Contrary to what our name may lead you to believe, there are some things that we don’t keep particularly under wraps here at Secret London. One of which being the rather sizeable soft spot that we have for the various vehicles that ferry us around the city. From trains, Tubes, and taxis to bikes, boats, and (what I plan to wax lyrical about for the next couple of minutes) buses; we’re pretty darn lucky to have one of the niftiest networks in the world keeping the capital moving. So, if you’re anywhere near as enthusiastic as I am about London’s transport network; you’re going to want to hear this wheely great news.
Another highly-popular heritage bus day will be taking place in the capital next month, courtesy of the legendary London Bus Museum. On June 13, for one day only, a fleet of vintage buses will be rolling through the streets of the city. And Londoners can hop about for a trip back in time – without having to pay a penny.
The London Bus Museum’s Route 213 Heritage Day
In case you weren’t already aware, the London Bus Museum is home to the largest collection of historic London buses in the world, making them pretty well-equipped for any bus-related events, don’t you think? Next month’s fare-free vintage bus rides will take place across the iconic Number 213 bus route. From 10am until 5pm on June 13, a fleet of these bright red buses (dating from between the 1950s and the 1970s) will be running in both directions between Kingston and Sutton.
The number 213 bus has been ferrying folk through south London for over a century, having first had its wheels put in motion back in 1921. Serving the likes of Norbiton, New Maldon, Worcester Park and Cheam along the way, the number 213 boasts a pretty lengthy backstory. On the heritage day, the majority of the buses on route will be Routemasters from the 50s and 60s and their predecessor, the RT-type (which in the 50s formed the largest standardised bus fleet in the whole world, FYI). There’s also set to be some slightly more modern and privately-owned buses taking part in the heritage day, too.
Open-platform buses (complete with a real conductor, and everything) will be running between Kingston and Sutton Bus Garage. You don’t need to book a space on one of the vintage buses; you can just turn up, put out your hand, and hop aboard. If you’re really lucky, you might even get your hands on an old-school bus ticket.
It’s worth noting that the regular number 213 bus service will be running as normal on the day, and usual fares will apply on these services. These historic buses also pre-date the low-floor accessible buses we have today, they have steps at the entrance and inside, and wheelchairs and most modern buggies unfortunately can’t be accommodated on board.
The London Bus Museum’s Route 213 Heritage Day will take place on Saturday, June 13. Find out more about it here.
