Two former bendy bus routes to be served by New Routemasters (Routes 12 & 149)

Routes 12 and 149 are to be served by New Routemasters.

According to London Bus Routes, it says “Route 12 - New bus for London double deckers introduced. Expected Date: March 2015.” I think these new buses will start in late March because the New Routemasters are still being delivered to Bow Garage for route 15.

LOTS have reported that Route “149 re-awarded to Arriva London North with New Routemasters, PVR (Peak Vehicle Requirement) 38, start date 17 October 2015.” This seems a long time to wait for the users of route 149 to have New Routemaster buses.

It's not that London Bus Routes 12 and 148 used to be served by Mercedes Citaro Artics, they were served by AEC Routemasters as well. 

Brief history of the routes

AEC Routemasters started daily operation on Route 12 on 17/02/1973, this lasted until 06/11/2004 when they were replaced by Mercedes Citaro Artics. The bendy buses were withdrawn on 05/11/2011 in favour of the Wrightbus Volvo Hybrids. Currently, Route 12 operates from Oxford Circus to Dulwich, via Trafalgar Square and the Elephant & Castle.

Route 149

Route 149 commenced operation on 19/07/1961 using AEC Routemasters. These were then replaced by Daimler Fleetline buses on 02/02/1974. A few years later (27/09/1980), the AEC Routemasters returned and they were the Routemaster Coach type (RCL’s) where there is usually a door instead of an open platform at the rear. On 16/12/1984, the original Routemaster RM type returned for a few years, up until 11.07.87 where they were again withdrawn in favour of MCW Metrobuses which heralded the start of One Person Operation where the driver only collects the fares. Moving further forward, the Mercedes Citaro Artics started operation on Route 149 on 24/04/2004, this also became the first route to have iBus trial which announces bus stops which occurred a few years later. Then on the 16^th October 2010, the bendy buses were withdrawn and replaced by conventional double deck buses.

Since there are routes which were served by AEC Routemasters and/or Mercedes Benz Citaro Artics,  I think it warrants the following chart to show clearly which bus type served which route.

Route	Served by AEC Routemasters?	Served by Mercedes Citaro Artics?
8	Yes	No
9	Yes	No
10	Yes	No
11	Yes	No
12	Yes	Yes
15	Yes	No
24	Yes	No
38	Yes	Yes
55	Yes	No
137	Yes	No
148	No	No
149	Yes	Yes
390	Yes	No
453	No	Yes

So then, route 12 is the 3^rd former bendy bus route to have New Routemasters whilst route 149 is also the 4^th former bendy bus route converted to bendy buses as well.

So if you think TFL are making London buses boring by rolling out too many New Routemaster buses then feel free to express your opinion about the New Routemaster project below.

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Also see

Three years since the New Routemaster commenced operation on route 38

The tale of the 'open boarding buses' (Bendy Bus and New Routemaster)

Route 453 conversion to New Routemaster finally announced by TFL

"London Bus route 12" by oyxman - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.