Transport for London's Policy On The Use of Vintage Buses For Heritage Running Days And Rail Replacement Services

A Freedom of Information made to Transport for London (TfL) has published information about the use of vintage buses for heritage running days.

It has been revealed that TfL discourages the use of buses built after 1973 that do not comply with the ULEZ emission standards for use during heritage running days on London Bus routes.

Request ID: FOI-1721-2425
Date published: 18 September 2024

TfL Confirm The Last AEC Routemasters For Route 15 Withdrawn

A Freedom of Information request revealed TfL have confirmed the withdrawal of AEC Routemasters by not renewing the route 15H contract.

Route 15H was the very last route to be served with AEC Routemasters after the withdrawal of 9H in 2014.

The Coronavirus pandemic affected the route 15H service hence the reason they haven’t appeared on route 15 last year (2020), which quietly led to the withdrawal of the route.

Ride the classic AEC Routemaster on Route 15 – they’re still running!

Not many commuters and tourists are aware that the vintage ‘AEC Routemasters’ are still operating on route 15 between Charing Cross and Tower Hill/Tower of London.

TfL haven’t given much publicity to the AEC Routemasters on route 15, but they do mention them in the last paragraph on the New Routemaster page on their website and also the ‘where can I use contactless’ page.

End of the line for AEC Routemaster's on Route 9

New Routemaster and AEC Routemaster on route 9

Creative Commons Image

Route 9 has been called "London's oldest existing bus route" and the origins of the route can be traced back as far as 1856. The route was first introduced on the 1st November 1908 and was operated by the London General Omnibus Company. In 1933, London Transport gained control of the route as well as other bus routes in London.