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Colegio Gimnasio Campestre San Sebastián: Routemaster Double-Decker Bus

The Routemaster double-decker bus was introduced in London in 1956 and withdrawn from regular service in 2005. It had an open platform at the rear and a conductor to collect fares, allowing for quick boarding and disembarking of passengers at stops and even while slowly moving. While other London buses switched to single-operator models to reduce costs, the Routemaster remained popular for its efficiency. Some were refurbished in the 1990s but ultimately were phased out to comply with accessibility laws.

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David De Avila Arce
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1K views5 pages

Colegio Gimnasio Campestre San Sebastián: Routemaster Double-Decker Bus

The Routemaster double-decker bus was introduced in London in 1956 and withdrawn from regular service in 2005. It had an open platform at the rear and a conductor to collect fares, allowing for quick boarding and disembarking of passengers at stops and even while slowly moving. While other London buses switched to single-operator models to reduce costs, the Routemaster remained popular for its efficiency. Some were refurbished in the 1990s but ultimately were phased out to comply with accessibility laws.

Uploaded by

David De Avila Arce
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Colegio Gimnasio Campestre San Sebastin

1. Read the text 2. Underline the unknown words and find their definitions in the English dictionary.

Routemaster Double-Decker Bus


The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was unveiled in 1954. It was introduced in London on 8 February 1956 and withdrawn from regular service on 9 December 2005. Production examples, at first to the 27'6" length then permitted, were placed in service from 1959 to replace trolleybuses, this process being completed in May 1962. Subsequent Routemasters, the last 500 of which were 30'long RML types, began the process of replacing the previous generation of RT-type AEC Regent buses (commemorated by Flanders & Swann's A Transport Of Delight) and their similar Leyland Titan RTL and RTW counterparts. The last Routemaster, RML 2760, was put into service in March 1968. The design has proved very popular with Londoners and tourists alike. Its two main advantages are the open platform at the rear, and the presence of a conductor to collect fares, required by the isolated driver's cab. The platform allows large volumes of passengers to alight and board quickly at stops, and indeed at traffic lights and slow speeds. The conductor collects fares when the bus is travelling, which considerably reduces waiting time at stops. Many of London's bus routes switched to modern "one-person operation" (OPO) in the 1970s, out of a desire to reduce operating costs and address staff shortages. However, it has been found that the increased boarding time while each passenger pays the driver slows down busy routes, and leads to "bunching" of buses and poor service. In an attempt to solve this, in central London bus tickets are now bought from street-side machines before boarding. The Oyster card has also made an impact in this regard. Withdrawal of Routemasters commenced in 1982 but was largely halted by 1988, with comparatively few withdrawn between then and 1992, when a programme was instituted to refurbish 500 of the RML type for ten years' further service. This work, which included updating the interior to modern tastes and re-engining, was carried out by Mainline, TBP and Leaside

Buses, and was completed in 1994, in time for the privatisation of London Buses Limited's subsidiaries. This saw the Routemaster fleet divided between nine new companies. In spite of an earlier public promise to retain the Routemaster, Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, later announced the phasing out of the type in order to provide a bus service in the Capital fully accessible to wheelchair users. Government legislation requires full accessibility by 2017 under the Disability Discrimination Act. The Routemaster was finally withdrawn from service on 9 December 2005.

3. Solve some questions about it.


1. The first Routemaster was introduced in London in 1956. True. False. We don't know. 2. People didn't like the open platform at the rear. True. False. We don't know. 3. Passengers can get off while the bus is going at slow speed. True. False. We don't know. 4. The conductor is in charge of driving the bus. True. False. We don't know.

5. In central London tickets are now bought from machines before boarding. True. False. We don't know.

6. In 1992 there was a programme to refurbish 500 Routemaster buses. True. False. We don't know. 7. The Routemaster stopped running in 2005. True. False. We don't know.

4. Write complex sentences using these words: -a) double-decker -e) alike -b) withdrawn -g) indeed -c) length -h) busy -d)design -i)speed -f) rear

5. Complete the sentences using the verbs in present perfect or simple past

6. Circle these verbs in their Past Participle form: -be -go -begin -get -bet -lose -buy -make -break -ride -drink -shoot -dig -stand -fly -swim

7. Select ten verbs and write sentences using the Present and Past Perfect. Example of Present Perfect Emily has drawn an amazing picture in the classroom about the negative consequences of the stupid war in our country. Example of Past Perfect Camille and Robert had sung at least five different songs of pop genre in the musical festival to win the first prize, a golden trophy. 8. Complete these conversations using the Present Perfect grammar. a. Ann: Have you done much exercise this week? Beth: Yes, I ___________ already ___________ to aerobics class four time. (have) b. Stephen: Have you planned any sports this month? Carl: No, I _____________ the time. (have) c. Emily: How many movies have you been to this month? Esther: Actually, I ____________ any yet. (see) d. Fred: Have you been to any interesting parties lately? Ivan: No, I ______________ to any parties for a while. (go) e. Henry: How many times have you gone out to eat this week? Sam: I ______________ at fast-food restaurants a couple of times. (eat)

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