History: Routemaster London Bus

The introduction of the Routemaster London Bus was the next major development of transport.

Routemaster London Bus first built in 1954, and put into commercial service two years later. It’s key benefits were a unique construction whereas most buses used a separate ladder chassis onto which the panels and engine were bolted, the Routemaster had an alloy body shell, to which separate front and rear sub-frames were attached each end, the front carrying the engine, steering and front suspension, the rear carrying the axle and rear wheels. It also had several other features considered advanced at the time such as independent front suspension, power steering, automatic gearbox and power-hydraulic braking.

The design of the routemaster made it lighter and more efficient than its rivals. The Routemaster, in bright red became one of the iconic sights to see in London and is well known worldwide.