Visitors climb into London buses to go and see the Niagara Falls. London buses can be seen driving around Europe to advertise big department stores, or British events.
1. "There are buses that go from London to Niagara Falls"
True False.
They don't need to have the words "London Transport" on the side of them. People recognise them at once!
2. "People recognise London buses because they have the words "London Transport" on them." True False.
It was over 100 years ago, on October 25th 1911, that the London General Omnibus Company ran their last horse-drawn omnibus through the streets of the capital. Since then the big red motor bus has been London's "king of the road".
3. "Motor buses operated in London before October 1911" True False.
Today, every day, thousands of Londoners use the big red buses to move - often slowly - around town. Lots of tourists know that a one-day London bus pass, valid on all regular bus routes, offers a wonderful way to see Britain's capital city.
4. "A daily bus-pass does not allow people to use special tourist buses". True False.
The idea of the "double decker" is actually much older than the motor bus. It is a continuation of the system that was used for public transport in the age of horse-drawn vehicles, when some of the passengers sat inside, and the rest travelled on the roof. Too bad if it was raining!
5. "Some old horse-drawn buses had roofs over the top deck." True False.
The earliest horse-drawn double-deckers in London had steps at the back, so that people could climb up onto the roof. The main difference with today's buses was that in those days, there was no protection for the people travelling on top. If it rained, they could pull a sort of oil-cloth cover out of the back of the seat in front of them, and pull it over them; but they still got wet.Today the only open-topped buses are the special tourist buses.
6. "Double-decker trams had roofs over the top deck." True False.
Things started to go wrong for the London bus in the late 1960's. That was when the Ministry of Transport decided that it would only give financial help to bus companies that bought new buses with doors! Suddenly London Transport found they could no longer buy any more of their favourite Routemasters, that they had designed. They had instead to choose other models. Today, European Union rules also say that new buses for public transport must have doors.
7. "Routemaster" buses have no doors at the back end. True False.
London, however, resisted the bureaucrats! Determined to keep the buses that Londoners (and tourists) wanted, London Transport kept the old Routemasters going as long as possible. Five hundred of the solid and popular old buses were extensively renovated, and put back on the road as good as new, if not better! But not even the Routemaster could resist the winds of change. Modern transport systems require one-man buses, not buses with both a driver and a conductor. So in 2005, the old Routemasters were finally taken out of normal service.
8. "London Transport are now building new Routemaster buses, in spite of European Union rules." True False.
Still, it's not too late to enjoy travelling on one of these historic buses. Some of the old buses have been preserved, and were used on two "heritage routes" through the centre of London, specially for tourists. Route 9 went from the Royal Albert Hall to Aldwych, via Piccadilly circus and Trafalgar Square; but the last Routemasters were used on this route in 2014
9. "Some of the old buses have been preserved, and were used on two "heritage routes" True False.
Still, it's not too late to enjoy travelling on one of these historic buses. Some of the old buses have been preserved, and were used on two "heritage routes" through the centre of London, specially for tourists. Route 9 went from the Royal Albert Hall to Aldwych, via Piccadilly circus and Trafalgar Square; but the last Routemasters were used on this route in 2014. The only route left is Route 15, which goes from Trafalgar Square to the Tower of London, via St. Paul's Cathedral. But other old Routemasters are used by the tourist bus companies, which offer trips round the centre of London.
10. "Old Routemasters aren't used by the tourist bus companies" True False.
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