Imberbus 2024 – David Marsh

There is probably a Routemaster bus rally somewhere in the country most weekends, and you can visit parts of Salisbury Plain every day. The lost village of Imber is also open a few times a year. But there’s only one day a year when all three are possible, and you can ride a Routemaster bus over the Salisbury Plains to visit Imber village. It’s Imberbus Day 2024.

This year we took our American relative (sort of), Uncle D, claiming that it was the most eccentrically English thing that we could think of to entertain him with. Thousands of others must have thought the same, and there were good natured crowds, especially in St Giles Church, Imber, and long queues at most bus stops. The only thing not classically English was the weather, which was excellent all day.

The GWR trains from Didcot, change at Bath Spa, all ran on time, with the Bath to Warminster train packed with Imberbus people both ways. This is no longer just a day for bus nerds; it’s a good day out for everyone.

Early morning (10:24) queue at Warminster Station

Top deck photography – Dusty road to Imber.

Uncle D with RM1005

The London Routemaster is the iconic London double decker bus. The prototype was built in 1954, and full production began in 1958, continuing until 1968. It was designed to replace the previous RT series buses, and the London trollybuses. The chassis and engine were by AEC for most Routemasters, but some were manufactured by Leyland. The Leyland versions however, had no visible external differences from the AECs. The Routemaster was the last bus designed by London Transport. When Routemaster replacements were introduced in the 1970s, standard production models were purchased from various manufacturers.

The Routemaster, with half cab and rear platform entrance, was designed for two-person operation, and was under threat from the 1970s when front-entranced, one-man-operation buses were introduced to central London. Nevertheless, Routemasters saw continuous service in London until 2005, and they remain on two heritage routes (9 and 15) in central London. It is estimated that there are some 1,000 Routemasters of the 2,876 built still in existence.

RM 1005 was new in 1962 at Highgate garage. After service from various garages, the vehicle was withdrawn in 1994. The bus remained in store until 1998 when she was sold into private ownership. In 2000 Marshalls of Cambridge fitted a new Cummins engine, and refurbished the bodywork. From 2001 to 2005 she was used by Sovereign London for route 13. Following that she was back in storage until 2007. In that year she was purchased by Sir Peter Hendy CBE of Bath, and during 2009 and 2010 was loaned to First London for route 9. [source]