Dubbed “the Lennon and McCartney of the road” by writers and fans of the Routemaster, the partnership goes back to the mid-Victorian era, when horse-buses started regular operation. Built by George Shillibeer, they were introduced on to London’s streets in 1829. Horse-buses were box-like structures pulled by three horses with a rear entrance where the conductor stood.

Towards the end of the century a bell was fitted under the driver’s seat, so the conductor could communicate with the driver.

This is still a big part of the job today. While collecting fares, conductors ring the bell once passengers have safely got on and off the bus, so the driver can start moving again. The conductor also keeps tabs on whether there are any seats left on the top deck to save people making a fruitless trip upstairs.

Conductors float freely around the bus, checking and selling tickets. If he or she thinks the bus is full, they’ll stand on the open platform at the back of the bus and stop anyone else getting on. Often the familiar cry of “only five standing inside please” can be heard, and there’s no point in arguing!

Conductors seem to give a sense of community – they see the same people every day and some even say they have their “regulars”. This human interaction is what will be missed when they have to hang up their ticket machines for good. It also means that figures such as Duke Baysee, the harmonica-playing conductor who could be found collecting fares on the 73 route, will disappear.

In a recent article in the Guardian, Routemaster drivers told journalist Simon Hattenstone that working with a conductor created a more relaxed experience – they can concentrate more on driving, and they feel safer.

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, agrees, saying conductors were extremely popular as they sped up journey times and made people feel safer.

Working on buses has always had an appeal – at the turn of the century, men actually paid to become drivers and conductors because they could be independent and the money was good.

Before the second world war, bus drivers earned the same as policemen, and the position was very prestigious. During the 1950s and 1960s, it was a solid, respectable job, and there were several husband and wife driver/conductor teams. Even in the early-1980s, bus drivers in London were earning the same as Tube train drivers, although now drivers on the underground earn more.

A driver speaks...

Jak Ripley drove Routemasters on the 137 and 159 routes out of Brixton garage. Now a bus station supervisor, he spoke to Icons about his memories of the relationship between drivers and conductors.

Drivers and conductors have been described as “the Lennon and McCartney of the road”. Is there a hierarchy? Does one ever get jealous of the other’s job?

At Brixton there was not really a hierarchy in that respect. Length of service was something to be prized. There was also inter-garage rivalry – between Brixton and Stockwell in particular!

Do pairs tend to stick together or do they chop and change?

Drivers generally stay paired with their regular “mate” unless a shift had been changed, one is on holiday or working overtime.

Do you know of any legendary driver/conductor teams?

There was a driver and conductor who were both South African – the driver was white and the conductor was black. There were lots of teams that had worked together for decades. Brixton was great as there were people from many ethnic backgrounds working together without the problems and prejudices of the outside world.

In your experience, do you think many drivers and conductors had wanted to do the job since they were children?

A large number did. I know I did! The other section were just people who could not get work elsewhere for whatever reason or who just drifted into it. In bus work, many people go in with a short-term objective and find themselves still doing the work ten or 20 years later. I think it gets in the blood!

What was your best moment and scariest moment as a Routemaster driver?

There were far too many to mention. My best was picking up politicians from the Houses of Parliament. One of the scariest was being stopped on Lambeth Bridge by the police and having an automatic weapon pointed at me with no explanation!

What do you think the phasing out of the Routemaster will mean for London?

A loss of identity for London, the loss of a personal service, the introduction of faceless transport and the lack of the individual conductor’s personality.