New Routemaster: The Outside Story 2011–2017 is the first of two volumes in which the author, David Maxey, intends to cover every aspect of the London’s New Routemaster buses, from their introduction in 2011 through to the release of the final batch in 2017.
In 2007 London mayoral candidate Boris Johnson pledged to bring about an up-to-date version of the popular Routemaster bus. Nick-named the “Boris Buses”, the first New Routemaster bus, LT 1, was revealed to the press and public in Trafalgar Square on the 16 December 2011. First in service however was LT 2 which started running on 27th February 2012, six weeks before LT 1 began in passenger service.
The progress of this controversial project is presented year-by-year, route by route, as each bus enters service, and the widespread use of tables adds to the detail of what happened when. Sections cover events such as the overseas trade missions, the development of the LT fleet as an advertising medium with photographs displaying a selection of colourful LT vinyl advertising wraps which were to become a familiar sight on the fleet, and some of the appearances made by individual vehicles outside of the capital.
Two simplified route maps are included, the first of which shows the routes of the LT Ten at the time of conversion at the end of 2014 and the second showing routes EL 1, 2 and 3 as converted in 2017.
A table of the LTs lists them by their numbers and information shown includes their route, original garage allocation and numbers into service.
234 Colour photographs, a recruitment flyer and 2 route maps. Hardback. 140 pages.