The Queen’s Golden Jubilee was in February 2002, and for a period of three years from 2002 to 2005 a number of London’s buses were painted in gold to commemorate the occasion. Most however worked 2002-04 thus this month would be roughly halfway between those points in time, this being fifteen years since the buses were seen on London’s streets.
A book, London’s Golden Jubilee Buses by David Stewart was published in November 2002 covering the buses up to that point. Stewart’s book does not cover the periods after that time which the buses were seen running. Thus this article covers the period 2002 to 2004, including those post David Steward’s opus.
RM6 on Route 159 was the longest serving Golden Jubilee Bus.
These two posts are mainly pictorial with some simple text for each photo.
RML2431 at Warwick Avenue in 2002.
Route 8
RML2450 in the old Victoria bus station 17th April 2002.
Line up of Routemasters with the gold in the middle.
RML2450 on Bethnal Green Road near Brick Lane.
Route 9
RML2414 at Aldwych on one of its first duties as a Golden Jubilee Bus.
RML2414 again at Aldwych – note the more complete bus number decal on the engine bonnet.
Route 38
RT 4712 on the 38 at Victoria.
Route 159
This, with its one bus, RM6, was the longest serving Golden Jubilee bus route.
RM6 at Trafalgar Square on 16th August 2003.
RM6 Oxford Street 4 Feb 2004 (the 2003-04 xmas decorations were still up!)
RM6 worked the 159 right up to December 9th 2005 just before the route was converted to one man operation. The picture below is from Wikipedia of RM6’s final days on the 159.
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There are perhaps still a couple or so RM’s in Gold Jubilee Livery that are used for private hire work, whilst the one and only RT is still in its gold livery apparently.
Part two features RT4712 which was specially painted for the Golden Jubilee.
