December 8 2005: Unceremonious Finale by Ray :)

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Unceremonious Finale

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08-DEC-2005	IMG_39557

December 8 2005:
Unceremonious Finale

Today was the last full day of Routemaster operations on the 159, and once they finish tomorrow at noon, Londoners will just have those on ‘heritage’ routes 9 and 15 within central London. So ends 'normal' Routemaster operation in the capital. The prototype was built back in 1954, and they started service in 1959, so its not a bad innings, is it?

I travelled down to Streatham, the southern terminus on one, and then back up to Trafalgar Square by one of its forebears, the RT, a design from just before the war, which was one of a number of veteran buses guesting on the route today.

It looks as if this particular Routemaster, built in 1962, could no longer take the pace, and was preparing to leave the party behind a breakdown truck.

Photoshop:
Cropped and Resized
Adjusted in Levels (to make it less gloomy!)

This time last year:- ’Non Marking’

Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel
1/160s f/4.0 at 17.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto

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photo and copyright: Ray Pettit

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brother_mark 09-Jan-2006 03:02
Excellently spotted, Ray. It does look like the tow-truck operator is lifting the bus himself. I didn't get a chance to ride one of these while in London.

Guest 16-Dec-2005 20:55
Nice shot of a sad event!

JW 10-Dec-2005 21:12
Thanks for recording this sad (but inevitable) event, Ray.

northstar37 09-Dec-2005 17:27
conked out

royalld 09-Dec-2005 14:20
Nice shot. Change is good. Change is bad.

SRW 09-Dec-2005 10:39
Great capture of a sad moment...

elpasso 09-Dec-2005 06:02
so what's the deal? are they going to end up in a massive routemaster graveyard in the Arizona desert?

Roe.. 09-Dec-2005 04:02
it looks like that man is holding up the bus..I never use public transportation so this fascinates me..v

Guest 09-Dec-2005 02:40
Great shot. Good composition. And you caught somehow "behind the scenes", this tilted bus in the background.

laine82 09-Dec-2005 02:37
Always sad to see the end of something familier. That guy looks like he's lifting it with his shoulders :>)

Guest 09-Dec-2005 01:08
nice photo and sentiment

Guest 09-Dec-2005 00:26
awesome shot.. its always melancholic too see these transportation beauties done away with.. another one i dearly miss is the romance of the steam engined railroads!

Guest 08-Dec-2005 23:34
A sad day. Can't remember the last time I actually road in one though.

KimKong 08-Dec-2005 23:34
That's it then... :(
I was waiting for your last Routemaster shot but didn't had the chance to take it.
I took a shot thinking of you, not of the Routemaster but of the news.
I'll let you know when I post it.
I am very glad you took this shot in the depot tilted, something very unusual to see.
Do you know you can buy one for 10 000 pounds... :)

brother_mark		09-Jan-2006 03:02
Excellently spotted, Ray. It does look like the tow-truck operator is lifting the bus himself. I didn't get a chance to ride one of these while in London.

JW		10-Dec-2005 21:12
Thanks for recording this sad (but inevitable) event, Ray.

royalld		09-Dec-2005 14:20
Nice shot. Change is good. Change is bad.

elpasso		09-Dec-2005 06:02
so what's the deal? are they going to end up in a massive routemaster graveyard in the Arizona desert?

Roe..		09-Dec-2005 04:02
it looks like that man is holding up the bus..I never use public transportation so this fascinates me..v

Guest		09-Dec-2005 02:40
Great shot. Good composition. And you caught somehow "behind the scenes", this tilted bus in the background.

laine82		09-Dec-2005 02:37
Always sad to see the end of something familier. That guy looks like he's lifting it with his shoulders :>)

Guest		09-Dec-2005 00:26
awesome shot.. its always melancholic too see these transportation beauties done away with.. another one i dearly miss is the romance of the steam engined railroads!

Guest		08-Dec-2005 23:34
A sad day. Can't remember the last time I actually road in one though.

KimKong		08-Dec-2005 23:34
That's it then... :( I was waiting for your last Routemaster shot but didn't had the chance to take it. I took a shot thinking of you, not of the Routemaster but of the news. I'll let you know when I post it. I am very glad you took this shot in the depot tilted, something very unusual to see. Do you know you can buy one for 10 000 pounds... :)