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These things are hybrids : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Routemaster
https://www.londonreconnections.com/2014/future-london-bus-part-1-new-routemaster/
Surely the dirty old ICE bit can scooped out and replaced with a big battery? Also, maybe wireless charging : https://bus-news.com/london-new-fast-wireless-bus-charging-introduced/
Seems like a big problem with these are the battery they used on it (as they’re hybrid) which has a high failure rate and left most of the buses running on the underpowered diesel engine not meant to be driving the bus on its own all of the time. It left them sluggish, polluting, and that’s not to mention the cooling and rear platform issues. It’s no wonder these are being retired.
I’m curious if they’ll attempt to convert these all to battery-electric or give up and use a different bus.
I never liked those busses. They were wannabe busses, so wanting to be a route master of old but none of the practicality of one. All show and no trousers, so to speak. Plus, they probably cost a mint to build and by due the customizations.
They’re certainly striking-looking, and did a reasonable job of echoing the design of the classic Routemaster (similarly to BMW’s Cooper Mini revival), though because of the bespoke nature, were a lot less cost-effective than a standard solution, which had to come from taxes and fares. And then there were the design flaws: the poor cooling (which led some to nickname it the Roastmaster), and the original plan for always-open rear doors which had to be ditched upon colliding with common sense.
You sort of want to collar Johnson and tell him, “for God’s sake, just build a folly in the grounds of your stately home like a normal eccentric toff”
I recall the original routemasters were baking hot and uncomfortable too, so in a way they carried on the tradition.
Yep. Another Boris boondoggle.
Lets hope Khan doesn’t bring back those awful bendy things.
I went to Malta years ago and that’s where they went! The local drivers were being trained by Brits to drive them when I was there. This is the only public transport as there are no trains on Malta
