ON A SPECIAL TOUR: London from a Routemaster

The London Transport Routemaster was the bus of my youth, Malcolm Ginsberg writes:

Seventy years ago Monday to Friday I took the red double decker No. 8 from home to school, paying one old penny (1d not 1p) to the conductress.

Nearly 3,000 were built with just over 1,000 still in existence today.  Diesel-powered, the upstairs was reserved for smokers.

The Routemaster was the transport of the Nation's capital from their introduction in 1956 until finally retired in December 2005.  

But you can still see Routemasters around in central London today.  They serve as tour buses, the most noteworthy Brigit Bakery’s Afternoon Tea bus, a spin off from the most delicious Covent Garden patisserie.

This was my choice for a special family birthday treat on a sunny Sunday afternoon, a planned 90-minute outing (or thereabouts – London traffic is not noted for any consistency) with commentary.  Our bus had room for 16 on the top deck and eight more if you did not want to climb the stairs.  No loos on board.  A Champagne welcome and a generous selection at each table of Brigit Bakery’s sandwiches, scones and cakes.  Tea and coffee of course.

Our routing more or less took in the published route, mainly central west London.  Admiralty Arch was closed with its rebuilding as a hotel in progress. The Westminster area was for me a mystery tour. With a footprint 27ft 6in long, 8ft wide and just over 14ft tall the route selection is very important.  The driver certainly knew his way around.

We assembled at the Victoria Coach Station passenger lounge. 

Going past the train station the first point of real interest was the gardens of Buckingham Palace, but as the excellent commentator pointed out, there was no stopping here, or anywhere else for that matter.  

Then via the Wellington Arch and the Lanesborough Hotel, once the St Georges Hospital.  Next up we were passing Harrods in Knightsbridge, window shopping from above at the world’s leading luxury department store.  Then on to the Museums in South Kensington and Exhibition Road.  From the top of the bus one has a real grandstand view of the Royal Albert Hall (built 1871) and opposite the Albert Memorial (1872).  Both have been restored in recent years.

Into Kensington turning right by what (more elderly guests recalled) was the Derry & Toms departmental store (closed 1973), the one and a half acre roof garden and building now listed as Grade II.  

Not much for the commentator to say until reaching Bayswater Road turning right and an uninspiring run towards Marble Arch.  It is a great pity that tour double decker buses are not allowed into Hyde Park.  The view across the Serpentine would be fabulous. 

Speakers’ Corner was worth a mention, and Tyburn, and then Park Lane, towards Trafalgar Square.  Whitehall featured the entrance to Horse Guards Parade, the Palace of Whitehall where Charles I spent his last night, Downing Street, before descending into the labyrinth of streets around the Westminster area, finally completing our journey where we started near Victoria Station.  For the return ask to be dropped off at a bus stop.  It is quite a walk from the coach station to the Underground.  

Our tour did take 90 minutes.

Brigit Bakery owner Cedric Bloch thinks creatively.   The tour company now has 15 buses. Some are themed with Peppa Pig, Paddington Bear, Grinch and the new Monopoly tour which starts at bus top N at Temple Station.   

https://b-bakery.com

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