The Routemaster: A design icon

The Routemaster is perhaps the most iconic London bus of all. It served London’s streets alongside the more numerous RT type, of which nearly 7,000 were built and used between 1939 and 1979. Yet when most imagine the archetypal London bus, they generally think of the Routemaster, which served into the 21st century. London Transport Museum cares for RM1, the very first Routemaster to be designed and built.

In 1947, a new ‘Bus for London’ was envisaged and a design commissioned by London Transport (LT). The resulting RM1 (RouteMaster) LTE 1954 was launched at Earl’s Court Motor Show in 1954. 

Using experience gained building aluminium aircraft in the Second World War, London Transport built a monocoque (chassis-less) aluminium body - 40% lighter than a similar capacity bus made from steel. This was mounted on two sub-frames equipped with independent front suspension, power steering, fully automatic gearbox and power assisted hydraulic braking. This was a huge improvement on the heavy, RT bus on a solid steel chassis, with
pre-select gearbox, no power steering or assisted braking.

After its introduction at the Motor Show and 7,500 miles of testing, RM1 was used in service between January and August 1956 before being modified with a revised grill, radiator and engine and appearing at the Lord Mayor’s Show in November 1956.

In February 1964 it was repainted and fitted with the standard Routemaster front end.

With two further modifications (seen in RM2 and RML3), nearly 3,000 vehicles of differing configurations, including ‘coach’ with rear doors, luggage racks and fluorescent lighting, were produced between 1961 and 1969. With a design enabling easy maintenance, LT dedicated a factory at Aldenham in Hertfordshire to overhauling and rebuilding these vehicles.

RM1 was taken out of use in October 1972 and stored at Dalston garage before being sold to Lockheed Hydraulic Brakes Ltd in April 1973. It was bought back by London Transport in July 1981 and then donated to the London Transport Museum in February 1986. It has been a star of the Museum’s collection ever since, being cared for at the Museum Depot in Acton. RM1 is maintained in operational condition, so it has attended many bus events. It is currently undergoing an engine rebuild, but we hope will be back in action soon.

Routemaster buses remain in use all over the world in several configurations. They have been known to be converted for use as bars and restaurants, with one in south London being used as a mobile soup kitchen to enable the homeless to enjoy a decent meal under cover. Their longevity, reliability and ingenuity surely cement the Routemaster as being a true design icon.