A London bus route is travelling back in time for one day only in March as heritage vehicles from the 20th century will be taken on a spin around the capital.
The London Bus Museum in Weybridge, the retirement home for many older models of the iconic red London bus – synonymous with the capital’s character for over a century – announced that these buses will be seen back on the roads.
On Saturday, 29 March, buses, most of which will be dating from the 1950s and 1960s, will appear on route 19 between Finsbury Park and Battersea Bridge. The number 19 bus route in London was established in 1906 and has followed essentially the same route since.
There’s no need to book for this experience, simply head to a route 19 bus stop and you can board the heritage bus for free – potentially even getting a ticket issued by the conductor.
This experience is offered by Transport for London (TfL) and will be running alongside the present-day route 19 buses, on which normal fares will apply.
The vintage buses will mostly be the iconic RT model, which in the 1950s formed the largest standardised bus fleet in the world.
Other route 19 buses from the decades since will appear alongside them, as well as potentially some from the 1930s, subject to them being roadworthy on the day.
Unfortunately, accessibility was not considered on these older models when they were designed, so low-floor easy access and considerations for buggies and wheelchairs are not available in these buses, as there are steps at the entrance and inside.
However, the museum’s crew said they will “make every effort” to try and help everyone enjoy a ride on the bus.
A spokesperson from the London Bus Museum explained that the heritage days are simply a bit of fun for the public to enjoy.
“The all-volunteer run London Bus Museum at Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey, is home to the largest collection of working London buses, and we welcome visitors at Brooklands to see them. But for the past few years, we’ve taken the London Bus Museum to London by running these heritage events,” he said.
“The general public, as well as bus enthusiasts, can step back in time and experience a bus ride from the ‘olden days’ – the open rear platform with a conductor and the driver at the front in his enclosed cab.”
“We love to see buses from our collection out on the roads in London doing what they were built to do”.
If you miss this step back on vintage London transportation, the London Bus Museum will also be running other free bus heritage days later on in the year across other routes in different parts of London.
On 8 June, Londoners will be able to spot and ride vintage buses on route 418 between Epsom and Kingston, while another day is also scheduled for 13 September on route 54 between Woolwich and Elmers End.
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