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-   -   Can't live without London's Double Decker buses? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/cant-live-without-londons-double-decker-buses-577182/)

G_Hopper Dec 20th, 2005 06:36 AM

Can't live without London's Double Decker buses?
 
Can't live without London's Double Decker buses?

Now you can live within one!

From treehugger.com: "Double Decker Living (DDL) is snapping up available ones to create mobile 2 storey housing. Complete with communal sitting room, shower, kitchen and dining area and sleeping for five. So far they have converted 6, with another 50 in the offing."

http://www.doubledeckerliving.com/index.php

I think think they could do well renting them out to tourists.

xyz123 Dec 20th, 2005 06:44 AM

I don't know if it is clear...double decker red buses have not disappeared in London...what have disappeared are the outdated dangerous routemaster double decker buses with the open platform which in a modern city is a very dangerous thing...

Most routes still have double decker buses but modern ones with a front door where passengers alight and show their tickets or pay the driver, no conductor as were on the routemasters, and a middle door for exiting.

Unfortunately because of rules involving the handicapped, some of the routes where the routemasters have been taken off have new bendy buses which are single decked and sort of two buses in one with the middle being flexible...those I don't like but I don't really have a problem with the new double deckers...it's still a great way to see the cities and when visiting London, I often take the bus just to watch the street scene even though it is slower than the tube, especially during the day when there can be traffic delays. Later during the evening, the buses can be just as quick as the tube.

henneth Dec 20th, 2005 06:54 AM

That's right, XYZ123.
People are constantly asking if London's double deckers have all gone. The answer is, of course, no they haven't. A certain type, the AEC Routemaster has gone. However double decker buses continue to operate in all of the U.K's major towns and cities.
Nevertheless the Routemaster is considered a London icon amongst many but I'm not sure I'd like to live in one.

RufusTFirefly Dec 20th, 2005 06:56 AM

Oooooooo, danger! We can all breathe more easily now.

christina79 Dec 20th, 2005 12:26 PM

So the rumour is not true, then? I heard recently that double deckers are being phased out... but I guess just the older ones are, eh? Can't imagine London w/o double deckers!

Keith Dec 20th, 2005 02:08 PM

And a few Routemasters are still running for the tourists.

Keith

PalQ Dec 20th, 2005 04:40 PM

A recent Metro newspaper article in Germany said scrapped Routemasters could be bought for 8,000 euro.
Just back from London and saw old Routemasters running from Trafalgar Square area down the Strand towards the Tower of London - a tourist route but same old weird Routemasters that you could hop on or off as it was moving.
The new single-floor Bendy-Buses are causing controversy in that they, due to their long bending nature tend to cause traffic blocks when turning. Recently off the drawing board are double-decker bendy-buses that are being called the world's largest capacity buses - save i guess those in India when dozens even ride of the tops of the buses!


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