by Thomas Heatherwick, he of the Olympic caldron, the wavy Guy’s Hospital facelift and the stunning UK Pavilion for the World Expo in Shanghai.
It is a proudly British-made bus, with everything from the lovely seat fabric to the non-slip flooring sourced from suppliers here in good old Blighty. And though there are inevitable challenges designing an interior that is remotely interesting under the stifling confines of Health & Safety, we hear it’s really rather lovely inside too.
Look out for the soft LED lighting, a great view (handy when the 24 passes the Houses of Parliament and crosses the river, of course) and all sorts of features from a hybrid engine to being fully accessible, modern requirements that were the death knell for the original Routemaster.
There won’t be the traditional smoking on the top deck, fag fans, and although there are conductors when the open back is in use, they won’t sell tickets from a strange clunky machine in the Oyster reader era. Otherwise though, it should be a sterling old school bus experience, far superior to the soulless rides of recent years.
Say what you like about the city’s top blond-haired buffoon, he knows how to make a grand impact on the travel infrastructure.
Ken Livingstone will, alas, be quietly clenching his teeth as he tends to his newts this weekend.
7 thoughts on “Thomas Heatherwick’s Routemaster debuts on the 24”
They certainly are making an impression; there’s one already broken down slap in the middle of the Prince Of Wales Road/Kentish Town High Street junction.
I saw the broken bus too and the Ham and High were on the spot
This article could be in the Grim up North strip in Private Eye – who on earth let this designer bloke loose on something as practical as a bus?
Older readers will remember when Hattie Jacques decorated her bus on the Sykes show – that was funny but not as funny as the puncturing of Johnson’s vanity this fine June day
Ken and his newts should break out the bubbly!
Depressing comment from AM. Wasn’t everyone complaing about the end of the routemaster only a couple of years ago? Why not embrace something new and interesting for once rather than shoot it down with boring old complaints. Lets move forward -these buses are great for London
Having ridden on the new 24 routemaster a few times this week, I’ve found it a bit of a mixed bag – they look absolutely amazing, the inside is great, and leaping on at the back is fun. However, there’s no way you can actually get any air inside – no windows to open and the vents seem to be pumping hot air on the passengers constantly. When several people asked the conductor to turn off the heating, all they got was ‘there’s no heating’ despite the evidence otherwise. So, something beautiful to behold marred by some striking design faults unfortunately. They’ll be great in Winter…
Aye, agree they look great and mixed bag. We also found them pure roasting when sat inside, esp up top!
Sadly our conductor said much the same when we asked why the air con was pumping out hot air.
Seating looks great and was very comfy. However watch out for the windows, did anyone else find their view truncated?
The windows seem much narrower and smaller chopping off the top half of the old views. Esp for the tourist run along Westminster which had us and most of the top deck squished down in our seats trying to see properly.
We ditched the 24 for an alternative bus on the way back. Great idea just such a shame these minor niggles sort of spoil them from being as good as they look.
Initially impressed, but a few rides later discovered there is one big oversight: there are not enough grab rails. Getting up and down from the inside seats of the raised areas requires the kind helping hands of other passengers. How was this not highlighted at the testing stage?Hope this is rectified soon.
I got one for the first time at the weekend and sat on the upper deck. I was very disappointed by the small windows and poor view. Driving past otehr double-deckers – the maligned, ‘soulless’ boxes post-Routemaster – I realised just how low the windows on the new buses are.
As well as making the upper deck feel claustrophic, the small windows mean you miss out on one of the pleasures of catching a double-decker: looking at London from upstairs. It’s especially noticeable in the front window.
I suspect thse buses were designed with form in mind – they look good – but with function a distant 2nd. Architects’ buses, in other words, not engineers’.