Since the first appearance of the Routemaster bus in the 1950s, its double-decker design has been adopted and adapted for buses in cities around the country – and world.

Explore the story of this design and its development, as well as the symbolic value the red double-decker has come to hold for Londoners and tourists. Routemaster double-deckers have become famous the world over through their appearances in countless films and books.

Routemasters that have come to the end of their working life have been converted into tour buses, party venues… even estate agents!

The end of 2005 saw the last Routemaster buses taken out of service, after almost half a century on London’s roads – so what better time to explore their story, and to ask what the future may hold? And other pressing questions, such as “What’s the difference between an RT and an RM?”

Click here to start exploring