Routemasters anchors and nostalgia.

In the last week an icon of the roads in London, the red Routemaster double-decker bus ceased service, only to be replaced by more modern accessible buses in the London Transport fleet.

I for one mourn the passing and from 3,500 miles way, I am nostalgic in my memories of jumping on and off the back of the number 26 (North Finchley Gaumont to Victoria) 260 (North Finchley Gaumont to Willesden Garage), 2B (North Finchley Gaumont to Crystal Palace) and 13 (sharing the same route as the 26 in later years), along Ballards Lane in Finchley.

Over the years the routes and terminus points changed but the sight of the buses stopping at the stops and passengers holding out their arms at the request stops, was as common as red phone boxes.

As a young teenager I recall trying to walk down Oxford Street faster than the buses. At least during busy traffic periods then you could at least jump on and off the stationary (or slightly moving) buses rather than be trapped behind the hydraulic doors of the new buses as you can only alight at stops along the route.

A tourists perception of visiting London and crass American films in London would always include the obligatory black cab and routemaster bus.

Recently they have with few exceptions been sold off after two months short of 50 years service on the roads of London. Some have been bought up and refurbished for corportate entertainment, others as shelters for the homeless, others simply driven by since retired drivers nostalgic to own a piece of history.

There will continue to be two routes served by routemasters in London, so they are not completely vanishing, although they will be more of a novelty than a matter of everyday life.

You would have thought given the advances in technology that someone would have come up with a design that meets current access requirements while retaining some of the design elements of the original in some way. Akin to BMW remaking the Mini and maintaining some of the character traits loved so much.

In the same week that Sir Trevor McDonald said his final, “and finally” on the News at Ten, the route master, not originally favored by the public when they arrived 50 years ago have been taken to the hearts of those who have traveled on them. These are both statements that nothing lasts forever no matter how much we want them to.

Returning to the subject of Sir Trevor, considering the recent departure of many main news anchors in America as well, and the cancellation of one of the ITV news channels because of low ratings compared with other news channels in the UK (BBC and Sky), the shape of news broadcasting is changing, not least that individuals have multiple ways and sources to gather and receive news. Perhaps the traditional anchor is like the routemaster, affectionally thought of but redundant in this day and age.

I suppose this is considered progress.

Hold-on-tight-please “ding-ding”.