Bendy Bus - dead. Routemaster to return.

[nopanic - neil]

I have read that the Bendy Bus in London has been given the boot, (well done Boris) and now they want to bring back an updated version on the good ol Routemaster.

There is even a compition for the design - £25k up for grabs. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/projectsandschemes/technologyandequipment/anewbusforlondon/default.aspx

The only good thing I heard about the bendy bus, was when there was a problem of London not being viewed as a friendly city. Someone came up with the idea of when the bendy bus went around a corner, it made a sound like an accordion to make people smile.

Found this on the web, think this one is on its way back from HA (where's BobU & SteveB)

[Lazy B'stard]

Can we have the old routemasters back or have they all been scrapped/sold off?
 Well done to Boris by the way, scrap the congestion charge next! Oh and can we have Concorde and the Hovercraft back too whilst we're at it?

[Bob U]

Bloody Luddites.

What's wrong with Bendy Buses?  They are used very successfully in most major European cities. Whilst a Routemaster only has a seating capacity of 70 plus 8 allowed standing passengers, a Bendybus can accomodate 140 plus 20 standing. A routemaster needs a driver and conducter whereas a bendy is a one man opperation which saves money and obviously leads to lower fares.

It's called progress. I have nothing against Routemasters being used for sightseeing tours etc but as a means of mass public transport in the 21st century they are as outdated as horsedrawn buses and hansom cabs.

Scrap them, burn them, give them to Cliff Richard but don't bring them or a similar design back

[landman]

There's the problem.

Those bendy-buses are foreign and unloved as a result.

The Routemaster is as British as fish & chips.

We tried to export doubdle deckers to the world for years & they were unwanted.

It's just a British thing - accept it and build the modern version.

I saw one last week driving past the High Court in London, then I noticed that everyone was looking at it!

Those bendy bus things have caused more deaths than they're worth

Landman

[Perdu]

Bloody Luddites.

What's wrong with Bendy Buses?  They are used very successfully in most major European cities. Whilst a Routemaster only has a seating capacity of 70 plus 8 allowed standing passengers, a Bendybus can accomodate 140 plus 20 standing. A routemaster needs a driver and conducter whereas a bendy is a one man opperation which saves money and obviously leads to lower fares.

It's called progress. I have nothing against Routemasters being used for sightseeing tours etc but as a means of mass public transport in the 21st century they are as outdated as horsedrawn buses and hansom cabs.

Scrap them, burn them, give them to Cliff Richard but don't bring them or a similar design back

"Obviously leads to lower fares"

Did it Bob?

are bus fares on bendy buses lower than they used to be?

I suspect several "LAWS" of finance will have been broken if so..

instant electronic ticketing from your Chippinpin cards is the answer to multiple crewing questions, I'd be very surprised if that isnt on the cards.

As a recently instated OldDuffer (Known as Twirleys in Brum, buses start to be free at 9.30 in the morning and the constant cry from US OLDIES is are we twirly? to the 9.30 bus drivers...) I am happy to step out of the traffic queue into the "hey let's go to town on the buzz!" queue.

I doubt if there was an uproar to get rid of motor buses and keep the horse drawn ones

[Robbo SPS]

Bloody Luddites.

What's wrong with Bendy Buses?  They are used very successfully in most major European cities. Whilst a Routemaster only has a seating capacity of 70 plus 8 allowed standing passengers, a Bendybus can accomodate 140 plus 20 standing. A routemaster needs a driver and conducter whereas a bendy is a one man opperation which saves money and obviously leads to lower fares.

It's called progress. I have nothing against Routemasters being used for sightseeing tours etc but as a means of mass public transport in the 21st century they are as outdated as horsedrawn buses and hansom cabs.

Scrap them, burn them, give them to Cliff Richard but don't bring them or a similar design back

Bob - Do you use public transport ??

Bendy buses are not good for inner city london.

[Steve Pyro]

The bendy buses have, in some cases, made traffic congestion worse in London.  Drivers were blocking cross roads and box junctions in slow moving traffic.
Also, they have had a pre-disposition to catching fire!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3563279.stm

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23414664-details/New+bendy+bus+blaze+scare/article.do

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article85627.ece

[nopanic - neil]

There's the problem.

