New Routemaster

New Routemaster
London United New Routemaster at Hammersmith in October 2013
Overview
ManufacturerWrightbus
Production2011–2017
1,000 units produced
Body and chassis
Doors3 doors
Floor typeLow-floor
Powertrain
EngineCummins ISBe 4.5 (euro spec)
4-cylinder, 4.5 L (270 cu in), 185 hp (138 kW) Euro V compliant[1][2]
Capacity80 (87 without wheelchair) (lower: 22 seats, 1 wheelchair space, 18 standing (25 standing without wheelchair); upper deck: 40 seats)
TransmissionDiesel in series
18 kWh[3] Microvast Lithium Titanate battery, Microvast LpTO,[4] Siemens ELFA2[5] electric traction motor[6]
Dimensions
Length11.23 m (36 ft 10+1⁄8 in)[5]
Width2.52 m (8 ft 3+1⁄4 in)
Height4.39 m (14 ft 4+7⁄8 in)
Curb weight12.65 t (12.45 long tons; 13.94 short tons)
Chronology
PredecessorAEC Routemaster (spiritual)
SuccessorWright SRM

The New Routemaster, (known as the New Bus for London, the Borismaster and the Boris Bus), is a hybrid diesel–electric double-decker bus. It has a low-floor. It was made from 2011 to 2017 by Wrightbus. It was made for services in London, England.

It is known for having a "hop-on hop-off" rear open platform similar to the AEC Routemaster but it was made to meet rules for modern buses and to meet accessibility rules.

History

The AEC Routemaster bus was used in London from 1968 to 2005, it had a rear open platform and was monitored by the bus driver or the conductor. In 2005, it was withdrawn[7][8] and replaced with buses that didn't have a rear open platform.

In the 2008 London mayoral elections, many people complained about the withdrawal of the Routemasters, Boris Johnson made a campaign pledge to make a new Routemaster bus.[9]

In 2009, Wrightbus was awarded the contract to make the new Routemaster bus, the final design was announced in May 2010.[10][11]

The new Routemaster first entered service in February 2012 with Arriva London on route 38.[12]

The new Routemaster has three doors; the doors are at the front, in the middle and at the rear,[13] the rear doors can be closed by the driver. It has two staircases; one in the middle and one at the rear that goes down to the rear platform.

Operation

As of March 2021, 1,000 New Routemasters are in TfL operation.[14]

Current routes

New Routemasters currently run on the following routes:[15]

Route Operator Peak vehicle requirement Introduction date
3 Transport UK London Bus 22 8 February 2016[15]
5 Blue Triangle 30 28 June 2022
8 Stagecoach London 30 28 June 2014[16]
9 Metroline 22 26 October 2013[17]
11 London General 25 21 September 2013[18]
12 London Central 36 28 March 2015[19]
15 Blue Triangle 24 28 February 2015[20]
16 Metroline 15 26 September 2015[15]
19 Arriva London 28 5 October 2019[21]
21 London Central 27 5 December 2016
24 Transport UK London Bus 27 22 June 2013[22]
27 22 24 November 2018[23]
32 Metroline 18 29 April 2023
38 Arriva London 59 10 May 2014[16]
55 Stagecoach London 35 28 February 2015[20]
59 Arriva London 26 22 March 2016[24]
67 London General 12 15 June 2019[25]
68 Transport UK London Bus 24 6 February 2016[26]
73 Arriva London 53 14 May 2015[27]
76 25 25 March 2017[28]
87 London General 22 30 March 2019[29]
137 Arriva London 31 2 December 2014[30]
148 London United 25 15 February 2014[31]
149 Arriva London 38 13 October 2015[32]
159 Transport UK London Bus 34 12 December 2015[33]
168 Metroline 22 10 December 2015[15]
176 London Central 22 7 November 2021
189 Metroline 20 30 August 2016[15]
211 London United 20 4 June 2016[15]
215 Stagecoach London 5 1 February 2024[15]
248 Arriva London 15 24 September 2022[34]
253 32 20 October 2016[35]
254 33 3 June 2017[36]
267 Transport UK London Bus 17 7 November 2017[37]
313 Arriva London 8 4 October 2020[38]
390 Metroline 22 7 December 2013[39]
415 Transport UK London Bus 10 30 July 2018[40]
453 London Central 35 18 October 2014[41]
EL1 Blue Triangle 17 18 February 2017[28]
EL2 15
EL3 14
H32 London United 8 28 August 2021[42]
N3 Transport UK London Bus 13 8 February 2016[15]
N8 Stagecoach London 21 28 June 2014[16]
N9 Metroline 18 26 January 2019[43]
N11 London General 7 31 October 2015[44]
N15 Blue Triangle 23 26 August 2017
N19 Arriva London 8 5 October 2019[21]
N32 Metroline 6 29 April 2023[15]
N38 Arriva London 26 10 May 2014[16]
N55 Stagecoach London 12 28 February 2015[20]
N73 Arriva London 13 14 May 2015 [27]
N87 London General 13 30 March 2019[29]
N253 Arriva London 13 20 October 2016[35]
SL3 Stagecoach London 15 24 February 2024[45]

