8 Things You Didn't Know About London Buses

1.)  Why are the buses red?

Before 1907, buses were painted in different colours to signify their route. Due to fierce competition between bus companies, London General Omnibus Company (LGOC) – which became the biggest bus operator in the capital – painted their fleet of buses red in order to stand out from the competition. After encouragement from the Metropolitan Police they also introduced numbers on the buses to signify different routes

2) The Knight Bus was commissioned in 1865

Well, at least that's what J.K. Rowling would have you believe. The bus seen in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was constructed using three RT-Class AEC Regent III buses. It is summoned by sticking your wand in the air, as a muggle might hail a taxi. The service is generally used by wizards who are underage or infirm. Hot chocolate is available for the sum of thirteen sickles and there are many beds on which to rest a wizard's head.

3.) How long does a bus driver train for?

Bus drivers must obtain a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). This involves completing three tests: a theory and hazard perception, a case study and demonstration, and a practical driving. It takes around 55 hours of practical training for a bus driver to pass.

4.) It is possible to track every bus in London

TfL currently uses GPS tracking to provide customers with real-time information of the next bus arrival. This information has been put into an accessible map which allows users to track every single bus in London. Before buses were equipped with GPS, Transport for London used a system called Bus Electronic Scanning Indicator (BESI). BESI scanned barcodes on buses, which let operators know where each bus was, giving an overall view of the route.

5.) A competition found the new London bus design

In his 2008 election campaign, Boris Johnson vowed to bring the Routemaster back to London. The design of the bus was subject to a competition, with international design companies submitting entries. The winning designs were chosen, altered slightly, and in 2010 the final design was unveiled

6) London is haunted by a phantom double-decker

Last spotted in 1990, the phantom number seven bus appears in Cambridge Gardens (W10) at 1.15 am. People have reported the bus driving towards them in the middle of the road, with no lights and no one at the wheel. Convinced they are about to collide with the bus, drivers often swerve out of the way, only to look back and find the bus has vanished without a trace. The phantom bus has even claimed the lives of some, most notably in 1934 when a car burst into flames at the exact spot the bus is regularly sighted.

7.) Two iconic Routemasters are still in use

The Routemaster bus is symbolic of London but this couldn’t save them from being withdrawn from service on 9th December 2005. They were replaced with easy access low-floor buses. However two Routemasters are still in use today on heritage routes. These are Route 9 from Kensington High Street to Aldwych and Route 15 from Trafalgar Square to Tower Hill.

8.)The Roundel logo

In 1912 LGOC became part of the Underground Group, uniting bus services and the underground railway. A roundel symbol which combined the LGOC’s ‘winged wheel’ and the Underground’s ‘bar and circle’ was introduced on maps and used as the company logo. This symbol was designed to help passengers distinguish travel information from commercial advertising.