In 2024, the very first Routemaster bus, RM1, will be seventy years old and to commemorate this significant anniversary the Routemaster Association will be staging RM70 a special free event at Chiswick Park in London over the weekend of the 20th and 21st July 2024.
Now mostly in private hands many surviving buses will be attending this family event. Visitors will be able to enjoy free rides on the buses between the event site and the London Transport Museum in Acton and for photographers the event presents a unique photo opportunity with a line-up of 70 Routemasters on display.
Ten years ago in 2014 The Routemaster Association held RM60 in Finsbury Park, this event attracted thousands of visitors. Over 130 Routemasters attended with some buses travelling to the event from Europe.
Chiswick Park was chosen for RM70 due to the site’s historical connection with the Routemaster bus. Before today’s modern business park was built the site was home to one of London Transport’s main bus overhaul works and was famous for being the place where trainee drivers were put through their paces on its impressive skid pan.