Those bendy-buses are foreign and unloved as a result.

The Routemaster is as British as fish & chips.

We tried to export doubdle deckers to the world for years & they were unwanted.

It's just a British thing - accept it and build the modern version.

I saw one last week driving past the High Court in London, then I noticed that everyone was looking at it!

Those bendy bus things have caused more deaths than they're worth

Landman

Did you know, when you watch a film/TV program, when they want to show that the action is taken in London, they always have a routemaster going past in the back ground. Regardless if it is actually London. Look at the Austin Powers film. It is an ICON.

One year at Le Mans, got talking to one of the guys on the RS Escort stand, he worked for London Transport. The Routemaster were easy to work on and easy to get parts for. He told me the bendy bus, before you take any part off, you check on how long to get a new part, it could range from 3 days to 3 weeks. The were a nightmare to work on.

If you search the web, you can find a list of all the accidents the Bendy Buses have had by certain routes. Most of them are caused by lane changing, by the bus.

If London is congested, why did we go from Double deckers, which use space wisely to these bloody long buses. I think it was Uncle Kens ego that changed them.

Bring back an updated Routemaster.


The other think is, you see the old Routemaster at Le Mans each year. Can't see people will be running down to Le Mans in a Bendy Bus. Unless its to set fire ot it on HA. 

[Andy Zarse]

Bloody Luddites.

What's wrong with Bendy Buses? 

Are you having a f**king giraffe?

They are sh*t.
They catch fire.
They are cumbersome.
They smell and attract rats and tramps.
Tourists want Double Deckers.
They are made abroad and spares parts take time (it says above).
They take up too much space on the road increasing congestion.
They are too big for many London roads, esp in the City; essentially medieval streets.
They have been the cause of several deaths to pedestrians/cyclists.
They are dangerous and cause accidents when changing lane.
They have no soul, just like the Red c**t who introduced them; that twat doesnt drive.
They make our fine unique capital look like any other nondescript Euro-city.
They have poor fuel consumption compared to a modern double decker due to increased rolling resisitance on the road.


What was that phrase about the cost of everything and the value of nothing?  f**k the bendy buses, let's burn them with Red Ken and the politically motivated Board of TfL inside. Failing that sell them to Rochdale Bus Corporation and let's design a fantastic new Routemaster.

[Lord Steve]

What about a Club Arnage Routemaster? Top deck would be a lounge bar area with the one and only "Pub Landlord" dispensing perfectly chilled Stella and a selection of real ales. The only food available would be Walkers crisps, pickled eggs and Ginsters pasties.
The juke box would be well stocked with Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and such like.
Downstairs would be converted into a large storage area for camping gear together with a built in generator to power all the anciliaries (aka fridges).
Anybody got one we can convert to a LeMansMobile par excellence.

Party starts the minute we all get on board.

Tickets please!

Steve

[Steve Pyro]

Good idea Steve. 
Us East Anglians have been having fairly serious thoughts about a team bus for a couple of years now.  The current idea is an old coach capable of carrying a car within the rear.  We have someone licensed to drive it, a place to store it and convert it, now all we need is a suitable vehicle and some dosh.  Maybe LM 2009?

[landman]

Methinks he means one of those "Italian Job" type coaches?

Now that would be a laugh 

[Leftie]

What about a Club Arnage Routemaster? Top deck would be a lounge bar area with the one and only "Pub Landlord" dispensing perfectly chilled Stella and a selection of real ales. The only food available would be Walkers crisps, pickled eggs and Ginsters pasties.
The juke box would be well stocked with Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and such like.
Downstairs would be converted into a large storage area for camping gear together with a built in generator to power all the anciliaries (aka fridges).
Anybody got one we can convert to a LeMansMobile par excellence.

Party starts the minute we all get on board.

Tickets please!

Steve

What a frigging brialiant idea.

Routemaster Charity Fund needed urgently.

[Leftie]

Methinks he means one of those "Italian Job" type coaches?

Now that would be a laugh 

Crates of beer and pallet of bullion.

What, no seats?

[landman]

Forget the bullion, more beer