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Big red double decker buses are as much of a London icon as Big Ben and overpriced rent. Red models have been serving the capital since 1908, although they’ve gone through some changes in their century-plus of life. Luckily, the London Bus Museum has painstakingly maintained buses from every era, and this Saturday (September 13), it’s bringing them out from the depot and back onto the streets.
This weekend a number of heritage buses dating back as far as the 1950s will be making an appearance on the 54 route which begins at Woolwich and heads south through Lewisham and Catford towards Elmers End, where it terminates. The best part? You can ride for free.
‘Route 54 Heritage Day’ will begin at 10am and end at 5pm, and the old buses themselves will only be running on a selected part of the route between Blackheath/Royal Standard and Elmers End Green. In order to catch a ride, all you have to do is turn up to a station on the journey, stick your arm out, and hop on. You might be issued an old-timey ticket by a conductor, but don’t worry – that’s just for fun.
The RT-type buses you’ll be riding on are some of the most recognisable, and for many the most nostalgic, buses from the 20th century. They made their debut in 1939 and served London until 1979, although most of the models coming out on Saturday are from the 1950s.
You don’t need to book ahead, although you may want to arrive reasonably early to avoid being disappointed.
Unfortunately, these buses were built before modern accessibility requirements came to be, so they are not wheelchair accessible. Passengers with buggies may also struggle as there is not much space for large prams. With that said, the London Bus Museum has assured that it ‘will make every effort to help the less able and those with small children enjoy a ride back in time’.
On Saturday there will also be strikes on London’s bus network in the west, southwest and northwest of the capital. Find out more about those strikes here.
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