Atlantica - 01.01.2006, Page 11

AT L A N T I CA 9
Cheerio
...to London’s celebrated icon of urban transport, the classic red double-decker bus. Though the Routemaster
London double-decker doesn’t face total extinction – tourists will still be able to tour central London in 20
preserved relics – the last one to ferry commuters rode into the sunset in December. The classic double-deckers,
which started running in the 1950s, were hailed by fans as easy to hop on and off and were agile on London’s
packed streets. The city took them out of service for not being accessible to disabled patrons and, since they
have conductors on board in addition to drivers, being more expensive to run than a traditional bus. Modern
double-deckers will still be part of the urban landscape, but if you’re really feeling inconsolable about the whole
thing, you might still be able to find one of the decommissioned red hulks for sale at about GBP 10,000. Tell the
auction house Atlantica sent you.
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Airmail+OTF ATL106.indd 9 16.12.2005 12:11:25