Former routes

New Routemasters previously operated on the following routes.

Route Last operator Peak vehicle requirement NRMs introduced NRMs withdrawn
10 London United 23 26 April 2014[46] 23 November 2018[23]
48 Arriva London 22 25 February 2017[47] 12 October 2019[48]
88 London General 23 24 August 2015[15] 29 March 2019[29]
91 Metroline 21 9 May 2016[49] November 2021[50]
111 Transport UK London Bus 24 28 August 2021 2023
N16 Metroline 6 April 2023

In November 2018, route 10 was withdrawn and its New Routemaster buses were transferred to route 27.[23] In March 2019, route 88 was restructured and its New Routemaster buses were transferred to route 87.[29] On 11 October 2019, route 48 was withdrawn.[48] Route 91's New Routemaster buses were transferred to Routes 17 and 332.[50]

Accidents and incidents

The New Routemaster has been involved in several accidents and incidents:

  • In September 2013, three people were seriously injured when a New Routemaster on route 11 crashed into three other buses and some parked cars on Chelsea Bridge Road.[51]
  • In June 2014, the driver of a car going at 100 mph was killed, one person was critically injured and 12 were hurt when the car hit a New Routemaster on route N38.[52]
  • In April 2015, a car was wedged in between two New Routemasters on Goodge Street. The occupants of the car were treated at the scene.[53]
  • In January 2016, 13 people were injured when two New Routemasters on routes 11 and 148 collided with each other and hit a van in Parliament Square.[54]
  • On 27 December 2019, a New Routemaster caught fire in Kennington, while working route 59 to Euston.[55]
  • On 5 March 2024, two people were injured after a New Routemaster on route 8 lost control and crashed into a shopfront on New Oxford Street in Westminster.[56]
  • On 19 May 2024, a new-style Routemaster on the 5 route between Canning Town and Romford crashed into the side of a house in Claughton Road, East Ham.[57]

