Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #93148 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 210 pages

Review

• Revised to include the Routemaster's Last Run on 9 December 2005
• A London best-seller- over 12,000 copies sold in hardback
• 'Elborough's book will please bus lovers... as well as cultural historians' Sukhdev Sandhu, Daily Telegraph
• 'A charming account of the capital's enduring affair with its favourite piece of transport' Daily Mail
• 'This quirky book looks at the Routemaster in a completely different way to other publications relating to this iconic bus... a light-hearted read that will amuse as well as tell the story of one of London's best loved buses' Bus Fayre
• 'Elborough's love for the Routemaster bus and all who travel in her is unbounded' Magnus Mills, The Times

Bus Fayre
‘Quirky ...a light hearted read...that will amuse as well as tell the story of one of London’s best loved buses’

TLS
‘This well-told story is one that was worth telling’

Customer Reviews

Nostalgia Is Not What It Used To Be
This is not just a charming book, detailing in depth, the history of the Routemaster bus and all its forerunners (I'm an RLH and RF man myself), but it captures a piece of British history that is unique. Travis Elborough writes with biting humour and deep knowledge about most things important. Books, Music and Buses (of course). Even if you have no interest in the London Bus, this is a wonderful read. My first book of 2006; it may still be the best one by the end of the year.

One for the enthusiast
This was a very enjoyable read. At first I thought I was going to be disappointed with the lack of pictures and photos. There is not a lot of detail of route specifics but that is not what this book is about.
It is an in-depth look at how the Routemaster came about and provides a very good history of London's bus history which led to the Routemaster's birth and existance.
As one who grew up bus spotting in the 50's I can vouch for the accuracy of the details in the book and it bought back many happy memories.
The only fact I found missing was how London Transport developed the 8 foot wide RTW so that they could see if the soon-to-be Routemaster would be able to safely drive on London's narrow streets. All buses before had been seven and a half feet wide.

The Bus was boring
Too much use of weak anecdotes and over complex language makes this a book that has little to do with the London Bus and more to do with a failed attempt by the author to impress with his writing skills.