References

  1. ↑ Borismaster or Saunamaster? Archived 20 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine Transport Engineer 2 July 2014
  2. ↑ Wrights Hybrid Archived 26 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine Wrightbus
  3. ↑ Your New Routemaster questions answered CNET
  4. ↑ "Cell – Products". microvast.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Spec sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  6. ↑ Siemens ELFA Drive System for Hybrid Electric Vehicles, 2011. Archived 23 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Booth, Hannah (8 April 2005). "The red brigade". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "Routemaster cull on three routes". 3 September 2004. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "Johnson aims to scrap bendy buses". 3 March 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  10. ↑ Taylor, Matthew (17 May 2010). "Boris Johnson unveils London Routemaster bus design". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "News". Wrightbus. Archived from the original on 24 May 2010. 17.05.2010 Mayor unveils iconic final design for London's new bus
  12. ↑ McGuirk, Justin (23 February 2012). "The Routemaster's triumphant return to London". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Atkinson, Neil (6 August 2014). "Three-door London buses could hit Huddersfield streets". huddersfieldexaminer. Retrieved 8 January 2017. The buses have doors at the front, centre and rear.
  14. ↑ "Bus Fleet Audit" (PDF). tfl.gov.uk. Transport for London. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 "New Routemaster". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Route 8 and 38 now served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 2 July 2014
  17. ↑ Route 9 to be served by iconic New Bus for London from Saturday Transport for London 21 October 2013
  18. ↑ Second Borismaster route named Archived 21 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 4 June 2013
  19. ↑ Route 12 to be served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 8 April 2015
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Route 55 and 15 to be served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 26 January 2015
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Short Hops Buses issue 76 November 2019 page 22
  22. ↑ Mayor announces first bus route to be fully served by iconic new bus for London fleet Transport for London 25 January 2013
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Route 10 to go as TfL engages all-engines reverse Buses issue 764 November 2018 page 24
  24. ↑ Route 59 converts to New Routemasters Arriva London 23 March 2016
  25. ↑ LSBL confirms latest London bus routes to change hands Coach & Bus Week issue 1400 2 July 2019 page 7
  26. ↑ Route 68 now served by new Routemaster bus Transport for London 5 February 2016
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Route 73 to be served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 15 May 2015
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Blue Triangle and Arriva London North win new London tenders" Coach & Bus Week issue 1251 2 August 2016 page 7
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 Success for Go-Ahead Buses issue 752 November 2017 page 22
  30. ↑ Route 137 to be served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 1 December 2014
  31. ↑ Routemasters running on route 148 Archived 18 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London 19 February 2014
  32. ↑ Route 149 now served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 26 October 2015
  33. ↑ Route 159 now served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 11 December 2015
  34. ↑ "Bus tender results – Transport for London". tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "Arriva London's Route 253 converts to New Routemasters". Arriva London. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  36. ↑ Bus Service Changes 5 May to 16 June 2017 Transport for London 19 May 2017
  37. ↑ Last New Routemasters for route 267 Buses January 2018 page 24
  38. ↑ "New Routemasters reach Potters Bar". BusandTrainuser, October 2020. 9 October 2020.
  39. ↑ Route 390 to be served by New Routemasters from Saturday Transport for London 5 December 2013
  40. ↑ Short Hops Buses issue 763 October 2018 page 24
  41. ↑ New Routemaster buses on route 453 Transport for London 2 October 2014
  42. ↑ RATP shuffles fleet Buses issue 800 November 2021 page 22
  43. ↑ Short Hops Buses issue 768 March 2019 page 26
  44. ↑ Revised rear door arrangement on latest LTs Buses issue 725 August 2015 page 25
  45. ↑ "New SL3 Superloop route launches in south-east London". BBC News. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  46. ↑ [1] Transport for London 24 April 2014
  47. ↑ Arriva London starts running TfL bus route 48 service this Saturday Arriva London 23 February 2017
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Permanent Bus Changes Transport for London
  49. ↑ "Metroline" Buses issue 736 July 2016 page 73
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 "FOI request detail".
  51. ↑ "New Bus for London crash: Three people seriously hurt". BBC News. 23 September 2013.
  52. ↑ "London bus crash: 100mph 'street racer' dead, one man critically injured and 12 others hurt after collision with car". Evening Standard. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  53. ↑ "Mercedes wedged between two 'Boris' buses". 20 April 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  54. ↑ "Bus crash in London's Parliament Square injures 12". BBC News. 11 January 2016.
  55. ↑ "Dramatic pictures show London bus ravaged by flames in Kennington". 27 December 2019.
  56. ↑ "London bus crash leaves two injured after number 8 smashed through building next to Costa". 5 March 2024.
  57. ↑ "TfL bus rams into home on Claughton Road, East Ham". 19 May 2024.

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